By Brandt Mannchen
On Saturday, October 18, 2025, my wife and I marched, protested, and rallied for democracy in Houston, Texas. We came to Discovery Green to see what the “No Kings” protest was like and stayed to march to City Hall, shout chants, and show that we don’t support President Trump’s policies and police state tactics for citizens or non-citizens in the United States of America.
Already in the Conservation and Environmental part of our lives I have seen what is in store for those who believe and support in a present and future that is based upon humans as one living thing on Earth that has a right to exist and evolve but also includes the right of all other living and non-living things to exist and evolve.
For me, I have seen the government, which before President Trump stated it wanted citizens to be partners, stakeholders, and participants in the protection and management our public lands, forests, parks, wildlife refuges, conservation lands, and other lands that we own, reject collaboration and cooperation that before was stated as a regular part of our laws, policies, rules, and regulations.
I have seen public servants, who before were friendly to my suggestions and advances for protection and management of our public lands, put up a wall of resistance against accepting citizen comments in the spirit of give and take to make proposed projects greener for us now and in the future.
I have seen the government delay, refuse, and mislead with words the right of citizens to obtain documents that we own. The rule of law, via the Freedom of Information Act, is treated as a formality, not a right and a legal mandate.
In some ways this has been coming for years, but under President Trump this kind of inappropriate behavior and illegal and criminal action now is policy that is demanded of all public servants at the risk of being fired if they resist and obey the law.
This cannot stand and we must fight against it. Democracy is about resistance to tyranny and the demand for rights of people to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The pursuit of happiness is much harder with no environmental protection, public lands, and with public lands that are degraded or destroyed.
That’s why I’m glad we marched, protected, and rallied with thousands of others on October 18th. We must demand and win our rights to enjoy and protect our public lands every day we live. There is no other way!