The G.W. Bush administration cared about offending Muslim sensibilities and changed the name to Operation Enduring Freedom. I invested in this the day the name was changed at a gas station in northern Michigan. Ain't globalism grand!
Just a few days into Trump 2.0 I needed to channel pure rage energy into something more productive.
I live in a county that went 70% for Trump in 2024. My route into town required that I drive past an oversized banner that read: "TRUMP 2024 - Fuck Your Feelings!". The middle school busses also had to drive past it each morning and afternoon, five days a week. I'm a free speech advocate, but I thought that the intentional vulgarity of this particular MAGA mantra had NO PLACE IN CIVIL SOCIETY. I wanted to create a FUCK TRUMP message but without the FUCK. Something suitable for display to all ages.
I wanted to create a symbol that had some universality to it. Trump is so wrong on so many counts I wanted my message to reflect that. It could not be about just one issue like ICE, or Trump's pedophilia, his epic corruption, his disregard for truth, women or, really, anyone who does not kiss his ass.
The No Orange symbol is the result. I chose to finance my own direct action. I had 2000 stickers made and I started giving them away at NoKings! last April, and at every rally I can attend. I was thrilled last week when, for the fist time, I spotted one of my stickers on the bumper of someone's car. It was right in front of me at a stop light! Good karma!
The flag was the next logical extension. One, because I already have a pole where I proudly display our national symbol and two, MAGA absolutely LOVES flags. I realized that the flag also saves trees! I don't have to make a new sign to protest every new Trump atrocity.
Last point, Team Trump is good at one thing and one thing only, marketing. They were able to sell an inherently worthless commodity to a majority of American voters - twice. The red hats were simple, and it didn't take long for red hats to be nationally recognized as owned by MAGA whether or not they were printed with the slogan. Friends of mine stopped wearing their red hats because of MAGA. The Progressive Movement needs a unifying symbol against Trump no matter what your passion issue. Nothing matters more than opposing Trump at every turn!
No Orange was designed to be simple and instantly recognizable. It is also meant to be shared. Please copy the image and distribute it. I made a tiny sized copy that I put under my name in all my email. Use it as a background or overlay for print messaging! Make a T-shirt! Use your imagination but spread it around!
See you in the streets!
