Refuse to Comply

The new administration is already attempting to force conformity of thought and action, to silence dissenters. But that is not who we are; it never has been. From the Boston Tea Party to protests against the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798,[1] Americans have exercised their freedom of speech. A few examples from the past 76 years:

· In 1949, University of Washington students protested the firing of three professors.[2] The university regents fired them “on charges of present or former Communist activity.”[3]  Professor Thomas Cook resigned in protest, stating he did so “because of the conspicuous violation of the proper processes for deciding issues of freedom and tenure . . . at the university.”[4]

· In 1955, Chrysler sent home 8,500 employees in May 1949 after “trim line assemblers walked off their jobs to protest firing of four fellow workers.”[5]

· In 1961, students at University of Oregon protested after a female counselor, Gayle Osborne was fired for refusing to rate female students on “their aggressiveness toward the opposite sex.”[6]

· In 1973, farm laborers protested the firing of two members of their crew, refusing to pick celery.[7]

· And just last week, a retired NFL punter inspired many as he confronted the city council of Huntington Beach, California, and engaged in civil disobedience.[8]

The time to follow this tradition is now. We have a nice democracy, if we can keep it.

[1] Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_and_Sedition_Acts), “Alien and Sedition Acts,” rev. 23 February 2025, 00:43. All websites visited 23 February 2025.

[2] “Student Mass Meeting Called to Protest Firing,” The Bellingham (Washington) Herald, 27 Jan 1949, p. 1 cols. 5-6; imaged, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/768957221).

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] “Idles 8,500 At Chrysler,” The Grand Rapids (Michigan) Press, 16 May 1955, p. 2, col. 5; imaged, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/930284025).

[6] “Students at University of Oregon Protest Firing of Student Counselor,” Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, 25 Apr 1961, p. 2, cols. 5-7; imaged, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/96657292).  

[7] “Protest Firing,” Camarillo (California) Star, 29 Jan 1973, p. 4, col. 7; imaged, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/930284025).  

[8] Travis Schlepp, “Former NFL player arrested while protesting MAGA at city council meeting,” KTLA, 19 Feb 2025; KTLA5 (https://ktla.com/news/california-politics/former-nfl-player-arrested-while-protesting-at-california-city-council-meeting).