Create ‘Good Trouble’ and Fight Street-Camera Surveillance

Contrarian Calls to Action: How to make a difference for democracy.

Democracy is not a spectator sport. Whether you want to exercise your right to vote, join a protest, call your elected officials, run for office, or keep tabs on the week’s hottest issues and protests, The Contrarian has you covered.

Here are our top suggestions for getting involved in the days ahead. These are heated times; we encourage non-violent and lawful activism.

Make ‘Good Trouble’ This Weekend

Good Trouble Lives On — a group that carries on the legacy of the Civil Rights icon and former Rep. John Lewis — is organizing a nationwide “weekend of action” July 17-19 to oppose the MAGA assault on democracy and voting rights.

The weekend seeks to revive “the spirit that fueled Selma, Montgomery, and the March on Washington.” And it is organized around three pillars: Teach, Reach, and Preach. Organizers seek to teach affected communities about “the power of civic participation,” to reach individuals through “trusted relationships,” and to preach “a message of hope, justice, and collective responsibility” that creates empowerment in the defense of our democracy. Watch a know-your-rights training on how to responsibly make the kind of “good trouble” Lewis championed, and find an event near you.

Freedom Summer Rolls On

The Freedom Summer campaign, sponsored by the Black Power War Room, is sponsoring prodemocracy events this weekend in conjunction with the Good Trouble actions, including a large rally in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon, July 18.

You can also check out the group’s map and calendar for opportunities to plug into other prodemocracy events from California to Indiana to North Carolina.

Demand Accountability from ICE

ICE keeps killing people in the streets. Last week, federal immigration agents shot and killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, during an enforcement operation in Houston. This week, ICE agents shot and killed a Colombian immigrant with legal status, Joan Sebastian Guerrero, 25, near Portland, Maine. Neither man was the target of an ICE warrant. The agency — which has been caught time egregiously misrepresenting facts — claims both men “weaponized” their vehicles against the ICE officers who shot them. Sign the League of United Latin American Citizens’ petition calling for a full, transparent investigation into the Houston shooting. Contact your members of Congress to demand permanent changes to ICE practice, including ending routine vehicle stops.

Oppose Blanche for Attorney General

Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer and current toady Todd Blanche is scheduled for a confirmation vote that could make him the nation’s attorney general, further weaponizing the Department of Justice against Trump’s perceived enemies. Take it from Contrarian contributor Ben Sheehan: This would be bad news for anyone who cares about the rule of law. Contact your senators using this tool from Common Cause.

Fight Flock Surveillance

Is Big Brother watching you when you drive?

A huge web of AI-powered cameras has been installed along roadways in recent years across the country. The street cams can identify your vehicle and track your location and share that data with potentially thousands of law enforcement agencies. The largest network belongs to Flock, a company that has generated controversy both for its secretive surveillance practices and for its CEO’s dismissive response to backlash from privacy advocates.

DeFlock is an organization devoted to fighting the invasion of privacy posed by ALPRs — or automated licence plate readers — which it describes as being able to “capture and analyze images of all passing vehicles, storing details like your car’s location, date, time, make, model, color, and identifying features” and installed for the use of “police departments, businesses, and HOAs.” The DeFlock website offers resources to report ALPR locations, view a map of cameras in your area, and sign up for a National Week of Action in mid-August.

Stop Russ Vought’s Federal Coup

In recent weeks, more than 500,000 people submitted public comments in opposition to Russ Vought’s push to politicize federal research with a proposed Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance. This rule would “require all scientific grants to be approved by political appointees,” snatching approval power from career experts and undermining the scientific process. All funding would be aligned with “administration policies and priorities.” Now, OMB must review and respond to every substantive comment submitted prior to a proposed October 1 implementation date, or risk “serious litigation,” according to Colette Delawalla, CEO of Stand Up for Science. Use the group’s action center to “contact Congress incessantly” to oppose this rule and demand OMB fully comply with its mandate to address the flood of public comments.

Protect Public Lands

The Trump administration is moving to revoke federal protections from nearly 90 percent of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah. The move breaks commitments negotiated with local Tribal Nations, and puts these spectacular wild areas, rich with archaeological sites, at risk for drilling, mining, and other private-interest resource extraction. (Trump previously attempted to strip protections from a smaller portion of these monuments during his first term — and even sold oil leases on the lands — before the Biden administration reversed his destructive actions.)

Use the Conservation Lands Fund website to write letters to the executive branch and your members of Congress to demand preservation of these national treasures.

Keep Human Rights Central at the World Cup

Soccer fans from across the globe have been attending FIFA World Cup matches in U.S. host cities. The ACLU offers a handy know-your-rights guide that also explains the risks of attendance. “Fans, players, journalists, and everyone alike should be prepared for potential … racial profiling by law enforcement, invasive social media screening, searches of electronic devices, suppression of speech and protest, and other threats to civil liberties,” the ACLU warns. Separately, Amnesty International is encouraging soccer fans to tell FIFA to promote respect for human rights across the tournament. “FIFA promises a tournament where everyone ‘feels safe, included and free to exercise their rights.’” Amnesty warns. “But the reality tells a very different story.” Indeed, a FIFA agent was caught on tape confiscating Iranian flags from fans.

Click here to find The Contrarian’s standing resources for empowering yourself in American civic life — from contacting your elected officials, to ensuring your right to vote, to supporting public-interest journalism.