“Do Not Obey in Advance.” (2024)

Today, again, I stood silently for an hour and a half in front of the flagpole (with a bronze First Amendment plaque at the base) on the quad on our campus. I held my newest posterboard sign and alternated with an older sign – (in four-inch high Cyrillic letters) “Сделаем Америку великой снова” [Make America Great Again].

I got more positive reactions – probably because the sign I held for most of period was in English, possibly because some people are starting to come out of their initial shock and disbelief.

Today more students stopped in the distance to read the signs.

A few faculty called out in support or stopped to chat as they passed by. A student stopped out of curiosity and ended up staying for a long conversation. An alumna and her spouse, visiting campus from out-of-state, also stopped for a lengthy conversation. They were happy to see me out there. We spoke about our shared horror and their possible options for resistance.

They were all glad to know that they weren’t alone in their opposition to what is about to happen.

We have two months, then the Fascist and his enablers take power.

#resist

“Make America Great Again” – in Russian.

Previously:

Sanewashing on the road to normalcy (November 8, 2024)

Practical Dissent: Protest Signs (November 17, 2024)