On Saturday, July 27, a crowd of 250 people gathered in the Grinsted Amphitheatre at the invitation of nonprofit Wake Up Sonoma to protest Project 2025, the proposed restructuring of American democracy developed by the conservative Heritage Foundation. Project 2025 has been described as a plan to dismantle democracy. The 900 page plan covers virtually every segment of American life, politicizing each of them to bring them in line with religious dogma and current Republican fundamentalism.
It was developed by dozens of Christian extremist leaders in spring 2022, with funding from Catholic militant and judicial activist Leonard Leo and several right-wing billionaire families and foundations, including Charles Koch. Project 2025 is led by the extremist conservative think tank, The Heritage Foundation, and backed by 110 conservative groups (as of July 2024). Over 400 individuals helped develop Project 2025’s vision paper, which presents policy proposals to restructure the 30 departments of the federal government.
A range of speakers addressed the crowd. Howard Sapper, a member of Sonoma County’s Human Rights Commission, spoke about racial justice and 2025 plans to replace existing civil servants with people loyal to the Republican ideology.
Larry Barnett, former Mayor, city council member, and current Sonoma Planning Commission Chair, spoke about historical precedents during the past century, the rise of Fascism in Germany and the ways that a highly sophisticated society was taken over by authoritarians.
Marty Bennett, union advocate and retired history professor, spoke about the 2025 plan to disenfranchise labor, outlaw government service unions, erode the authority of the National Labor Relations Board, and make union organizing more difficult.
Xavier Davenport, a trans man, highlighted the concerns of the LGBTQ+ community about the intention of Project 2025 to outlaw assistance to the trans community, and disenfranchise LGBTQ+ persons.
Oscar Figueroa, a Latino criminal (and cannabis) attorney, spoke about the potential effects of Project 2025 on the immigrant community, the plans for mass incarceration and deportation of undocumented residents.
After each speaker, Curran Reichert, Pastor at Sonoma’s First Congregational Church, led the assembled crowd in inspirational chants. After singing the song “Power to the People” after the speakers had concluded their remarks, the crowd marched to the horseshoe and holding signs and placards, waved to the passing traffic on Napa Street in front of City Hall.
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