Listen to this note:
In the face of President Donald Trump's racist, misogynistic, xenophobic and hateful rhetoric, which began during his campaign and has been applied since day one of his second term, California has the opportunity to become a bastion of resistance to protect its residents, with the help of local organizations and individuals.
That's according to Deirdre Schifeling, director of policy and advocacy at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), who pointed out that "this is not Trump's America."
"This moment of urgency requires all of us to step up, and with 40 million people calling this state home and the world's fifth-largest economy, California has the opportunity and responsibility to lead the front lines of the resistance," he said during a rally in Sacramento.
"California leaders must act now to protect their constituents. This is not Trump's America. This is not the America of Project 2025. This is our America," the activist stressed.
In this regard, Schifeling called on residents of the Golden State to join this resistance.
"We invite all Californians to join the fight for freedom, and we urge local and state governments to do their part. We want Trump to know that he will not only see the ACLU in the courts, but also in state legislatures and on the streets," she said.
And Gavin Newsom set out to prepare anti-Trump efforts in California before he took office as president. Earlier this month, the state legislature passed a $50 million bill to fight his agenda, with the governor's support.
For his part, Assemblyman Mike Gipson told reporters last Tuesday afternoon that "fighting" Trump's policies was one of the main priorities for legislators in this legislative session.