I went to the “Hands Off” rally in Tucson today, Saturday, April 5, that was part of a nationwide protest against the Trump administration and its policies. Maybe I should have written the “Trumusk” Administration; Elon Musk appears to have as much sway as Trump himself, firing federal workers left, right, and center, in the name of streamlining government. One protestor’s sign struck my eye: it showed Musk (a South African by birth) delivering what appears to be a stiff-armed Nazi salute, and the message, “THERE’S ONY ONE IMMIGRANT TAKING AMERICAN JOBS AWAY.
The rally was one of hundreds across the nation, organized by Indivisible and MoveOn.org. Estimates are that this movement drew at least half a million people.
The scale of the Tucson demonstration was impressive. People were marching for blocks, on both sides of the street, in the neighborhood of Reid Park. My off-the-cuff guess is that 10,000 people showed up for the event, and they represented every age above, say, ten. I saw one man, who appeared to be in his eighties, in a wheelchair. A monitor told me that about 2,000 had signed up, as I did, but that represented only a fraction of the total. They carried signs, of course, and many of the messages were aimed at Musk. I’d say criticisms of him almost equalled those directed at his (political) boss.The same goes for the chants, of the “Hey-ho, Trump and Musk have got to go” variety. Drivers passing by on Alvernon Way and 22d Street, honked horns to express solidarity. Sometimes you had to shout to make yourself heard above the cacophony.
The atmosphere was festive rather than angry, though anger was evident in the signs and chants. I found it bracing. The Democratic Party, moderates as well progressives, has been quiescent in the wake of Trump’s victory in the 2024 race. Now, it’s waking up to the dangers he and his cronies pose to American democracy. His administration is pushing the United States ever closer to right-wing authoritarianism. A lot of the signs called for “King Donald’ to be deposed.
But…You expected a ‘but’ I’ll bet…protests and marches and rallies, no matter how large, are not going to change the course Trump & Company, are on. I’ve seen this before, going back to anti-war demonstrations in the 60s. Reversing that course is going to require legislators to rise up in the Congress, it’s going to require the election of opposition politicians to local and state as well as federal offices, and changes of heart in many of people who either sat things out in 2024, or voted for Trump, under the delusion that he is anything but a would-be autocrat, a convicted criminal, a man whose primary, indeed, his only, loyalty is to himself and a few billionaires. I’ve seen my share of turmoil in my 83 years, but I have never felt as concerned about where this great country is going as I am today
Oh, and by the way, I’m not letting the Democrats off the hook. The party’s obsession with fringe issues, as opposed to the economy and immigration (to name two), its habit of lecturing rather than persuading, share in the condition in which we now find ourselves. It’s past time, way past time, for all who love democracy to wake up and return to solving the problems that concern ordinary citizens
Once again, brilliant commentary by someone who has been at the tip of the spear since that rumor of a war in SE Asia. Thank you, Phil. Let’s all take heed to your advice and make sure the crazy man in the WH goes no further with his nonsense.
Went to the demo in Santa Barbara. Quite a turn out. I posted a video on Facebook.
I am very proud of you for going. Here will be my Letter to Editor for the month. They’re right wing but they always publish me.
Editor:
Certainly efficiency in government is to be sought, but in service of what? Affordable housing and healthcare? Safe and affordable food and medicines? Working people making wages enough to feed their kids? Is there no plan to lift the fallen, free the exploited, mend the shattered unity of a nation?
Musk and Trump have a vision, but what is it? The tasteless Tesla commercial on White House grounds gives clue. The terror gripping migrant communities suggests intent. Mounds of dead Gazan children slain by American weapons portend. The reduction of American history to an imaginary, lying, fascist consistency is an omen. The destruction of public schools demonstrates. The middle class sucked dry by tax cuts for the rich. The intimidation of Social Security and destabilizing of reliable government function. The middle finger to court rulings. The scuttling of peace-binding alliances. And, most generally, the aggressive bald-face lying about absolutely everything.
All these are the vision of a reptilian political cult that would sooner see you hang than tolerate your dissent. The principle at work was known in the 1930s as the “Fuhrer principle”: the callous ignorance and righteous cruelty of a self-obsessed autocratic billionaire elite with a specious mandate.
Has anyone given thought to what comes after all this, when our government has been picked clean of competency, expertise, and coherence, and vital institutions are eliminated? Certainly Trump has. He thinks he’s going to live forever and is planning a third term; an impoverishment of imagination that is actually hilarious.
Tony Baker
Saint Simons Island
Tony has captured here in an incredibly poignant way the essence of the threat that “Trumusk”represents to this nation and the world. One would think that the last hundred years of world history would have taught mankind to avoid the specter of fascism. But alas, it continues to win elections, which opens the door to the installation of authoritarian control. Sound familiar ? It’s an evil streak that persists in the psyche of homo sapiens.
Hi, Bill — My main concern these days is that Trumusk will do irreparable damage to the country in the next four years. The rally encouraged me that it, or they, will not; but who knows? You and I may not see it if it happens, but we have children and grandchildren who might. I agree that Tony Baker’s post was impassioned, and appropriate.
I wish I had gone to the rally as well! The atmosphere you described reminded me so much of the Women’s March here in January 2017 after Trump’s first inauguration. It was exhilarating and exciting, as you describe this one. But as you say, much needs to be done and for now, it resides mainly with elected officials local, state and federal as well as the courts and for sure, organizations and law firms who will stand up to the Nazi in the Oval.
Mr. Caputo, I’ve commented before on a previous post of yours but I just wanted to say a couple things:
First, I started off your oeuvre with your debut novel “Horn of Africa”, which was MASTERFUL. I really dug that experience, and there was something very stark and involving about this tale of woe and geopolitical scheming. Kasu Murrah and Moody were my favorite characters.
Secondly, it makes me very happy to see an author of your caliber joining the fray and offering bold, observant commentary on this mess we find ourselves in. I’m hoping a resistance movement is taking shape to oppose the Trusk regime half the country chose to install. There’s a lot at stake for people in my demographic; I’m 25 and my partner is a woman of color. I fear for her rights as much as mine, as someone who’s male and autistic.
Anyhow, your posts are welcome and I’m happy to call myself a fan of your work!