FiftyFiftyOne

https://slate.com/human-interest/2016/12/an-act-up-protest-of-donald-trump-in-1989-shows-how-queers-recognized-his-danger-early-on.html

I can't find a ton of info about the protest, but this was a great read!

So funny how MAGA says, "Everyone loved him before he was president!" When there were protests in 1989, Biff from Back to the Future was based off of him, and Sesame Street had "Ronald Grump." Amomg others.

Would be cool to get some Dorothy's out on the 19th in honor of 1989 Dorothy!! Some remakes of the signs would be 10/10. 👌🏻

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Originally Posted By u/UnderOurThumb At 2025-04-11 11:14:30 PM | Source

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The first picture is from Buchenwald. The prisoners shown were "justifiably deported", "enemies", "parasites", "criminals", and many of the other dehumanizing terms and phrases being applied right now to humans being arrested and deported without due process.

The second picture is of CECOT prisoners, who don't even get a cover, just some shorts/tshirt and a crowded steel slab bunk for a bed.

One of the foundational aspects of American democracy is that we are supposed to afford everyone due process and, I would hope, at least an ounce of dignity. Even the pittance it is, we at least give inmates on Death Row a pillow and cover.

Just think about it for a moment if you don't get it yet.

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Originally Posted By u/OldStretch84 At 2025-04-12 12:21:48 AM | Source

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Hi, I'm from Australia, sorry if this is the wrong place for this. I was reading this profile of Melinda French Gates, ex-wife of Bill Gates, here:

https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/gigantic-joy-melinda-french-gates-on-her-new-life-after-divorce-20250326-p5lmnp.html

I have a serious question for our American friends.

Melinda Gates is worth approximately US$30 billion apparently. And Mackenzie Scott, ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, is worth US$42 billion. They are both philanthropists, focused on women and girls' welfare.

If they really care so much about women's welfare, why didn't they put their money where their mouth is? This question goes for other progressive billionaires in the US too. If they, along with some of their friends had pooled their money together, they could have bought Twitter (and maybe even mainstream news organizations like The Washington Post).

Twitter was a hugely influential resource for the global center-left, and now it has become a source of far-right indoctrination. Elon Musk took a huge risk when he bought Twitter, but it has paid off for him and the global far-right - not in a monetary sense, but in the sense that they were able to take that space away from the left, which I think was their objective in the first place. The right wing seems to be so much more committed, and willing to spend their money to achieve their political objectives, whereas the left (or center-left, or just democracy-loving people) seem so lame in comparison. What gives?

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Originally Posted By u/GrouchyInstance At 2025-04-11 11:47:43 PM | Source

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Supreme Court Order, Noem v. Abrego Garcia, 24A949 (April 10, 2025) Yes, Noem. The one who shot her own dog for being “disobedient” and got promoted to Homeland Security. That Noem. Because in this country, cruelty is no longer a disqualifier. It’s a résumé booster.

And now? The Supreme Court…. this one, stacked with Trump appointees, just confirmed that her department broke the law.

Not allegedly. Not debatably. Directly. Knowingly. Unapologetically.

“The Government removed respondent from the United States even though a court order prohibited his removal.”

The “respondent” was Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland father of U.S. citizen children. No criminal record. No charges. No warrant. No due process. Just vanished.

Deported to El Salvador. Thrown into CECOT, a prison internationally condemned for human rights abuse.

And the government’s excuse? An “administrative error.”

They kidnapped a man in violation of a federal court order and blamed the filing cabinet.

But the Court wasn’t buying it.

They called it what it was: “A significant legal wrong.”

And here’s what should send a chill down every spine:

Not. One. Justice. Dissented. Not Alito. Not Thomas. Not Barrett. Not Gorsuch. Not Kavanaugh. Not Roberts. Not. One!

Not even the justices hand picked to carry out Trump’s vision could defend this.

That’s how illegal it was.

Justice Sotomayor, joined by Kagan and Jackson, went further:

“To this day, the Government has cited no basis in law for Abrego Garcia’s warrantless arrest, his removal to El Salvador, or his confinement in a Salvadoran prison. Nor could it.”

And then the line that should’ve made headlines in every paper:

“A court’s judgment is not some suggestion the Government can tactically ignore.”

Because if court rulings can be ignored, if due process only applies when it’s convenient, we are no longer a nation of laws.

We are a nation ruled by who holds power. And who gets erased.

So what did the Court order?

“The government must bring him back and return him to the same legal position he was in before they broke the law, with all due process protections intact, as if the deportation never happened.”

Let that settle in. They have to pretend it never happened, because it should never have happened.

That’s not mercy. That’s the bare minimum when your government kidnaps someone in violation of a court order.

Now let’s talk about what this really means:

This wasn’t about immigration. This was about unchecked power.

About what happens when the government believes certain people, certain names, accents, faces….simply don’t deserve rights.

Because let’s be honest: If Abrego’s last name were Anderson or McConnell, if he had overstayed a visa from Sweden and played Christian music on his way in… he’d be on Fox News right now, being called a hero. He’d have a GoFundMe and a seat at CPAC.

But Kilmar didn’t get that. He got disappeared.

And the only reason we even know about this is because: They. Got. Caught.

So now what?

Will they bring him back? Or will they ignore the Supreme Court too and make it clear that the Constitution only applies to the politically convenient?

Because this is the moment we stop pretending.

You don’t care about law and order if you’re silent now. You don’t care about the Constitution if you look away from this.

If you defend this…. You’re not defending America. You’re defending authoritarianism.

This is how it starts.

It always starts with the people the system thinks no one will defend.

Until there’s no one left to defend you.

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Originally Posted By u/21slave12 At 2025-04-11 08:11:52 PM | Source

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Hello Doers,

I’m sorry I didn’t protest earlier. I’m a breastfeeding new mom to a young baby. I thought that I should show up in other ways and it would be enough. It’s not. April 5th showed me how many people show up who likely also have a million other reasons they could not.

I have recruited 6 friends willing to go with me on April 19 and safe support to watch my little one the 2.5 hours I have in between nursing. If something happens that takes me longer, well, I’ll deal with that then. I can’t tell future him I didn’t do enough, so I need to do more.

So, to all the doers out there who are already running thin, please don’t give up yet. Your work is showing. It means something. Take care of yourself, you matter so much. If you need more hands to make the moment happen, let’s work to find some. But don’t stop.

With sincerest gratitude.

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Originally Posted By u/Hello_Pangolin At 2025-04-11 06:27:27 PM | Source

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He is in extraordinarily bad health and could pass at any time. He is only functioning because he’s highly medicated, but that is itself a death sentence. Just wake up every day and hope ‘today is the day’. It gives you something positive to look forward to. Eventually, that day will arrive, and when it does, I’ll announce a block party at my house. 💙🍾☺️

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Originally Posted By u/Possible_Mistake2471 At 2025-04-11 06:36:09 PM | Source

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And it has actually given me more faith for the future! I had appointments every day this week because my body is a wreck after the Navy. Every single time I go, I've been wearing various political shirts. Examples: "Veterans against Trump" "All gave some, some gave all. One had bone spurs. Veterans against Trump" "I'm a veteran, not a sucker or loser, I swore to defend the constitution" "TRUMP IS A TRAITOR"

Yes, I know it's kinda cringe and boot. But I've been wearing them for a reason. I live in Texas and I'm tired of people thinking that all vets are Trumpers. I don't care if I'm cringe or boot, I wear these so other people can see that some of us will speak against this shit.

Every single day, at least 2 veterans have told me that they agree, given me high fives, told me they loved my shirt, etc. Multiple staff members have as well! My prosthetisist and my psychiatrist have both said that they wish they could wear things like that or express their opinions that openly. I've had nurses, doctors, and admin all tell me that they love it. I've watched them read my shirts and smile, and treat me me much more warmly. My psych told me that she loves seeing how I'm so willing to stand up for what I believe- and it's just a shirt! But it's a shirt in a veteran hospital, in a red state, and I'm a transgender gay man so I have more of a target on me.

And NO ONE HAS SAID SHIT! Sure, I've seen plenty of people read my shirt, purse their lips, glare at me. None of them have said a damn word. Literally nothing verbally negative. Not a single staff member has done any of that btw, only vets and civilians when I go to Walmart or whatever after the VA. Zero negative reactions from VA staff - obviously if they disagree they can't say anything, but I'm talking about not even any negative body language, and I've been watching for it whenever people read the shirts.

Today I wore the Trump is a traitor shirt. I was at the VA for 4 hours and I got 2 high fives, 4 knuckle bumps, and a fucking hug, which I absolutely loved seeing that level of agreement!

I know it's just a shirt. But it's something. And the veterans who's faces light up when they see the shirts, who go "I'm not alone! Other vets hate this too!"

I'm gonna keep doing this and wearing these shirts. Last pic is me with my sign at the protest last Saturday

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Originally Posted By u/sabertoothdiego At 2025-04-11 08:11:17 PM | Source

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This is not who America is. We demand due process. How many more will we let them kidnap!???

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Originally Posted By u/reebokpumpsog At 2025-04-11 05:40:18 PM | Source

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Please download and share.

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Originally Posted By u/DoItOurDamnSelves At 2025-04-11 06:10:19 PM | Source

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Originally Posted By u/Captain_Wisconsin At 2025-04-11 07:39:39 PM | Source

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The more I read about Marie the more I think she needs to be somewhere other than Congress. I’m calling on Washington’s third district to consider putting up somebody else. Someone that will protect the rights of all Americans.

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Originally Posted By u/Elevatedspiral At 2025-04-11 03:34:19 PM | Source

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Earlier this week, there was a push for a nationwide day of protest on April 19. Now, I see that fiftyfifty.one has backpedaled to make it a day of action. Well guess what? We need to be doing our actions EVERY DAY. We need to protest with as many people in the streets as much as possible as soon as possible. I know we're all tired. So what? The time is NOW.

We should be calling our congresspeople every day https://5calls.org/

Fax congress https://faxzero.com/fax/_congress.php

Email congress https://democracy.io/

Spreading the word, rallying people for our cause.

We NEED to get out there NOW in person in the streets. We don't need fancy signs or fancy agendas but we need to get out there NOW and OFTEN or it is going to be too late.

https://preview.redd.it/opsrmo45z8ue1.png?width=471&format=png&auto=webp&s=6aa4bc9f35ad66588a86aed1b761efea8a65e6d5

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Originally Posted By u/Sea_Blueberry_7855 At 2025-04-11 02:16:54 PM | Source

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