#Resist Speak, Write, and Blog Your Concerns Over Trump’s Actions

The election of Donald Trump has literally upended the world order and shocked people across the globe, including – maybe especially – in the USA. If you are like me, an American in Europe, you are wondering why there is so little organised opposition to the dramatic and disruptive initiatives of Trump’s administration. Where is the Democratic Party’s leadership? Traditional checks and balances seem to have been ineffective and circumvented, at least in the near-term. It is right to look for leadership in this rapidly evolving crisis, but you can act as well.

There is work we can do. In the digital age, networked individuals are more empowered than in previous eras (Dutton 2023). We can more easily and effectively network with others. Our voices can be amplified when aggregated with others who share our concerns.

Recall the rise of recent movements in the States that became far more powerful and global when networked, such as the Black Lives Matter #BLM and #METOO movements. Both are examples of what has been called ‘#hashtag activism’ (Jackson et al. 2020). #BLM and #METOO movements began as hashtags that enabled the formation of a collectivity of individuals, from the merely sympathetic to those on the frontlines of activism. Everyone could see that they were not alone. Their words did not fall into an ether. They were part of a larger collectivity formed by simply creating or using a well-known hashtag.  

This is happening now around opposition to the Trump presidency. Literally hundreds of hashtags have been created to network people online. Some of the most popular hashtags used in opposition to former President Donald Trump have included:

#Resist – A broad anti-Trump movement hashtag. [I like this one.]

#NotMyPresident – Used by those who rejected Trump’s presidency.

#ImpeachTrump – Advocated for Trump’s impeachment.

#TrumpLies – Highlighting many of the alleged falsehoods by Trump.

#RemoveTrump – Calling for his removal from office.

#WorstPresidentEver – Criticizing his leadership.

#25thAmendmentNow – Suggesting invoking the 25th Amendment to remove him.

#TrumpCrimeFamily – Claiming corruption within Trump’s administration.

#TheBigLie – Referencing Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election.

In recent months, opposition to Trump has been expressed through some trending hashtags, such as:

#BuildTheResistance – This hashtag has been used to organize and promote protests over President Trump’s policies, reflecting a call to action for collective opposition.

#50501 – Short for 50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement, has been serving as a rallying cry, this hashtag has been associated with coordinated demonstrations across the United States, symbolizing unity against perceived anti-democratic and illegal actions of the Trump administration.

These hashtags have been central to recent movements opposing President Trump’s administration, facilitating organization and expression of dissent on social media platforms. They can empower your messages. What you can do is use one or more of these hashtags to help you connect with others around the world who share your concerns over the threats to democracy, alliances, and morality posed by the actions of this rogue administration.

References

Dutton, W. (2023), The Fifth Estate: The Power Shift of the Digital Age. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press.

Jackson, S. J., Bailey, M., Welles, B. F. (2020), #Hashtag Activism. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.