The Authoritarian Playbook

Fighting Back Is Our Right

Now more than ever, there’s a lot of fear and apprehension about what words we can use to call out abuses by our government. However, we should not fear. Free speech is what the Founding Fathers stood for, not oppression. We should and will exercise our right to free speech and use our voice to stand up for our rights. What this administration is attempting to do is scare us into following their rules, better known as fascism. 

Trump’s usage of ICE in Minnesota is unconstitutional and inhumane, eerily similar to the Gestapo of Nazi Germany. Targeting individuals based on their backgrounds, going door to door, and murdering those who oppose you are all characteristics that ICE and the Gestapo have in common. 

Lastly, in Georgia, Representative Bryce Berry of Georgia’s 56th district, much of Atlanta’s west side, introduced HB 470 last year to “protect schools, hospitals, and churches as a place of refuge.” Our representatives are not backing down and are continuously fighting to protect and serve all individuals. We should take inspiration from them and be courageous in doing the right thing to protect our neighbors.

The point of this section isn’t to continue to harp on ICE; it’s to provide support and knowledge of how to fight back against the tyranny occurring in our country. 

Here are some ways to help:

1. Stand With Minnesota has access to multiple nonprofits, mutual aid networks, and funding links for schools, neighborhoods, and families in need. 

2. Immigrant Rapid Response Fund, a pooled fund from the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota

3. Dash cams, these can help individuals safely document ICE and their actions. 

4. Neighborhood House, a service hub in Minnesota dedicated to helping refugees and immigrants in transition or need. You can donate in a multitude of ways. 

Georgia Senate Democrats Oppose ICE Funding

In light of the horrendous murders and abuses and subsequent citizen activism, Senate Democrats are coming out against an appropriations bill that would allocate over $64 billion towards ICE. Senators Ossoff and Warnock are leading voices in the caucus against ICE, with Senator Warnock writing, “They are killing Americans. Detaining children. Trampling our freedoms. We are losing our humanity. This is a defining moment for our nation. A moment for moral courage. We must stand together and say no.” Senator Ossoff challenged his potential Republican opponents to condemn ICE’s blatant destruction of Constitutional rights, to which Buddy Carter and Mike Collins responded by doubling down on their support for the tyrannical regime of MAGA. 

 After seeing what is happening in Minneapolis, Georgia Democrats at all levels are fighting for legislation to restrict ICE and taking a stand against tyranny because if we don’t fight, Georgia will be next. 

Trump Continues Media Shakeup: TikTok’s MAGA Ties

After years of pressure surrounding the video-sharing platform TikTok’s handling of US data, a spin-off joint venture between the app’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, private equity firm Silver Lake, Emirati investor MGX, and technology giant Oracle was finalized on January 22^nd. In late 2025, TikTok announced the venture in compliance with an Executive Order signed by President Donald Trump on September 25^th, with the supposed goal of regulating the platform’s algorithm in the United States within strict national security parameters under the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary-Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA). While ByteDance technically retains ownership of the TikTok algorithm, the spin-off, under the name TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, reserves separate rights to operational control specifically for US users. 

The Trump administration has ultimately taken credit for this deal, with President Trump taking to the right-wing social media platform TruthSocial to thank Chinese President Xi Jinping for “working with us and, ultimately, approving the Deal.” It is important to note, however, that the lead-up to this spin-off was set into motion with then-President Biden’s 2024 signing of a law requiring the US version of the app to be spun off from ByteDance, and delayed several times by the Trump administration until a deal securing American ownership of US operations was reached.

Oracle Corporation, the “trusted security partner” responsible for data storage and algorithmic security protocols, was founded in 1977 by longtime Trump ally Larry Ellison, who now serves as CTO and Executive Chair of the company. Some Democratic politicians, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, have called into question the circumstances of this deal, expressing concerns that Ellison’s loyalty to the President will result in the censorship of “Trump-critical content.” Already, reports of censorship of videos criticizing Trump’s immigration control efforts, specifically those regarding ICE’s murder of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis last week, have started to trickle in. With an array of Trump supporters serving as key investors in this company, it is only a matter of time before we see if this deal truly serves our national interests or becomes just another effort by the administration to suppress criticism and free speech.

From Courts To Ballots: Georgia Voters Under Fire

In a win for democracy in Georgia, a federal judge in Macon dismissed the case filed by Trump’s Department of Justice seeking to obtain sensitive information about Georgia voters. Although this case was dismissed on the grounds of lack of jurisdiction, it’s unclear if the DOJ will refile a lawsuit amid ongoing lawsuits in other states. Unfortunately, almost all of our elected Republican leaders have supported the illegal sharing of voter data, with the GOP state elections board and State Senate releasing statements condemning Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger for standing up for democracy. 

Raffensperger has taken a strong stance on upholding his oath of office, ignoring the illegal demands of both the Trump administration and the State Senate Republican caucus. However, the fact that the very rights of Georgia voters depend on one man standing up is worrying to say the least. Especially because this November, the post for Secretary of State will be open, and it is paramount that we elect a Democratic candidate to protect the rights of Georgians from the authoritarian MAGA agenda. 

Unfortunately, this saga escalated on Wednesday, when the FBI raided the Fulton County elections office under the pretense of “voter fraud” in the 2020 election, which Trump lost. Hundreds of boxes containing voter information were taken by the FBI in a terrifying attack on free and fair elections. 

From courtrooms to ballot boxes, Georgia’s democracy is under attack by Trump and his MAGA agenda, but we have the power to show up and vote this November and prove we won’t back down.