After having a discussion on this post on r/SpringfieldIL, I am 100 percent convinced that this protest is at best BlueAnon astroturfing and probably a data-mining operation for the P2025 folks and Trump administration.

The graphic attached to the post not only misspells "tariffs" and "discrimination" but also gets the date of the protest wrong.

You're a fool if you show up to this protest.

I posted this in a thread about the protest, but I think it deserves repeating as its own thread.

I keep seeing vague fliers for the 50 states-50 protests thing for 2/5/this, and it looks really vague. I can't figure out who started the idea, who's been publicizing it - it looks very much like an attempt to make it look to Fox/etc. viewers as though we've got massive civil unrest. You know, to justify martial law and a violent crackdown.

The early fliers I saw posted a couple of days ago had some weird grammatical errors which looked like they were from non-native English speakers, and they mixed up words like "capitol" and "capital". And its social media presence is, um, anonymous. Anonymous posters going to a ton of social media platforms to promote it and declare that information about it is being supressed. Which, given how much publicity I'm seeing for it, is clearly untrue. There's never any traceable individual or organizational identifier.

What is the protest actually against? In particular? What are its goals? Who is organizing it? Who will take responsibility for on-the-ground security (people who will look for potential mass shooters, for instance, and tackle them/warn the crowd)? Is the point to unseat the president? To protest his new policies? Which policies in particular? To protest Musk's freaky IT coup? What, exactly? A protest to say, "You suck, we don't like you" is a protest that provides no actionable demands to Trump or anyone else. This really, really looks to me like a psyop at best and a set-up at worst. Don't go.

Moreover, all the academic research of which I am aware suggests that these sorts of protests don't actually work, anyway. They don't change the actions of politicians, police, or other people who are willing to institute or support authoritarian rule, because those people literally do not care what the general public think about them. They want control, and they are usually willing to respond to protests like this with deadly violence, because they won't feel shame and they want to inspire fear.

Marches and protests worked a bit in the 1960s when they were shocking. Now, all they do is sap the participants' organizing energy, give them the false feeling that they're taking effective political action, and galvanize those who oppose the protesters.

What works is simple: mass civil disobedience. Not sit-ins; not marches; just... don't comply with the government's new policies. Not at work, not at home, not in the street. This is not a minor or insignificant endeavor; it will probably be physically dangerous before too long, but it's all that will work. Don't throw your trans students under the bus. Make ICE and law enforcement get a real warrant if they want to get in your house. If they try to get on your bus to grab someone, tell them to gargle balls and shut the doors in their faces. And simultaneously, please, please, build material support networks with your immediate neighbors (mutual aid). We will need them.

Edit: u/ExeUSA points out that Project 2025 outlines specific plans to use any mass protests as an excuse to deploy the military for domestic law enforcement, up to and including deploying deadly force. Given that so far, all the administration's decisions other than the batsh*t tarrifs have come straight from Project 2025, I think we should assume that even if this national protest were definitely homegrown and well-intentioned, it will be used as an excuse to declare martial law.

Looking to do some camping when the weather gets better, and I'm trying to find a spot that's sorta in between drive in and deep woods. Something that would be more isolated and in nature, but would still have like water access in a hikable range from the site. Doesn't have to be in Illinois, neighboring states are totally fine.

Probably a recreation area or public land use more than a park, but where there would be some parking and a trail out to find a site like an hour or so away from there? I did this when I lived in California but the access to nature is a lot different than here lol

So yeah, I went and visited a friend who lives in an apartment building in Palos Hills (Cook County) I had a proper visitor's parking pass and my tags technically aren't expired since they were renewed online but have yet to receive the new tag. So I come out and my car is gone! Called the tow truck company and they said they towed it because my tags are expired, even though they are not. Am I cooked?

Edit: At the police station now waiting on an officer

A tug vehicle ran into the wing of a plane at O’Hare tonight. The driver of the tug was pinned underneath but is now stable at Lutheran General.

https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/tug-vehicle-accident-chicago-ohare

https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/illinois-students-remain-at-or-above-national-average/amp/

I can't renew the car's plate without driving it to the facility, but can't drive it without registration.

I've already used the 3 seven day passes to fix the car (taking it to various shops) but now I need to drive the car to reset codes, and to take it to the emission test. However, as I said above, how can I go about doing that without registration?

Can I get a temporary license plate from the dmv if I show the paper (receipt) from the shops or something?

Illinois should begin independent trade negotiations with Canada, Mexico and China. Bypass the federal craziness and come to an understanding with the International community. I know your saying " That's not how it works. The Federal government does that."and I'd say "Screw that if Trump can throw the rules out the window so can we." It's a matter of survival now.

Hey! Moving there for work, I have always lived in apartments, but can't seem to find anything in and around Decatur. Anyone has any suggestions? Or know any good apartments in either Forsyth, Mount Zion or Long Creek? Appreciate it.

Hello,

My grandpa was a high school football coach in Illinois for a long time. He died about a month ago and I would like to nominate him for the state coaches hall of fame. I do not know any of his stats, but I could easily find that out. How would I go about nominating him, if anyone knows?

Thanks

Help! This dog went missing yesterday! She's a recently rescued dog who is terrified of people. If seen or found please contact the phone number above! Thank you!

For those interested in joining the growing protest. I borrowed this from the r/Washington sub.

How does everyone feel that Indiania kicked our ass in NAEP education rankings?

I started googling looking for protests, activist groups, and the like but not having alot of luck. Even volunteer opportunities, printed out lists of how to handle ICE and resources for lgbtq and left them in public areas (with permission) including around my parents home in Indiana. In college I was involved in things due to my roommates being poli sci and dragging me along.

I'm very scared of the future and I want my future children/grandkids to know I didn't just sit silently and do nothing.

Rep. Mary Miller (Distance 15) is co sponsoring the national abortion ban. She was also “saved” (in evangelical parlance) as a member of the religious cult started by George Geftakys. You can find a post about it on Reddit. I guess

One of that group’s popular “training methods” for toddlers was to place a toy or piece of candy within their reach, tell them they couldn’t touch it, wait for the them to do that (because toddler), and then hit them. So they learned unquestioning obedience.

If you wish to share your feeling about this bill with Mrs. Miller, her office line is on her US House profile.

ETA: for those saying she doesn’t care, I do know that. My parents are just like her. I shared my feelings about the bill for me.

I'm studying in a different state and use my car registered in Illinois. I wanted to know if it's an easy process for my mom to renew her own and perhaps my own sticker.

Do you have to do emissions test later or not?

Thanks for the info!

I don't even know if the kiosks are open.