Jacob Richards
In conjunction with protests around the nation, a large crowd showed up at the Grand Junction City Hall, declaring ‘Not my president,’ on Monday, Presidents’ Day.
People occupied all four corners of the intersection at 5th and Rood in downtown Grand Junction, people chanted loudly, waved flags, and brough witty protest signs that are likely filling your social media feeds.
Showing up is so important. But we also need to organize.
As empowering as these informal decentralized protests can be if we are not joining up and organizing a more sustained movement it is largely symbolic, and an opportunity wasted.
There has been a lot of protests in the streets this last month: The Peoples March, MLK Day March, 50501 Protest at the Federal Building in conjunction with national days of protest. Weekly Rallies on 12th and North for immigrant justice and a free Palestine.
The one group of people at all these events as been the Mesa County Chapter of the Democratic Socialist of America. They come organized, with members trained in de-escalation, protest safety, and 1st aid. If your serious about resisting the coming fascism this is an organization, you should join
If you attended today’s rally, you likely didn’t even notice them keeping you safer.
The Revolutionist has often tabled with the DSA at these events. Sharing, of course copies of the Revolutionist, but also Your Rights materials, and other zines on organizing and resistance. Reporters always seem to come to us at almost every event and ask if we are the organizers. We say we are organized but we are not the ones organizing this event.
We really appreciate all the new people we have met especially the new contributors of content and new subscribers.
We got to show-up that is the first step and we are doing that, but then we have to organize, and finally we have to resist. (not just protest.)
We can grow “resistance gardens,” and find ways to share the bounty, create a room in your house that people in need of sanctuary can hide out in, or organize a squad of people to watchdog the BOCC, School Board, City Council, and report back to the movement, the Rev will publish it!
Find ways to grow more and spend less, reuse more, and donate to organizations fighting in the courts, but don’t count on them to save us. Find ways to share what you do have. Talk to your 5 closest friends, it wasn’t a mass organization that hid Anne Frank, it was small autonomous groups organized and taking action.
How are we going to keep our allies in their houses or with medical aid or food aid when the billionaires cut what’s left of the social net?
The only group I see, and I have attended all of the above protests, that is onboarding new members and reaching out to people and getting organized is the DSA.
Show up, be mad, but come looking to meet new people to expand the growing network of resistance. Come looking to recruit and/or join. When attending a protest, ask yourself “What do I bring to the party?” and then bring it.
I know The Rev could use help printing more movement building educational materials, email us if you can fire off some copies for the movement.
Everyone has something to contribute!
See you in the Streets
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