Dear Reader

Dear Reader,

We are now 53 days into the Trump administration and the steady stream of anti-democrtic atrocities coming out of Washington are so numerous and so extreme that trying to keep up is like drinking from a firehose. Protests abound throughout the country though with a few exceptions there has been little apparent impact on the actions of Trump or Musk or their cabinet secretaries. But the folks at Waging Nonviolence remind us that resistance is everywhere and growing and we should take heart and get inspired and mobilized as small actions show the potential to turn into large movements.

Below are some expamples of folks who are doing things that could build into something bigger. I also inclued one article that remindes us that we can learn from historical instances where folks elsewhere have overthrown dictatorships

Resistance to Trump is Everywhere. Inside the First 50 Days of Mass Protest by Rivera Sun. From mass refusals to boycotts to walkouts, regular Americans are bravely pushing back against the administration. Their actions are diverse and multiplying — and already having an impact. (Waging Nonviolence)

We’re Seeing the Beginning of Mass Non-Compliance by Daniel Hunter. Over a million federal workers refused to comply with Musk’s email ultimatum last week, offering a glimpse of what mass noncooperation can look like.   (Waging Nonviolence – Adapted from Choose Democracy Newsletter)

Tesla Takedown Underscores the Importance of Moving from Protest to Resistance by Edward Hasbrouck. The viral pickets at Tesla showrooms aren’t enough to stop Musk or Trump, but they’re a necessary first step toward the kind of disruptive tactics that can force change. (International Peace Research Association)

How Movements Can Make Courts Play Their Role in Defending Democracy by Doug Coltart. Even under authoritarian regimes, pro-democracy movements can still advance their goals by strategically engaging the courts. (Waging Nonviolence)

What the US Can Learn from South Koreans Who Stopped an Authoritarian Power Grab by Jungmin Choi. South Koreans reversed a martial law decree in just six hours, showing how ordinary citizens and politicians can take fast action to uphold democracy. (Waging Noviolence)

The Indy at the UMass Journalism Internship Fair
Last Monday, Maura Keene and I represented the Indy at the UMass Journalism Internship Fair. We had a wonderful time talking with about 15 very impressive UMass journalism students who expressed an interest in working at the Indy either this summer in the fall. We’re excited about the prospect of working with these students and introducing them to the ins and outs of Amherst muncipal government.

A Plug for Steve Braun’s New Book
All of us at the Indy are thrilled that Indy editor and naturalist Steve Braun has collected his Almanac columns from the Indy and published them in a book from Amherst publisher Off the Common Books (Levellers Press). Readers who have enjoyed Braun’s Almanac columns in the Indy over the past four years can now purchase a collection of all 78 articles in a soft cover book, chock full of beautiful photographs. A Pioneer Valley Almanac is available at Collective Copies and from Levellers Press and from Amazon. In this volume you can revisit all of Braun’s previous columns from the ever popular “Black Squirrels” to the locally intriguing “Carnivorous Plants”. In each of Steve’s columns I have learned something new and unexpected and intriguing. I encourage our readers to get a copy for themselves. You won’t be disappointed. Read more.

Spelling Errors
Beginning on Friday afternoon I began to lose functionality on my laptop keyboard, eventually completely losing the use of the letters H, J,K, L as well as semicolon and apostrophe. At first i didn’t notice that these keys weren’t working and several words made it into our postings with the affected lettrers missing, giving us the month of “Marc” and the controversial “ones ibrary” I have used Maura’s computer as a backup to finish posting this week’s Indy and imagine that I will continue to share her computer over the next week while mine is in the shop getting a new keyboard. This has led me to reflect on how dependent I am on my computer and my connection to the internet and how chaotic it would be if I were to be cut off.

We think that we have caught most of the errors that made it “into print” but should you find a mispelling with a letter missing, please let us know and we’ll get that cleaned up.

Thanks for reading the Indy,

Art

Art Keene
Managing Editor