Engaged Defenders for Democracy - ED4D

10/02/2026

Good morning, Defenders of Democracy!

Lila, Karen, and Michael had the 8 on their Visibility Bridge Brigade over I-40 and and ATT. https://mobilize.us/s/XZ7SGG

Suzanne hosted Robin’s demo and had 4 at her Oppose Oligarchy: Wendell. Good trouble! Positive responses, mostly. https://www.mobilize.us/engagedefendersfordemocracy/event/979557

Bruce and Mark had 6 at their Oppose Oligarchy at Main and Broad. https://mobilize.us/s/L7oztN

Diane and Bill had 14 at their first hour and 7 staying for their 2nd hour for their Oppose Oligarchy: Alamance/Alamance Hour of Action! https://www.mobilize.us/indivisiblealamancenc/event/979569/

10/02/2026

Today I want to talk about something that has been baffling which is when folks who support the president believe things that are absolutely not true. This post is inspired by Robert Reich’s recent Substack about trying to understand MAGA. I remember when I was canvassing I chatted with a woman who, when I asked her if affordability was an issue, told me no that things were much worse under Biden. I’m not sure I was able to hide the confusion that I was feeling because all of the data says that things are worse now in terms of grocery prices, going out to eat, gas prices, etc. Yet, she firmly believed it and said it with conviction. In Reich’s post, he talks about the fact that 53% of Republican voters identify themselves as MAGA. The good news is that 47% of Republican voters do not.

Those who do, however, believe Trump’s lies and will defend them until the end. Some are like my co-coach’s friends who are super rich and love what Trump is doing for their wealth. So they contort themselves to avoid cognitive dissonance as they would not want to believe they, who are educated folks, are following a corrupt, inconsistent, liar. So, instead they spew his lies as if they were truths.

We will have a hard time, convincing folks who are in the cult to believe differently because their leader is telling them what the truth is. The post from a few days about go about how to deal with arguments that they make. These tactics might work with some, but for those who have fully drunk the Kool-Aid, they’re going to need a much deeper intervention to move themselves from the cult.

But what I want us to focus on is that there are many Republicans who do not support Trump right now. Those are the folks we need to be convincing to join us and vote Democrat in the midterms. And remember there are many unaffiliated who voted for Trump but are not MAGA. All of these folks are feeling the pinch of the economy. They’re feeling the absence of immigrants affecting their work. They’re feeling the pressure from the tariffs that are hurting them financially. They are feeling the pinch of healthcare as well. These folks likely will want to vote out the folks who have not been representing them and vote in people who will. We must keep our messages focused on affordability and corruption to help people see that the current administration and those who are supporting them need to go. The lies are only working with a small portion of Americans. There are many who feel the way we do. We need to spread the word and get them to the polls!!! Let’s goooooo!!!!
https://engageddefendersfordemocracy.substack.com/p/drinking-the-kool-aid-blurs-folks?

Good morning Engaged Defenders for Democracy!

10/01/2026

Today I want to talk about what I’ve been hearing for multiple people about what Elon Musk might have done in the 2024 election. There are articles going around including from NPR talking about how he talked to his girlfriend about using lasers to change votes. I decided not to include those articles because the last thing we need is more distrust in our electoral process. I realize it is scary to think that the results might have been manipulated. I do wonder about Elon Musk’s motives for even talking like that because if he keeps people from voting, that’s a win for Republicans.

We must believe in our electoral process. Posting information about things that might have been interfered with the integrity of the election, only sow distrust and might make people less likely to vote or try to get others to vote as they feel hopeless and helpless. So instead of putting the article in, I am purposefully not going to do that because I do not want people to get too scared or fatalistic that voting doesn’t matter. Voting is the main tool we have, and we must use it. Please find a way to plug-in to promote early voting!!! I love how many of our demonstration signs now are about voting. I love how many at our demonstrations are handing out information to those driving or walking by educating them about the amendments and voting the whole ballot and voting for judges who want fair maps. We are human billboards and corner poll greeters spreading hope to many to vote rather than sowing distrust in our electoral process. Let’s do this!!! We must keep our foot on the gas pedal!!!
https://engageddefendersfordemocracy.substack.com/p/negative-perspectives-negative-outcome?

Good morning Engaged Defenders for Democracy!

10/01/2026

Good morning, Defenders of Democracy!

We are 2 days away from Durham PRIDE. I hope more will sign up to march with ED4D. The event will go on rain or shine. We are position #80 and need to line up at 11:45am on Duke East near Campus Dr. Many of us are going to the Defend Democracy demonstration in DT Durham then heading to PRIDE. So far only 10 are signed up. We want a HUGE showing and a beautiful sea of our green ED4D shirts (it’ll be easy to find us!). Let’s do this!!! We will bring t-shirts for anyone who needs one or email [email protected]. They are $10. https://mobilize.us/s/6X4B8x

Linda and Becky had 11 warriors at their Woke Wednesdays: Durham, including 3 newcomers! https://www.mobilize.us/engagedefendersfordemocracy/event/879765/

Shelly and Kim had 4 on the ATT bridge over I-40. https://www.mobilize.us/engagedefendersfordemocracy/event/842871/

Jim and Lloyd had 16 high energy stalwarts having fun at Woke Wednesday: Chatham. Enthusiasm from honkers and wavers increasing by the week-very encouraging! https://www.mobilize.us/engagedefendersfordemocracy/event/861144/

Ray had 9 ninja defenders of democracy demonstrators at Woke Wednesday: Chapel Hill under beautiful skies. People are excited! https://www.mobilize.us/engagedefendersfordemocracy/event/930289/

Rob has a new Co-Leader at his Teachable Tuesdays: Carrboro. Welcome Trish!! Together, Trish & Jack told the whole Teachable Tuesdays story under beautiful Carrboro skies. https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/1017707/

Beth, Brigid, Mike, & I got 12 registered at Duke business and law schools! We did a ton of education on the whole ballot and the amendments. Brigid gave me more Dems voter guide zines. I appreciate all who are distributing them, including Robbie who distributed many on Tuesday even when he said he was not very comfortable doing it. Mark also did a lot on Monday. Mary will distribute them on Friday at her Freedom Friday demo. We are literally poll greeters on the corners when we are demonstrating. Awesome! The zines are amazing and I keep distributing them. Louise will go to the Duke Farmer’s Market today from 11:30-1pm. I hope others will join her.

Durham No Kings - One important component of the event is helping people sign up to take action to get out the vote. We are looking for folks who are willing to walk around with clipboards helping people pick “their lane” in getting out the vote. Please email me at [email protected] if you can help on Saturday Oct 17th 10-12pm at 1 of our 3 sites: South Regional Library, Main Library, and Durham County Board of Elections.

We also need more marshals please. Please email Gary at [email protected] if you can help marshal. Thanks!

09/30/2026

Good morning, Defenders of Democracy!

We had 12 at our Visibility Bridge Brigade over I47 and Anderson.

Jenny and Jack had 8 at their Take a Stand Tuesdays: South Cary. Great weather, great fellowship, great overall response! What little dissent we got felt muted compared to past dissent. Guess they are losing some of their cockiness/confidence. https://www.mobilize.us/engagedefendersfordemocracy/event/900259/

Pam and Melissa had a record 7 at their Take a Stand Tuesdays: Raleigh, including a new person who saw us on past Tuesdays being the neighborhood. https://www.mobilize.us/citizensresistingtyranny/event/945765

Gabriel and Joel had 14 including a new person at their Protect Democracy at East Club and Roxboro. I was happy my girls’ tennis practice was canceled so I could attend! We had one sheriff and one police officer honk! https://www.mobilize.us/engagedefendersfordemocracy/event/842822/

Maureen had 12 at her Promote the Vote Tuesdays in Brier Creek, with Klondike Bars! (On sale at H-T!). https://www.mobilize.us/engagedefendersfordemocracy/event/843280/

I will have Rob’s report tomorrow.

Cynthia had 16 as part of the Raleigh Bridge Brigade near NCMA.

I made my calls and just left voicemails for Tillis in the morning and then talked to my favorite staff in Budd’s office and asked him how his midterm went. We spent a minute talking about that, and then he wrote down my concerns about the FBI breach and how our security is now weakened as somebody has all the personal information of every FBI agent or anybody who’s even applied. I talked about not rolling back protections for LGBTQ as I said that discrimination in any form is not ok by me and talked about. we need to reform how ice is doing things because they are doing it so silently. I did not reach my favorite staffer at Foushee’s, but he was cordial enough and wrote down my concerns.

09/30/2026

Today I want to talk about how the firing of honorable and ethical people is hurting the mission of this regime and also hurting our country. When you look at the CDC, they have absolutely gutted it by reducing 1/3 of the scientists who worked there. Now, we cannot respond to potential epidemics. The same is true for many of the important federal agencies where the most experienced folks have even been fired or have resigned because they object to the way that this regime is working. Our military is much weaker due to the firings and resignations. The FBI is weaker. They just got hacked.

The regime may be viewing all the firing as a good thing because they want loyalists working for them. They also want to prove that big government is bad, so we need to privatize things so rich people can get richer.

However, what the regime is finding out is that they can’t rehire people to replace those who have been fired because the working conditions under this regime are toxic and intolerable. So the people who remain, if they truly are loyal, don’t mind their ethical compasses being spun around or finding themselves overworked and stressed out and worried about what will happen to them if they go against the regime. I feel for the people who have stuck with it and are still ethically driven like the many at the National Institutes of Health and refused to bend to the will of this regime. I met with one of my Program Officers yesterday and thanked her for sticking it out as many of my Program Officers left NIH as they could not take it.

But what we have now is a very ineffective government filled with unqualified or unethical people or people who are stretched so thin, so there are not really enough to get the job done. That’s why we have a war that is hurting people with no end in sight. That’s why we have food recalls every day because we’re not regulating our food anymore. That’s why we have people dying of measles when we didn’t have that before once this regime has gone. When we get rid of this regime and all of the lackies who have supported him, we need to rebuild agencies with knowledgeable and ethical people who can help our government run properly again to protect our national security, our public health, and take care of our people.

Today, I will call about 1) no cutting back on regulations that make cars better for the environment, 2) AI companies cannot self-regulate as they have already ignored signs, and 70% of Americans are worried about AI, 3) they cannot charge Wilber Garcés Pérez who ICE shot when there is no body cam footage, and 4) the firing of so many qualified people has left our government unable to properly protect our national security, our public health, and take care of our people.

https://engageddefendersfordemocracy.substack.com/p/federal-agencies-are-shells-of-themselves?

Good morning Engaged Defenders for Democracy!

09/29/2026

Today, I want to highlight how ICE has shifted from in-your-face tactics to a silent killer. Bovino was all flash, and Mullin is all about stealth. They are still stealing our neighbors. They are still breaking the law on the daily. They are still not going after criminals. And they are detaining innocent people, treating them poorly, and deporting them without due process. We must shine a light on this silent ICE as we cannot be silent. Thanks to the NY Times for publishing this article that helps us see how they are operating.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/25/us/ice-surge-immigration-arrests.html

Today, I will call about 1) need more security as now the Pentagon has had a data breach and now the FBI has been hacked, 2) no rolling back rights for LGBTQ, and 3) we still need to stop how ICE continues to take our neighbors which is hurting our economy, including construction, nursing homes, and more.
https://engageddefendersfordemocracy.substack.com/p/silent-ice-we-must-continue-to-shine?

Good morning Engaged Defenders for Democracy!

09/29/2026

Good morning, Defenders of Democracy!

Mike had 3 at his Visibility Bridge Brigade over 540 and Carpenter Fire Station. Lots of honks and waves. https://www.mobilize.us/engagedefendersfordemocracy/event/921787/

Wendy had 13 in the am, and 27 in the afternoon in the am at her double duty Mobilization Mondays: Chapel Hill. A small group of us also set up a registration table in front of the CH library on Sunday and helped to register 13 voters! We’ll be heading back to UNC next week. https://www.mobilize.us/engagedefendersfordemocracy/event/881591/ | https://www.mobilize.us/engagedefendersfordemocracy/event/881592/

Robbie and Joanne had 6 at their Mobilization Mondays: Durham (Dacian Nation). We handed out a bunch of Brigid’s beautiful zines that are voter guides paid for from Durham Dems. We also have distributed many of Meeghan’s bumper stickers to many of our demonstrators. https://www.mobilize.us/engagedefendersfordemocracy/event/881585/

Margaret had 5 at her Prison Vigil at Central Prison.

We went to register medical students and learned that gratefully, most are registered. We are heading back to Duke West probably for the last time today at 12pm. https://mobilize.us/s/fuoH3J

Please remember we also are going to Fuqua to register the Duke business and law students on Wed at noon. https://mobilize.us/s/xrhULB

I made my calls and reached the kind college student staffer in Budd’s office who was stressed about a midterm he had that afternoon. He and I have developed a nice relationship, and I wonder if he purposefully answers the phone when he sees my number, as he greets me by name. He had told me because of his midterm, he had not paid attention to the news over the weekend, so he was grateful to hear about it from me. I talked about the Pentagon’s data breach, no more taxpayer-paid ads promoting the president, the continued ban of CNN and our need for free press, and the threat of selling arms to China. The Foushee staffer was also lovely and said he always appreciates my calls.

09/28/2026

09/28/2026

Good morning, Defenders of Democracy!

The ED4D Substack is now up to 49 states! Someone from West Virginia joined! Thanks, Mark for helping that happen. We are not just missing Mississippi!

Robbin and Andrew had 8 at Sundays for Peace: Garner. Six regulars plus a new couple that have been looking for a place to demonstrate. We are so happy that Ed and Peggy found us, and plus they are from Johnston County. So hopefully they will join us in Clayton too. We also had a high percentage of honks and waves from the traffic. https://www.mobilize.us/engagedefendersfordemocracy/event/921667/

Liz and Lyndsay had 8 at Sundays for Peace: Oxford and covered 3 corners. Breezy and pleasant. Engaged one 17-year-old pedestrian who said his brother had been detained in a scoop up and that he had managed to prove his citizenship in time not to be sent to another country. Also, a guy turning the corner told us very politely that he disagreed with us, but he admired our signs and dedication. I saw 1 hard middle finger. 131 honks, lots of waves and thumbs up. https://www.mobilize.us/engagedefendersfordemocracy/event/949454/

Tara and Claudia had 14 at Sundays for Peace: Creedmoor, including 4 new folks who are neighbors of Tara. It was so fun to have the Durham Resistance Singers in Creedmoor! The weather couldn’t have been better and coupled with some brown butter pumpkin oatmeal cookies, happy honks and new people to chat it up with, we were on cloud 9! We set a record! The Durham Resistance Singers loved being there for back-to-back stops from Morrisville to Creedmoor! Next stop, Garner next Sunday! https://www.mobilize.us/engagedefendersfordemocracy/event/954023/

Brigid and I registered Duke Internal Medicine residents at the Stead Race. We got 1 only but still spread the word about the amendments.

Linda, Gabriel, Richard, and I went to Duke East campus last night and registered 13 students-so great! We are registering Duke medical students today from 11:30-1.

The demonstration at the upcoming ICE detention center in Winton was a great success. Hats off to Mary & Karen for organizing from Democracy Out Loud! And Becca from Wilson was quoted in the news story! https://www.roanoke-chowannewsherald.com/news/protesters-oppose-reopening-of-rivers-correctional-institution-14c299a3