Highlighting Murder
“Power in the darkness
Frightening lies from the other side
Power in the darkness
Stand up and fight for your rights
Freedom, we’re talking bout your freedom
Freedom to choose what you do with your body
Freedom to believe what you like . . .
Freedom from harassment, intimidation . . .
Freedom from Big Brother’s interrogation
Freedom to live your own life, I’m talking ‘bout”
Over the last three months, we have seen Donald Trump and his administration stage savage attacks on numerous rights that average Americans had previously taken for granted. Just today, Trump signed an executive order, hoping to force the organizations charged with accrediting college and universities to adopt standards designed to eliminate Marxist “maniacs and lunatics” from college campuses.
Trump’s order would undermine university independence by incorporating his conservative and anti-DEI agenda into the accreditation standards. While colleges could forego accreditation, their students would lose access to the the $120 billion dollars in financial aid that the Federal government makes available each year, which would be the death-knell for schools opting out of accreditation.
But that is only the latest example. Trump has already cut off Federal grant money to university researchers and threatened to revoke the tax-exempt status of non-compliant universities based on their viewpoints. Trump may have already violated a Nixon-era criminal statute (26 USC § 7217) prohibiting high ranking Federal officials (including the President) from requesting the IRS to institute investigatory and enforcement actions against a specific taxpayer. Trying to bring these institutions to heel, Trump is extorting them by tying funding and exempt status to the adoption of admission practices and curricula aligned with his viewpoints.
Trump has also waged a personal vendetta against the media. Two days ago, Bill Owens, the longstanding executive producer of 60 Minutes resigned, refusing to write a letter of apology to Trump for using standard standard editorial practices when editing an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris that aired shortly before the 2024 presidential election. All signs indicate that CBS will settle the related $20-billion lawsuit brought by Trump against it. Legal experts uniformly agree that the lawsuit is meritless, but Trump has the upper hand because Shari Redstone, the controlling shareholder in CBS’ parent company, Paramount Global, is seeking Federal regulatory approval for a merger between Paramount and Skydance Media.
Once again, this is not Trump’s first effort directed at bending the media to his will. He previously threatened CBS with revocation of its broadcast license; he has recently proposed cutting Federal funding for PBS and NPR; he has largely silenced Voice of America, and he has filed meritless lawsuits against other members of the media.
Trump and his lackeys (e.g., Stephan Miller and Thomas Homan) have denied immigrants due process, opting to rush them off to an El Salvador concentration camp under the cover of night. Last week, he threatened to send U.S. citizens to the same maximum security prison, causing many to recall the packed box cars transporting people to their annihilation in Auschwitz’s gas chambers. Disappearing people.
And then there is Trump’s attack on law firms who have represented clients and causes that he disapproves of. The resulting executive orders undermine associational freedoms and the right to legal representation. Some firms have entered into agreements with Trump, promising to provide hundreds of millions of dollars of ‘pro bono’ legal services in furtherance of causes specified by Trump. Other large law firms have refused to ‘bend a knee.’ They have prevailed in court.
I could go on, but the list of rights and freedoms that Trump has already trampled upon is far too long, as was graphically demonstrated today by Indivisible Chicago in Federal Plaza during a 5:30 PM rally.
Virtually all rallies and marches follow a largely identical format. People assemble around a focal point; several people make speeches and lead chants, and then the group marches. Today, Indivisible Chicago broke the mold. About 30 demonstrators assembled in the plaza as active spectators, with only two people speaking.
In front of the speakers, 30 other people attired in dark clothes engaged in street theater. Many held white cardboard tombstones. Each tombstone was labeled with a familiar right, including: (i) the Right to Public Services; (ii) the Right to Protest; (iii) the Right to Clean Air and Water; (iv) the Right to Checks and Balances; (v) the Right to Free Elections; (vi) the Right to the Rule of Law; (vii) the Right to Legal Integrity; (viii) the Right to Vaccines; (ix) the Right to Independent Courts, (x) the Right to Academic Freedom, (xi) the Right to a Free Press; (xii) the Right to the Separation of Powers; (xiii) the Right to Diversity; (xiv) the Right to Equity; and (xv) the Right to Inclusion.
Standing in the background were others holding large rectangular signs carrying instructions—Fight Back, Protest, Resist, Rise Up, Speak Truth, Speak Up, Do Not Comply, and Act With Courage.
The first speaker name-checked each right, followed by a few sentences of commentary about Trump’s attempts to obliterate the right that she had just highlighted. As the speaker spoke about that right, the person holding the related tombstone fell to the ground. Then another person holding a large piece of chalk drew an outline around the body lying on Federal Plaza’s stone surface, signifying that this was a crime scene where a murder had been committed.
Once all the rights had fallen and been accounted for, the second speaker made general remarks and people participated in several chants.
What we witnessed was highly effective street theater. I, however, am puzzled by Indivisible’s choice of time and venue. While street traffic in the Loop is up, Federal Plaza and the surrounding streets are not a bustling hub of activity during late afternoon hours. Aside from the demonstrators, the plaza was occupied by a couple of incurious skateboarders who will inherit the mess that Trump leaves in his wake. Maybe read a book or two.
When the demonstration ended, I suggested to one of the organizers that Indivisible consider restaging the theatrics on Michigan Avenue, preferably on a Saturday afternoon. Both the Ukrainians and the Russian émigrés have found the Wrigley Building plaza to be a highly visible site, with locals and tourists stopping to see what all the commotion is about.
Indivisible might take a page out the Russian émigrés’ playbook. On several occasions, the Russians have brought a cardboard jail cell. They are joined by a man who wears a Putin mask and suit. After charges are read, Putin is first placed in handcuffs, and then confined to the cell. Both demonstrators and passersby pose for selfies with the blood-stained Putin safely behind bars.
Instead of just having each person who is holding a tombstone fall to the ground, Indivisible could have someone dressed as Trump first ‘stick’ a cardboard knife into the back of each right (or toss a water balloon at each right, causing the ink on each tombstone to run), and once all the rights are lying on the ground, several people could handcuff Trump, and then place him behind bars. A great photo op for passersby, which means free publicity on Instagram and other social media platforms
In any event, kudos to Indivisible Chicago for breaking the mold today.
[Click on an Image to Enlarge It. The Images Are Not Necessarily in Exact Chronological Order]
The Flamingo's Beak Reflected
In Fact, Many Americans are Getting Ready
Another Right Lies Dead as the ‘Medical Examiner’ Outlines the Carcass
The 'Right to Protest' is Still Standing, But for How Much Longer?
Identifying Another Right that Trump Has Attempted to Murder
Human Rights Down for the Count
Can Harvard Prevent More Murders?
Enumerating the Rights that Are Being Murdered
People Came to Federal Plaza to Demand Democracy
Recognizing that Due Process is in Short Supply These Days as Trump Undermines the Legal System
Another Trump Victim
Holding the Commandments High
Joyously Acting with Courage
Team Photo (I)
Team Photo (II)
Conveniently Located within Half a Block of Federal Plaza for After Demonstration Get Togethers
Copyright 2025, Jack B. Siegel (except the first two images in the post, which are copyrighted 2024). All Rights Reserved. Do Not Alter, Copy, Display, Distribute, Download, Duplicate, or Reproduce Without the Prior Written Consent of the Copyright Holder.
