DOGE Firings Ignite Take Down Tesla Movement Worldwide

“I’m not a Nazi.”- Elon Musk

As the Tesla Takedown protests against Elon Musk and Tesla spill out into the streets of America and worldwide this weekend, it’s this quote I’m thinking of. My first thoughts are that if this is the case Elon, then you shouldn’t be doing Nazi salutes, like if you aren’t a Klansman, then you shouldn’t wear a Klan outfit. Though wearing a Klan outfit doesn’t mean you’re in the KKK, you could see how people could be confused by this, right?

People are rightfully angry at this gesture, but we need to understand the greater context here. After all, Tesla’s flagship Freemont facility has dealt with systemic racism, going back to 2022. Workers at the Tesla plant have reported racist graffiti on the walls, pervasive instances of racial slurs, and discrimination in pay and promotion.

What values are Elon Musk reflecting with this salute, and what has Elon Musk done to address the situation at the Freemont plant? Ultimately, the company culture at any company flows from the top-down, and it is Elon Musk’s responsibility to reflect Tesla’s values.

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The recent DOGE firings have ignited the Tesla Takedown protests for a number of reasons. The first reason is the Trump administration’s creation of the DOGE department without congressional approval. By doing so, the administration has subverted the law. Also, by putting Elon Musk in charge of its administration, it has subverted the democratic process, as Elon Musk is an un-elected official.

Elon’s administration of DOGE has also created a privileged access management issue, as he has no government experience, so he shouldn’t have access to systems that contain highly sensitive taxpayer information. DOGE has also already made several multi-billion dollar reporting mistakes, showing both its incompetence as well as how official government organizations don’t have a monopoly on incompetence.

Above:  A Tesla Model 3 in Downtown Kansas City

Musk’s hiring of Edward Coristine as part of the DOGE department has also only made it clear that he has no idea what he’s doing. For some background, Mr. Coristine is a teenager whose online moniker is “Big Balls,”and who was previously fired for leaking confidential company information.

Despite the absurdity of the situation, Elon Musk’s actions are having serious negative impacts on American’s lives. People like now former National Park Ranger Brian Gibb’s life was recently turned upside down as a result of Elon Musk & DOGE’s actions. His Facebook post went viral in a recent wave of DOGE firings.

Brian writes, “I am absolutely heartbroken and completely devastated to have lost my dream job of an Education Park Ranger with the National Park Service this Valentine’s Day. Access to my government email was denied mid-afternoon and my position was ripped out from out under my feet after my shift was over at 3:45 pm on a cold snowy Friday. Additionally, before I could fully print off my government records, I was also locked out of my electronic personal file that contained my secure professional records.

Please know and share this truth widely:

I am a father, a loving husband, and dedicated civil servant.

I am an oath of office to defend and protect the constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic.

I am a work evaluation that reads “exceeds expectations."

I am the "fat on the bone."

I am being trimmed as a consequence of the popular vote

I am a United States flag raiser and folder

I am my son's "Junior Ranger" idol

I am of the place where I first told my spouse I loved her

I am a college kid’s dream job

I am the smiling face that greets you at the front door

I am your family vacation planner

I am a voice for 19 American Indian cultures

I am the protector of 2500 year old American Indian burial and ceremonial mounds

I am the defender of your public lands and waters

I am the motivation to make it up the hill

I am a generational cycle breaker

I am the toilet scrubber and soap dispenser

I am the open trail hiked by people from all walks of life

I am the highlight of your child’s school day

I am the band aid for a skinned knee

I am the lesson that showed your children that we live in a world of gifts- not commodities, that gratitude and reciprocity are the doorway to true abundance, not power, money, or fear.

I am the one who taught your kid the thrush’s song and the hawk’s cry.

I am the wildflower that brought your student joy

I am the one who told your child that they belong on this planet. That their unique gifts and existence matters.

I am an invocation for peace

I am gone from the office

I am the resistance

But mostly I'm just tired.

I am tired from weeks of being bullied and censored by billionaires

I am tired of waking up every morning at 2am wondering how I am going to provide for my family if I lose my job

I am tired of wiping away my wife’s tears and reassuring her that things will be ok for us and our growing little family that she's carrying.

Things are not ok. I am not ok. (This is the second time in under five years a dream job I worked has been eliminated. Now I may need to uproot my FAMILY again.)

Stay present, don't avert your gaze.

Until our paths cross down the trail,

Fare thee well, Ranger Brian.”

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Brian, it’s because of people like you that America is as great a country that it is. No one deserves to struggle like you have because people like Elon Musk don’t understand what’s important in life. America has become obsessed with what we are and not with who we are, but the only thing that matters in life is who we are. However, America will not survive if we continue to value what we are over who we are. The planet, our communities, and our government cannot sustain it.

The richest man in the world has taken away your job, but he will never take away your soul. Elon Musk thinks his values are stronger than ours Brian, but they’re not. I agree with you that Elon Musk is a bully, so we must stand up to him as such.

The Taking Down Tesla movement is just beginning, and a large part of that is the battle for who who we are as Americans. Your story of being fired Brian is reflective of an America I don’t want to be a part of. Furthermore, no American should ever be punished for trying to make a positive impact on someone else’s life.