"Hands Off" Our Democracy, "Hands On" The Firewall
How to Turn Protest into Power When Courts and Congress Fail
“The tyranny that they preach is the tyranny of the weak over the strong.”
— Oscar Wilde
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing.”
— Edmund Burke
Don’t Just Scroll, Strike Back: Five Actions You Can Take Today
In 2018, Mark Zuckerberg stood with immigrants. His nonprofit, FWD.us, pushed for humane immigration reform. He even personally backed a Facebook fundraiser for my former organization—raising millions to reunite separated families. Yet, on January 20, 2025, Zuckerberg sat smiling in the front row of Trump's second inauguration. He and dozens of other CEOs quietly abandoned their principles for the allure of proximity to power.
We relied on the courts — the "emergency brake" on authoritarianism — to hold back Trump’s first term. But now that brake is gone. The Supreme Court just let Trump's government disappear Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an innocent Maryland father, to a notorious Salvadoran prison. Even federal judges have lost their power, silenced by a regime that openly mocks their authority.
Remember the movie "The Untouchables," where FBI agents bravely faced down Al Capone? Today, it’s reversed. The people meant to protect us — judges, the FBI, Congress — are either complicit or sidelined. America's untouchables now sit in corporate boardrooms, law firms, and universities, quietly enabling Trump's criminal enterprise.
The "Hands Off" protests sweeping the country are crucial. But resistance isn't just in the streets. It lives at your fingertips, right on your phone, while you wait in the carpool lane or sip your coffee. The Firewall complements protest with "Hands On" action — powerful, immediate ways to fight back, even from your desk or kitchen.
Here are five things you can do now:
1. Donate to Kilmar's family. Each donation isn't just cash — it's a loud, defiant message directly to the White House. We’ve set it up so that all donations are deposited directly into his wife’s bank account.
2. Sign the petition. Demand a bipartisan delegation travel to El Salvador to negotiate Kilmar's release. We're beyond words — it's time for action.
3. Subscribe, restack and amplify. Spread the Firewall’s message. Read, restack and share "Tren de MAGA," "The Case for a Professional Resistance," and this article. Add your voice, your passion, your outrage.
If anything I’ve written resonates with you or articulates what you’ve been thinking, please consider supporting me with a like or, if you can, a paid subscription. Your support is very much appreciated, and keeps this effort moving forward.
4. Join our next Firewall Resistance Network Meeting. Monday, April 14, at 7pm ET / 6pm CT / 4pm PT. Save it to your calendar now.
5. Enter the conversation in our Firewall Chat. Share ideas, coordinate actions, and stay connected. It’s like our network Zoom meeting, but 24/7.
Corporate America, major universities, and law firms have sold democracy short. Tech leaders like Zuckerberg, Musk, and Bezos have turned from idealists into appeasers — or worse — the arms and legs, eyes and ears, of a wannabe fascist despot. Industries dependent on immigrant labor — construction, agriculture, hospitality — remain shamefully silent, despite being next in line for Trump’s cruelty.
The Supreme Court isn't coming to the rescue. Congress is paralyzed. But there’s still one untapped force powerful enough to push back: you.
Hands off our democracy — and hands on your phone.
Together, let's do more than hope. Let's act.