Sign if you agree: Everyone targeted by the Trump administration should fight back instead of giving in.
Donald Trump is threatening people again. On May 15, he threatened ABC News with a lawsuit over its coverage of the Qatari luxury plane affair. The next day, he threatened an investigation into the Kamala Harris campaign over celebrity endorsements.
I don't think I am alone when I write that these threats just don't pack the punch they once did, do they? The reason why is that now people are fighting back.
In the weeks right after the 2024 presidential election, Trump succeeded in getting a wave of media outlets, universities, law firms, tech companies, and others to acquiesce to his demands. However, more recently, pretty much everyone has stopped giving in to Trump. Partly, this is because Trump's approval rating has declined from where it was during the winder of 2024-2025. Partly, this is because of the public backlash that many organizations received when they caved to Trump. Partly, this is because people have seen that many individuals and organizations are fighting back against the Trump administration in court, and frequently winning. Also, partly this was the Trump administration's own doing, as it cancelled grants to Columbia University even after it caved to Trump's demands, thus showing others that fighting back was really the only viable option anyway.
Even with all that in mind, I like to think to think that one of the reasons why so many fewer individuals and organizations targeted by Trump are conceding to his demands is that they are realizing one of the surest ways to lose your rights is to decide not to exercise them. Dissenting from the Trump administration and refusing to give into its demands might result in losing your job or your federal funding, and also might result in expensive legal fees. However, it will also allow you to retain your right to dissent against Trump and to operate your organization, however financially diminished it may be, without the Trump administration's oversight.
I am not writing this from an ivory tower. The Trump administration is targeting ActBlue, which is the primary source of income for my organization, Bowers News Media. I am very glad to see that ActBlue, and Democrats around the country, are fighting back in the face of these attacks, and I have been glad to help them in their efforts.
Right now, it is extremely important that we all do whatever we can to retain our rights to dissent. One of the surest ways to do just that is for the people and organizations targeted by the Trump administration to fight back instead of giving in, and also to encourage others to do the same.
Sign if you agree: Everyone targeted by the Trump administration should fight back instead of giving in.
(Notes:
–This is not a petition in the traditional sense that there is specific language you are signing on to and a specific target to whom the signatures will be delivered. Instead, by taking this action you are signing on in support of an idea that you hope will continue to spread around the country.
–Signing this form will not result in receiving emails from anyone other than Bowers News Media.
–After you sign, you will be redirect to an ActBlue page asking you to donate to Bowers News Media. However, no donation is required to sign, and if you see that ActBlue page it means your signature has already been recorded.
I don't think I am alone when I write that these threats just don't pack the punch they once did, do they? The reason why is that now people are fighting back.
In the weeks right after the 2024 presidential election, Trump succeeded in getting a wave of media outlets, universities, law firms, tech companies, and others to acquiesce to his demands. However, more recently, pretty much everyone has stopped giving in to Trump. Partly, this is because Trump's approval rating has declined from where it was during the winder of 2024-2025. Partly, this is because of the public backlash that many organizations received when they caved to Trump. Partly, this is because people have seen that many individuals and organizations are fighting back against the Trump administration in court, and frequently winning. Also, partly this was the Trump administration's own doing, as it cancelled grants to Columbia University even after it caved to Trump's demands, thus showing others that fighting back was really the only viable option anyway.
Even with all that in mind, I like to think to think that one of the reasons why so many fewer individuals and organizations targeted by Trump are conceding to his demands is that they are realizing one of the surest ways to lose your rights is to decide not to exercise them. Dissenting from the Trump administration and refusing to give into its demands might result in losing your job or your federal funding, and also might result in expensive legal fees. However, it will also allow you to retain your right to dissent against Trump and to operate your organization, however financially diminished it may be, without the Trump administration's oversight.
I am not writing this from an ivory tower. The Trump administration is targeting ActBlue, which is the primary source of income for my organization, Bowers News Media. I am very glad to see that ActBlue, and Democrats around the country, are fighting back in the face of these attacks, and I have been glad to help them in their efforts.
Right now, it is extremely important that we all do whatever we can to retain our rights to dissent. One of the surest ways to do just that is for the people and organizations targeted by the Trump administration to fight back instead of giving in, and also to encourage others to do the same.
Sign if you agree: Everyone targeted by the Trump administration should fight back instead of giving in.
(Notes:
–This is not a petition in the traditional sense that there is specific language you are signing on to and a specific target to whom the signatures will be delivered. Instead, by taking this action you are signing on in support of an idea that you hope will continue to spread around the country.
–Signing this form will not result in receiving emails from anyone other than Bowers News Media.
–After you sign, you will be redirect to an ActBlue page asking you to donate to Bowers News Media. However, no donation is required to sign, and if you see that ActBlue page it means your signature has already been recorded.
