(Photos: Gage Skidmore, Ryan J. Reilly Follow, U.S. ICE, Katherine Gamble, Allison Shelley, Scout Tufankjian, Brandon Bourdages)
Apr 27, 2017
It only took a day for the people to speak.
On the morning after Donald Trump's inauguration, more than 500,000 people crowded into the nation's capital for the Women's March on Washington. The "counter-inauguration," co-sponsored by the ACLU and many other groups, was likely the single largest protest in American history as sister marches sprung up in cities across America. All told, an estimated 3 to 5 million people took to the streets in defense of our most fundamental values and in opposition to the newly inaugurated president, who threatened so many of them.
The Women's March, however, was just the beginning. As Trump's 100th day in office approaches, the mobilization of people in defense of liberty and equality has been broad and deep. It's also intersectional, establishing relationships across class, gender, racial, and even political and party lines, as some conservatives break ranks out of concern about Trump.
The Resistance, in other words, is everywhere.
Read: Day-By-Day Digest Of President Trump's 100 Days of FailureIt was at our airports nationwide as Trump rolled out his Muslim ban. It was in town halls across the country as people held Republican members of Congress to account for their promises to repeal Obamacare. It was in front of the White House when Trump revoked an Obama-era guidance that protected transgender students' right to use the bathroom that corresponds to their authentic selves. And it was in congressional confirmation hearings, most notably Jeff Sessions', as activists let committee members know that many of Trump's cabinet picks had terrible records on civil rights and civil liberties.
Civil society's response to the Trump administration combined with the administration's own record of legislative, legal, and political failure has clearly affected the White House. Trump came into office with historically low approval ratings, and they basically haven't budged since. In fact, a recent Pew Research Center report found that going as far back as Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump has the highest disapproval rating of any president during his first 100 days -- by far.
The man sitting in the Oval Office now understands intimately that there is a large revolt against his dangerous and often unconstitutional policies in the streets, in the courts, and in legislatures across this great country of ours. Over Donald Trump's first 100 days, the fight to defend core civil liberties and civil rights has occurred in three primary areas: immigration, healthcare, and transgender rights. As in all struggles, there have been successes and failures, advances and setbacks, but one thing is clear: The Resistance isn't going anywhere if President Trump continues to violate the Constitution and attack vulnerable communities.
Read the full ACLU report, 100 Days of Resistance, here.
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
© 2023 ACLU
Anthony D. Romero
Anthony D. Romero is the Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union. He assumed the position in 2001 as the first Latino and openly gay man to do so.
It only took a day for the people to speak.
On the morning after Donald Trump's inauguration, more than 500,000 people crowded into the nation's capital for the Women's March on Washington. The "counter-inauguration," co-sponsored by the ACLU and many other groups, was likely the single largest protest in American history as sister marches sprung up in cities across America. All told, an estimated 3 to 5 million people took to the streets in defense of our most fundamental values and in opposition to the newly inaugurated president, who threatened so many of them.
The Women's March, however, was just the beginning. As Trump's 100th day in office approaches, the mobilization of people in defense of liberty and equality has been broad and deep. It's also intersectional, establishing relationships across class, gender, racial, and even political and party lines, as some conservatives break ranks out of concern about Trump.
The Resistance, in other words, is everywhere.
Read: Day-By-Day Digest Of President Trump's 100 Days of FailureIt was at our airports nationwide as Trump rolled out his Muslim ban. It was in town halls across the country as people held Republican members of Congress to account for their promises to repeal Obamacare. It was in front of the White House when Trump revoked an Obama-era guidance that protected transgender students' right to use the bathroom that corresponds to their authentic selves. And it was in congressional confirmation hearings, most notably Jeff Sessions', as activists let committee members know that many of Trump's cabinet picks had terrible records on civil rights and civil liberties.
Civil society's response to the Trump administration combined with the administration's own record of legislative, legal, and political failure has clearly affected the White House. Trump came into office with historically low approval ratings, and they basically haven't budged since. In fact, a recent Pew Research Center report found that going as far back as Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump has the highest disapproval rating of any president during his first 100 days -- by far.
The man sitting in the Oval Office now understands intimately that there is a large revolt against his dangerous and often unconstitutional policies in the streets, in the courts, and in legislatures across this great country of ours. Over Donald Trump's first 100 days, the fight to defend core civil liberties and civil rights has occurred in three primary areas: immigration, healthcare, and transgender rights. As in all struggles, there have been successes and failures, advances and setbacks, but one thing is clear: The Resistance isn't going anywhere if President Trump continues to violate the Constitution and attack vulnerable communities.
Read the full ACLU report, 100 Days of Resistance, here.
Anthony D. Romero
Anthony D. Romero is the Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union. He assumed the position in 2001 as the first Latino and openly gay man to do so.
It only took a day for the people to speak.
On the morning after Donald Trump's inauguration, more than 500,000 people crowded into the nation's capital for the Women's March on Washington. The "counter-inauguration," co-sponsored by the ACLU and many other groups, was likely the single largest protest in American history as sister marches sprung up in cities across America. All told, an estimated 3 to 5 million people took to the streets in defense of our most fundamental values and in opposition to the newly inaugurated president, who threatened so many of them.
The Women's March, however, was just the beginning. As Trump's 100th day in office approaches, the mobilization of people in defense of liberty and equality has been broad and deep. It's also intersectional, establishing relationships across class, gender, racial, and even political and party lines, as some conservatives break ranks out of concern about Trump.
The Resistance, in other words, is everywhere.
Read: Day-By-Day Digest Of President Trump's 100 Days of FailureIt was at our airports nationwide as Trump rolled out his Muslim ban. It was in town halls across the country as people held Republican members of Congress to account for their promises to repeal Obamacare. It was in front of the White House when Trump revoked an Obama-era guidance that protected transgender students' right to use the bathroom that corresponds to their authentic selves. And it was in congressional confirmation hearings, most notably Jeff Sessions', as activists let committee members know that many of Trump's cabinet picks had terrible records on civil rights and civil liberties.
Civil society's response to the Trump administration combined with the administration's own record of legislative, legal, and political failure has clearly affected the White House. Trump came into office with historically low approval ratings, and they basically haven't budged since. In fact, a recent Pew Research Center report found that going as far back as Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump has the highest disapproval rating of any president during his first 100 days -- by far.
The man sitting in the Oval Office now understands intimately that there is a large revolt against his dangerous and often unconstitutional policies in the streets, in the courts, and in legislatures across this great country of ours. Over Donald Trump's first 100 days, the fight to defend core civil liberties and civil rights has occurred in three primary areas: immigration, healthcare, and transgender rights. As in all struggles, there have been successes and failures, advances and setbacks, but one thing is clear: The Resistance isn't going anywhere if President Trump continues to violate the Constitution and attack vulnerable communities.
Read the full ACLU report, 100 Days of Resistance, here.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.