Category Archives: Democracy under attack

Democracy under attack, Good Trouble, John Lewis, Local vigilance

Why Good Trouble? – Benicia Rally this Thursday, July 17

Remembering  John Lewis,  Calling  for  Democracy,  Freedom  &  Justice  for  All

Axios,  by April Rubin, July 12, 2025

Tens of thousands of people are expected to protest the Trump administration again on Thursday, the fifth anniversary of the death of civil rights leader and former congressman John Lewis. [Details for the Benicia rally below.]

Why it mat#belowters: Lewis was one of the most vocal critics of President Trump during his first administration. Trump’s 2017 inauguration was the first that Lewis missed during his three-decade tenure in Congress.

By the numbers: 56,000 people RSVP’d for more than 1,500 events across the country as of Friday, organizers said.

What they’re saying: “Good Trouble Lives On is a national day of action to respond to the attacks on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration,” the protest website said.

  • “Together, we’ll remind them that in America, the power lies with the people.”

The other side: “Nearly 80 million Americans gave President Trump a historic mandate to Make America Great Again and he is delivering on that promise in record time,” White House spokesperson Liz Huston said in a statement.

Context: Lewis, the son of sharecroppers, grew up in rural Alabama. The civil rights leader was arrested more than 40 times and injured repeatedly but remained an advocate for nonviolent protest, per the Library of Congress.

  • “Rosa Parks inspired us to get in trouble,” he said in 2019. “And I’ve been getting in trouble ever since. She inspired us to find a way, to get in the way, to get in what I call good trouble, necessary trouble.”

State of play: Anti-Trump protests since January have retained their momentum, including Tesla Takedown in March, Hands Off! and 50501 in April, May Day, No Kings in June, and Free America on Independence Day.

  • Indivisible, a leading protest organization group, launched a project ahead of the protest to train a million people in non-cooperation, community organizing and campaign design.

Zoom out: In March 1965, Lewis led more than 600 peaceful protesters across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. What was meant to be a push for voting rights became known as “Bloody Sunday” after state troopers attacked the marchers.

  • He was elected to the U.S. House in 1986, representing most of Atlanta, and served until he died in 2020.
  • “Lewis was a formidable legislator who exerted moral and political leadership within the Democratic Party and never forgot his roots as an activist,” a biography said.

Go deeper: Interviewing John Lewis: What his presence inspired

In Benicia…

You are cordially, personally, and expansively invited…

…to a Vallejo and Benicia Day of Action – Good Trouble Lives On, commemorating the July 17, 2020 death of Rep. John Lewis. Together, we will advocate for freedom and democracy in the Trump era. RALLY in CITY PARK,  Thursday, July 17th, from 5-6 pm at the Gazebo, corner of First & Military in Benicia.

Rep. John Lewis – “When historians pick up their pens to write the story of the 21st century, let them say that it was your generation who laid down the heavy burdens of hate at last and that peace finally triumphed over violence, aggression and war. So I say to you, walk with the wind, brothers and sisters, and let the spirit of peace and the power of everlasting love be your guide.” (July 30, 2020)

Crowd at the Gazebo, Roger Straw – Benicia Independent

Benicia California — On Thursday, July 17, community members in Benicia and Vallejo will join Americans at hundreds of events nationwide to honor the legacy of Congressman John Lewis and fight back against the growing attacks on our civil and human rights.

The local action in Benicia is part of Good Trouble Lives On — a nationwide day of peaceful, nonviolent action rooted in the legacy of the civil rights movement and inspired by John Lewis’ call to make “good trouble, necessary trouble.”

Participants from Vallejo and Benicia will gather to demand an end to the authoritarian attacks on our freedom to vote, protest, and organize — and to stand united against efforts to criminalize our communities, roll back our rights, and slash vital public programs.

The event is cosponsored by Vallejo-Benicia Indivisible, League of Women Voters Solano and the Vallejo-Benicia AAUW, and expands on Benicia’s EVERY Thursday 5-6pm vigil for democracy.

Speakers include Dr. Tonia Lediju, Vallejo City Council and Kari Birdseye, Benicia City Council

The rally will also provide opportunity for voter registration, information about Unite and Rise 8.5, and 5Calls, and other ways to participate in the democratic process, plus a canned food drive for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano counties.

>> For the food drive please bring one or more of the following items: Peanut butter, Canned Tuna or chicken in water, Boxed mac and Cheese, Shelf stable milk, Applesauce, Beans/lentils (dry or canned), Rice, Whole grain cereal/crackers, Whole wheat/grain pasta, Canned soups/vegetables/tomato products, Canned fruits, cartons of 100% juice, non-perishable ready-to-eat meals (chili, ravioli, etc.)

Bring your homemade signs, gather around the Gazebo with banners, hear the speakers, visit a popup canopy with tables for people registering to vote and signing up to get involved, leave your food items in the drive barrels.

To learn more about the national campaign, visit www.goodtroubleliveson.org.

GOOD TROUBLE – ALL OVER THE BAY AREA…
Benicia Gazebo, corner of First & Military Streets

>> IN BENICIA / VALLEJO: July 17th GOOD TROUBLE LIVES ON! 5-6pm at the Gazebo in Benicia City Park (map: First and Military Streets) – see more above.

>> IN FAIRIELD: Thu, Jul 17
5:00 PM — 6:00 PM, Garamendi’s Office Building, Fairfield, CA . Here’s a map.

>> IN NAPA: Thu, Jul 17, 5:30 PM — 7:00 PM PDT, Veterans Memorial Park, Napa, CA.

> ALL OVER THE BAY AREA: Go to goodtroubleliveson.org and enter your zip code. Then click a city on the big map to get details.

U.S. Representative and beloved activist John Lewis…

“From a small farm in Alabama, to life-risking service in the civil rights movement, to three decades in Congress, he was always ‘walking with the wind,’ steered by a moral compass that told him when to make good trouble and when to heal troubled waters. Always true to his word, his faith, and his principles, John Lewis became the conscience of the nation.”
– Former President Bill Clinton and Former Secretary Of State Hillary Clinton, Associated Press, July 18, 2020

Democracy under attack, Good Trouble, John Lewis, Local vigilance

GOOD TROUBLE LIVES ON in Benicia – Your Personal Invitation

“Ordinary people with extraordinary vision can redeem the soul of America by getting in what I call good trouble, necessary trouble.” – John Lewis

You are cordially, personally, and expansively invited…

…to a Vallejo and Benicia Day of Action – Good Trouble Lives On, commemorating the July 17, 2020 death of Rep. John Lewis. Together, we will advocate for freedom and democracy in the Trump era. RALLY in CITY PARK,  Thursday, July 17th, from 5-6 pm at the Gazebo, corner of First & Military in Benicia.

Rep. John Lewis – “When historians pick up their pens to write the story of the 21st century, let them say that it was your generation who laid down the heavy burdens of hate at last and that peace finally triumphed over violence, aggression and war. So I say to you, walk with the wind, brothers and sisters, and let the spirit of peace and the power of everlasting love be your guide.” (July 30, 2020)

Crowd at the Gazebo, Roger Straw – Benicia Independent

Benicia California — On Thursday, July 17, community members in Benicia and Vallejo will join Americans at hundreds of events nationwide to honor the legacy of Congressman John Lewis and fight back against the growing attacks on our civil and human rights.

The local action in Benicia is part of Good Trouble Lives On — a nationwide day of peaceful, nonviolent action rooted in the legacy of the civil rights movement and inspired by John Lewis’ call to make “good trouble, necessary trouble.”

Participants from Vallejo and Benicia will gather to demand an end to the authoritarian attacks on our freedom to vote, protest, and organize — and to stand united against efforts to criminalize our communities, roll back our rights, and slash vital public programs.

The event is cosponsored by Vallejo-Benicia Indivisible, League of Women Voters Solano and the Vallejo-Benicia AAUW, and expands on Benicia’s EVERY Thursday 5-6pm vigil for democracy.

Speakers include Dr. Tonia Lediju, Vallejo City Council and Kari Birdseye, Benicia City Council

The rally will also provide opportunity for voter registration, information about Unite and Rise 8.5, and 5Calls, and other ways to participate in the democratic process, plus a canned food drive for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano counties.

>> For the food drive please bring one or more of the following items: Peanut butter, Canned Tuna or chicken in water, Boxed mac and Cheese, Shelf stable milk, Applesauce, Beans/lentils (dry or canned), Rice, Whole grain cereal/crackers, Whole wheat/grain pasta, Canned soups/vegetables/tomato products, Canned fruits, cartons of 100% juice, non-perishable ready-to-eat meals (chili, ravioli, etc.)

Bring your homemade signs, gather around the Gazebo with banners, hear the speakers, visit a popup canopy with tables for people registering to vote and signing up to get involved, leave your food items in the drive barrels.

To learn more about the national campaign, visit www.goodtroubleliveson.org.

GOOD TROUBLE – ALL OVER THE BAY AREA…
Benicia Gazebo, corner of First & Military Streets

>> IN BENICIA / VALLEJO: July 17th GOOD TROUBLE LIVES ON! 5-6pm at the Gazebo in Benicia City Park (map: First and Military Streets) – see more above.

>> IN FAIRIELD: Thu, Jul 17
5:00 PM — 6:00 PM, Garamendi’s Office Building, Fairfield, CA . Here’s a map.

>> IN NAPA: Thu, Jul 17, 5:30 PM — 7:00 PM PDT, Veterans Memorial Park, Napa, CA.

> ALL OVER THE BAY AREA: Go to goodtroubleliveson.org and enter your zip code. Then click a city on the big map to get details.

U.S. Representative and beloved activist John Lewis…

“From a small farm in Alabama, to life-risking service in the civil rights movement, to three decades in Congress, he was always ‘walking with the wind,’ steered by a moral compass that told him when to make good trouble and when to heal troubled waters. Always true to his word, his faith, and his principles, John Lewis became the conscience of the nation.”
– Former President Bill Clinton and Former Secretary Of State Hillary Clinton, Associated Press, July 18, 2020

Benicia, Democracy under attack, Stephen Golub, Trump administration, US Customs & Border Protection (CBP)

Stephen Golub: Independence Day

…imagine my dismay when this very stiff-upper-lip Englishman contacted me recently…

 Stephen Golub, A Promised Land – America as a Developing Country

By Stephen Golub, Benicia resident and author. July 6, 2025. [First published in the Benicia Herald on 7/4/25.]

Pete (not his real name) is a Brit I met 50 years ago during college and have been close friends with ever since. After graduation, he went on to a career as an international journalist, risking his life in war-torn situations from Lebanon to the former Soviet Union and beyond, as well as covering countless violent demonstrations.

I recall his calmly telling tales of mortar explosions and other such threats narrowly missing him. There’s not much that scares the guy.

And he certainly knows how to assess threats. Years ago, he cautioned me to steer clear of a particular hotel in a Middle Eastern capital during a consulting trip I was undertaking. A month later, a terrorist bomb took numerous lives there.

So, imagine my dismay when this very stiff-upper-lip Englishman contacted me recently to let me know that he was concerned about something I was doing that might put him at risk.

What could that be, you might well wonder? How could I, ensconced in bucolic Benicia, pose any kind of hazard to Pete, who lives thousands of miles away?

I was sending him news articles. More specifically, I was electronically sharing occasional updates and analyses I thought he might appreciate, something I’d been doing since email became an option. More specifically yet, some of the news items and analyses were about U.S. democracy and the dangers it’s facing.

Why is Pete concerned? Because as you might know, the Trump Administration is sometimes examining the phones and social media feeds of visitors, to determine whether they contain items deemed terrorist-sympathizing or otherwise counter to our national security.

And as you wouldn’t know, Pete occasionally visits relatives in America. He’s worried, then, that upon arrival here he might have his phone examined by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection airport agent, who in turn could bar Pete’s entry (perhaps permanently) if they find something they don’t like.

Despite dodging rocks, bullets and bombs his entire career, Pete very understandably does not want to risk such searches – even though the items I’ve shared have simply ranged from academic analyses to the latest news about the Administration’s latest steps.

So I stopped.

Due to deadline constraints, I’m writing this on Thursday, before Benicia’s July 3rd parade. The timing seems appropriate, given what the 4th of July is about, and why Americans fought Pete’s home country and its king nearly 250 years ago: Freedom, starting with freedom to say what we want, free of fear. Freedom to be who we want to be. Freedom from the use of the military to suppress peaceful rallies. Freedom from a repressive, corrupt king who put his own financial and other interests above those of his people.

I’m also writing this as word comes in that by the 4th of July Trump will sign the bill, just passed by the House of Representatives today, that will award massive tax breaks to techno-billionaires and other extremely wealthy sorts, blow up our national debt by $3.3 trillion and deny health care coverage to well over 10 million Americans.

Perhaps I’ll delve into those horrid details some other time.
In the meantime, here’s to all the freedoms that Independence Day represents and that so many Americans have fought and even died for, including against foreign fascists like Putin and others with whom Trump is currently aligning himself.

And here’s to the hope that by next 4th of July we’ll be seeing more signs of light in our troubled skies, and that eventually Pete and the rest of us won’t have to think about what news we can or cannot safely share, read or store on our phones.

Benicia resident and author Stephen Golub, A Promised Land

CHECK OUT STEPHEN GOLUB’S BLOG, A PROMISED LAND

…and… here’s more Golub on the Benicia Independent

Democracy under attack, Donald Trump, Local vigilance, No Kings!

Benicia crowd of 1200+ protests Trump

NO KINGS DAY 2025 – One for the ages when we talk about political activism in Benicia

All photos by Roger Straw, The Benicia Independent

By Roger Straw, The Benicia Independent, June 15, 2025

Roger Straw, The Benicia Independent

In the last few days before the NO KINGS! rally in Benicia, as the numbers of respondents came in, planners knew it was going to be big. We thought there might even be, say, 250 or 300, which would be huge by almost all previous Benicia activist crowds. Big indeed – most estimates of the crowd were well over 1,000 and up to 1,500!

Numbers don’t tell the whole story, but they tell a lot. This was a WOW! event in Benicia!

I arrived by car about a half hour early, expecting to help get things going. The sidewalks and park were already packed with people holding signs, chanting loudly and encouraging passing cars to honk their support.

I couldn’t find a parking place any closer than 3 ½ blocks away. Walking from there, we came upon an older couple like us, carrying signs and heading to the rally. After friendly greetings, the gentleman said he’d never protested during the ‘60s and ‘70s, and that this would be his first time attending a protest. Mary Susan got a good laugh when she responded, “Oh, we’re veterans at this and you’ll be fine!” We chatted some more, and learned that we’d all spent time living in Indianapolis, and so bonded as former Hoosiers.

The crowd in the park and all along the sidewalk was incredibly friendly. We hugged and chatted with lots of old friends, some of whom we hadn’t seen in years. We met new people and stood for pictures with our high-school graduate grandson, who arrived with a bunch of other Benicia High students. I’ve been to many protests, rallies and vigils in Benicia. You get used to seeing the same old (literally old) people. Not since March For Our Lives have I seen such a mix of young and old. Not since Black Lives Matter have I seen such a racially diverse crowd of concerned Benicians. And I’ve never seen such a wide spectrum of known and new folks. It was encouraging to know that NO KINGS has such a solid base of support in our small town. Yes!

Organizer Cathy Bennett came in her long red Handmaid’s Tale robe, and kicked off the event with a bullhorn welcome that could hardly be heard over the chants and cars honking.

Organizer Susan Street set up a welcome table and brought a portable bubble machine, which she carried around giving a celebratory light and life to the affair.

Later, Benicia Mayor Steve Young and City Councilmember Terry Scott spoke. And near the end of our time together, our State Senator Chris Cabaldon arrived and offered remarks. After his talk, I approached Chris with thanks, and with a knowing look that acknowledged the political assassination in Minneapolis that morning, I encouraged him to “be brave.”

I almost can’t express fully the sense I have that this gathering was historic for Benicia. And that the 2000+ similar rallies around the U.S. and abroad were also way larger than expected and peaceful, and strong in the growing public opposition to the Trump administration’s shockingly ambitious moves toward an authoritarian takeover that would destroy our democracy. The signs held up by protesters show us to be a thinking city, an aware and deeply concerned nation and world.

This can’t be the last such lifting of our voices in dissent. We continue to be a people of peace and kindness, a nation of liberty and justice for all. (See Benicia’s Juneteenth celebration.) In the “culture war” that is being promoted and executed by oligarchs and white Christian supremacists, we represent the backbone and vision of Dr. King’s long arc of the moral universe. “…the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

Along with the rally signs, The Benicia Independent lifts a strong and insistent voice: Stop ICE! No Kings since 1776! Stop the cruelty! Liberty and justice for all! We will PERSIST and PREVAIL! Love always wins!

Roger Straw
The Benicia Independent