Good Trouble Lives On Houston-Area 7/17 Events-We Are The Leaders

Please Contribute

​





​
There are multiple Good Trouble Lives On events in Houston and the Houston-area tomorrow, 7/17. These are a continuation of the No Kings protests that were successful across the city and region back on June 14. There were also big protests on April 19th and on President's Day.

There was a lot of momentum and energy on June 14. The June 14 event built on what had come before. I've not understood why the follow up rallies were scheduled for a Thursday rather than on a weekend. "Good Trouble" recalls John Lewis. July 17 is the 5th anniversary of John Lewis' death. I'm certain though Congressman Lewis would be well-honored with better attended events on Saturday the 19th or Sunday the 20th. (None of this has anything to do with the local volunteer organizers putting on events across the country.)

This USA Today article gives some national overview. 

(Picture is No Kings Houston on June 14.) 

Here is a list of the events locally. Take a look and see if there is something near you, or some place you'd be willing to go and take part. 

Here is the National Good Trouble website with events across the country. 

Here is the specific event notice for the Downtown Houston event. This runs from 9 AM to 2 PM. It is at Houston City Hall. My understanding is that the march from City to Discovery Green and then back starts at noon. 

There are national groups that sort of billing themselves as the organizers of this events. But it is local rank & file volunteers that are doing the work to make these events happen. ​We need to be really aware of this.

Below is what I wrote after the June 14th protest. It still has value now. The focus must be on our efforts in the difficult days ahead. It can be at events shaped in part by national groups not always well-connected to local organizers, or it can be our own autonomous actions. 

From June 16:

Nearly all the work for the successful June 14 protests was done by volunteers. The risks of interacting with aggressive right-wingers--which did in fact happen locally--was also taken up by the rank & file. And there is always risk when protestors interact with police. There were no police incidents reported at any Houston-region protests. 

So as-for example-Senator Carol Alvarado, Commissioner Rodney Ellis & Mayor John Whitmire sit on over at least $10 million in campaign cash on hand acquired in public offices that belong to us, it was us who did the work to oppose the authoritarian outcomes that the systems they have so successfully navigated have produced.

I know the organizers for the Kingwood, Katy, Conroe and Huntsville protests this past Saturday. They are just everyday folks. I also know or am aware of a number of the organizers of the big Downtown Houston 50501 protest. They also are everyday people who stepped up to fight authoritarianism. (There were elected officials who spoke Downtown on Saturday. Here are ways electeds can fight for us.) 

Nobody was getting paid to put all this together. 

At least five million people attended No Kings protests over the weekend. These rallies across the country were organized by people no different than you and I. The next protest is when you organize it. The First Amendment is your permit. 

The systems that brought us this nightmare will not be saving us. Each of us are the leaders in the challenging days ahead. 

---

Please Contribute