It's essential that Direct Action Team members agree to the Principles below.

These principles form the basis of a nonviolent campaign. Developed by the authors of Holding the Line who say these principles "provide a basis for unity, trust, decision making, and action in groups. Make sure each person commits to the Principles. If someone is adamant they can’t commit to the Principles, don’t spend time convincing - simply thank them for their time and let them know the group isn’t for them."

These are the guidelines of our efforts, which we all commit to uphold. By committing to these principles, we ensure our efforts can be unified and disciplined, pushing towards a common goal while giving us the freedom to decide what is best for our own local groups:

1. We commit to defend the people’s right to vote without interference or intimidation, and to have their vote counted and respected in this election.

2. We work together and remain united.

As a nation, we have many differences, diverse perspectives, lifestyles, and backgrounds. But when democracy itself is at stake, we come together. We don’t need to agree on every other policy issue in order to support each other in

defending the fundamental importance of free and fair elections. Time is short and our focus right now is on protecting democracy—knowing that without this, ALL of us will have a harder time advocating for the changes we want in the future.

3. We treat others with respect.

When disagreements arise in our teams, we treat each other with respect. When we encounter people in public who we disagree with or who oppose us, we will respect their basic human dignity and rights, even if they seek to deny us ours.

4. We commit to nonviolent means of change.

We believe nonviolent means are the most powerful choice for election protection efforts for four reasons:

1) Nonviolent means allow us to win the hearts of the public, and have proven effective before at critical points in US history.

2) Nonviolent means enable people from all walks of life to participate in a wide range of actions that exert powerful social, political, and economic pressure.

3) Violence of any kind, as well as property destruction, in the name of defending democracy will mobilize people who oppose us and increase the willingness of government agents to obey repressive orders. This makes them less likely to question the Constitutionality of the orders they receive.

4) Trump is likely going to try to use the excuse of "imposing law and order" to crack down and stay in power. Doing this against large numbers of nonviolent people with legitimate grievances and goals is likely to backfire against him, as well as lead to defections in his government and among his other allies.

We want to be clear that by committing to nonviolent means of change, we are not making a moral judgment about people who feel they have a right to be violent in certain circumstances. We are making a commitment to a strategic choice that will be most effective in defending democracy, and to preserving our country thereafter.

5. We believe there is power in openly taking a stand.

The Lines we want to hold are consistent with the words of the Constitution and core democratic principles. There is power in publicly taking a stand to protect them, which also invites others to do the same. As such, Hold the Line teams believe in the power of openly taking a stand and we do not create an atmosphere of secrecy in order to function. At the same time, we also respect the rights of others who prefer to remain anonymous, or are more comfortable playing support roles that are not as public, and we value their contributions.

6. We hold each other accountable to these principles.

If people we are organizing with do not uphold these principles, we point that out to them in a clear but respectful way. If they continue to violate these principles, we stop organizing with them. We do not have time to spend to bring them around to these principles. Time is short, and our efforts need to be put towards protecting democracy with the many people who can commit to these principles.

-from Holding the Line: A Guide to Defending Democracy

"Thank you, Speaker Pelosi, for not mincing words about the 126 Republicans who joined the lawsuit filed by the Texas Attorney General. As you said: "Instead of upholding their oath to support and defend the Constitution, they chose to subvert the Constitution and undermine public trust in our sacred democratic institutions."

But in these virulent times are words enough? Direct action is what John Lewis called “making good trouble.” Good trouble calls for a determined and unflinching willingness to stand up for the truth, no matter the consequences or inconvenience.

As Speaker of the House, you might be the only official in a position to do something, subtle or rash, to lift us above the moral morass in which we find ourselves. Part of making good trouble is finding imaginative ways to confront one’s adversary.

How difficult would it be to establish something like a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, where these Representatives, in order to be seated, would have to testify publicly to what they were doing and why, while being questioned by a Democratic or independent panel?

The point would not be retribution or punishment, but re-establishing, through public exposure, some extent of moral equilibrium and public trust that has been lost. Perhaps the most essential by-product would be re-establishing and demonstrating the authority and power of the Democratic Party by putting it on offense rather than defense.

Another interesting approach would be to not allow these Representatives to be seated until they attend a class on Constitutional Law (yes, like driving school), taught by an independent and respected professor who would explain to them the meaning of what they did in detail, and make sure they were able to retake their oath of office with full understanding. Exceptional times need to be dealt with by exceptional measures, or else the most brazen authoritarian forces will continue to feel free to push ahead unchecked, as they have been doing.

My nonviolent community of troublemakers and I are here as a resource for you. Call any time.

Yours, Joan Baez"