November 2026 Town hall – Common Sense in the Age of Trump
Town Hall to discuss new book which is based on Tom Paine’s common Sense book that helped inspire the American revolution.
The Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice invites you to a special community town hall on Tuesday, November 17, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church. Our guests are the four Delaware authors of Common Sense in the Age of Trump: A Guide to Keeping Our Republic — a timely book that arrives as our nation marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Let us be clear about one thing at the outset: this is a non-partisan event. Support for democracy and for America’s founding ideals is not the property of any political party. Whatever your political persuasion, the right to vote, the rule of law, and equal justice under that law are values every American should be able to stand behind. Protecting them is a shared civic duty — and that is the spirit in which we gather.
We believe this conversation is especially urgent right now. Black voting rights and mail-in voting have come under sustained attack, and the Supreme Court’s gutting of the Voting Rights Act has weakened protections that generations fought and sacrificed to win. America cannot be a true democracy when whole segments of its population have their right to vote compromised. Attacks on the judiciary and the rule of law — and on immigrants who are people of color — are inconsistent with genuine democracy. When our courts are undermined, so is one of the few avenues Americans — and particularly people of color — have for the redress of their grievances.
Drawing on the spirit of Thomas Paine’s 1776 pamphlet, Common Sense in the Age of Trump offers a passionate defense of constitutional democracy, a clear-eyed critique of authoritarianism, and practical, effective actions ordinary citizens can take to protect the Republic they love.
The Star Power Behind the Book
This is a rare chance to hear from an accomplished panel of fellow Delawareans — an author and law professor, a state senator, a mayor, and a historian:
- Ronald K.L. Collins — law professor and author of several books, including Tragedy on Trial: The Infamous Emmett Till Murder.
- Russell “Russ” Huxtable — Delaware State Senator for Sussex County.
- Amy L. Marasco — Mayor of Lewes, Delaware.
- Paul M. Sparrow — former Director of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and former Senior Vice President of the Newseum in Washington, D.C.
The book’s reach extends well beyond Delaware. It features a foreword by U.S. Congresswoman Sarah McBride and advance praise from U.S. Congressman Jamie Raskin, who calls it “the handbook that we need,” and from ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero.
Bring your questions, bring your neighbors, and bring your commitment to a fairer, freer country. Admission is free and open to the public. Join us on Monday, November 17, from 6 to 8 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church as we talk together about how we keep our Republic — for all of us.
