I have often opined that there is one question that dominates times like these. That question is: what do we do?
It’s one thing to understand the importance of resistance to Trump and his clear intention to implement the proposals in Project 2025–it’s another to figure out how, to answer the question: what can an individual do? I’ve wrestled with that question in previous posts, but it is obvious that a true resistance will require the emergence of a movement, the creation of a variety of organizations cooperating to restrain, delay and when possible, reverse the damage.
An article from the website “Waging Nonviolence” addressed that issue.
No analysis will change the fact that the election delivered a serious blow to America’s most vulnerable communities, and promises to deliver a devastating setback for economic and social justice. It’s understandable that many of us are taking this moment to grieve for what we have lost–very much including (at least in my case) a belief in the essential good sense of the American public.
But even amidst our feelings of sorrow or hopelessness, we can recognize that political conditions are not static. As we step out of our grieving and look ahead, there are reasons to believe that a new social movement cycle to confront Trumpism can emerge. And in making this happen, we can draw on lessons from what has worked in the past and what we know can be effective in confronting autocrats. Our job will be to take advantage of the moments of opportunity that arise in coming months to hold the line against Trump’s authoritarianism — and also link them to a vision for creating the transformative change we need in our world.
The article went on to explain why we can expect resistance movements to emerge, especially the fact that the election was in all probability a “trigger event,” defined as a moment when
issues of social and economic injustice are thrown into the spotlight by a dramatic or expected public event: A shocking scandal, a natural disaster, a geopolitical conflict or an investigative report revealing gross misconduct stokes widespread outrage and sends people into the streets.
In 2016, Trump’s election itself served as a trigger event. A wide range of groups, from the liberal ACLU to the more radical Democratic Socialists of America, saw membership and donations surge as concerned progressives braced for what was expected to come from his administration. New groups also emerged, such as Indivisible, which began as a viral Google Doc about how to confront elected officials and compel them to resist the Trump administration. It then quickly grew into an organization with more than 4,000 affiliated local groups by 2021.
The article noted that two days after the election, a call that had been organized by a coalition of 200 groups — including the Working Families Party, MoveOn, United We Dream and Movement for Black Lives Action — drew well in excess of 100,000 people, and that thousands more signed up for follow-up gatherings.
There is a tendency by the “Chattering classes” (people like David Brooks of the New York Times) to minimize the importance and effects of mass protests. The author of the article conceded that marches and other mass protests cannot effect change merely by occuring. However, as he pointed out, they can and do motivate change and activate other efforts.
And they send the message that We the People have not abandoned hope and resolve.
If ever there was a time to allow ourselves a space for mourning as we contemplate the fate of our country, it is now. But ultimately, only we can save ourselves from despair. David Brooks intended to be dismissive in characterizing collective protest as “mass therapy,” but in one respect he is onto something: There is no better antidote to hopelessness than action in community.
Our past experience tells us that coming months and years will offer moments that trigger public revulsion. Social movements provide a unique mechanism for responding, creating common identity and purpose between strangers and allowing genuine, collective participation in building a better democracy. If we are to make it together through Trump’s second presidency and emerge in its aftermath to create the world we need, this may be our greatest hope. Indeed, it may be our only one.
Our choices are stark. We can either abandon ship, or join our like-minded friends and neighbors in efforts to make the one we’re in seaworthy.
“Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.” I try, I swear I try periodically throughout my days and sometimes my nights, to check for post-election conditions. But it is the same name beginning the reports that has plagued us for NINE YEARS, 24/7. I am going to try to watch Trump’s inauguration speech to attempt to form some idea of what to expect from the enemy. How can we resist? I fill out surveys and requests for feedback from organizations and candidates I supported financially; all end with asking for more donations, do my answers count on any of these surveys or feedback sites without my money?
Face it; the American government has finally imploded, it is now “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.” for the greatest, and obviously the strongest, home-grown terrorists with full government behind them to end democracy, Rule of Law and the Constitution of the United States of America. We will need a massive 21st Century Reconstruction period at the end of Trump’s 2024 presidential win…if there is anything left worth reconstructing or anyone left to do the reconstructing.
We will need movements such as the famous French underground strength and bravery after our years of American complacency under the protection of the Constitution which has being eaten away bit-by-bit as the “few” ruled the “many” and no one stopped any of it. Concentrate behind and before Trump’s 2016 “win” on one man; Mitch McConnell, who ran the Senate by doing nothing required of him by the Constitution. Today it is the same old/same old with that old Kentuckian behind the curtain in the land of Oz we currently inhabit.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!???
Right on, Sheila. In the aftershock, I am trying to figure out which of my news sources provide me “actionable information.” (Yeah, I hate that term, too, as any lawyer would!) As a practical matter, there isn’t a damn thing I can do to thwart Trump’s latest cabinet nominee, so why am I wasting time learning more about that benighted individual? For the time being, I have replaced CNN and MSNBC with classical music while I make an inventory of news sources that I can use to effect change here in Indiana. (Okay, “Morning Edition” is on while I write this.) Any advice from you or your legion of followers?
There is endless questioning going on now on TV and in print media over “what went wrong for Democrats?”
I think the answers are simple, and I wouldn’t change a thing.
We waged a war of truth-based ideas about governance for 100 days, while Mar-A-Lago waged a cultural war based on a 50/50 mix of truth and lies for 3,200 days.
Mar-A-Lago won, and the Constitution lost.
The problem is our culture privileged to be the safest, most comfortable humans ever.
We have met the enemy of liberty, and she is us.
Bill, other readers have mentioned they read Heather Cox Anderson’s daily blog on Substack. She’s a daily must read for me.
Anderson provides historical perspective to our current politics. Our journey as a country hasn’t been a smooth, upward path—-despite what we were taught in school.
We’ve been here before. What we don’t know is what the future holds.
Well, all this pearl clutching, demonstration and “communal therapy” is fine and good, but the removal of Trump/Vance will have to be an inside job. I’m certain that those two monsters will insulate themselves from any screaming from the people and, because they have a Republican Congress and corrupt SCOTUS, they will simply ignore and/or suppress any real media that is counter to their agenda.
Yeah. Happy Thanksgiving. Be sure to write down what you’re thankful for this year.
Michael, the name is Heather Cox Richardson, and I agree that her column is my must read first thing each morning.
When we came out to protest police brutality and murder of George Floyd, we were eventually met with rubber bullets, I imagine if we are protesting him personally his protest ninjas will be deployed. The DC police were deployed in full force during the the first women’s march to protect the anaugaration porta pottys from being used by the women and children. I remember a dad with a toddler crying and running past the he hundreds of porta pottys to find a bathroom, the cop said he would arrest the dad if he tried to take his child. The cruelty they intend to inflict is not on just those they other.
Here’s the big question I have, has any society stopped this kind of authoritarianism without a war? His cabinet may be unqualified yet there’s a line of repubs chopping at the bit to replace him and carry out the project 2025 agenda.
The damage he is going to cause on day 1 is going to take years to unravel. It’s not as though we even know if we can win another election as Democrats can’t in Indiana due willful ignorance and down right hate.
Enduring his term will be bad enough but it is not as though everything is going to back to what it was before him. He was willing to let thousands of Americans die during COVID to prove he was right, he wasn’t and over a half million were willing to sacrifice their lives for him. I think we are greatly underestimating the destruction they have planned.
I am boycotting Amazon, supporting smaller businesses, speaking up for those underserved in our community, paying better attention to local issues, and preparing myself and my family for the storm ahead. If these billionaires start losing their fortunes, maybe then we can start to make a difference. A handful of companies run this place- this is not good in any way. These monopolies or duopolies, etc. impact our food, news, environmental issues, fuel, competition, justice, jobs, fair wages, housing, and our political and economic environments overall. Money/business is their love language and we need to hit them where it hurts.
In a moment of desiring revenge on “what went wrong”, I would like to brand the phrase “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” on Merrick Garland’s forehead.
Having gotten that out of my system, joining with others in community is our job now. I will look into “Indivisible” because I like the idea. It is early, and I do not want to exhaust my limited energies by reacting to every new outrage. Rather, I will choose the cause that is closest to my own heart and trust that others will do the same.
I agree that organized resistance will be needed, but today’s Washington Post piece, Why American democracy will survive by Eva Bellin and Kurt Weyland, gave me some solace. I recommend it. https://wapo.st/4i9kLWo
Work to change the Electoral College. Tell the Indiana legislators that we want “assigned” voting so that the % of Dems still get counted in electoral votes – why throw the whole lot in ? We need to get our votes counted in presidential election. Keep calling, writing etc to Todd Young. Republicans like him will be useful in defraying the influence of MAGA. Let Jim Banks know you oppose his support of Trump – NUMBERS matter. Young folks who are definitely more affected than us retirees need to take to the streets. Don’t just demonstrate on campus where there is going to be a crackdown on pro Gaza demonstrations – take it to the streets. As a retired person, I will do letter writing, phone calls, etc. In the meantime I will donate to organizations resisting, challenging. It so disgusts me that he has wheedled his grifting, lying way out of the judicial system that we have to do whatever to support organizations that resist his efforts.
Helen, 7:45 a.m.: “I think we are greatly underestimating the destruction they have planned.” This sentence says it all.
We never believed a foreign nation would ever attack America on our home ground, then came 9/11; we never believed that a fool such as Trump could possibly become president in 2016 and believed we could prevent his second presidency…but here we are. His Flying Monkeys are being named to his cabinet and his administration to complete the MAGA lineup of Flying Monkeys currently sitting in Congress as Trump’s criminal convictions are being removed one-by-one and upheld by Trump’s personal Supreme Court.
We aren’t in Kansas anymore and we certainly are not in America anymore.
I’m with Pete on this. It’s the American culture…or what is left of it.
When a banana taped to a wall sells at auction for 6.2 million dollars while homeless thousands camp under bridges and on city streets and the country elects a convicted felon and rapist to lead us one can safely say that as a nation we are lost.
It will take more than protests and keeping informed to fix what is left.
Pete and Theresa – WRITE/RIGHT ON!
Someone needs to show me how Indivisible, etc. impacted the recent election.
My group, CommonGoodGoverning, is in deep thought as to where to go next. Our original mission of electing servant leaders to Federal and State offices has been smashed by big money and gerrymandering. Two things we are discussing:
1. Work for more open primaries in more states. 2. Get more states to allow and have citizen ballot initiatives.
Discovered these folks just yesterday. Worth a look: https://www.lgbtmap.org/democracy-maps/direct_citizen_initiative_states
Wishing all a meaningful Thanksgiving. Pray for our country and world,
Whenever I see a poll that says Americans overwhelmingly approve of this or that policy, I think the American people are really progressive. Sadly I can’t say the same about the American voters.
It might be time to require all qualified citizens, 18 and over, to vote. If you think it’s both a right and a privilege to vote, shouldn’t it also be a duty? When that third of citizens who don’t vote now, discover that they must vote, those policies will have a much better chance of being implemented. That is, of course if they don’t watch FAUX or OAN or any other of Earth II news outlets.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
I’ve lost faith in America. It’s a Wonderful Life needs to be re-edited. Potterville has triumphed.
At age 72, I’m not sure I have the energy or faith to fight. Unfortunately, my outlook right now is that the nation deserves what it gets.