Here is a letter our friend Laura posted on Facebook. She gave permission to share in order to help others.  She is a lawyer and a dog trainer and an all around good human being.  This is one of the most eloquent essays I’ve seen on why it is imperative for us all to get out of our comfort zones and do everything we can to stop the Trump agenda, Project 2025.

Here is a link to events around Iowa.

by Laura

This post will be long, but I’m afraid very important. Please read it! I realize that I may upset or offend some people, good people, but for now I am not going to feel sorry for that.

Saturday April 5 is a day of major national, unified resistance protests. I’ve posted about this before and shared information on where, when and how to find local events. But I’ve heard virtually no one say that they are going to take the time out of their day to attend. And that terribly worries and disappoints me. Folks: It. Is. Important. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. I know that many of my very dear friends are upset and very worried about the current administration and direction our country is going. I KNOW that you care. But caring alone is not enough. Caring without taking action is worth virtually nothing more than silent acquiescence to what is going on. And what is going on is horrible. People being snatched off streets and sent to foreign concentration camps without any due process. Compare the conditions in that horrible propaganda video with Kristi Noem to Nazi concentration camps when liberated. Seriously, we have become that! Attacks on the judiciary and legal profession along with threats to defund federal courts that rule against the administration. Attacks on educational institutions. Gutting health agencies, threatening social security, breaking relationships with our vital allies, threatening to invade our neighbors. Need I go on?

Let’s be clear here – NO ONE is going to step in and save us. No one. There are no politicians that are going to do it, the judges are trying to uphold the rule of law but have only so much power, there is no rich business savior out there. IT IS UP TO US!!! We do have power, but we must ACT. We must show up. We must speak out. We must show courage. Make sacrifices, move out of our comfort zone, have the guts to take some risks. If we don’t act and act quickly and in large, unified numbers, we will be capitulating to our downfall. Folks: It. Is. Serious.

Americans have had it easy. I’m not saying things have been easy for everyone on an individual basis or that things are perfect. Far from. But we have all grown up with a stable political system and that has given us lives of many privileges that the vast majority of the world population does not enjoy. We take it for granted. We do not, deep down, fathom our privileges being taken away. We don’t like things at times, but eventually things level out and it will be okay. We don’t have to make choices to give up our fun or daily events to serve or participate in civic events. We don’t have to sacrifice. Things will be okay. This is how we think! And we have had the luxury of thinking this way because of: Our stable political system. Well guess what folks: That. Is. Not. A. Given.

All of my friends are wonderful people. The vast majority love to spend time together and participate in their dog sports. Me, too. I get it. We all have plans. There is always a dog event that will conflict with those things we feel we should do, but we’re too busy. I’m sure many are not comfortable being part of a chanting crowd carrying signs. Me, either. I get it. Consider this: One day of sacrificing dog event entries is a very small price to pay for preserving the very system that allows us to partake in them in the first place. Family plans can be changed, etc. We cannot leave it up to ‘someone else’ to step to the plate. Just. Do. It.

I would still love to plan car pools. I’d REALLY love to not go alone. If you can’t get to a state capitol, go to a local event. Search Handsoff2025 to find local events. If you can’t walk that far, rent a wheelchair and I’d be more than glad to push you. Please. It. Is. Up. To. US!!! And no one else.