Sights & Sounds from #OUTNOW Volunteers in DC
Week 1

One of the volunteers wrote this reflection:

If ever there were a time to protest, this is the time. A journalist from Switzerland told one of our volunteers: “Do people in this country even know what’s happening? Your president’s on trial! Where are all the people?” When I told my Uber driver this story, this resonated with him: “I get embarrassed to travel because people ask me, what is happening in America? Why are people letting this happen?”

Yesterday thousands poured into the streets for the Women’s March in Washington and around the country. Even though the numbers were far fewer than previous Women’s Marches, the people who came were driven by a deeply felt desire to see Trump removed from power. I was on a bus that came from New York City to join the Women’s March. The bus ride itself was transformative for new people who met us. Some people went from wondering why there weren’t more people coming to DC to actually being part of a force consciously working to change that and join the #OUTNOW movement.

We impacted thousands in DC at the Women’s March. People from all over the country joined the #OUTNOW contingent on the spot, taking up the signs, getting out tons of stickers and flyers, collecting donations, buying beanies and T-shirts, taking up our chants very passionately. When we said “Trump/Pence OUT NOW! RIGHT NOW!” people were really feeling the “RIGHT NOW!”

Still the question remains, will this be yet another time where people protest and then go back to normal? Or will we wrench growing numbers of people to see the need to fight now for the kind of sustained, nonviolent, repeated, and growing protest that can drive the whole regime from power? This is the mission of the #OUTNOW! Movement and this is what we brought to the march, are staying in DC to spread, and are fighting to build across the country.

There is a crucial crossroads that we face and what we do now can determine the future. A couple of nights ago, we learned that there were heavily armed NRA supporters, white supremacists, and open fascists gathering in Richmond, Virginia on January 20, supposedly to protest for “gun rights.” Threats have been made against Democratic Party leaders and calls have been made for a “race war.” The Revolution Tour is headed down to Virginia to stand up to this and call for a whole different future.

As Trump’s trial began, we went all over DC calling on people to come to the Capitol. A young volunteer who came from Cleveland wrote this:

I’m from Cleveland, Ohio.

I made a 16-hour trip out to DC to be here during the Senate trial.

I did so because eyes are on DC. We are at a pivotal time in history. And I had to make a choice.

Do I acknowledge the importance of taking action in this moment to stand up for what I believe in⏤the future of humanity and condemning this fascist regime for exactly what it is?

Or do I go about business as usual and ignore the immense threat we are facing. Pretend that everything is OK so I can wake up comfortable with a false sense of security—for now? Can I pretend to have faith in some democratic process to halt, to reverse the terror that American chauvinism has promoted?

Can I ignore the crimes against the marginalized communities across this country? Can I ignore the terrifying cruelty of children dying in cages? Being separated from their loved ones? Can I ignore the hateful, racist, sexist & violent agenda of Trump and his regime?

Can I do nothing and allow our power to be stripped away? Can I be complacent?

I can’t.

This is the time to take a stand. Collectively, we the people will be heard.

Drive the Fascist Trump/Pence regime OUT NOW. It is up to us.

I have been apathetic in the past. Overwhelmed by the pain of this existence and choosing instead to put my head in the sand. In fiction. To put faith in distraction and to put blind hope in somebody else taking care of it.

But the history of oppression and revolution has shown us that we can only rely on ourselves.

We are asking you to come out with us. Join our movement in demanding the removal of the fascist Trump/Pence regime.

Let’s demand a better future for all. Stand with us.

Have your voice heard. You are deciding which side of history you are on.

Each day you have a part in deciding what the future will hold for yourself and your fellow humans, across this country and the world.

Don’t let this opportunity slip by you. Don’t be a bystander. Do what you know is right.

Meanwhile, the Republicans in the Senate rigged the rules for the trial and blocked every attempt of the Democrats to get documents and witnesses. One of the volunteers in DC wrote this:

I am an organizer with RefuseFascism.org in Los Angeles, but I am writing to you from Washington!

I have been on the ground in DC since January 14. I volunteered to help build the #OUTNOW! movement here during this critical moment in not only this nation’s history, but in world history. The Trump/Pence fascist regime poses a catastrophic threat to all of humanity and the planet itself. The racist, pussy-grabbing fascist president has been impeached, and is now on trial in the Senate facing conviction and removal. This is a moment to seize. We cannot allow this sham trial to steamroll ahead without admittance of evidence or allowing witness testimony.

Yesterday 23 senators left the room during opening arguments. This is just one example of the Republicans not complying with the legal process. Before that, they were not complying with subpoenas. How can we rely on the legal process in itself? Trump and his legal team are claiming impeachment is about reversing the election, and tampering with the 2020 election, when he is actually on trial for doing just that!

The whole world has eyes on DC right now. What difference would it make if there was a movement of people in the streets protesting every day Trump is on trial, demanding a fair trial, demanding the Senate to consider all evidence and testimony, demanding Trump/Pence #OUTNOW! Don’t tell me that flooding the Capitol with protest wouldn’t make a difference.

A core of us have travelled from all over the country to move people in DC into the streets. People who have put their lives on hold and are sacrificing to not only bring the #OUTNOW! demand but to WIN! But we can’t do it alone.

A college professor cancelled class, joined us at our daily protests at the Senate building outside the trial, and sent this message to his students:

We are in a singular and critical moment in American history: The President of the United States is on trial for Abuse of Power and Obstruction of Congress. Tomorrow I will be traveling to the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. to demonstrate and stand up for democracy, justice, truth, rule of law, and the moral values of the U.S. Constitution. As a result, we will not be having class on Tuesday, January 21.

I believe that this is the right thing for me to do, and is in the best long-term interest of all my students, despite the adverse impact cancelling class may have on the course in the short term. And I cannot, in good conscience, stand before you to teach while shirking this ethical responsibility.

Trump was the first president ever to speak at the “March for Life,” a/k/a the March for Forced Motherhood.

Two of the volunteers described the ugly scene:

We arrived to the rally where Trump was speaking, and heard the opening band say the U.S. was lucky to have a president that cared about the unborn babies. Why is it no surprise that Trump would have no problem speaking at this rally? Because Trump’s patriarchy goes hand in hand with the patriarchy of Pence and the “pro-lifers.” They have no problem sticking to Trump—even if you don’t particularly like Trump, you can still get behind him because he is willing to go all the way to overturn women’s right to abortion and even birth control, and has already made headway on it. What they can all agree on is the enslavement of women.

Trump needs a rabid base, the end-timers, who don’t give a fuck about the future of humanity and future generations. “Trump wants the baby bump” was a chant that young people were taking up—so grossly misogynistic. Giant banners with a massive contingent that said “tradition, family, property.” They looked like crusaders from the Dark Ages. Tons of indoctrinated youth. All of them marching and cheering for a world where women are forced to have children against their will. When we would agitate about Trump bragging about grabbing women by the pussy, people would cheer and yell Trump 2020.