Like the Norman Rockwell painting “Freedom of Speech”, a handful of citizens stood up to speak an informal town hall meeting March 3 in a small town on the Midwestern prairie. They expressed their thoughts and feelings about our federal government, which many believe is now facing an existential crisis.
In a flame of grassroots democracy, their words expressed hope to burn away divisive conflict and restore unity. “Confrontation gets us nowhere,” one man said. “What we need right now is communication. Maybe some are beginning to feel a little buyer’s remorse. Listen to them.”
Out on the fields surrounding the small town, where much of the great Midwestern prairie has been ripped open by tillage for crops, occasional spring fires blaze through remaining areas of dry grass. In nature, such fires are beneficial. They burn off dry grass and weeds, clearing the way for new growth nurtured by rich soil, spring rains, and the ashes of the previous growth.
Prairie fire can also be a metaphor for political movements. A 1955 book, Prairie Fire, by Robert Morlan, describes a protest movement in the 1930s among farmers in North Dakota calling for fair market treatment and public ownership of vital farm services. The movement spread to other states and created power for farmers seeking fair prices and protection from unfair foreclosure practices.
Nearly a century later, we may be seeing another prairie fire that could scorch the earth under the autocrats and oligarchs striving to gut democracy and entrench a dictator.
About 75 people responded to the call of one man to gather at the local community center. He paid for the room reservation, opened the meeting, introduced his thoughts, and then left. With no formal program or agenda to guide them, about a dozen people from the audience in turn stepped up to the microphone.
Before he left, the organizer shared his thoughts. He mentioned World War II and fighting an external foe. “Now we are fighting an internal foe.”
The internet has been a primary tool of those sowing discord seeking to subvert democracy. The organizer envisioned ‘a nation-wide, diffuse yet organized network of like-minded entities… to stick out their necks, to join under one banner, and stick to the one goal’.
“There is a vast, well-organized and managed operation confronting (Trump) and his brash, selfish personality, for their own ultra-right reasons… dump the fallacy of Trump under the banner of ‘The Freedom Movement’.” He listed ideas for a grassroots strategy.
“We are in a desperate situation! We must build a network now! Trump recently fired the entire military JAG Corp (Judge Advocates General). Once Trump has control of the military, he will use this power to quash anything he deems to be in opposition.”
On that note, Rita stepped up to the microphone and described existing efforts such as the 50501 Movement and Indivisible. “We are people who are concerned about what is happening in Washington DC. We’re hoping to keep like-minded people together.”
I sat next to a woman who had been a candidate for the area’s state legislative district. As a former employee of Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, she understands the potential impact of Trump’s actions affecting farmers, and federal employees.
“A majority of farmers voted for Trump because of the ‘tough guy’ image,” she said. Farmers will be hurt by tariffs and face labor shortages because so many farm workers are immigrants, mostly Latino, but a growing number of East Africans work in processing plants.
One man recommended reading Strongmen – Mussolini to the Present, by Ruth Ben-Ghiat. In the introduction she writes: “Such rulers have exploited their country’s resources to satisfy their greed and obstructed efforts to combat climate change. Their dependence on corruption and censorship and their neglect of the public good mean that they handle international crises badly and often bring ruin upon their people. How to combat this authoritarian presence is one of the most pressing matters of our time.”
One woman expressed what many people are feeling. “It’s nice to see others who feel the same way. I’m so angry, I’m so hurt. How can anyone believe Donald Trump? We have MAGA folks in our families.”
“We need to act quickly,” said one man. “There’s not much left for checks and balances.” Referring to Republican senators who have expressed concerns, he said “at least some of them are aware of their place in history.”
Many of those attending the town hall meeting gathered the following day for a protest rally outside the office of Rep. Michelle Fischbach, who holds the congressional district seat, but does not represent all of its constituents.
On a cold, blustery afternoon March 4 (March Forth!), with wet snowflakes stinging their faces about 300 solid citizens lined the main thoroughfare in Willmar, MN, wielding signs protesting the forces seeking to destroy our democracy. They burned with a passion that, if becomes contagious, could stand up against the spineless leaders who stand aside as DOGE demolishes our great civic institutions (Department Of Greed and Evil).
The last time I recall marching in a political rally, we were protesting the Vietnam War. I’m sure back then that many of the older generation were fearful and opposed such civil unrest. But at least they were not facing what some now fear may be the end of democracy in the U.S.
Let’s keep the fires burning!
Photos: Left: Town hall meeting March 3. Right: Norman Rockwell painting, “Freedom of Speech.”
