By Tom Jones
On Saturday, March 8, 2025, along Highway 20 in Twisp, approximately 200 concerned citizens known as “Stand With Us”, protested the recent actions by the Trump administration and DOGE, headed by Elon Musk, that threaten our democracy.
In a recent article that appeared in FrameLab, author Gil Duran noted that Trump fears protest power. Duran then discussed the 3.5% rule: “The Power of Small but Mighty Movements.” Renowned political scientist Erica Chenoweth studied over 300 uprisings across history and found something remarkable: When just 3.5% of the population actively joins a movement, change becomes inevitable.
That’s a small, determined group of concerned citizens who decide enough is enough. As Duran points out, when protests reach critical mass, they create a cascade effect: 1) Protests normalize action, transforming passive supporters into active participants; 2) People witness others taking action and feel emboldened to join; and 3) Institutions, businesses, and even authorities begin to switch sides.
Please consider joining “Stand With Us” each Saturday from noon-1pm at the Twisp Community Center parking lot for a peaceful protest to save our democracy.
