Attending a Rally to Stop the Judicial Takeover

The definitive guide

This guide is for rally attendees. Rally organizers, click here for the rally guide for hosts.

Note: If your question isn't answered here, try our Frequently Asked Questions page, which also has instructions on the bottom for contacting us if you still need to.

Here are the instructions for Wednesday's rally. You should also print out and bring with you a copy of our one page summary of these instructions.

What to do at Wednesday's Rally to Protect the Supreme Court: If you've ever been to a rally before, you know that too often, you show up, you don't talk to anyone, you hear a few boring speeches that go on too long, and you leave. As a participant, your job is basically to sit back and listen. This Wednesday, we're going to try something that's a little more participatory, more fun, and hopefully more effective. This message describes our basic plan: use an interactive format where the "talking heads" are chosen by the crowd and you get to meet other folks in your community; and create powerful images that will communicate the threat of a right-wing judicial takeover and boost media coverage This plan will ensure that we have a real impact. And it should make for a unique and compelling experience. But it depends entirely on you. Please read these instructions now, and bring a copy of our one page summary to the rally, which you can find at: http://www.moveonpac.org/rallyhelp/infosheet.html You can also print out and bring a copy of our suggested chants. Basically, we're putting the success of these rallies in your hands. So pitch in -- if you see that people are milling around and not forming into clusters, encourage them to group up (as we explain below). Tell speakers if you can't hear them, and encourage them to wrap up if they're rambling. If your group is bogged down, ask a question to get things moving. Bring a few extra signs to distribute. Make sure people stay positive and respectful. On Wednesday, we'll all need to be leaders. (Note: we've left ultimate control over the rally program up to the local coordinator of each event, and some have made other, equally exciting plans -- so you might need to disregard some of this if you're given different instructions when you get to your rally). CHOOSING YOUR SPEAKERS We've consistently found MoveOn members to be the most eloquent and passionate advocates for our values -- far more compelling to listen to than many movement "leaders." So we'll have members do the talking at our rallies, but in a way that minimizes the droning of speakers who don't know when to wrap up, or the "tyranny of the annoying" that sometimes afflicts rallies with open mikes. Here's how it'll work. (Note: This schedule assumes a rally starting at 5 PM, but rallies in a few cities start earlier. Adjust accordingly.) The basic drill: 5:15-5:30 Everyone clusters into small groups, explains why they came, and then the groups choose one speaker. 5:30 - 5:50 Each person chosen by a group speaks to the whole rally for 2-3 minutes The nitty gritty: The rallies start at 5:00 -- try to get there on time. At about 5:15, everyone should cluster with people nearby to form groups of 5-8 (at rallies over 50 people, do groups of 8-10). First, say your name, and why you think this issue is important (go around in a circle). Second, if you were particularly moved by anyone, nominate them to speak to the whole crowd. Third, as a group, choose one of the people nominated -- they'll speak for 2-3 minutes along with the speakers chosen by other groups (at some big rallies, everyone may not get a chance to speak). Choosing a speaker to represent your group doesn't need to be a very formal or involved process. If there's unanimity, great. If not, anyone who gets more than 60% of the votes can be your rep. You can decline a nomination (i.e. refuse to speak), but please don't nominate yourself. Three things to think about in choosing a speaker: Will this person say something you think others should hear? Will they keep their remarks brief, so others have a chance? Often in activist groups, a few people tend to dominate discussion. Sometimes there are people with very important things to say who tend to be drowned out because they aren't quite as confident or assertive -- and this tends to decrease the diversity of leaders and speakers at events like this. So, without forcing someone to talk who doesn't want to, think about whether you have an opportunity to let someone speak who otherwise wouldn't be heard Speakers, see below for further instructions. LOOKING GOOD We could just stand on the street corner holding signs that say "Stop the Takeover" and "No Right-wing judges," and it'd work fine. But we've decided to do something a little more creative, humorous, and visually striking, to boost media coverage and create a scene that catches the attention of people passing by. So we've tried to site rallies in front of a courthouse or federal building wherever possible. When we're not in small groups, we're going to do the best we can to spread out in front of the building to form a mock cordon (without actually blocking anyone coming or going). We'll carry placards which resemble common Keep Out/Private Property/No Entry signs, but which read "Right-Wing Judges Only/By Order of Congress" and "Ordinary Americans KEEP OUT." This will dramatize, in stark visual terms, Republican leaders' basic plan: seize control of the judicial nominations process, and use that to take the courts away from the American people and turn them into a tool of right-wing special interests. So please go to out materials page and print out copies of the signs we've created. During the beginning of the rally and as much as possible during the program, stand with the courthouse behind you, and your sign facing outward (this will be hard during the "small groups" and "speakers" portions, but do what you can). It's especially important to do this when you see TV cameras or newspaper photographers shooting photos. And if anyone asks you why we're holding these signs, tell them something like: "Right now, radical Republicans in the Senate are trying to get absolute power over our courts so they can nominate judges who will strike down environmental laws, the minimum wage, even our right to privacy. These signs show what they're trying to do: seize our courts, and lock out the interests of ordinary Americans. These extremist Republicans want to jam through judges who will favor a right-wing agenda and tell everyone else to "keep out." But we're not going to let it happen." One final note: Please stay on public property. Don't block the street or building entrances and exits. Follow all local laws and the instructions of local police, and stay respectful towards people with whom you disagree. There are all kinds of people coming to these rallies, and we want to keep them safe for everyone, regardless of age, political experience, or legal status. Also, don't forget to floss regularly. A NOTE FOR REALLY BIG RALLIES WITHOUT AMPLIFIED SOUND few of our events may exceed 500 or even 1000 people! At an event this big, no one person will be able to coordinate if there's no amplified sound. So at about 5:30, on your own, your group should merge with the groups around you to form a "supergroup" of 100 or so people -- few enough that you can hear someone speak without a megaphone (at this point, a soapbox will come in handy!) Then the speakers nominated by each small group should speak to everyone in the "supergroup." Think of it as a throwback to the public square in the days before electricity. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR SPEAKERS We've asked one person, who is a rally coordinator, to hold up a sign which says simply "speakers" at around 5:30, so that all the speakers chosen by their small group can gather together.* The coordinator will have someone ask the crowd to quiet down, and then each speaker will talk for 2-3 minutes. We've also asked the coordinator to cut things off around 5:50, even if a few people haven't spoken. If you are brief, more people will have a chance to speak. Some tips for speaking: Talk, in personal terms, about why YOU think this issue is important, and what you think is at stake. Try to focus on one important point. Don't try to summarize what everyone in your group said. Be louder than you think you need to be! It's hard to hear outside without amplification. If you can, reference the "keep out/right-wing judges only" theme of our signs. Our basic message is "Radical Republicans in the Senate want absolute power over our courts so they can nominate judges who will strike down environmental laws, the minimum wage, even our right to privacy." Speak from your heart, but don't stray too far from this message (i.e. avoid the temptation to rant about topics that are important and related, but not really the focus of the rally). Keep it brief. Don't worry -- you'll be great! *If for some reason your rally coordinator does not appear, don't fret! You or another person should go from group to group holding a sign over your head, and gather the speakers. Then quiet the crowd down, and speak in whatever order you want. If the crowd's too big for one person to be heard, split up into multiple groups of speakers and talk from opposite ends of the rally space. And at around 5:50 or earlier, thank everyone and declare the rally over.

AND DON'T FORGET... After the rally, fill out our follow-up survey.

QUESTIONS? Check our frequently asked questions page, which also includes a link to a page where you ask us questions directly.

That's it. Thanks! With your help, we will stop this right wing assault on our courts.