We the People S.O.A.R
Save Our American Republic
When asked what kind of government the American Constitutional Congress of 1787 had created, Benjamin Franklin famously replied,
“A Republic, if you can keep it.”
What is a Republic?
How is that different from the term "Democracy"?
We look to the root of the words for meaning.
“Democracy” is derived from the Greek:
Demos (δῆμος): This Greek word translates to "people" or "the common people".
Kratos (κράτος): This Greek word means "power," "strength," or "rule".
Demokratia (δημοκρατία): By combining these two words, "demos" and "kratos," the Greeks formed the word "demokratia," which literally means "rule by the people" or "people power".
The concept of democracy, and the word itself, originated in ancient Athens, where citizens participated in government and decision-making.
“Republic” comes from the Latin phrase “res publica”:
"Res": This Latin word translates to "thing" or "matter".
"Publica": This is the feminine form of "publicus," meaning "public" or "of the people".
Therefore, "res publica" literally means "the public thing" or "the people's affair".
The concept of a republic, as a form of government where power rests with the people, evolved from this Latin phrase.
A Democracy is the IDEA of a system of government and a Republic is the CONCRETE REPRESENTATION of that idea. For us, it is basically the same thing, and in 1787, the Constitutional Congress understood the roots of the words.
We are a Representative form of government (Republic) which derives its power from We The People (Democracy).
The power is We The People. One person, one vote.
Our American values reflect these ideals:
Representation for all
Equality and Equal Justice
Freedom from tyranny
Rule of Law and inviolable
Constitutional Rights
OUR VOICES DEMAND TO BE HEARD - OUR REPRESENTATIVES MUST LISTEN. When they don’t, we use our power to oppose. We show our power in many ways, even simply wearing a S.O.A.R. hat as a symbol of our American values, our belief in a Representative Democracy, and our personal commitment to civic participation. Article IV Section IV of the Constitution states: “The United States shall guarantee to every State in the Union a Republican form of Government” We The People are the Republic- the power rests with US.
Wear Your Voice, Every Action Matters
Save
Our American
Republic
Frequently Asked Questions
I feel helpless. What can I do? We can feel overwhelmed. We can feel angry and impotent. Opposition can start with a simple courageous act: - A Russian anti-war protesters holding up a blank sheet of paper; - British Prime Minister Starmer seen exiting 10 Downing Street to walk down the sidewalk to greet Ukrainian President Zelensky and giving him a big hug, as two human beings; - President Zelensky chose not to wear a suit but instead wearing black tactical gear- his clothing sending an anti-elite message to the world and declaring solidarity with the freedom-fighting Ukrainian people. - One way to send the message is to wear a S.O.A.R. hat! The word is spreading, and the more our symbol is seen and understood (people will ask you about it and you can refer them to the www.wethepeoplesoar.com website) the more traction we achieve in opposition to the authoritarian playbook. Wearing this hat makes you part of a movement. You are not alone. WE THE PEOPLE have a loud voice. Don’t forget to fly the Stars and Stripes- the American flag is a symbol of freedom and belongs to all Americans. Lastly, remember that the most important freedom is the right to vote. GET OUT THE VOTE! Register to vote, visit: https://vote.gov/
Where can I get information about current affairs written by truly knowledgeable persons I can trust? Michael Podhorzer on Substack: substack.com/@michaelpodhorzer Ruth Ben-Ghiat- Lucid on Substack: https://lucid.substack.com/ Daniel Ziblatt on Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/dziblatt.bsky.social Michael Schmidt at the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/by/michael-s-schmidt C-Span on TV The Associated Press https://apnews.com/ Reuters https://www.reuters.com/world/ FactCheck.org https://www.factcheck.org/ Snopes.com Politifact.com
How can I hold my own against verbal attacks and misinformation? Well, let’s admit that it’s a challenge to keep things cool when you feel that you are being verbally attacked. It will help to have information and responses that are thought out and truthful. Just do your best to educate yourself about a few topics. See our answer on "where to get information" for our personal recommendations.
We elected Trump so why are you being anti-American by undermining everything he tries to do? As Americans, we are guaranteed our 1st Amendment rights. I have the right to my opinion, and the right to voice that opinion- just like you. I do not want a convicted felon sitting in the oval office. Also, if Trump’s ideas are worthwhile, he should put those policies into bills which go before Congress where our representatives vote on those bills and we know how they vote- up or down. That is how a democratic representative government works. Ruling by Executive Order is a lot like ruling by royal decree, and having a king IS anti-American.
How can I contact the President, my Congressional Representatives AND how do I find local protests? Write a letter to the President: President Trump 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington, D.C. 20500 Email the President: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ Copy and paste the following links in your browser. Find and Contact your Representative: House of Representatives: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative.gov U.S. Senators: https://senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm Contact information for your local Representatives will be available on their homepage under “Contact”. Local Protests: https://www.fiftyfifty.one https://indivisable.org. wethepeoplesoar.com
Why should I wear blue and not red? BLUE references the blue coats worn by the American Revolutionaries. As opposed to RED: the Redcoats fought in America in support of the British oligarchy and continued colonial oppression in America. Blue represents freedom from oppression, tyranny and corrupt political-class rulers.