Spring Rain 5/5/2025:
“Let us share the vision and make it possible for Great Love to arise.” — Thich Nhat Hanh
“Spring Rain” posts are a collection of time sensitive or unique opportunities that we should take advantage of if we can. Past spring rain posts can be viewed here.
For a more complete view of ongoing efforts, find the most recent Dandelion Repot here.
Last week we took some time to rest by camping in the mountains, so it has taken me some time to reconnect with unique opportunities that are ongoing right now. I hope you are all also able to find some time for rest during these coming months.
Thank you to everyone who has joined so far. As always, if you have any recommendations or suggestions, please let me know and I will add them to future posts!
This Spring Rain Includes:
“Morning of Peace” a poem by Thich Nhat Hanh
The next large national protest will be June 14th.
Read the “Pro-Democracy Movement Playbook”
Phone bank with Indivisible on May 15 to oppose the GOP reconciliation plan
Postcard stamp prices will increase on July 13th, 2025.
Quick emails to your representatives, using Resistbot Codes.
Photo by me, taken in Yosemite.
“Morning of Peace” by Thich Nhat Hanh
Treading the path that leads to the moon, I look back and can't stop marveling. I see a bubble of water on the immense ocean of space. It is the Earth, our green planet, her sumptuous beauty sparkling and proud, yet oh so fragile. In her, I discover myself. Walking mindfully on the earth, a grassy path, my feet make the promise to embrace the early morning and touch the peace of the present moment. Autumn leaves fall and cover the path, unrolling a carpet of walking meditation. A shy squirrel, hiding behind the oak tree, looks at me, surprised, then dashes to the top of the tree and disappears behind a cluster of leaves. I see a clear stream flowing between cracks in the rocks, its water laughing, while the trees whistle. Together we celebrate a morning of peace. At the same time, I see places of deep suffering, where men imprison men, and make each other suffer— the waves of discrimination, hatred, and greed, inevitable causes of catastrophe, crash upon the earth. Chicks of the same hen wear different colors in order to fight with each other. Heartrending cries declare the horrors of war. Brothers and sisters, the beautiful Earth is us. I embrace her and hold her tenderly against my chest. Breathing together in the same rhythm we restore our calm, our peace. Let us accept ourselves so we may accept one another, Let us share the vision and make it possible for Great Love to arise.
Upcoming Protest
Mark your calendar!
The next coordinated push for protests and rallies will be June 14th. This is intended to align with the planned military parade in Washington, D.C. on Trump’s birthday.
In many areas, you can participate in protests between now and then, but if your time is limited, try to at least attend a protest on June 14th.
Coordinated days of action help improve media coverage and show the size of the movement. But, smaller, frequent protests help keep the movement in the public eye in between larger pushes.
We are still in somewhat early days of planning, but this appears to be the main website for this event, with the theme to be “No Kings”. Since we have some lead time into this event, you could consider using the Toolkit to host your own event.
These organizations may also be helpful to finding protest locations:
“Pro-Democracy Movement Playbook”
This post from
, author of , has a helpful framework about how we shift from Resisting Authoritarianism to “advancing a positive, durable vision of democracy”. It has ideas for local, state, and national actions — and helpful targets for people depending on if you are in an area supportive of this work, or an area resistant to it.
Phone Banking with Indivisible May 15
Join this phone bank virtually on Thursday, May 15, 11am – 1pm EDT. Sign up here.
They will be calling voters across North Carolina about opposing the GOP Budget reconciliation plan. Talk with voters and help connect them directly to Senator Thom Tillis' office.
Thom Tillis is thought to be one of the Republicans most vulnerable to lose their seat in the 2026 midterm elections, so pressuring them on this issue may be uniquely effective.
Postcard stamp prices will increase on July 13th, 2025.
Prices for postcard stamps will go from $0.56 to $0.62 on July 13th.
If you want to do a lot of postcard voter outreach over the coming years, it may be worthwhile to stock up on these stamps. You can buy them from USPS.com or your local post office, avoid any website offering “bulk discounts” as they may be counterfeit.
If you have not done postcard outreach, here are two options from the Dandelion Report:
Resistbot Emails to Representatives
Resistbot is a tool to quickly send emails to your representatives. Click the link to learn how to set up your account.
You can also use it to quickly write and send emails to your representatives, but unless you can write it in under 5 minutes, or you plan to share your code for others to use, you are better off calling.
Emails are much less effective than calling (I have seen some estimate that a call is worth 10 emails), but with Resistbot templates it is so fast it is worth doing in addition to calling.
I often will be able to send these emails while I make calls using The 5 Calls App.
Current Codes I Have Used This Week:
SIGN PCAZFL
“Stop fast-track approvals of mining/drilling, denounce fake ‘energy emergency’” by Coleman.
SIGN PMSSPN
“Reject the regime's cruelty: Save LGBTQ+ youth crisis services funded by 988 Lifeline” by Coleman.
SIGN PIQNEL
“Vote No on Trump’s “DOGE Person” Nominee to Lead Social Security” by Joe Katz from Rogan’s List.
SIGN PYDDBS
“Support funding for Maternal & Child Health & Nutrition, & the Vaccine Alliance!” by
SIGN PYIAQS
“Reject cuts to Medicaid Expansion and SNAP et al. to pay for billionaire tax cuts” by Coleman.
SIGN PGTXDX
“Uphold Posse Comitatus Act, say no to US military in streets, block illegal EO” by Coleman.
SIGN PGYUVR
“Investigate government privacy violations, protect whistleblowers” by Coleman.
SIGN PZSOZM
“SCOTUS: Uphold privacy, deny DOGE access to SSA data ripe for abuse” by Coleman.
Past Codes from Prior “Spring Rains”
I am grateful you are here.
Thank you,
Chris
Great read. Really liked the poem, thank you!
I really appreciate these thoughtful and helpful posts, Chris. I am also a big fan of both 5calls.org & Resistbot.
- Hollis Henry