Hi, all. I am sending a short(ish) newsletter because Jill and I have been making the most of our short time with our granddaughter in D.C. Also, the domestic news cycle slowed as Trump traveled to Israel in connection with the release of the remaining hostages.
In the US, Trump administration officials continued to malign the peaceful intentions and pro-democratic nature of the No Kings Day rallies on October 18. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy repeated Mike Johnson’s claim that the rallies were sponsored by “antifa”—a non-existent organization in the US fabricated by Trump to create division in America. See The Hill, Sean Duffy claims ‘No Kings’ protests are ‘part of antifa’.
Duffy also claimed that No Kings Day protesters were being “paid” by antifa—which is a desperate, pathetic lie that only someone who has spent much of his life as a reality TV star could believe.
It is true that there is an “anti-fascist” ideological set of principles that motivates some activist groups in the US. Those principles include opposition to fascism, racism, and far-right extremism.
The US experienced a huge wave of anti-fascism during World War II. Indeed, the US War Department published an “orientation” brochure to educate troops about the dangers of fascism. See History News Network, The Army Warned Troops in 1945 of the Danger of Fascism. That Warning Rings True Today.
The War Department pamphlet said, in part,
(1) Fascism is more apt to come to power at a time of economic crisis;
(2) Fascism inevitably leads to war;
(3) It can come to any country;
(4) We can best combat it by making our democracy work.
The War Department Pamphlet warned about “home-grown” fascism in the US:
The War Department acknowledged that the United States had “native fascists who say that they are ‘100 percent American’ . . . [A]t various times and places in our history, we have had sorry instances of mob sadism, lynchings, vigilantism, terror, and suppression of civil liberties. We have had our hooded gangs, Black Legions, Silver Shirts, and racial and religious bigots. All of them, in the name of Americanism, have used undemocratic methods and doctrines which experience has shown can be properly identified as ‘fascist’.”
More than 407,000 US soldiers died in WWII fighting fascism. Those brave soldiers were the ultimate anti-fascists, along with the 16 million other soldiers of the Alliance who defeated the fascist powers of the Axis.
The claim that “antifa” is “undemocratic” arises from the fact that some anti-democratic groups, mainly in Europe (like communists and anarchists), have adopted the banner of “anti-fascism” to describe their efforts to overthrow their respective states. The adoption of the “antifa” label by communists and anarchists is the basis for Trump’s attempt to slander the pro-democracy principles of the No Kings Day rallies.
It is also true that small, local activist groups in the US have included “antifa” in their name. One of the most prominent is the Rose City Antifa in Portland, Oregon, which was founded to shut down a neo-Nazi skinhead festival in Portland (called “Hammerfest”). Rose City Antifa has also protested activities by the Ku Klux Klan and Volksfront (a neo-Nazi, white separatist organization founded in Oregon).
But we need not resolve the debate over the proper use and meaning of the phrase “antifa.” The participants in the No Kings Day rallies are pro-democracy Americans dedicated to the peaceful exercise of their First Amendment right to petition the government. (“Congress shall make no law . . . abridging . . . the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”)
See also, NoKings.org. (“A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events.”)
Given the confusion over the historical meaning and current usage of the term “antifa,” claims by the Trump administration that No Kings Day rallies are sponsored by “antifa” is propaganda intended to obfuscate the pro-democracy and peaceful nature of the No Kings Day rallies. It is also a coded dog whistle intended to provoke right-wing extremists to action. In short, the efforts by the Trump administration to discredit the No Kings Day rallies are reckless and dangerous.
The only appropriate response is to show up by the tens of millions—and to be absolutely clear about our support for America, the Constitution, and democracy. The first “Protest Photo” below was submitted by reader William R., who plans to display his protest sign in Strongsville, Ohio, on No Kings Day. There is no mistaking the message in William’s protest sign. Rather than “hating” America as Speaker Mike Johnson said on Fox News, William’s sign makes clear that “we love America.”
American flags should be prominent at the No Kings Day rallies, as well. We are not protesting America. We are protesting Trump’s assault on America, the Constitution, and democracy.
The fact that the Trump administration is lying about the true purpose of the No Kings Day rallies demonstrates his nervousness over the message and scale of the protests. Trump is right to be nervous. Let’s make his fears come true by holding the largest single-day political protest in American history!
This is why the American people are blaming Republicans for the shutdown.
Trump and Republicans believe that punishing the American people during the shutdown will somehow make the American people blame Democrats for the shutdown. That’s a bit like saying, “The beatings will stop when morale improves.”
Late last week, the Department of Education laid off most of its staff responsible for distributing aid to special education programs. See The Guardian, Majority of special education staff in US education department laid off – report.
Per the Guardian,
One department employee told NPR: “This is decimating the office responsible for safeguarding the rights of infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities.”
Chad Rummel, executive director of the Council for Exceptional Children, told the outlet: “The rumored near elimination of the Office for Special Education Programs is absolutely devastating to the education of people with disabilities.”
It is cruel and callous to cut funding for students with disabilities and special needs. But it is worse because Trump misled parents of children with autism that he would be their champion in office. Instead, he has decimated the staff in the Department of Education that administers, among other things, federal support of $15 billion per year for 7.5 million students with disabilities, including autism.
Targeting programs for children with disabilities is cruel and callous. The people responsible for those cuts are millionaires and billionaires who haven’t a clue about the struggles faced by parents of children with disabilities—or the struggles faced by those children. But the American people understand those struggles and will remember that Trump chose to target programs for disabled children while floating a $20 billion loan to Argentina during the shutdown.
This is why Trump has lost the support of the American people on immigration.
Trump promised to deport “criminals and gang members.” Instead, he has deported productive, law-abiding residents who are raising families and contributing to the economy. It is nearly impossible to pick and choose between the daily parade of horrors in Trump’s assault on immigrants. But a case over the weekend illustrates everything that is wrong with Trump’s deportation blitz.
See Raw Story, Marine’s parents nabbed by ICE as they visited pregnant daughter on military base.
Per Raw Story,
Steve Rios, a U.S. Marine and resident of Oceanside, was traveling with his parents to Camp Pendleton to visit his sister who, along with her husband who’s also a U.S. Marine, is expecting her first child. The trio was stopped at the base’s entrance, however, when ICE agents detained Rios’ parents, who have no criminal history and have pending green card applications.
The parents were released after a brief detention at the main gate of the military base, but they promised to return for further questioning by ICE. The parents returned, and the father was immediately deported, and the mother was detained indefinitely.
Per Raw Story,
Wearing a shirt and hat that bore the phrase “Proud dad of a U.S. Marine,” Rios’ father, alongside Rios’ mother, made good on their pledge to check back in with ICE officials, only for the father to be deported on Friday and the mother detained indefinitely, according to the report.
Don’t lose sight of the fact that both parents have pending green card applications. They had no criminal history. They were parents and parents-in-law of Marines on active duty. They cooperated with ICE. And they were deported and detained because of their cooperation.
The administration’s implementation of its deportation policies is cruel, racist, and harmful to America. It is destroying families who are making America stronger and more productive. Trump duped millions of voters into believing he would deport only violent criminals and gang members. That fact explains why Trump and the Republicans have lost substantial support among independents and Latino voters since 2024.
While we cannot rely on Trump and Republicans to defeat themselves, we can take confidence from the fact that our views align with millions of voters who have changed their minds about their support for Trump.
Opportunities for Reader Engagement
Force Multiplier event for New Hampshire Senate candidate Chris Pappas
Please join our friends at Force Multiplier to Zoom with New Hampshire Senate candidate Representative Chris Pappas on Wednesday, October 15, at 7 PM ET. Register and donate HERE.
We are excited that Senator Adam Schiff will introduce Rep. Pappas. Retaining the NH Senate seat, being vacated by Senator Jeanne Shaheen, is critical if we have any hope of improving our situation in the Senate in 2026.
Rep. Pappas already has one strong declared opponent and another is expected to get in shortly. Every dollar helps. Rep. Pappas is serving his fourth term representing NH-01. If elected, Rep. Pappas will be the only openly gay man in the Senate.
Join Senator Chris Murphy and All in for NC as they rally support for Down Home North Carolina
Please join All In for NC and 13 other groups in support of Down Home North Carolina for a Zoom fundraiser on Tuesday, October 21, at 7:00 pm Eastern / 4:00 pm Pacific on Zoom.
Sen. Chris Murphy will headline the event, and we will hear from Dreama Caldwell and Todd Zimmer, Down Home’s dynamic co-directors.
Down Home organizes member chapters in rural NC and advocates for their needs from playgrounds to housing. At election time, they canvass extensively (630,000 homes in 2024!) and help win key races, such as breaking the NC Republican supermajority. Our fundraiser will expand their work in more counties ahead of NC’s 2026 elections for US Senate, NC Supreme Court, and NC Legislature.
Please donate any amount to RSVP here. The Zoom registration link will be sent 48 hours in advance. Please reach out to mafornc@gmail.com with any questions.
Concluding Thoughts
In a hopeful sign that the mainstream media may finally be waking up, major news organizations appear to be taking concerted action to push back against the Pentagon’s new policy that restricts the ability of journalists to publish stories that include confidential or classified information. See WSJ, Major Media Outlets Rebuff New Pentagon Press Policy.
Mainstream media outlets are given press passes that allow journalists access to public areas of the Pentagon. Reporters with passes are free to knock on the office doors of Pentagon officials to ask questions of interest to the American people.
Under the new policy, the passes would be granted only to news organizations that agree not to publish confidential or classified information about the defense department. News organizations must advise the Pentagon of their acceptance of the new policy by Tuesday evening—or risk losing their press passes granting access to the Pentagon’s public spaces.
As of Monday evening, the NYTimes, WSJ, Washington Post, and CNN have said they will not sign the pledge. Pete Hegseth posted a message on Truth Social listing those organizations with an “emoji” signaling “Bye-bye.” What an infantile Secretary of Defense!
Here’s the point: The only way for professions or industries to resist Trump is by organized resistance. Universities blew it by sitting silently when the first victims were pummeled into submission by Trump. So, too, with law firms. Having allowed Trump to pick off the week and greedy, universities and law firms exposed all of their members to Trump’s blackmail.
While the media’s resistance has been tardy, it is never too late to do the right thing. If the major news organizations refuse to give in to Pentagon censorship, it will provide cover for smaller, weaker organizations to do the same. Of course, that will leave Fox News and One America Network with access to Pentagon insiders, but those organizations will be unable to publish confidential or classified information.
It is a small sign of hope, but it is a sign, nonetheless. Every time someone stands up for the Constitution and the rule of law, it emboldens others to do the same. Remember that as we prepare for No Kings Day on October 18.
Stay strong! Talk to you tomorrow!
Protest Photos
Below, Portland, Oregon:
Below, Bangor, Maine: “Four people began our rallies in early January and have been in front of the Federal Building in Bangor, Maine, every Tuesday from 11 to 1. Occasionally, our day was cut short by snow or 90-degree heat, but we now number 45-50 most weeks, with people coming from all surrounding areas. We aspire to be a welcoming community!”
Below, Champaign, Illinois: “Defend What You Love is a weekly gathering loosely based on the Moral Monday movement started by William Barber in 2013 in North Carolina. We meet every Monday from 5-5:30pm to bear moral witness for democracy. We hope to lead people to reflect on what they love about America and how the current administration is betraying much of what we love.”
Below, a reader enlisted her nine-year-old granddaughter to create this sign, especially the grocery items that need to be mopped up on Aisle 47!
Below, Visibility Brigade, Franconia, NH:
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