Hands Off and a warning by Ruth Neuwald Falcon

For about ten years in the late aughts and into the teens of this century, I went to as many Springsteen concerts as I could. And I went GA, which meant that the whole day of the concert was spent in a line with other ticket-holders, all hoping that we would “make the cut” in the afternoon lottery that decided who would get to stand in the pit for as many hours as Bruce was willing to play.

Over time, those hours with my fellow travelers became almost as important as the shows themselves. “I’m going to Bruce World,” I’d tell my friends. “As soon as you get there, you’re in a different environment. Everyone is happy to be there. Everyone is happy that everyone else is there. Even when I go by myself, I feel safe. And by the time the concert begins, I’m not alone any more.”

As I wandered through the thick crowd at the Hands Off protest on Saturday, it took me a little while to identify the familiar feeling I was having. Momentary encounters elicited friendly smiles. I watched person after person’s face open as their eyes met mine. I don’t know what to call it. Protest World? Hands Off World? Any suggestions?

The next national protest day will be Saturday, April 19. I don’t think this is accidental scheduling.

On January 20, the day he was inaugurated, Trump signed an Executive Order “Declaring a national emergency at the southern border of the United States.” Section 6 (b) states:

Within 90 days of the date of this proclamation, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit a joint report to the President about the conditions at the southern border of the United States and any recommendations regarding additional actions that may be necessary to obtain complete operational control of the southern border, including whether to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807.

Ninety days brings us to April 20, the day after the next scheduled protest. It is also the birthday of Adolf Hitler.

In Trump’s “Hitler’s Birthday” Gift, Thom Hartmann expresses his fears for what Trump may do on that day:

Much like Hitler obtained the legal authority to ignore — and even violate — the German constitution with the Enabling Acts on March 23, 1933, fifty-three days after being appointed Chancellor, Trump is looking into similar authority a mere three months after being sworn in for his second term.
The Insurrection Act gives the president the power to ignore the Posse Comitatus Act, passed after the Civil War to guarantee that American troops would never again point their weapons at civilians within the United States. It does not require an act of Congress and is not time-limited; like the Enabling Acts, it could last for as long as Trump holds the presidency.

I don’t know much about Tony Pentimalli, but I came across his post,THIS IS NOT A DRILL: TRUMP’S DAY-ONE ORDER SETS THE STAGE FOR MARTIAL LAW. I felt chilled as I read it. Whether it’s on April 20 or another date, I think we all know Trump is just biding his time before invoking the Insurrection Act.

When I started writing this blog post, I didn’t know where it would end. I’m somewhat torn about sharing it. I don’t want to fear monger. When I told my friend Terrie that I don’t want to say the sky is falling, she replied, “But the sky is falling.” So I am sharing Tony Pentimalli’s post and suggestions, ones we all need to heed:

• Call your representatives and demand they investigate Trump’s January 20 order.
• Push the media to report on the Insurrection Act report before it’s too late.
• Demand public statements from military and intelligence leaders—now, not after.
• Organize. Educate. Resist.

And show up on April 19. It’s the day that 3.5% of us have a chance of stemming the tide and will get to share that brave and beautiful world again.