and everybody knows what it means. I think it's just fine. We're resisting the destruction of our country.

We don't need self conscious wit defining us. What we're actually about will do nicely.

The connotations of an exploited proletariat... the implication of an angry minority. He's right. Words are powerful. Names even more so... TEA PARTY... MORAL MAJORITY... We need something that can stand against those. "The Resistance" is weak.

We can't be in the minority. Though we ARE in the minority in the Senate and House and do not hold power in any branch of government.

I just thought it was silly. "Resistance" doesn't imply a minority, at all. It simply states things have gotten bad enough to resist because we've been outgunned and outspent and that's the damned truth.

It's not just about resistance to everything Trump does. It's about presenting a positive vision of the direction we want to be moving towards and the values that we all share and want to protect. If the Tea Party was just the "Resistance" party they would have dissolved already.

Really it's a movement about fairness, equality, justice, courage, kindness, looking out for each other, not just "resistance".

What about a "Good Neighbors" movement?

But while "Good Neighbors" conveys our positive message, it still sounds like it would get beat up by the neighborhood bully. We need something that conveys solidarity, and strength, and vision.

The America that you can inspire to the dream of "having the American dream"

The America where you can make it if you try regardless of your sex, race or religion.

The America where there is justice for all.

The America that will accept what is on the Statue of Liberty

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

The America where you can get a first class education.

The America where you can get Liberty and justice for all.

The America that we care about our fellow Americans.

The America where there is a separation of church and state.

The America that adheres to the laws of our constitution.

About We The People


Who We Are

We The People is a membership association led by the former Governor of California and current mayor of Oakland, Edmund G. Brown, Jr., better known as Jerry Brown.

We The People Legal Foundation, Inc. is a c(3) tax deductible, non-profit corporation dedicated to strengthening the practice of democracy and the ability of people to shape the places where they live.


Where We Are

We The People is headquartered in Oakland, California. For more information contact us at 510-836-DARE. Directions to We The People.


What We Do

Through lectures, seminars, and the Radio Show, We The People has brought together philosophers, artists and activists to discuss and plan ways to work change: Bob Thurman talked about Tibet and monasticism, Helen Caldicot and nuclear physicist Ted Taylor discussed the connection between nuclear energy and nuclear weapons, Earth First! reported on their efforts to stop the destruction of ancient redwood groves, former DEA agents told us about government drug involvement, Ina May Gaskin made a presentation on midwifery, Aitken Roshi spoke on Buddhism and peace activism and Ernest Callenbach talked on ecotopia and voluntary simplicity. We also had a study group that met weekly to explore the writings of Martin Buber, the author of I and Thou. Laura Cutler put together a School of Sustainability which offered a five month course in ecological living. Father Matthew Fox spoke on the reinvention of work and conducted a "Techno Mass" as part of his new University of Creation Spirituality. For six weeks in the summer of 2000 and again in the Spring of 2001, philosopher, historian, and social critic, Ivan Illich was a resident scholar. He and his friends and colleagues from around the world held public lectures and seminars on the recovery of civic virtues in modern time called "The Oakland Table."

......


And I had the pleasure of listening his daily radio program, "We The People" on KPFA for years during my arduous commute back in the day, although there were times I wanted to call his program "I the Person"

http://www.wtp.org/

democrats are preoccupied with jingles. WHAT UTTER NONSENSE !!!!!! It's "RESIST." - Learn it and love it. We have bigger fish to fry......Geez.....

and held signs proclaiming "Gubment, keep your damn hands off my Medicare". And they frickin won. It's not the name, it's the emotion and perseverance. "RESIST." is just fine.

Last edited Sat Feb 4, 2017, 09:54 AM - Edit history (1)

still have achieved the success they did? Of course they would not. Psychological warfare is part of this game, Friend. "Resistance" is a weak word and a weaker name. Period.

You'd think a party that suffocated itself with identity politics would understand this...

They spit on John Lewis and the Black Caucus on the steps of the capital. They obstructed this country's business for eight years after the 2008 financial fraud. If facts mattered, they would not control the whole of Washington. "RESIST." is the perfect phrase. I RESIST what Tinker Bell and the Rethuglicans wish to do to this country. I RESIST it with every ounce of my body. Their behavior is totally unacceptable and I will RESIST. American Fascism.

"To fight against something" or "to try to stop/prevent something" (from Webster online). Personally I think it fits. I respect others who want something different, but we are certainly not taking Trump's fascism laying down or meekly. So the word does fit.

Enjoy your stubborn "resistance". Let me know when you feel oppressed enough to actually fight, and not just resist.

We're not thinking up jingles. We are working to activate our side and fight the opposition with their own weapons, on a level field. Your smug dismissal and stubborn combativeness is exactly the type of empty activism and pseudo intellectualism that has ruined this party. You don't want to actually effect change, you just want to be right. If you were serious, you'd engage in debate, not just cling to your perspective and hurl insults. Sound familiar?

this regime is stripping and raping us of our rights.

RESIST.

Trying to think of something else though. Will look for ideas.

I can wear it anywhere this spring and summer and everyone will know exactly what I mean. No need to rebrand the truth.

It is short and sweet. I just like brainstorming for ideas.

It has the connotation of somebody covering their face while they take repeated body blows... they didn't "fight", they "resisted". Psychologically it is weak language and this translates subliminally... It confirms the oppositions impression of us as overly sensitive adult coloring book enthusiast with loose morals.

pigs and half of America is asleep. RESIST. !!!!

That's part of why they fear it and seek to discredit it so much. Black Lives Matter is a great name for their movement.

I see you still obviously haven't read the article I linked to, nor have you offered any reasonable rebuttal to my assertion that "resist" is weak as a word and even more so as a name. You lack vision beyond the emotion of the moment...just like your word, "resist". You are right that half of America is asleep....

two weeks. They showed up to RESIST. It will always be RESIST. to me. That fits my mood perfectly. I will accept no other term and the pioneer protesters will not either IMO. Come up with a cute name if you wish. It is a free country. Just don't tell my how I should feel about this insanity. RESIST. !!!

I am just making the point that "resist" is, psychologically speaking, weak language. I won't debate it with you anymore. You are not the enemy, and I shouldn't waste any more time working to convince you of something you'll obviously never admit. Enjoy your t shirts!

The French Resistance I couldn't disagree with you more.

But the connotations of the word in French are not exactly the same in English.... Nor are we a conquered people relegated to insurgent tactics. Also, the French Resistance did not give themselves that name. They fought back by whatever means they could and the moniker was ascribed to them by onlookers. In that sense, a movement of singular purpose without a name because they had common cause, is a fantastic model and analogy. I would rather we fight our oppressors as a nameless force than capriciously narrow the movements scope and future by naming it "The Resistance".

The right puts a lot of thought into shit like this. We should learn from it.

There is a reason billions of dollars are spent annually by businesses on branding and marketing strategies! We have to level the playing field. We have to use comparable tools and weapons as our opponents or we'll forever be doing the same bayonet charges that got us here in the killing field of their cannon fodder.

the Chicago mercantile exchange blurting out the term "Tea Party", then I strongly disagree that the right puts a lot of thought into anything.

Easy to remember too.

To me, it is the good side, fighting oppression. It invokes an image of a group of independent thinkers coming together and resisting the power and those that are either brain washed or only looking out for their own self interests.

We may have gotten 3 million more votes in the Presidential election, but we don't have the governmental power. They right has the executive and legislative branch and is looking to take control of the judicial branch. They have control of the majority of governorships and State legislatures.

What is happening now isn't just a change in party Presidents. It is an oppressive regime coming to power that is being enabled and supported by the right wing that has embedded itself as a majority in Federal and State elected officials. In Feb. of 2017, it is the resistance..... I would concede that our efforts need to morph into more than resistance and take back power. Local races in 2017, State and Congressional in 2018 and Presidential in 2020.

Cause it doesn't... It conveys that we will whine and have a bunch of intellectual circle jerks. It implies that we are in the minority. It implies we aren't willing to ACTUALLY fight. It implies that we're not fully serious. Look up the definition of the word and then tell me that it is the name of a powerful political movement.

Resistance - the refusal to accept or comply with something; the attempt to prevent something by action or argument.

It is already the resistance. It is already being branded as such.

I'm fine with it for now. I don't share your fears about it making us look weak or like whiners. We are resisting the absolutely deplorable regime.

Again, I will concede that it should evolve and I expect it to. But in the here and now, we are the resistance.

You really want effective resistance against Trump, you take the goddamn Legislative branch. There is no more important goal. We need to be identifying candidates, funding them, and running them.

Take the Congress. Everything else is secondary, so name your organization after your goal.

It conveys ACTION, DIRECTION and a COMMUNITY which recognizes that we are currently going in the wrong direction. I would be interested in knowing what other DU folks think about this. - Thanks - Dave

Surge implies a temporary excess and a temporary pinnacle... I would suggest something with a more permanent connotation of power.

Thank you for your contribution!

This is a subject we ALL should be kicking around in earnest.

Thank you for your input!

F&*%# OFF! We're the People's Front of Judea!

We can't be divided. That is what they are trying to do.

I like We The People, but due to three words it is not as impactful (to me, anyway). I could get used to it, though.

Resistance is fine for a time but yes, I agree that it will need to evolve forward so why not discuss it now?

Interesting thread, I enjoyed all the thoughts here!

It is already out there on Twitter and around the country in small bands. I belong to a small tribe

There is even a document about it, and it can be found here:

https://www.indivisibleguide.com/

I just like the idea and name. Do I agree with everything about it? No. Can we build on it? Yes. This is where my comment came from.

Thank you both for the feedback (there were two who responded, and I don't want to neglect anyone).

Thank you for your input!

The Red, White and Blue
Sons of Liberty

Joking....kinda...superpatriotic names worked for Tea Party

take on "where the power lies"

'deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed"