Protest Against Far-Right Takeover Of U.S. Not Risk Free-But Worth Risk

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​Often when people discuss if they want to take part in a protest or not, they consider if they would feel safe or not being involved. This makes sense. I do the same. 

Above is a picture I took at a 2017 Houston protest. 

It's also the case that you cannot guarantee full safety while fighting a far right takeover of the nation. Trump supporters have good reason to feel they will not be punished for violent acts. Trump/Musk supporters include many violent racist people. People like that do lousy things. 

I take part in a weekly protest at the office of Senator John Cornyn. (Each Tuesday, 11:30-1, 5300 Memorial Dr.) Things we've had thrown at us are a softball, eggs, lit cigars, cigarettes, batteries and potatoes. A man came over to our corner once with a gun visible in a holster. A motorist once swerved in the direction of one of our team members as he crossed the street. By my count, the Cornyn Protest has been "charcoal rolled" 16 times. That's when a big truck is rigged up to blow thick black smoke with the press of a button. 

​Because you can't yield to these people, the Cornyn Protest obtained city charges against a man who threw eggs at us and got him convicted in municipal court of a Class C misdemeanor. 

Protest sometimes involves police and you can't predict what police will do. Trump is clear that he wants to allow police to do anything they want. Many police unions support Trump even though he pardoned the January 6th cop-beaters. 

Here in Houston, Mayor Whitmire recently sent 11 HPD units to a peaceful protest about bike lanes. In 2020, then-District Attorney Kim Ogg dismissed charges against 654 people arrested at George Floyd protests while retaining charges against only 52 people. There were clearly many unnecessary arrests.

Here is the Houston Democracy Project letter to each Democratic member of Houston City Council calling on them to attend the upcoming April 5th anti Trump/Musk protest at Houston City Hall and to be aware of how the event is policed. Please read the letter and contact Council. There is information on how to contact Council in the post. 

There is no easy way forward at the moment. There is going to be some risk. I don't know if it is more or less dangerous than a Houston Freeway or cycling in Houston after John Whitmire rips out the bike lanes. It's not  risk free. In my view it is worth the risk. 

​Here is the Houston Democracy Project list of things each of us can do to fight Trump/Musk. Here is a fundraising pitch for the Houston Democracy Project. I'm doing the work and showing up in many different ways.  Please help the effort. ​​

I'm on the Egberto Willies Politics Done Right Show every Thursday from 6 AM to 7 AM for the Houston Democracy Project segment. You can hear the show on the radio, stream it on KPFT or watch later Egberto's YouTube channel.

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