A Police State Moves In—and How to Stay Sane and Resist

Rally remarks for Sunday November 2, 2025

We’re going to curtail the litany of bad news today, although there’s plenty of it, in order to speak about concrete ways we can resist the king and his court and defend democracy right here in Poulsbo as we go into the winter months.

Quick summary: 42 million of our country’s most vulnerable people will not be regularly receiving the nutrition assistance that Congress appropriated. There are funds for it, but Trump and his lapdog Congress refuse to release all of them. 22 million Americans are discovering that their health care premiums are about to skyrocket, because Trump and Congress refuse to extend the Obamacare subsidies. During the shutdown, the Führer is happy to keep on paying federal troops, giving billions to Argentina, and building absurdly large ballrooms and gold-plating White House bathrooms, but not attending to the basics of living for ordinary Americans.
    

Trump has ordered the deployment of 500 National Guardsmen in each state to control “chaos.” This means more than 23,000 troops will soon occupy cities for no legally defensible reason. Atrocities are already being committed by federal officers unschooled in due process. The Administration is just waiting for the strike of the match that can ignite their big crackdown, invoking the Insurrection Act and declaring martial law. 
   In other words, it’s dark out there, darker than it has ever been in our lifetimes.
   Now there are two possible responses to this darkness: retreat in fear and watch fascism nestle in for good--or do something. Doing something, choosing action and doing it with others, will make you brave and give you a sense of meaning; your action will help people who need help; and it’s our best chance to obstruct the government’s efforts to empty the nation of everything we value. 


So we want to suggest things you can do. There are three fronts: education, mutual aid, and political action. 


1. Education. We must educate ourselves and those around us, because without understanding what’s going on, we cannot respond rationally. TV news does not count as a source of education. If only to see how low the networks have sunk as propaganda machines, watch ABC’s World News Tonight and count how many segments it devotes to airplane and vehicle crashes, stuff blowing up, fires or floods, and children or dogs who heartwarmingly overcome adversity. How much do you learn about a given new government policy, the extent of its legality, its effect on different populations, its future effect on us in Poulsbo? What does network news help you understand about anything going on abroad, democracy movements or repression in South America or Europe? What does it tell you about AI and the energy expense it requires in a world of rapid climate change?   To get educated in ways that connect the dots, we suggest reading the brilliant writers and podcasters mentioned previously, including Wajahat Ali, Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Robert Reich, Heather Cox Richardson, Timothy Snyder, and Rachel Maddow. Their insights help us understand the changes occurring rapidly in this descent into fascism. 


You should also know about relevant talks and panel discussions coming up. The Brennan Centeris live-streaming a panel discussion on Monday Nov 10 at noon, called “Troops in American Cities.” We’re arranging to get a space so folks can bring a sandwich and watch it together. The panel of experts will discuss the legality of Trump’s actions, ongoing lawsuits, and ways to prevent future abuses of military force.   An upcoming Zoom (TBA on Facebook and on this site) will treat the subject of digital security.  The government has already plundered our most sensitive financial information from the IRS database, and it now has ways to monitor all email and social media. In the rapidly consolidating police state, how can we communicate safely?

Also this month, we will feature a speaker on the topic of AI governance. Who—if anyone—is overseeing the spread of IA and limitations on it? Details on this talk will be announced on our website and Facebook page as soon as the event is set up.

We expect to have more programs: perhaps a book group and/or film screenings/discussions over the next months—we’ll keep you posted. Remember to share what you learn with your family, friends, and neighbors. 
    

2. Mutual aid. Government programs that millions have depended on are now either eliminated or caught in the shutdown. What can we do for our neighbors? How can we form networks of support? 
  Two federal courts in Massachusetts and Rhode Island have ordered Trump to restore SNAP benefits, but who knows when the Administration will comply. And our immigrant neighbors and federal workers who have been furloughed or fired have been struggling to get food on the table for much longer than the SNAP crisis. So the need is great.   We plan to get things going in Poulsbo right away by joining with a North Kitsap Indivisible group that has started up a food collection and donation program called NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR (N2N). It works like this: you talk with your neighbors and invite them to participate by donating food and supplies; each month they leave their bag of provisions by their door on a given day and you pick them up; the bags you round up, plus those from the other neighborhoods, get picked up and delivered to Fishline and KIAC. Not only does N2N replenish the food banks on a continuous basis, but it builds neighborhood solidarity. Let’s get it going in Poulsbo! Please contact us if you can serve as a coordinator for 6 – 12 households in your neighborhood. It’s easy, efficient, and makes a real difference for those in need.    Food banks are happy to get money contributions too. We like the food distribution program because it engages people, brings more people in, and sets up a network. But if you prefer, your monetary donations are deeply appreciated and can easily be made to food banks by mail or online.

3. Political action. Poulsbo has been holding weekly rallies since Trump took office. With your help and your signs and your voice, we have PEACEFULLY and LOUDLY protested, doing our part to let the Administration know that their cruelty, corruption, and power grabs are not okay. Now with winter weather setting in, it’s unlikely we will be able to rally every Sunday. When there’s a national call for a big rally, of course Poulsbo will be there with flying colors, umbrellas, and maybe even snowshoes. So we’re counting on you to keep in touch through our website or Facebook for announcements of rallies and weather-friendly actions. 


There will be plenty of volunteer activities this winter for which we need your help. For one, you’re sometimes needed to show up to participate in local government. When Poulsbo’s City Council meets and has an item on the agenda that involves democracy, or diversity, or affordable housing for example, we want to be there to make our voice heard loud and clear. The more people are present, the more effective our voice is. Can we count on you to show up for ½ hour at the beginning of City Council meetings? As a group, we can make a big difference in how the Council votes on important issues. Signing up doesn’t require you to attend every Council meeting; you’ll receive an email once every week or two about items on the Council’s upcoming meeting agenda that our presence as a group would be important for addressing. 


Veterans’ Day is Tuesday November 11. The City of Poulsbo is hosting a parade downtown which starts at 11am. They are looking for volunteers, and you can sign up online at poulsboveteransdayparade.com. And if you know or see a veteran, thank them for their service. Ask how they’re doing--and listen.

We have described our weekly outings around the city to talk to people about what they can do if they witness an arrest by ICE. We’ve been doing these very rewarding actions for several months now, and if you are interested, please join us. It’s only an hour and a half once a week. Please contact us to sign up.

Finally, boycotts. The billionaires listen when we hit them in the pocketbook. We saw how powerful the people were when Disney and ABC cancelled Kimmel’s show and, under pressure,  then un-cancelled it. We’ll do it again. And again! And when the resistance is nationally organized and ready, we’ll close things down and go on a general strike!  Education, mutual aid, political action. We may march a bit less in the winter months, but there is so much else to do, and we’re counting on you to get involved in the ways you are able to. Please sign up for them, organize your neighborhood for food contributions, and stay engaged!