Organizing Guide For “Threats To Democracy/Dangers Of War”

1. Think about what issues are most relevant to your campus and community:

  • Threats of deportation affecting DACA students and youth.
  • Overtly Islamophobic or nativist campaigns in your state or city.
  • White nationalist intimidation on or near your school.
  • Limitations on academic freedom because of right-wing attacks.
  • Rising militarism and “national security” fear-mongering.
  • What is fascism and could it happen here.
  • What is the connection between Trump’s foreign policy and his domestic policy?

(This is just a sample to get you thinking about how to focus, it could be all or any of the above or something else.)

2. Map out your organizing possibilities:

  • Consider the arenas in which to organize: one campus, or several campuses, or a segment of the community, or a combination of the above
  • Consider the forces that are available or that could be developed: H-PAD members, potential H-PAD members, campus political activists (students, faculty, or others), community political activists.
  • Consider other organizations and groups with which to ally, and the various types of alliances possible.
  • Consider how to develop H-PAD organizationally through the campaign as a loose grouping, a regional network, a city or area chapter, or a combination of the above.

3.  Based on these considerations, plan what kind of events you want to organize:

  • Lecture by a nationally-recognized scholar or activist from the H-PAD Speakers Bureau
  • Teach-In where faculty, staff, and community activists all speak about current threats and issues, encouraging students in particular to speak about their lives and concerns
  • Roundtable with local experts from the ACLU, law school faculty, scholars in constitutional law, the undocumented community, Islamic centers, etc.
  • Film Series (or just a showing) on “Repression and Resistance” drawing from the various documentaries and feature films covering everything from Sacco and Vanzetti to COINTELPRO.