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Good Trouble Lives On anti-Trump protest: Why thousands are protesting tomorrow?
‘Good Trouble Lives On’ is inspired by former-Congressman John Lewis’s call to ‘get in good trouble, necessary trouble and help redeem the soul of America’.
‘Good Trouble Lives on’ is an upcoming anti-Trump protest movement being organised by multiple pro-democracy groups across multiple states in the United States on Thursday, July 17. The movement is a continuation of the ‘No Kings’ rally and aims to safeguard the threat to racial and voting rights amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
What is the significance of the name?
The name of the movement is inspired by former-Congressman John Lewis’s call to “get in good trouble, necessary trouble and help redeem the soul of America”- an action meant to encourage people to stand up for their rights and protest peacefully against the administration’s misgivings.
Lewis previously served in the House of Representatives from 1987 to 2021 as the representative of Georgia’s 5th congressional district. He was an active contributor to the Civil Rights Movement and Freedom Rides. The protest is being held to mark his five-year death anniversary.
Who is organising the movement?
The movement is primarily being organised by the Transformative Justice Coalition, Black Voters Matter, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, League of Women Voters, the Declaration for American Democracy Coalition, and Mi Familia en Acción, in coalition with a few other groups.
Why is the movement being organised?
“The Trump administration’s recent escalating authoritarian actions, attacks on DEI initiatives and voting rights, and dismantling of government agencies have raised alarm bells for democracy advocates, and that’s why we’re mobilising,” reads an official press release issued by the organisers.
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“Organisers hope to build on the momentum from the historic “No Kings” mass mobilisation on June 14, the largest demonstration to take place in Trump’s second term, with over 2,100 events spanning across all 50 states. We will take to the streets, courthouses, and community spaces to carry forward his fight for justice, voting rights, and dignity for all.”
“Good Trouble Lives On: John Lewis National Day of Action is rooted in justice and peace. For the past five years, we have fought to protect our civil liberties that generations of marginalised Americans have worked tirelessly to secure,” Christine Wood and Allison Pulliam, codirectors of Declaration for American Democracy Coalition, one of the main organisers of the event, told Fast Company. “In only his first few months in office, Trump has pulverised that progress, attacking our right to vote, cracking down on free speech and our right to protest, deporting people without due process, cutting crucial programs, and DEI initiatives, defunding lifesaving research.”
The flagship event of the movement will be held in Chicago, with additional events being organised in Atlanta, Washington DC, Annapolis, Maryland, St Louis, and, tentatively, San Francisco. As of July 9, some 1,200 events and rallies had been finalised as part of the movement, as reported by Fast Company.
