Sunday Comments Open, 5/24

May 24, 2026

Comments are open on Sunday, May 24.

Although I do not normally post a newsletter edition on Sunday, the following correspondence with a reader is relevant to the Pro-democracy protest photos included below:

Reader:

Could you please explain why the demonstrations in the photos matter?
To encourage participation, I cite the Chenoweth “3.5% rule”
Your “when enough of us…” statement.
However, our weekly “stand out” rallies here in New Hampshire are not growing in numbers despite MAGA's continuing onslaught.
We had 700 people for NoKings Day 3.0, but were back to 30 the next Saturday at our high-visibility intersection.
How do we inspire others to stand with us?
We just started a rush-hour stand-out.
Our goal: every day at rush hour.
Onward.

My response

Hi!. Thanks for your note, which reflects the concerns of many readers who participate in regular protests. They wonder, “Where is everyone else? How can we get to ‘critical mass’ quickly so that we can stop the spread of Trump’s authoritarian regime?'“

Don’t over-rely on the Chenoweth “rule.” It’s not a rule (even according to Chenoweth). It’s an observation about a limited data set over a limited time period that considers some examples of regime change efforts but omits others.

Chenoweth’s point is valid, but it doesn’t support the precision for which it is cited. I would reformulate her hypothesis as “Resistance matters; at some point, when resistance becomes sufficiently widespread, resistance can result in regime change.” Or, as you say, “This all stops when enough of us say, No.!”

The demonstrations in the photos matter for many reasons. At the most basic level, we face two choices in reacting to Trump’s authoritarian agenda:

A. Resist, in whatever ways possible, or

B. Give up and surrender.

The protesters in the photos are following Option A, i.e., resistance. It doesn’t matter what form of protest the people in the photos adopt. The fact of their existence that matters. They could bang a pot every day at 5 pm. They could stand alone on a corner with their fist raised. They could email their friends and colleagues every day, urging them to resist the authoritarian takeover. They could donate to groups that are fighting the regime in court. Resistance is what matters. The form is less important. What is happening in the photos matters because they show people not giving up.

More importantly, in any social protest movement, there are people at the forefront who are willing to take a stand while others hold back, waiting to see if it is safe to speak out. The people in the photos are serving as examples of courage. They provide inspiration and assurance to others who are afraid to speak. Every “honk” or “wave” from a motorist or passerby is a sign that the protesters have achieved their purpose. The protesters speak for others who are understandably afraid or cautious, or who are taking care of an elderly parent, or who are working three jobs to pay off student loans while making rent.

You note that participation has decreased since No Kings Day 3.0. That is both understandable and no reason to despair. We will never know what act of resistance will light the flame of mass protest. For a century before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus, Black civil rights activists had been refusing to give up seats on trains, trolleys, buses, and lunch counters. Why did Rosa Parks’ act of resistance spark the Montgomery Bus Boycott and capture the nation’s attention? We don’t know; she doesn’t know. She knew only that if Black Americans surrendered to racism, nothing would ever change.

One year after Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, the US Supreme Court ruled that Alabama’s segregation in public transportation was unconstitutional. That ruling occurred in a case filed in response to the Montgomery Bus Boycott and reversed a century of the Court’s support for segregation, less than a year after Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat.

The measure of a protest’s success is not how many protesters show up on a given day. It is how many hearts and minds the protesters touch by being willing to serve as examples of courage and resistance in the face of emerging authoritarianism.

Set aside the Chenoweth rule. It is an arbitrary measure of success, especially in an era when social media can amplify the actions of a single person on a street corner by sharing a photo of that person with hundreds of thousands of others — just like what happens with the photos at the end of this newsletter. The protesters may be standing alone or in small groups, but they are seen by dozens, hundreds, or thousands of passersby. And when they submit photos of their protests, they are seen by 150,000+ who follow this newsletter daily.

You are anxious to see regime change in the near term. That is healthy and understandable. But summoning a mass protest movement is not all on your shoulders. You are serving as an example to others looking for inspiration and courage. You are doing your part. No, you are doing more than your part. You will never know when your example will inspire someone to join the movement. And we will not find the “tipping point” unless we continue to resist every day in the face of uncertain odds.

Keep up your good work. Resistance is the only path to success, which will surely come so long as we do not give up.

Pro-democracy protest photos

[Send photos to rbhubbell@gmail.com. Include city and state]

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In Weaverville, we protest every Thursday and haven’t missed a week since June 2025. Great new signs.

This photo is from May 22, on the I-91 overpass in Wells River VT. Third Act and Indivisible groups sponsor it together. It was the first warm, sunny day we’ve rallied since last November.

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In Cedar Park, TX, Indivisible 1431 has been bannering on the E Park St bridge over US 183A for weeks.

It was too windy last Monday, so we cleaned up debris on “our” bridge. LOL. (We have endured snow, cold, and heat, but strong winds defeat our banners. :/ )

We also stood proud with our signs. Here’s just one!

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Pittsfield MA. Free speech warrior

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Newbury, Vermont 5/22/26

Thought you might enjoy the cool shot below from this past Wednesday’s weekly “Bearing Witness” rally outside of ICE’s regional detention facility in Burlington, Massachusetts (the facility is the building in the background).

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Our overpass message, “No Slush $ 4 Traitors” (IMG_3253 2), generated a lot of positive responses from drivers on Interstate 80 near Coralville, Iowa on Thursday!

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West Point graduation, 5/23/26

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Saturday May, 23 - Kansas City, MO - Mill Creek Park. Every Saturday 12-2

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Today protest at the Hyannis Airport rotary, Cape Cod, MA, 5/23. Upbeat w/ many cars honking support this Memorial Day weekend.

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Hundreds of grateful & patriotic volunteers planted 87,000+ gravesite flags today at the MA National Cemetery, Bourne, Cape Cod, MA, in preparation for Memorial Day. A humbling and heartfelt experience honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

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I-89 NB, Wilder, VT, 5/22/26. Occasionally, the local cops apologetically shut this one down, at the behest of VT DOT, which has jurisdiction. We cautiously return after a bit. We used to do SB as well, but there’s no sidewalk on that side, so the local cops were firmer about making us take down our SB banner, even though the overpass street is very quiet.

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