Jennifer Joy Freyd

The project included undergrads learning about research.

"Not only can their research bring about real change during their time on campus, but it also provides more options for the people on college campuses to fight back against tyrannical violence and brutality during times of protest."

Shoub and Sharrow Receive Research Grant, Support Undergraduate Research Experience : College of Social & Behavioral Sciences : UMass Amherst Kelsey Shoub, public policy, & Libby Sharrow, public policy & history, received a grant supporting their research on the effects of campus authority on students

It brings me much joy to fund creative research through the nonprofit I founded, the Center for Institutional Courage.

Our funded projects: www.institutionalcourage.org/grants-funded

Here, from @umassamherst.bsky.social about one of the exciting projects we funded:

www.umass.edu/social-scien...

Donald Trump’s approval rating Follow our presidential approval rating poll tracker to see how favourably Americans view Mr Trump

"The president's net approval rating is -18%, down 1.3 points since last week."

"[D]issatisfaction with Mr Trump is widespread even in states that voted for him just a few months ago."

Important implications here, including for Republicans in midterm races.

www.economist.com/interactive/...

House Republicans step on thin ice as they ignore the Constitution All candidates and parties agree Adelita Grijalva won fair and square. There were no election contests. There were no other disputes.

"That is wrong!"

Former Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks (R) writes truth to power regarding the suppression of Adelita Grijalva (elected to Congress but so far denied a swearing in) and the suppression of the Epstein files.

GOP courage matters. Thank you Mo Brooks.

www.al.com/politics/202...

Guard deployment to Portland stays blocked as 9th Circuit reviews decision • Oregon Capital Chronicle A majority of the judges on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to review, and possibly void, a recent decision to allow the deployment.

This is a really important and very good development - the 9th Circuit voted to reconsider the appeal from Judge Karen Immergut regarding blocking the National Guard

(And Judge Immergut, a Trump appointee, made clear her loyalty is to the Constitution.)

oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/10/28/g...

You Might Be Blind to Betrayal. An Expert Explains Why It’s So Hard to See the Truth. How to get your brain out of survival mode and into true safety.

Oprah Daily selected "betrayal blindness" as "word of the week."

Betrayal blindness is a survival strategy, although it comes with costs:
dynamic.uoregon.edu/jjf/defineBT...

Oprah Daily didn't say it, but people can also be blind to institutional betrayal.

www.oprahdaily.com/life/relatio...

Penn Releases Compact Rejection Letter Sent to McMahon On Friday, the University of Pennsylvania publicly released the letter President J. Larry Jameson sent to Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Oct. 16 rejecting the Trump administration’s proposed “Co...

To U Penn President Jameson:
Thank you so very much for saying no to the proposed “Compact” and also for sharing your letter. These acts of institutional courage make me proud to be a Penn alum.
@upenn.edu
www.institutionalcourage.org

www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-t...

Rosa Parks and Helen Keller statues unveiled at the Alabama Capitol Statues of Rosa Parks and Helen Keller were unveiled Friday on the grounds of the Alabama Capitol. The monuments honoring the two Alabama natives are the first statues of women placed on the state Cap...

4 of 4

54 more items are on Jess Craven’s list here
chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/extra-extr...

Including a story about this newly unveiled statue of Rosa Parks on the grounds of the Alabama State Capitol

apnews.com/article/alab...

🚨 State of Arizona and Grijalva v. United States House of Representatives Learn more here.

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And about Grijalva, so relevant to releasing the Epstein files:

Arizona filed a lawsuit accusing Speaker Mike Johnson of violating the Constitution by refusing to allow Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva (D) to take her seat in Congress.

www.democracydocket.com/cases/arizon...

Voters Now Trust Democrats More on the Economy G. Elliot Morris: "New polls from Gallup and YouGov show Democrats pulling ahead of Republicans as the party voters trust more to handle the economy. And the raw polling data in the Virginia governor’...

2 of 4

Also from the list of 57:

Voters now trust Democrats more than Republicans on the economy.

politicalwire.com/2025/10/24/v...

The Resistance Reaches into Trump Country – Ash Center

1 of 4

The weekly good news list by @jesscraven101.bsky.social has 57 items, including:

New research from the Harvard Kennedy School found that the No Kings protests were likely “the most geographically widespread in US history”—reaching deep into Trump country.

ash.harvard.edu/resources/th...

Undaunted Two judges’ inspirational rulings

I believe and I think that the protests and other peaceful resistance make a profound difference.

For one thing, we bolster the courage of brave leaders.

And even if they would be brave without us, they deserve our support when they stand up to tyranny.

contrarian.substack.com/p/undaunted-...

How Universities Are Responding to Trump’s Compact The document would require signatories to make sweeping changes to policies and practices. A number of institutions have already said no, and more responses are expected.

"So far, leaders at 11 universities have publicly said they won’t sign the current draft of [Trump's Compact]. . . . No college has publicly taken Trump up on his offer."

So far 11 schools chose courage, said no to tyranny.

www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

Millions peacefully protesting tells judges, politicians, elite institutions, & citizens that:

1. We can choose courage (free speech: use it or lose it)

2. We care deeply about democracy, dignity, & justice

New polls show we have the momentum to right the country:

thehill.com/homenews/adm...

Thank you for sending this!

Wonderful!

Also from the article: "I finally found a middle-aged man dressed as a frog, in homage to the most familiar of the inflatable costumes at the Portland protests. “We are middle-of-the-road,” he confirmed. He wore a red cape over his green body that read, “Amphifa.”

Amphifa!

Opinion | The Rise of the Inflatable Chicken Resistance

"What is happening to us is as serious as a guillotine. We must harness our best creative, humorous and frivolous selves in order to keep it from falling."

The Singing Revolution (87-91) restored democracy to the Baltics - peaceful creative resistance works.

Gift:

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/20/o...

My heart goes out to these men for the suffering they endured and the challenges they still face. #Courage

Extra! Extra! 10/19 Post No Kings Delight!

"No matter how dark this moment is, spots of light are appearing everywhere. Read about them, savor them, SHARE THEM!"
-@jesscraven101.bsky.social re her list of good things that have happened this week.

Joyful. Powerful. Inspiring:

chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/extra-extr...

YouTube video by jjfreyd At the Seattle No Kings march, 18 October 2025

"[Government derives its] just powers from the consent of the governed . . .."
- Declaration of Independence, 1776

youtu.be/DBTLqpzKwIc

Know Your Rights | Protesters’ Rights | ACLU The First Amendment protects your right to assemble and express your views through protest. However, police and other government officials are allowed to place certain narrow restrictions on the exerc...

PS. Enjoy today - these events can truly be joyful and so meaningful - and also be informed.

www.aclu.org/know-your-ri...

No Kings protests: What to expect at Saturday's marches around the country This summer, organizers said more than 5 million people participated in No Kings protests against President Trump. Organizers say they expect an even bigger turnout this time around.

We all know that tyranny depends on apathy, fear, learned helplessness, fatalism, passivity.

So no surprise that peaceful marches can help bring down tyrants.

I'm so proud of Americans for standing up for justice, dignity, compassion.

Courage is a joyful choice.

www.npr.org/2025/10/18/n...

NYT’s Goldberg Compares Trump’s Method of Authoritarianism to Domestic Abuse: ‘It’s DARVO’ File from Grabien Media

@michellegoldberg.bsky.social discussed Trump's use of DARVO on @weeknightmsnbc.bsky.social.

More about our DARVO research and analysis including our essays about DARVO and TRUMP: www.jjfreyd.com/darvo

grabien.com/file?id=3185...

Appeals Court Maintains Block on Trump’s Troop Deployment to Illinois

A 7th circuit appeals panel "agreed with a lower court judge who had blocked the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to the Chicago area."

“Political opposition is not rebellion,” they wrote.

Tomorrow's No Kings Day bolsters such integrity.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/u...

Penn, U of Southern California Reject Trump Compact The universities follow the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brown University in rejecting the Trump administration’s proposal that would require sweeping changes.

Penn and USC have joined MIT and Brown in refusing to sign Trump’s "Compact."

No institution has so far agreed to sign. Courage is strong and growing stronger.

Join me tomorrow for No Kings Day. Autocrats totally fear peaceful mass mobilization.

www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...

No Kings As the president escalates his authoritarian power grab, the NO KINGS non-violent movement continues to rise stronger. We are united once again to remind the world: America has No Kings and the power ...

Join me and millions of peaceful, patriotic, caring Americans on Saturday October 18.

www.nokings.org

YouTube video by MSNBC The Rachel Maddow Show - Oct. 13 | Audio Only

"If you want courage to spread, you have got to spread that courage yourself."
@ezralevin.bsky.social on @maddow.msnbc.com
- Ezra Levin on Rachel Maddow, 13 Oct 2025

Courage is a choice. An excellent choice. (www.institutionalcourage.org/the-courage-...)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxJw...

Extra! Extra! 10/12 Wins! Wins! Wins!

There is so much good news compiled by @jesscraven101.bsky.social , including:

"There are now more than 2500 No Kings protests scheduled for next week. TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED YOU GUYS!"

I'll be out there on Oct 18. You too?
www.nokings.org

chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/extra-extr...

MIT rejects federal funding deal with Trump administration The deal would see universities cap foreign admissions, restrict protests and adopt a binary definition of gender.

Sally Kornbluth, President of MIT, rejected a Trump proposal requiring policies - like using a binary definition of gender - in exchange for access to federal funds.

I am so glad Sally Kornbluth and MIT chose intellectual honesty, integrity, and courage.

www.bbc.com/news/article...