This is a further Glimmering of hope. Hands Off! Toolkit

we are rapidly approaching the final tipping point ...

A Hands Off! spokesperson told   Newsweek   that as of April 3, more than 1,000 events had been planned across all 50 states. Events will range from rallies and protests to teach-ins, digital actions, and community gatherings. Some locations will feature marches, public demonstrations, and high-profile speakers from impacted communities.

Admirable, but we need concentrated protest, not 1000 smaller events.  A million people each on the streets of the nations 10 largest cities would be more effective. 

A million people each on the streets of the nations 10 largest cities would be more effective.

Gotta start somewhere

Gotta start somewhere

There's an olde saying:

A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.

There's an olde saying: A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.

I actually didn't know the source of that quote so I googled it:

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" is  a common saying that originated from a Chinese proverb . The quotation is from chapter 64 of the Tao Te Ching ascribed to Laozi, although it is also erroneously ascribed to his contemporary Confucius.  This saying teaches that even the longest and most difficult ventures have a starting point; something which begins with one first step.

What a beautiful sentiment. For some time now I have been using a quote (from memory and mildly overstated) that I did not know whom to give the proper credit. After so long. . .your comment inspired me to google it. Turns out the quote is attributed to Woody Allen: "80 percent of success is showing up." 

Today, I will step out. . . a journey of x amount of steps that will stitch back the wounds being afflicted on this nation. Hands Off!

Admirable, but we need concentrated protest, not 1000 smaller events.  A million people each on the streets of the nations 10 largest cities would be more effective. 

Why not both?

Here, Here!

No one will notice, or care. 

... like when maga disappears in a few years.

like when maga disappears in a few years.

I would much rather see those vile pieces of moronic shit crawl back into the holes in their hollars than to see society forcing the lgtbq community back into the closet. At a minimum the lgtbq community endorses and supports higher education and the sciences free from archaic bullshit religion which will be far better for our nation than just sitting in the rightwing conservative's religious shit-pile of anti-science ignorance and praying for salvation.

funny how those that scream the loudest about the indoctrination of children are the first to mandate it in public schools, against the wishes of most parents, and in open defiance of the constitution ...

Actually, such people tie themselves in rhetorical knots to (mis)use the conservative 'state' of the constitution against living people by not permitting its proper 'increase' along with the times we literally inhabit. That is, remember how adamantly conservatives (even so-called conservative justices) were against a worldview that gave usage of a  "living constitution" in the early 2000s? That is the game we are playing with people who won't let us advance past, "Go." They see: "No!"

No one will notice, or care. 

I have and I do, as have many others across the nation, so your contention is incorrect.

To Sean, delusional MAGA nutjobs are everyday Americans, and Democrats and other anti Trump folk are "radicals".   There is no hope for it. All we can do is make sure we win. 

To Sean, delusional MAGA nutjobs are everyday Americans, and Democrats and other anti Trump folk are "radicals".

In the MAGAverse, Trump won the 2020 election which was stolen from him by illegal voters and voter fraud, evidence of which was never found.

In the MAGAverse, they believe in a "deep state" of Democrats running the country and possibly the world, who supposedly "fixed" the 2020 election and hid all the evidence. Boy, these guys are good. /s

In the MAGAverse, they believe those arrested, tried and convicted of attacking capital police officers, breaking into the capital and attempting to stop the peaceful transfer of power, were "political prisoners". Sure, they violently tried to overthrow our constitutional government and install their wannabe dictator into power against the will of the American people, but that's only because they're such patriots! /s

In the MAGAverse, Democrats run child sex slave rings such as the one in the basement of a pizza parlor.

In the MAGAverse, they believe the killing of Osama Bin Laden was staged. Why? All so they don't have to give credit for killing America's number one terrorist foe to the first black President. Their racist brains just can't handle that kind of truth so they would rather invent a hilarious conspiracy theory to avoid having to face facts that would run counter to their deep, deep seated racism.

In the MAGAverse, Fauci colluded with big pharma to create Covid-19. I would love to see all the brainless dipshits who believe this kind of hilarious fantasy have their brains melted, but since they believe this kind of stupid moronic bullshit, it's clear their brains are already melted so I guess there's not much more for me to see.

The list of conspiracy theories these useless morons believe is too long to list here, and sadly far too many Americans continue to doubt the truth while believing the lie all because they don't want to believe the truth, they're comfortable with the lie and the lie demands nothing of them. They can embrace the lie without getting educated, without doing any math, without having to learn new things, without ever having to question the religious fantasy universe they prefer to live in.

It would be like trying to get a spoiled rotten petulant child that had been born with a platinum spoon in his mouth to go out and do actual physical labor to earn a living. There's almost no chance that the spoiled rotten MAGAverse bigots will ever change their ways. Today they are nothing but vestigial humans whining out their existence until they are confirmed obsolete and never replaced. The only thing really up for debate is how long it will take for the MAGAverse to completely implode. Hopefully it will occur sooner than later.

the magaverse excels at hypocrisy.

No one will notice, or care.

Whoa, wait a minute! You noticed...and cared enough to read a little of what this was about. Then you cared enough to post a comment!

So you noticed!  

This movement assumes there will be elections. Trump has said there won't be.

Well, actually he said that we need not vote again....

So... maybe I'm misinterpreting his words, with prejudice. I don't think so.

All across the country, we see Republican Fascist Party efforts to suppress voting.

That will only last as long as he cares. Remember, it's not who votes, it is who counts the votes.

True

All across the country, we see Republican Fascist Party efforts to suppress voting.

If the stock market keeps on going down, people who saved up most of their lives for retirement may not be able to retire. (Or will have to retire to a life of relative poverty). And many of those people will be mad enough to vote...

And many of those people will be mad enough to vote...

And some will be angry enough to write letters to their representsative, some will organize other actions.

Remember, it's not who votes, it is who counts the votes.

I think it could be some of both....

And many of those people will be mad enough to vote...

Why do you assume there will be elections?

Because we have to be willing to stand for something! Without a vote the people will be missing in action!

Trump has said there won't be.

Link?

Link? Republican presidential candidate  Donald Trump  told Christians on Friday that if they vote for him this November, "in four years, you don't have to vote again. We'll have it fixed so good, you're not gonna have to vote."

"Christians, get out and vote, just this time." "You won't have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what, it will be fixed, it will be fine, you won't have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians."

He added: "I love you Christians. I'm a Christian. I love you, get out, you gotta get out and vote. In four years, you don't have to vote again, we'll have it fixed so good you're not going to have to vote," Trump said.

Trump tells Christians they won't have to vote after this election | Reuters

LMAO.  You actually took all those areas you put in bold as he's going to do away with elections?  Oh, that's hilarious.

LMAO.  You actually took all those areas you put in bold as he's going to do away with elections? 

In what scenario would there be elections, but Christians wouldn't have to vote anymore?

A Gallup survey from 2023 indicates that of the entire U.S. population (332 million) about 67% is Christian (224 million). Christianity in the United States - Wikipedia

So, are you claiming Trump is correct and in 2028 the 67% of Christians, some 224 million Americans, would no longer need to vote but an election would be occurring?

I guess there could be a couple of ways that would be possible. If Trump and his cock sucking dipshit cabal of morons started assassinating or jailing all political opponents and we became a mirror image of the Russian system of government which is democratic in name only, then perhaps those white nationalist and white supremacist rightwing conservative MAGAites wouldn't have to vote anymore because the ballots would be stuffed and there was no chance of the Reich-wing party losing.

But other than that, I can't really see how we could have free and fair elections where "it", apparently our system of government and constitution, "will be fixed" so that Christians no longer have to vote for their interests. 

So please do. Laugh your ass off as you explain how Trumps words are just sooooo easy to understand and everyone else must be taking them out of context and he didn't really mean what he said, but you'll "fix" the narrative to something more defensible. Please do try to make sure everyone knows how "hilarious" Trumps words really are since clearly, they can't be taken seriously. Apparently, Trump is so complex (lol), or so monumentally stupid (yup!), he has to have his sycophants come and explain what he meant to say so that he doesn't look like such a fucking moron. Only problem is, when his sycophant's step in to defend him, they're only able to confirm their Dear Leader is a fucking moron and they prove themselves gullible fascist boot lickers.

Wow. That made an impression! Maybe it is a sign of a good comment when it literally leaves one with a mouth agape. 

There is no doubt, Trump said it, because I remember watching him state it in context during the late campaign cycle (thereabouts) last fall. Thus, we must not underestimate his audacity. He has made many attempts to complete his words before (even when it and all surrounding the declaration seems futile).

That said, voting and elections are in the constitution, and must be held every two and four years. . . . So, Trump has to prove what he meant by making such a 'declaration' and how he plans to accomplish said 'feat.' 

Finally, we who love our country just as much as Trump says and displays (more or less) he does, do not have to wait to see, we can 'ward' against his words and actions as we see fit. After all, such statements are out there to be done so once made public!

How well has Trump respected the Constitution so far?

You actually took all those areas you put in bold as he's going to do away with elections?  Oh, that's hilarious.

The bad faith is amazing.  It's the same as "I condemn neo-nazis totally" gets orwelled into "he called neo-nazi's very fine people."

his supporters now would happily let it happen ...

It's the same as "I condemn neo-nazis totally" gets orwelled into "he called neo-nazi's very fine people.

Reporter : (Inaudible) "… both sides, sir. You said there was hatred, there was violence on both sides. Are the --"

Trump : "Yes, I think there’s blame on both sides. If you look at both sides -- I think there’s blame on both sides. And I have no doubt about it, and you don’t have any doubt about it either. And if you reported it accurately, you would say."

Reporter : "The neo-Nazis started this. They showed up in Charlottesville to protest --"

Trump : "Excuse me, excuse me. They didn’t put themselves -- and   you had some very bad people in that group, but you also had people that were very fine people, on both sides.   You had people in that group. Excuse me, excuse me. I saw the same pictures as you did. You had people in that group that were there to protest the taking down of, to them, a very, very important statue and the renaming of a park from Robert E. Lee to another name."

Reporter : "George Washington and Robert E. Lee are not the same."

Trump : "George Washington was a slave owner. Was George Washington a slave owner? So will George Washington now lose his status? Are we going to take down -- excuse me, are we going to take down statues to George Washington? How about Thomas Jefferson? What do you think of Thomas Jefferson? You like him?"

Reporter : "I do love Thomas Jefferson."

Trump : "Okay, good. Are we going to take down the statue? Because he was a major slave owner. Now, are we going to take down his statue?

"So you know what, it’s fine. You’re changing history. You’re changing culture. And you had people -- and I’m not talking about the neo-Nazis and the white nationalists -- because they should be condemned totally. But you had many people in that group other than neo-Nazis and white nationalists. Okay? And the press has treated them absolutely unfairly.

"Now, in the other group also, you had some fine people. But you also had troublemakers, and you see them come with the black outfits and with the helmets, and with the baseball bats. You had a lot of bad people in the other group."

Reporter : "Sir, I just didn’t understand what you were saying. You were saying the press has treated white nationalists unfairly? I just don’t understand what you were saying."

Trump : "No, no. There were people in that rally -- and I looked the night before -- if you look, there were people protesting very quietly the taking down of the statue of Robert E. Lee. I’m sure in that group there were some bad ones. The following day it looked like they had some rough, bad people -- neo-Nazis, white nationalists, whatever you want to call them.

"But you had a lot of people in that group that were there to innocently protest, and very legally protest -- because, I don’t know if you know, they had a permit. The other group didn’t have a permit. So I only tell you this: There are two sides to a story. I thought what took place was a horrible moment for our country -- a horrible moment.  But there are two sides to the country. PolitiFact | In Context: Donald Trump’s ‘very fine people on both sides’ remarks (transcript)

What Trump at first says here is that " There are two sides to a story ", not three or four sides. And yet he goes on to define four supposedly disparate groups. (1) The supposedly peaceful protestors "protesting very quietly the taking down of the statue of Robert E. Lee" , (2) the "other group also, you had some fine people" , (3) the " troublemakers , and you see them come with the black outfits and with the helmets , and with the baseball bats. You had a lot of bad people in the other group", and then the (4) " rough, bad people -- neo-Nazis, white nationalists , whatever you want to call them".

The facts show that there really were just two groups, one protesting the removal of a Confederate Generals statue which everyone knows, even the protestors themselves, memorialized and celebrated the racist confederacy and a LOSER general. The other group were counter-protestors who stood up against the white nationalists and the huge crowd of rightwing conservatives marching with tiki torches waving confederate flags chanting "Jews will not replace us!"

If these were punch bowls, Trump is basically admitting that in the rightwing conservative punch bowl there were many Neo-Nazi and racist confederate loving bigoted pieces of shit floating around like the one who rammed his car into the peaceful protestors seriously injuring dozens and murdering one. Now that's a MASSIVE piece of shit in the punch bowl.

In the other bowl you have mostly peaceful protestors with a handful of anti-fascist idiots who understandably wanted to punch some Nazi's and they started a few scuffles with the marching Nazi's but thankfully no one was seriously injured or killed.

Personally, If I had to choose which punch bowl I had to drink from, it would clearly be the one with a few anti-fascist idiots who want to punch Nazi's. But apparently there are many conservatives who would just LOVE to drink down some of that racist poo punch with their "many fine people" mingling with several pounds of fecal racists and Nazi's which become hard to tell apart from the supposed non-racist folk who aren't supposedly racist at all but are desperate to keep the statue of a racist slave owning LOSER confederate general up in memory of the racists fight against freedom and the right to own other humans as cattle.

Trump claims "you had many people in that group other than neo-Nazis and white nationalists. Okay? And the press has treated them absolutely unfairly." But were they really treated unfairly? They had plenty of time to distance themselves from the Nazi's and white supremacists, but all I saw was one large, unified march of tiki torch wielding bigots. And yes, every fucking one of them chanting "Jews will not replace us!" were worthless racist and antisemites.

Those who continue to defend the tiki torch bigots really are just admitting that they absolutely love a big cup of poo laden punch, but that wasn't really a secret. Everyone with more than half a brain knows what kind of people they really are and there wasn't anything "fine" about them other than perhaps their desired mustaches...

One thing you'll never hear Trump say, "I reject the white supremacists who claim to support me, I do not want their support. White supremacists and neo-Nazis are crazy psychos who do not align with religious conservative beliefs or my beliefs. There is simply no place in America for such kinds of racist vitriol and hate and those who share such disgusting beliefs as racial superiority should be thrown out as they are worse than the illegal immigrants I regularly describe as animals." If Trump made that kind of statement he could lose a significant portion of his base so there's simply no way he will ever unequivocally condemn them. He'll give his little half condemnations like saying "they should be condemned totally" but never expanding on that or even himself saying "I, Donald Trump, totally condemn white supremacists, the KKK and neo-Nazi's", instead he weakly say's "they should be condemned".

The question is irrelevant. He can not of his own volition willingly violate the constitution with impunity. That is, without aid of the courts! That is what I meant, and it should have been properly understood without stating it.

The bad faith is amazing.  It's the same as "I condemn neo-nazis totally" gets orwelled into "he called neo-nazi's very fine people."

But it is not that at all. He does not Condemn neo-nazis totally. He wishy-washes and lolly gags about, saying things that might be construed either way, until he is backed into a corner, upon which he concludes the Proud Boys to,"Stand Back and Stand By"

The only bad faith is coming from Trump., and it comes all of the time. That is his method.

Word is Laura Loomer is a white nationalists in her own words to that effect and President Trump let her get pass secret service security. Speaks volumes. He does what ever the "h" he wants including talking out of both sides of his mouth! But facts are facts. She came. She saw him. She took selfies with Trump. And history will bear witness to Trump's white nationalists leanings.

Oh, that's hilarious

How so?

Donald Trump  told Christians on Friday that if they vote for him this November, "in four years, you don't have to vote again. We'll have it fixed so good, you're not gonna have to vote." "Christians, get out and vote, just this time." "You won't have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what, it will be fixed, it will be fine, you won't have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians.

I remember that... I ws wondering what he meant, but it seemed he meant there won't be any elections...

Please.

Get out. Go to the nearest protest. Let your voice be heard! Drown the sycophantic "Muhhhhnnn" crowd. Get active. Get engaged in the action.

Please.

I saw this one and I just had to reach out on chat!

I saw this one and I just had to reach out on chat!

Which chat? (Different people use the word "Chat" differently)

It's "Chat Now' on NT, Krishna.

Get out. Go to the nearest protest. Let your voice be heard! Drown the sycophantic "Muhhhhnnn" crowd. Get active. Get engaged in the action.

Did anyone here see Rachel Maddow's show tonight? She had excellent coverage. 

(Actually she started with coverage of some members of #PussyRiot"-- they had come to the U.S. to warn us how totalitarians come to power-- and how we could take action against it!)

she started with coverage of some members of "Pussy Riot"-

What is "Pussy Riot"?

From Wikipedia

Pussy Riot  is a  Russian feminist  protest and  performance art  group based in  Moscow  that became popular for its provocative  punk rock  music which later turned into a more accessible style.

Founded in the fall of 2011 by the then 22-year-old  Nadya Tolokonnikova , it has had a membership of approximately 11 women. ^{[ 2 ] [ 3 ]}  The group staged unauthorized, provocative  guerrilla gigs  in public places. These performances were filmed as music videos and posted on the internet. ^{[ 4 ]}

The group's lyrical themes included feminism, LGBTQ rights , opposition to Russian President  Vladimir Putin  and  his policies , ^{[ 5 ]}  and Putin's links to the leadership of the  Russian Orthodox Church . ^{[ 6 ]}

Did anyone here see Rachel Maddow's show tonight? She had excellent coverage. 

Here's a video of her show. (She starts with coverage of Pussy Riot and their visit to NYC but later covers other current news items (about resistance to Trump).

The Rachel Maddow Show 4/4/25 Breaking News April 4, 2025

I think this deserves its  own article, but I am putting it on here now...

I think this deserves its  own article, but I am putting it on here now...

Good idea. If you put it in two places (rather than one) more people will see ii.

The Hands Off!   rally was a success today!

Lots of us citizens. I took the photos and blurred the faces.

That is great. You had much better weather than Upstate NY.

It was a great outing and I was literally impressed with crowd. Orderly, loud (but not obnoxious), and the people in cars were just honkin' away! I could only stay about half an hour but I waved and gave it my 80 percent of success ("showing up" and being counted). I loved the assortment of what I will call "real" signs on the issues that DOGE and Trump are up to - I saw no signs that mocked per se on end of the 'length.' 

As for the weather in your neck of the country, feel good and be positive: You didn't catch a cold and there is always 'next' time to be the 80 percent!

Thank You your service (a slight joke on private commentary)