Pledge to protect and resist at Morse Free Speech Plaza Feb. 8

from Springfield-Eugene Showing Up For Racial Justice

The Springfield-Eugene chapter of Showing Up for Racial Justice invites you to learn how to protect and support our refugee neighbors and other vulnerable populations Saturday, Feb. 8, 11 a.m., at the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza, 125 E. 8th Ave.

Local government officials will be asked to sign a pledge to help protect our community and join in nonviolent resistance against actions by the Trump administration that threaten to undermine the civil and human rights of anyone living in Lane County.

In addition to pledges for local officials, candidates, and other organizational leaders, SURJ also offers personal pledges for individuals. Rally attendees are also invited to pledge “to show up to protect the safety and dignity of people in my community and resist Trump’s anti-democratic and immoral agenda consistent with the principles of nonviolence.”

The long history of nonviolent resistance shows that when community institutions, leaders, and individuals have banded together and actively resisted to defend each other and our rights, people have wielded the power to undermine authoritarian agendas and grow the power of movements for change.

Maria Stephan writes that this is not our first rodeo with authoritarianism: “As we contemplate the next four years, we should recall that autocrats are always weaker than they appear, and we are often stronger than we might think.”

It’s true – the political circumstances we face right now are dire. Trump has already unleashed a series of brutal attacks against immigrants, trans people, poor people, and people of color. This moment calls on us to soberly face what we’re up against, and then step into a powerful legacy of protection and resistance.

We are calling on our leaders, groups, faith communities, institutions and organizations to officially sign onto the Pledge to Protect and Resist.

Signers of this petition commit to upholding the pledge in their personal lives and to showing up in support of the courageous leaders and organizations who make the necessary, moral and strategic choice to publicly sign onto this pledge.

After the rally, attendees are invited to march to Kesey Square to join a grassroots “Stop the Deportations” rally.

For more information, see the SURJ website and local SURJ Facebook page,