President Trump has let loose with a barrage of executive orders—with purges of government workers, takeovers of semi-independent organizations, and defunding of numerous institutions designed to help the American people. He closed the Department of Education, dismantled USAID, defunded FEMA and NOAH, ended Head Start and school lunches for the underprivileged while collecting billions on what some call his "get rich quick schemes." His administration is arresting graduate students for expressing opinions in op-eds, viciously scooping up and deporting people off streets and work sites, and deporting them to third countries without due process. He has attacked and extorted money from law firms, universities, and media companies. Now he deploys military troops into various cities in a show of force—is this a prelude to dictatorship? 

How do we stand up and push back on this authoritarian and kleptocratic takeover of our democracy? The speakers will review some examples of civil disobedience both American and international, and provide some suggestions for each of us to become a warrior in this battle to save democracy. This is an all-hands-on-deck time to save our country.

About the Speakers

Dr. Michael Baker recently retired from a 40-year career in general, vascular, and trauma surgery. He also served 30 years in the uniform of his country and retired from the U.S. Navy with the rank of rear admiral, having earned numerous awards including a Combat Action Ribbon and 3 Legion of Merit Awards. He currently teaches history, political science, and military affairs for the Osher LifeLong Learning (OLLI) Programs at UC Berkeley, Dominican University, Cal State East Bay, Cal State Channel Islands—and is on the Board of Governors of Commonwealth Club World Affairs. He teaches Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) to physicians in the United States, at military bases around the world, and most recently returned from his fifth tour in Ukraine teaching ATLS to physicians in that war-torn nation.

Jack Funk graduated with a BA in political science from UC San Diego in 1977. He received his JD from Berkeley School of law in 1980. Following law school, he worked as a trial attorney in the Contra Costa County Public Defender’s Office for 30 years. He has retired from the practice of law. He is currently president of the Martinez Education Foundation, which raises money to support schools in Martinez, and is also the chair of the Retiree Support Group of Contra Costa County, which is an organization created to protect retiree rights and interests. Since February of this year, he has been working with the Diablo Valley Resistance which is focused on activities that push back against the Trump political agenda.