Activism, Uncensored: President Trump's Address to Congress

The resistance from inside the Capitol, and the organized opposition outside

We’ve devolved a long way since Republican Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina infamously (or famously, depending on your point of view) heckled President Obama in 2009 with a shout of “You lie!” as he addressed a joint session of Congress. It was shocking. The Associated Press called it “an extraordinary breach of congressional decorum.” Wilson quickly apologized.

Fast forward to Wednesday night. Wilson’s antics are nothing compared to what we saw from cane-waving Democratic Congressman Al Green of Texas as he disputed Trump’s contention that he has a mandate. Green’s performance makes me want to tell Wilson, “Bless your heart. You tried.”

Green caused a roughly 3-minute delay—although the Republican chants of USA! USA! USA! to drown him out contributed to that. The Sergeant at Arms escorted Green out of the chamber, but not before Vice President JD Vance gave the heave-ho sign to throw him out by jerking his thumb behind his shoulder. Then there were the Democrats standing and holding signs like “False” and “Musk Steals” as Trump spoke. It was quite the resistance.

And, perhaps as President Trump would say, it made for good television.

But outside, as this News2Share video from Ford Fischer shows, there was a stronger message from activists than what we’ve become accustomed to the last few years. Sure, activists had some crass language—as any good protest does—but they weren’t annoying and getting in the way of others with absurd gimmicks like holding up traffic. In other words, they weren’t being assholes. It was organized opposition. Any American ought to love our right to do that.