‘No Independence Day’ grift joins the fray

A newly formed advocacy group that appears to be just one man with a penchant for social media is calling on Americans to sit out this year’s Fourth of July celebrations.

The “group,” The People’s Union USA, is urging supporters to forgo parades, fireworks, and flag-waving in what it describes as an “economic blackout” in protest of recent political and corporate developments, and especially in light of President Donald Trump regaining the White House.

The organization, founded in February by Chicago-based activist and meditation guide John Schwarz, who goes by the name “TheOneCalledJai” online, has framed the boycott as a response to a series of grievances, including recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests, rollbacks of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives by major corporations, imagined suppression of street protests, and the policies enacted under the Trump Administration.

Schwarz is a bit of a cult figure and there’s little evidence that there is actually a group behind him. Although he says chapters are popping up all over the country, there only seems to be one chapter besides his Chicago headquarters, and it’s in Portland, Ore.

He is also calling for a month-long boycott of major retailers including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Starbucks, and Home Depot — companies he has repeatedly targeted in past 2025 campaigns.

Schwarz’ People’s Union USA advocates economic resistance as a tool to combat what it calls “corporate greed, political corruption, and social injustice.” His rise has been rapid, largely fueled by Schwarz’s robust social media presence on Instagram and TikTok, where he has accumulated over 600,000 followers. The group raised $119,000 through GoFundMe by March to support its operations and has received public endorsements from celebrities such as Bette Midler and Stephen King. It may have funding from Hollywood stars, in addition to the GoFundMe

The July 4th boycott is the latest in a series of coordinated efforts by the People’s Union. Recent actions have included:

• May 20–26: second Walmart boycott
• June 3–9: Target boycott
• June 24–30: McDonald’s boycott
• All of July: Amazon, Starbucks, Home Depot boycotts

Instead of participating in national celebrations, The People’s Union USA wants Americans to eschew what it calls “performative patriotism.”

Meanwhile, the “No Kings” coalition — an alliance of groups including Indivisible, the ACLU, and the Service Employees International Union — is planning a major national protest on July 17 titled “Good Trouble Lives On.” 

The event commemorates the fifth anniversary of the death of Congressman John Lewis and aims to mobilize mass demonstrations against what organizers describe as attacks on democracy and civil rights.

The group is hoping to attract more black Americans to its cause. Previously, the No Kings movement has been almost exclusively white and remarkably elderly.

No Kings leaders continue to focus on long-term movement-building efforts such as:

• One Million Rising: A leadership training campaign launched June 18 aiming to equip one million Americans to organize local, anti-Trump efforts.
• Targeted Economic Pressure: Ongoing boycotts of companies like Tesla and calls to pressure its partners—including a “Musk Must Fall” protest staged on June 28, which was Elon Musk’s 54th birthday.
• Grassroots Infrastructure: Community organizing, town halls, and candidate recruitment efforts driven by the 3.5% theory, which ways that just 3.5% of a population in sustained nonviolent protest can spark systemic political change.

As of this writing, there’s no indication that Alaskans will be sitting out the Fourth of July, with the exception of those who already skip the holiday for their own reasons.