Not long after 47 was elected, I started looking for ways to get into what John Lewis called “good trouble”—without getting myself into real trouble.

When the National Park employees protested by hanging an upside-down flag off El Capitan in Yosemite, I thought, “That is brilliant.” It got press, it was borderline controversial, and the message was clear. It quickly became a protest symbol. I have one that I often bring with me. I’ve flown it both directions. To me, the flag still belongs to the people, so I do a half-and-half.

I have allergies and asthma, and tree season has really limited my ability to protest—mask or not. That got me thinking about other ways to keep our message in the public eye. What are some nonviolent but provocative ways to get the point across?

I found a great list from a Reddit user, though it was later taken down—probably because some of the suggestions could get a person into serious trouble in today’s climate. (Though a time may come when those ideas become necessary—let’s hope not.)

Lately, I’ve been trying to come up with prank-style ideas that might attract media attention. For a guy who loves pranks, it’s been surprisingly hard. You can mail a letter to your congressperson, but if you do anything unusual with the envelope or contents, it could trigger alarm—and that’s a federal offense. I do like the anti-fascism stickers I see around town. They seem harmless enough as long as they’re not put on personal property.

You get attention through the five senses:

• Sight: A sign, a flag, a bumper sticker—something unexpected in an everyday place.
  
• Sound: Music, drums, lyrics to a protest song.
  
• Smell, taste, and touch—those are trickier. Anywhere my imagination goes tends to veer into gross or problematic territory.
  

So that’s why I’m writing this. Consider it a creative challenge: How can we get our message out in bold, thought-provoking, and legal ways? I’d love to hear your ideas. Before you post, ask your inner voice: is this “good trouble” or “bad trouble”? Then share accordingly.

Please don’t downvote anyone’s creative ideas. This is hard work.