Category Archives: DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION

Mayors for Peace Joint Appeal March 16, 2026

. . DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION . .

An appeal from Mayors for Peace

Today, the global security situation is significantly in crisis. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is in its 5th year and no end is in sight. Already too many armed conflicts exist in the world and now a new one has started between the US, Israel and Iran. Many people, including civilians, are being killed and essential infrastructure is being destroyed. The tit-for-tat attacks and their escalation to hitting installations in an increasing number of countries are causing grave consequences not only for the region but also the world at large regarding political and economic security.

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Question related to this article:
 
How can culture of peace be developed at the municipal level?

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We are also worried that neglecting the rule of law, including the UN Charter, would lead to more and more armed conflicts. We call upon all the countries engaging in armed conflicts to immediately implement a ceasefire and restore peace and stability.

Mayors for Peace, which consists of approximately 8,600 member cities in 166 countries and regions, a global network of local government leaders committed to protecting the safety and security of their citizens, strongly demands that international disputes be resolved by diplomatic efforts through dialogue. The use of force against any country which results in the loss of innocent civilian lives, is totally unacceptable.

On behalf of Mayors for Peace, we hereby declare once again that, together with all peaceseeking people around the world, we will make every effort to achieve lasting global peace and create a world free from nuclear weapons.

MATSUI Kazumi, President of Mayors for Peace, Mayor of Hiroshima

SUZUKI Shiro, Vice President of Mayors for Peace, Mayor of Nagasaki

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, East Asia, global,

Brazil: Pelourinho celebrates culture of peace and diversity, in a Sunday of free programming during Bahia Summer

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An article from the Government of Bahia

Sunday (25) was a day of celebration and encouragement of a culture of peace in Pelourinho, with a free cultural program integrated into the project Summer in Bahia by the Government of Bahia, through the Secretariat of Culture (Secult-BA). With attractions for all ages, the squares of the Historic Center were filled with the public, reaffirming the territory as a space of diversity, respect and living culture.

Photo: Ascom/Secult-BA

Largo Tereza Batista vibrated with the powerful female percussion of the Banda Didá, which enchanted the audience and welcomed Daniela Mercury as a special guest. Meanwhile, at Largo Pedro Archanjo, the BeatBom group enlivened the night with a diverse and vibrant repertoire, engaging the audience.

Children’s programming also had its place throughout the day. At Largo Pedro Archanjo, Tio Paulinho led games and activities for children and their families. At Largo Quincas Berro D’Água, the Afro Ibéji Cultural Contest celebrated the beauty of children, strengthening self-esteem and Black identity from childhood. At Terreiro de Jesus, the Pedro Calmon Foundation brought the Mobile Library (BIBEX), with reading and storytelling.

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(Click here for the original article in Portuguese.)

Question related to this article:

Can festivals help create peace at the community level?

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Hey! Here comes GANDHY! – At Largo do Pelourinho, the 6th edition of the Cultural Festival of Peace, promoted by the Filhos de Gandhy, transformed the space into a great manifesto for peace and respect for differences. The event brought together special guests such as Daniela Mercury, Gabriel Mercury, Afrocidade, Gerônimo Santana, and Orisun, bringing to the public the strength of afoxé, ancestry, and the message of peace that marks the trajectory of the bloco.

For singer Gerônimo Santana, Gandhy continues to be an inspiration over the decades. He performed classics such as “É D’Oxum” and “Jubiabá” and spoke about his relationship with afoxé: “I’ve been participating in Gandhy since 1982. It’s not the first time I’ve participated, and Gandhy is an inspiration to all of us by uniting people, promoting peace and tranquility,” the artist highlighted.

The Secretary for the Promotion of Racial Equality, Ângela Guimarães, reinforced the significance of the festival and the State’s commitment to a culture of peace: “This Cultural Festival of Peace carries a very strong message of respect, coexistence, and celebration of our ancestry. The Government of Bahia is keen to embrace this call, in defense of a plural and peaceful Historic Center. We are very happy to see Largo do Pelourinho packed, in a space where there is no room for racism or religious intolerance,” she stated.

With 40 years of Gandhy, it’s always time to be enchanted. Marivaldo Alves recounts his strong identification with the afoxé: “Listening to this Gandhy music moves me so much, it means so much to me. Every young person should know it!”, he recommends.
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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Latin America

Brazil: Culture of Peace Strengthened Through the Work of the Center for Conflict Prevention and Resolution of the Legislative Assembly of Ceará

. . DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION . .

An article from the Legislative Assembly of the State of Ceará

Building a culture of peace is an increasingly present issue in society and demands continuous collective mobilization and awareness. The Legislative Assembly of the State of Ceará (Alece), in accordance with the principles established by the United Nations (UN), seeks to strengthen the culture of peace. This work is mainly carried out through the Center for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPRC).

In search of peaceful solutions

The coordinator of the CPRC at Alece, Jussara Queiroz, explains that the work of the agency is guided by the promotion of peaceful, responsible, and humanized solutions. Conflict is understood as an opportunity for transformation, learning, and reconstruction of relationships, through mediation, conciliation, and legal advice.

In taking stock of the CPRC’s achievements in 2025, the coordinator reveals that the Center received the trust of many people who sought its services, resulting in the opening of 639 cases. Each service provided by the sector, according to her, represents the conscious choice for dialogue and the joint construction of solutions, reaffirming the importance of self-composition methods as effective instruments of social pacification.

Strengthening relational skills

“I also highlight the relevance of preventive actions, which enable the strengthening of relational skills, the expansion of listening capacity, and the adoption of practices based on Nonviolent Communication,” points out Jussara Queiroz. According to her, this is a contribution to healthier and more effective relationships, through workshops, discussion groups, and lectures.

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(Click here for the original article in Portuguese.)

Question related to this article:

How can we develop the institutional framework for a culture of peace?

Mediation as a tool for nonviolence and culture of peace

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The coordinator emphasizes that the Center for Conflict Prevention and Resolution reaffirms its commitment to a culture of peace, the prevention of violence, and the promotion of dialogue as a legitimate and necessary path to conflict resolution, in accordance with the principles of human dignity and social justice.

Areas of operation of the CPRC

The CPRC works to prevent or resolve family issues, neighborhood issues, condominium issues, real estate issues, and other situations that can be mediated for conciliation.

The work is done through mediation, conciliation, and legal advice. Among the preventive actions are lectures, workshops, discussion groups, and peacebuilding circles.

Service

Hours of operation: Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 12 pm and from 1 pm to 5 pm. Address: Avenida Pontes Vieira, nº 2.348, 3rd floor, room 305, Edifício Deputado Francisco das Chagas Albuquerque (annex III), Dionísio Torres, Fortaleza/Ceará. Telephone: (85) 2180-6513 WhatsApp: (85) 98132-7434 Email: cprc@al.ce.gov.br Virtual scheduling: https://forms.gle/BgXvZ3mh9FBPudML7

Edited by: Samaisa dos Anjos Internal Communication of Alece Email: comunicacaointerna@al.ce.gov.br Page: https://portaldoservidor.al.ce.gov.br/

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Latin America

UN General Assembly Calls Upon Warring Parties of Current Armed Conflicts to Boldly Agree to ‘True Mutual Ceasefires’ during Upcoming Olympic Winter Games

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

An article from the United Nations

Ahead of the upcoming 2026 Olympic Winter Games, the General Assembly today took note of a Solemn Appeal by the President of its eightieth session, who urged all warring parties to agree to “true mutual ceasefires” during the Games in line with the ancient principle of the Olympic Truce.

“The Olympic Truce proves that, even in times of division, humanity can still find common ground through sport,” said Annalena Baerbach (Germany), reading her Appeal (document A/80/598) into the Assembly’s official record.  “I call upon all warring parties of current armed conflicts around the world to boldly agree to true mutual ceasefires for the duration of the Olympic Truce, thus providing an opportunity to settle disputes peacefully.”

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Today’s Appeal recalls the ancient Greek tradition of the ekecheiria, translated as “Olympic Truce”, which serves as a hallowed principle of the Olympic Games, she said.  In modern times, the Assembly has taken up the related agenda item “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal” every two years, in advance of each summer and winter Olympic Games, adopting a resolution by the same name.

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Question for this article:

How can sports promote peace?

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Noting that the XXV Olympic Winter Games will begin shortly in Milano-Cortina, Italy, Ms. Baerbach cited the Assembly’s most recent resolution, which urged Member States to observe the truce individually and collectively from the seventh day before the Games’ start until the seventh day following the end of the XIV Paralympic Winter Games.  (See Press Release GA/13732  of 19 November 2025.)

“Through friendly competition, we can rise above our divisions and reaffirm our common humanity,” she said.  “The Games will bring together athletes from all parts of the world in the greatest of international sports events as a means to promote peace, mutual understanding, the rule of law and goodwill among nations and peoples — goals that are also part of the founding values of the United Nations.”

Pointing out that the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Games are on track to be the most gender-balanced in history, she added that the International Olympic Committee has decided to fly the UN flag in the Olympic stadium and the Olympic villages as a symbol of peace. 

“I welcome the leadership of Olympic and Paralympic athletes in promoting peace and human understanding through sport and the Olympic ideal,” she said, urging all Member States to demonstrate their commitment to the Olympic Truce and take concrete actions to promote and strengthen a culture of peace and harmony.

“May the implementation [of the Olympic Truce] reaffirm our shared conviction that, even in a divided world, unity remains possible and respect for our common rules means that we all win,” she said.

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, global, United Nations,

IPU Statement on the International Day of Peaceful Coexistence

. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION .

An article from the International Parliamentary Union

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) joins the international community in marking the first International Day of Peaceful Coexistence on 28 January 2026.

This new international day was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in March 2025 through resolution A/RES/79/269, proposed by the Kingdom of Bahrain with support from the King Hamad Global Center for Coexistence and Tolerance.

At a time of toxic polarization, growing distrust and division, parliaments have a unique responsibility to promote peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies, and to fight intolerance through their legislative, oversight and representative roles.

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(Click here for the original version in French)

Questions related to this article:

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

How can parliamentarians promote a culture of peace?

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By celebrating diversity, promoting peace education, and holding governments to account for human rights commitments, parliaments can and must create an environment in which every person is treated with dignity and respect.

The IPU’s agenda is firmly anchored in building more cohesive and just societies through parliamentary diplomacy, interfaith dialogue, and supporting parliaments to be inclusive and respectful spaces, representative of society in all its diversity.

At the 146th IPU Assembly in Bahrain in March 2023, hundreds of parliamentarians representing some 140 countries endorsed the Manama Declaration, Promoting peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies: Fighting intolerance, delivering a message of hope.

Across all its work, the IPU encourages parliamentarians to counter hate speech and divisive rhetoric, to protect freedom of expression while combating incitement to hatred, and to use their platforms to counter prejudice and misinformation.

The IPU calls on all parliaments and parliamentarians to redouble their efforts to foster dialogue, bridge divides, embrace diversity and champion a culture of peace in their constituencies, countries and beyond. 

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, global

Spain: Documentary “International Zone of Culture of Peace” in Manzanares El Real

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An article from Manzanares El Real

This documentary explains how Manzanares El Real became the first municipality in the world to declare itself an “International Zone of Culture of Peace,” given the series of requirements it met.


Video

“I came to live in Manzanares El Real and realized that Manzanares El Real truly meets all the requirements for the creation of the first International Zone of Culture of Peace,” states Valentín Oliveros Sanz, a human rights and peace activist.

“It offered us the possibility of bringing it to the plenary session, to the ordinances, to make it a reality, so that it would have a political impact on the residents of our town,” says Patricia Ibáñez, Councilor for Social Welfare.

It was then that the legal and juridical foundations were developed, and finally, on September 18th, it materialized when part of the governing group approved the declaration of Manzanares el Real as an International Zone of Culture of Peace. “I think this aspect of politics is very important because we are a mirror for society, and if the culture of peace doesn’t emerge from the political sphere, how can we expect peace in society?” states Patricia Ibáñez.

On September 21st, 70% of the citizens of our municipality gathered to celebrate the International Day of Peace. “I brought together a number of activists and artists, poets, renowned speakers, and, above all, children,” adds Valentín Oliveros.

Eva Saldaña, Executive Director of Greenpeace in Spain and Portugal, explains that “the culture of peace is participatory democracy, sustainable mobility, and generating another possible energy system based on clean energy that reaches all citizens.” A culture of peace means using public funds for things that promote the common good, creating pedestrian-friendly spaces, sustainable mobility, and accessible public transportation. It also means curbing violence and generating healthy spaces for interaction, leisure, and free time for everyone.”

Marisa García de Aguinaga, spokesperson for Amnesty International, adds that “civil and political rights, such as the right to freedom of expression, fair trials, equality of opportunity, housing, healthcare, and education, are rights that require states to uphold in order to be realized. Peace is not just the absence of armed conflict: for a more compassionate and just world, where everyone is treated equally, other rights must be fulfilled to achieve that peace.”

A culture of peace is “how we all build human relationships with each other and with the environment in which we live, and even with ourselves; “How do we relate to all of this and build an environment, a space, and a world where we can all feel that we live dignified lives and are free from violence and oppression?” adds Eva Saldaña.

(Click here for the Spanish original of this article)

Questions for this article:

How can culture of peace be developed at the municipal level?

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“A culture of peace is a set of values ​​that includes the first and most fundamental: the right to life, to human dignity, education in human rights, and the democratic participation of society, so that people understand that they must not only attend to their individual affairs, but also to the affairs of the community as a whole,” says Valentín Oliveros.

Furthermore, Marisa García de Aguinaga adds that “it is essential that municipalities, citizens, and all authorities work together to ensure that all these rights, achieved over years and generations, are not lost.” Patricia Ibáñez comments, “I am absolutely certain that this can be contagious. I believe that today’s society needs these kinds of messages; it needs tools from institutions.”

“The fact that even a small town council has the will to show itself and allow its citizens to express their opinions and begin to generate this is already an important step,” says Eva Saldaña.

Marisa García de Aguinaga expresses that “peace, if we don’t build it together, is impossible.”

Finally, Valentín Oliveros concludes the documentary by saying, “We give that enthusiasm, that hope of understanding or believing that another world is possible, a better world, of course.”

Contributors:
– Asociación Cultural El Real de Manzanares.

– Asociación de Mayores +60.

– Asociación Radar.

– Asociación de Sentido Social.

– Asociación ARBA
– Pedriza Refugia.

– La Sierra con Palestina

– JAFRA Dabke Palestino

– Coral de Manzanares El Real.

– Compañía de Teatro de Yoana González.

– Cia La Fábrica de Sueños / El Duende del Globo.

– Escuela de Música Peña Sirio.

– Federación Madrileña de Asociaciones Solidarias con el Sáhara (FEMAS)

– Proyecto Indomitas

– Móstoles sin Fronteras.

– CAUM (Club de Amigos de la UNESCO de Madrid)

– Greenpeace.
– Amnistía Internacional.

– Colectivo Alternativas no Violentas.

– Grupo Mujer, Vida y Libertad de Madrid.

– Asociación Memoria Histórica Los Barracones.

– Isidro Jara Hernández.
– Coordinación técnica, Rafa Rubio y David Elorriaga.

– Coordinacion general, dirección artística, y contenidos,

– Marisa Tejada, Comunicación medios y redes Carlos.

– Rivas y Pilar Bobadilla.

– Valentin Oliveros. Coordinación general.

– Thamatatto Graffitero

– Merian Zidan Lamaadi

– AFA Peña Sacra

– AMPA Los Abetos

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Europe

New York: Mamdani’s Win Proves That Hope Is Power

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An article by Frances Moore Lappé and Corinna Rhum from Common Dreams

Zohran Mamdani’s stunning victory on Tuesday is a bright light in this otherwise terrifying political time, and the messages propelling his political ascendance offer many lessons. One particularly is music to our ears—indeed, it’s a song we’ve long been singing. We’ll let the words from his acceptance speech  speak for themselves:

“Tonight we have spoken in a clear voice. Hope is alive. Hope is a decision that tens of thousands of New Yorkers made day after day, volunteer shift after volunteer shift, despite attack ad after attack ad. And, while we cast our ballots alone, we choose hope together: hope over tyranny. Hope over big money and small ideas. Hope over despair. We won because New Yorkers allowed themselves to hope that the impossible could be made possible.”

Right on!

Mr. Mamdani’s message is both powerful and incisive. To launch his campaign to become mayor of our largest city required hope—and great courage. A long-shot candidate—a 34-year-old South Asian Muslim and democratic socialist assemblyman—he is a departure from mayoral convention.

Nevertheless, he, and a dedicated team of volunteers, took the plunge, pouring heart and soul into one of the most impressive grassroots campaigns. Mr. Mamdani’s candidacy was an act of hope—rooted not only in a belief in the necessity of his ideas and capacity to govern but also of hope that the political landscape would embrace a leader like him.

We must challenge ourselves to hope! Why not run for office with a bold, hope-infused platform? Volunteer for a candidate we believe in? And cast our votes for a different and better future?

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Questions related to this article:

How can culture of peace be developed at the municipal level?

The struggle for human rights, is it gathering force in the USA?

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And that hope turned into victory—justifying itself. Adamantly and consistently, he worked to convince voters that a better New York is achievable—that hope need not be an abstract and ephemeral feeling but rooted in actual political possibility.

Doing so, Mr. Mamdani championed the concerns New Yorkers—but, really, most Americans—feel acutely: our affordability crisis in housing, food, and healthcare; the burden of wages failing to keep up with cost of living; the immense struggle required just to survive. At every step of his campaign, he addressed these deep structural problems with real, innovative policy solutions. He didn’t ask voters to find hope from his politicking. Rather, he offered real grounds for belief.

We have long said that hope is power. Mr. Mamdani’s political success is evidence of this truth.

So perhaps the most important takeaway from Mr. Mamdani’s campaign is this: Hope grounded in possibility is the fuel for democracy. We find this a particularly powerful line from Mr. Mamdani’s acceptance speech: “We won because we insisted that no longer would politics be something that is done to us. Now, it is something that we do.” This sentiment is, indeed, the crux of hope’s power. When we believe, the door to action opens. We become agents capable of making real the changes we so desperately. As Mr. Mamdani says, politics is not done to us, but what we do.

This spirit is contagious and key to fighting back successfully against the Trump administration’s fascist policies and reversing widespread democratic backsliding. We must challenge ourselves to hope! Why not run for office with a bold, hope-infused platform? Volunteer for a candidate we believe in? And cast our votes for a different and better future?

Organizations including Run for Something empower us to step up and consider ourselves as changemakers, and several other national groups such as Common Cause and Indivisible provide clear paths for citizen action. Who knows what may come from taking the next hopeful step in your community, whether its electoral or any other form of advocacy.

Remember hope is not for “wimps.” It requires courage to do what we thought we could not do. The root of the word courage is the French word for heart, “coeur.” So, when you step up and feel yours pounding, don’t doubt. It’s just your heart cheering you on!

Leading with hope, we can build the engaged and just “living democracy” we want and know is essential. We can become proud of our country again.
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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, North America

Mayors for Peace Action Plan (2025–2029)

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

Excerpts from Mayors for Peace Action Plan

Here are excerpts from the action plan adopted during the Mayors for Peace General Conference.

1. Realize a world without nuclear weapons

* Hold Mayors for Peace Atomic Bomb Poster Exhibitions around the world

* Pass down atomic bomb experiences through testimonies Outreach for TPNW Support International Advocacy

* Conduct activities urging all states, including nuclear weapon states and their allies, to join the TPNW at the earliest possible date

* Foster solidarity with global hibakusha

*Deliver messages from cities at international disarmament conferences

*Issue open letters advocating for a world without nuclear weapons or war

* Conduct member city-led activities calling on their respective national governments to contribute to the abolition of nuclear weapons

* Conduct petition drives urging all states to join the TPNW promptly

* Promote youth-centered citizen activity and interactions

Promote outreach regarding the current international nuclear weapons situation

Support research, education, and human resource development related to nuclear disarmament

2. Realize safe and resilient cities

* Promote local initiatives to address global issues

* Facilitate understanding of global issues

* Build diverse and inclusive cities that “leave no one behind”

* Share results and make use of the network

* Hold regional conferences led by Lead Cities

*;Build regional networks across the world

* Collaborate with the international community on global social issues

* Enhance City PR through international cooperation

Questions for this article:

How can culture of peace be developed at the municipal level?

3. Promote a culture of peace

* Conduct initiatives to convey the realities of the atomic bombings and war

* Pass down the experiences of the atomic bombings and war through testimonies

* Distribute and nurture seeds and seedlings from atomic-bombed trees

* Promote peace and disarmament education

* Promote peace education through initiatives such as the annual Children’s Art Competition “Peaceful Towns”

* Expand programs to host youth in the atomic bombed cities, such as the Youth Exchange for Peace Support Program

* Send young people to international disarmament conferences

* Support the establishment of Hiroshima-Nagasaki Peace Study Courses at more universities

* Promote citizen-led peace culture activities

* Promote global exchange among citizens rooted in the culture of peace

* Hold outreach events through art and sports

* Promote the culture of peace by using social media and other accessible platforms

* Raise peace awareness in conjunction with international commemorative days

* Promote peace culture activities utilizing local resources

Implement region-specific measures and collaborate with diverse

4. Promote sustainable organizational development

Strengthen membership recruitment activities in regions worldwide

* Support new member cities 1) Collect and share good practices from member cities

* Establish a Lead Cities-led implementation system

* Strengthen collaboration with member cities and human resource development through the Mayors for Peace Internship Program

* Develop an information infrastructure to strengthen collaboration among member cities

* Collaborate with local government organizations, such as USCM, NFLA, UCLG

Collaborate with international organizations and NGOs, such as the UN, ICRC, and ICAN

* Strengthen collaboration with peace research institutions such as the HiroshimaPlatform forPeaceStudies andEducation, RECNA, and UNIDIR

* Collaborate with museums around the world that convey the realities of the atomic bombings and war

* Promote public relations to gain wider support

* Strengthen communication through social media and other platforms

* Operate the Mayors for Peace Supporter System

* Strengthen the membership fee system

* Broaden fundraising efforts
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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, East Asia, global,

Bernie Sanders: We Must Fight Like Hell Against Trump’s Authoritarianism

. HUMAN RIGHTS .

An article by Bernie Sanders in Common Dreams (reprinted  under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

Make no mistakes about it, we are living in dangerous and unprecedented times as we combat Trump‘s oligarchy, authoritarianism, kleptocracy, and his horrific attacks against working families.


Demonstrators march through downtown protesting the agenda of the Trump Administration on September 30, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

We have more income and wealth inequality than we’ve ever had; we have more corporate control of the media than we’ve ever had; we have more billionaire money buying elections than we’ve ever had.

We have a major housing and educational crisis, people are going to the grocery store and can’t afford the food their families need, and we have a health care system that is completely broken.

Meanwhile, we have a president who is a pathological liar, who has little regard for the rule of law, who is suing media outlets that criticize him, threatening to jail his political opponents and talking about the military invading U.S. cities as practice.

History has always taught us that real change never takes place from the top on down. It always occurs from the bottom on up. It occurs when ordinary people get sick and tired of oppression and injustice—and fight back.

And on Tuesday night, as you know, the government shut down because—for the first time in modern history—Donald Trump and the Republican Party are approaching a budget conversation that requires 60 votes with a take it or leave it approach.

I will not take it.

I will not allow Donald Trump and the Republican Party to take away health care from 15 million people by making the largest cut to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act in history.

I will not allow Donald Trump and the Republican Party to increase health insurance premiums by 75 percent, on average, for over 20 million Americans who get their health care through the Affordable Care Act.

I will not allow Donald Trump and the Republican Party to fund this by giving a $1 trillion tax break to people like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and the other oligarchs in the top 1 percent.

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Questions related to this article:

The struggle for human rights, is it gathering force in the USA?

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I will not allow Donald Trump and the Republican Party to undermine modern medicine and the health and well-being of our children by rejecting the scientific evidence regarding vaccines.

I will not allow Donald Trump and the Republican Party to allow this country to be moved toward authoritarianism by putting federal troops on city streets without a request from a governor or mayor.

I was asked ahead of the vote if I would just continue to vote NO over and over again until these issues are addressed, and you are damn right I will.

Donald Trump and my colleagues in the Republican Party may not stay up late at night worrying about people who can’t afford health care, the medicine they need to survive, groceries and an education for their children, but I do.

Republicans will not have my vote to fund the government unless they find a sense of morality and do the right thing on health care, income and wealth inequality, and stopping Donald Trump’s march toward authoritarianism.

I want the Republicans to go back to their districts and ask their constituents whether or not they believe it’s a good idea to take away health care from millions of Americans to give Bezos and Musk a tax break.

I suspect they will not like the answer they hear.

So no. Republicans will not have my vote to fund the government unless they find a sense of morality and do the right thing on health care, income and wealth inequality, and stopping Donald Trump’s march toward authoritarianism.

Until that happens it is important for all of us to stand up and make our voices heard.

Will it be easy? Of course not.

Is it possible? Only if everyone does their part.

Let me remind you, history has always taught us that real change never takes place from the top on down. It always occurs from the bottom on up. It occurs when ordinary people get sick and tired of oppression and injustice—and fight back. That is the history of the founding of our nation, the abolitionist movement, the labor movement, the civil rights movement, the women’s movement and more.

Sisters and brothers, we are living in dangerous times. Maybe more dangerous than any point in American history since the Civil War.

But this is a struggle that, for ourselves and future generations, we cannot lose.

Let us go forward together in solidarity

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, HUMAN RIGHTS, North America

As Trump Escalates Attacks on Dissent, Oct. 18 ‘No Kings’ Protests Set to Be Even Bigger Than June

. HUMAN RIGHTS .

An article by Jessica Corbett from Common Dreams (reprinted  under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

As President Donald Trump and his allies continue to target immigrants, journalists, and anyone else critical of the increasingly authoritarian administration, organizers are gearing up  for another round of “No Kings” rallies across the United States, which they expect will draw even more demonstrators than a similar day of action  in June.


Protestors march during a “No Kings” demonstration on June 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jay L Clendenin/Getty Images)

“Sustained, broad-based, peaceful, pro-democracy grassroots movements win. Trump wanted a coronation on his birthday, and what he got instead was millions of people standing up to say NO KINGS,” Indivisible co-founder and co-executive director Ezra Levin said in a Tuesday statement. “No Kings Day on June 14 was an historic demonstration of people power, and it’s grown into a broad, diverse movement.”

“While Trump escalates his attack with occupations of American cities and secret police forces terrorizing American communities, normal everyday people across this country are showing up every single day with courage and defiance. On October 18, we’re going to show up in the largest peaceful protest in modern American history,” he added. “Millions will come together in more cities than ever to say collectively: No kings ever in America.”

Indivisible is planning next month’s peaceful protests alongside groups including the ACLU, American Federation of Teachers, Common Defense, 50501, Human Rights Campaign, League of Conservation Voters, MoveOn, National Nurses United, Public Citizen, Service Employees International Union, and United We Dream.

Organizers announced  the second Not Kings mobilization earlier this month. As a federal government shutdown loomed on Tuesday, they said that over 2,110 protests are now planned across all 50 states—more than those that drew over 5 million people to the streets in June.

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The struggle for human rights, is it gathering force in the USA?

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“We the People of the United States of America reject the Trump regime’s repeated assaults on our freedoms,” said 50501 national press coordinator Hunter Dunn. “This administration has invaded our cities, dismantled our social services, and tossed hard-working Americans into concentration camps. He has sacrificed our Constitution on the altar of fascism. On October 18th, the American people will gather together to practice two time-honored American traditions: nonviolent protest and anti-fascism.”

Trump has deployed the National Guard in Los Angeles, California, and Washington, DC, and this week is moving to do the same in Portland, Oregon, and Chicago, Illinois—where US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are already carrying out the deadly  “Operation Midway Blitz” as part of Trump’s national push for mass deportations. The administration is also specifically targeting pro-Palestinian foreign students, which a federal judge on Tuesday rebuked  with what one reporter called “the most scathing legal rebuke of the Trump era.”

Also on Tuesday, during an unusual gathering of US military leadership in Virginia, Trump declared that the country is “under invasion from within” and generals should use American cities as “training grounds,” while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pledged to overhaul the inspector general process: “No more frivolous complaints, no more anonymous complaints, no more repeat complaints, no more smearing reputations, no more endless waiting, no more legal limbo, no more sidetracking careers, no more walking on eggshells!”

Meanwhile, Jacob Thomas, a military veteran and communications director for Common Defense, said that “as veterans and patriots who swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution and the freedoms that it enshrines, we are appalled at the lengths President Trump and his billionaire buddies have gone to to strip our neighbors and communities of the rights, dignity, and freedoms owed to everyone residing in this country.”

“We must all do our part to fight back against his authoritarianism and military occupation of cities,” he continued. “We cannot allow a wannabe dictator to destroy our democracy, gut veteran healthcare, keep people from accessing the ballot box, and tank our economy. We must all join together in solidarity to fight back and secure our freedoms. Two hundred and fifty years ago, Americans stood up to a tyrant king, generations later our great-grandparents defeated fascism abroad. Now it is up to us to defeat fascism at home.”

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, HUMAN RIGHTS, North America