Hands Off! Tucson, Arizona
This is what Democracy looks like!
Today's Hands Off protest in Tucson, Arizona, was originally planned to start at 11 AM and extend to 1 PM. I arrived at 10 AM, and there were already around 400 people, according to one of the event counters.
The Tower Project spoke with the Founder of Mobilize Tucson, Crystal Bright, who stated, “The last event had about 500 people RSVP and the first one had about 50. Today’s event had 2700 RSVP! I think partnering with Indivisible made a huge difference.”
This protest wasn’t exclusive to just Tucson, the state of Arizona, or even the entire nation. Protests also took place in Europe, with cities like Berlin, Paris, and London joining the United States in protesting elon musk and the trump regime. They aren’t protesting merely out of support, though. They’re protesting because it’s not just Americans who are being affected by what the trump regime and elon musk are doing. Just take a look at the global economy for five seconds, and you’ll see what I mean.
People have asked me what the point of protesting is. If today didn’t answer that question, then I don't know what will. Throughout the history of this and many other countries around the world, protests have been the catalyst for great change and progress. Without protests and movements like this, women in the United States might still not have the right to vote. And even though our community is being attacked right now, we would be much less further along with Queer rights. Protesting works. It brought soldiers back from Vietnam. I am not just going to say protesting works, I’m going to explain how.
Why Protesting Works
Pressure on Lawmakers
Protesting puts immense pressure on Republican members of Congress to take action. Now, I know many of you reading this right now are probably rolling your eyes and saying, “But they have all bent the knee!” While that may be true, we have to remember they are still human beings who care about how they are viewed by society. As evil as the GOP may come across as an entire unit, we need to keep in mind there is disunity within the party. They’re just better at masking it because, well, many of them are con artists who always lie. So, it’s easy to play a facade of unity. But to make my point, they aren’t all like that. I know for a fact there are a few in there that are reachable who have some shred of dignity worth saving. We just have to be willing to try. Even if we fail in the end, at least we can say we never gave up. An important aspect to this, however, is that we have to be willing to have their backs should they stand up against trump and defend the Constitution. Because we all know trump will not take that lying down. So, we have to let them know that we would support them and protect them from any retaliation from trump. Because, let’s be honest, for some reason, these people are afraid of him. Don’t ask me why or how on Earth anyone could be afraid of trump, but they are. I think that’s what makes it even more sad and pathetic, to be honest. But that’s why I say we have to ensure we will support them, otherwise there is absolutely no way they will even consider it.
Find your member of congress here.
US Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121
Inspiring Action
The reason I say all this leads me into another reason why protesting works. People who might be too nervous or shy to speak out might see this and feel compelled to finally stand up and say, “You know what? I have had enough of all this.” It could motivate people to contact their representatives when they have never called once in their life before. It motivates and inspires people to make a change. One of the main reasons people don’t speak out is because they feel alone. They feel like they will be scrutinized, possibly even shunned, for having the audacity to speak out. I think movements like this completely erase that barrier because it shows those people that they are not alone in this fight. Movements like this give people a sense of community, hope, and something to fight for.
The Power of Unity
The numbers at these events grow each time. That shows more and more people are becoming informed about what is going on. This is an important piece of information because it means the misinformation war Russia has been waging on the United States for the past 10+ years is finally starting to fail. The cracks are beyond repair at this point. You cannot stop word-of-mouth information. Not only does it spread like wildfire, it spreads with that same fighting spirit that lies within us all, and that is something that cannot be stopped, no matter how hard they may try. They will not stop us. Our momentum is too great, and we are just getting started.
We’re in This for the Long Haul
Think of it like we are running a marathon. The trump regime came out in full force on day one, with executive order after executive order. Constitutional violation after constitutional violation. Full-blown chaos, and they have not stopped. But those executive orders were all challenged with lawsuits, and the trump regime lost every case. While these rulings are just TROs for now, it’s a sign the judiciary is holding, for now. Even Chief Justice Roberts of the Supreme Court has been siding with the liberal justices in dissent against rulings such as the recent 5-4 Supreme Court decision granting a temporary stay allowing the trump regime to cancel millions in education grants targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. This is a major shift from when Justice Roberts previously sided with the conservative majority to grant presidential immunity to donald trump for anything deemed an “official act.” The kicker here is that no one is allowed to question what constitutes an “official act.” So, while the trump regime has come right out of the gate full steam ahead, it’s quite apparent they will eventually run out of energy and legal pathways to take. And that’s when we will just be picking up steam to keep pushing and make it to the finish line. Because we are fighters, and that’s what we do. It’s what we have always done.
Standing United, Strength In Diversity
I leave you with this: When you are at these events and you are surrounded by so many like-minded individuals from all facets and walks of life fighting for the same thing, it's impossible not to feel energized and hopeful. I have had people tell me they like the message “Fighting Oligarchy” and “Hands Off” our democracy, but one thing that has been pointed out several times by different people is the messaging. That the left doesn’t have a single, simple, unified message like “Make America Great Again,” and that our messaging is always about “Hands OFF,” “We don’t want fascism,” “We don’t want authoritarianism.” That it’s often about what we don’t want vs. what we do want. They say we aren’t providing enough messaging to give people something to fight for. Because, while the energy of the people coming together is definitely inspiring, adding a “wants list” to our messaging would really nail it home. So, I think we need to listen to these people and that that into consideration. That is something I will discuss with my local Indivisible and Mobilize Chapters. For example: Our list of demands includes Universal Healthcare, Trans Rights, Abortion, Affordable Housing, and a Living Wage. I think that’s a good solid start.
But I also think the different messaging at protests is important. Because it shows that, while we all may have a different personal reason for protesting this regime, the fact of the matter is, when you say, “Tell me what democracy looks like,” well, this is what democracy looks like! Democracy looks like a beautiful, multifaceted, diverse group of people from all backgrounds and walks of life coming together for one common goal, and that goal right now is to save our beautiful precious democracy.
Like I said in my recent article about the bees, we are the bees, and people like trump and musk and his billionaire friends are the beekeepers. If we all just come together, like we are now, and stand united, we can and will defeat trump and musk and their hateful, bigoted agenda. Because a people, united, will never be divided!
Stay safe, stay strong, and keep the faith. Every step we take, no matter how small, brings us closer to the change we’re fighting for. This movement is unstoppable, and never forget the immense power you carry. Together, we will be the change we want to see in the world. Let’s make it so.
-The Tower Project
04/05/2025