Defending democracy and the right to protest

The right to protest is not a threat to democracy—it’s one of its most fundamental pillars on which our country was founded. History shows that protest is how everyday people, not just the wealthy and powerful, shape the laws and policies that govern their lives. From the Boston Tea Party to the Civil Rights Movement, America’s greatest progress has come when ordinary citizens stood up and spoke out.

Indivisible Iowa exists to ensure that everyday people have a voice in our government. We are committed to civic education, advocacy, and promoting policies that benefit Americans. We operate on a budget of less than $3,000 a year—most of which goes toward printing costs and a Zoom subscription. There are no paid staff and no dark money—just volunteers who care deeply about our communities and our country.

If Althea Cole is truly concerned about outside influence, she might want to reflect on her own past. Her ties to Americans for Prosperity (AFP)—a Koch-funded organization known for busing activists to events, paying for meals, and handing out swag bags—are well-documented. AFP is putting big bucks behind slashing Medicaid and the ACA to fund an extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a law that overwhelmingly benefits the most wealthy in America. Why does she seem fine with billionaires bankrolling conservative movements?

Let’s face it, the real threat to democracy isn’t protest, like Cole wants you to believe—it’s the billionaires and corporate elites who rig the system to benefit themselves while leaving the rest of us behind. They use their wealth to influence elections, manipulate lawmakers, and push policies that gut public services, weaken labor rights, and make it harder for working families to get ahead. Not because these cuts are necessary, but because they want to redirect that money for billionaires. While everyday Iowans are left scrambling to figure out how to get by, the ultra-wealthy keep hoarding resources and power.

Did Cole listen at the Grassley town hall or was she too caught up clutching her pearls? Did she hear the fear and frustration in the voice of a mother who shared how Medicaid enabled her son to walk and get the support he needs to get an education? A mother who was blocked out of the town hall because the elevators were turned off and she wasn’t able to transport her son who is wheelchair bound? Is Cole even bothered that billionaire Elon Musk donated to Grassley, the chair of the judiciary, one of the most powerful seats in the senate?

Indivisible isn’t about left vs. right or red vs. blue. We are working to build a broad coalition of people: Republicans, Independents, and Democrats alike—who are fed up with a rigged system. Some may be shocked to hear that Republicans are members and actually lead Indivisible groups.

Cole doesn’t want to have a real conversation about democracy and protest, she wants you to be angry at Iowans who want a government that represents everyday people, not just billionaires. If you’d like to learn about Indivisible, we’d be happy to share a cup of tea—perhaps while discussing the history of protest in America, and maybe an anecdote about Bostonians who stood up against the economic tyranny of the wealthy elite to create a country of representative government that enshrined in its Constitution the right to protest, the right to assemble and the right to free speech.

Indivisible Iowa stands for democracy, fairness, and justice. If you are unhappy with the MAGA agenda, join us. We’re not going anywhere.

This column was written by Amy Adams, Ashley Anderson and Jackie Cordon on behalf of the Indivisible Iowa Board.