Direct Action
Posted on March 11, 2026, by Mary Ann McGivern SL
We live in a dangerous moment. Several states have declared it illegal to boycott items made in Israel. Trespass penalties are higher. It used to be that you got “one bite of the apple,” that is, you’d be released with a warning. Now, first offenders are being charged. And conspiracy, knowledge of the illegal act even if you are not an actor, carries its own high penalty.
What does that mean? That it is all the more important for us to show up. “Ain’t no power like the power of the people ‘cause the power of the people don’t stop.” “What does democracy look like? This is what democracy looks like.” “Whose streets? Our streets.”
I often quote Ephesians 6:10-13, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”
But stand that ground holding hands. One person doesn’t carry the moral weight of the community and one person is very vulnerable.
Mostly our resistance is in large groups, marching and chanting. We may not have a permit, but we don’t want to go to jail. We want our voices heard. And if a person marching near to you is very angry, walk with them. Ask them why they are so angry? What do they see is happening? What do they hope for? Where are they coming from – literally. What town do they live in, and do they have friends with them?
De-escalate. Get angry people talking. Walk between them and ICE or the Border Patrol or the Proud Boys. If it’s an organized demonstration, it should have peacekeepers. Obey them. Ask them for help with your angry fellow. And don’t try to de-escalate all by yourself. If you start talking to the angry one, the people you came with should be nearby. They should have your back.
Some of us here at the Motherhouse have been standing (or sitting) at the corner of Proctor Knott and Main in Lebanon every Wednesday for an hour. We carry signs about health care, immigration and loving our neighbor. About 12 of us are regulars, six in our 80s and six who are 90 and above.
You too. It’s time to take action.
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