One of the regular writers who posts at Lincoln Square is a political science professor named Kristoffer Ealy. I’ve cited him before, because I have found his posts particularly perceptive, and a recent one especially so.
The post is lengthy, and primarily focuses on the issue of celebrity endorsements–when they help and when they don’t. (As Ealy says, he’s done his research–not “research” like the MAGA vaccine “experts” “who’ve watched three YouTube videos, misread a Facebook meme, and now think they’re qualified to run the FDA.”) If that is a subject that interests you, his observations are well worth clicking through and reading.
But along with the discourse on proper deployment of celebrities and their endorsements, one observation really caught my attention and made me feel much better about this daily blog, which–as I have long understood–is an exercise in “preaching to the choir.” (Aside from a couple of intermittent trolls, virtually everyone who visits here is anti-MAGA and horrified by Trump. I haven’t changed anyone’s mind; I may at best have amplified the reasons for our common angst and anger.)
Ely writes:
My friend Reecie Colbert’s line belongs in marble: don’t underestimate preaching to the choir, because the choir sings.
People throw around “preaching to the choir” like it’s meaningless, like the only thing that matters is converting some mythical swing voter who spends weekends reading white papers and sipping tea. That is not how elections are won. Elections are won by the people who already agree with you actually showing up. The choir is not dead weight. The choir is infrastructure. The choir is the group chat that becomes a phone bank. The choir is the “did you vote yet?” text at 7:12 p.m. The choir is the auntie who makes sure everyone in the family is registered. The choir is the volunteer who knocks doors even when it’s hot and everybody’s mad and the vibes are rancid. The choir is the person who drives someone to the polls. The choir is the person curing ballots and checking signatures and doing the unglamorous democracy maintenance that never trends. (Emphasis mine…for obvious reasons.)
Ealy is absolutely correct to say that the most important job of a campaign is to energize the choir and increase its volume–to turn passive agreement into action. And as he points out, the real problem in politics is not persuasion, but behavioral follow-through.
People say they support you and then they don’t vote. They say they care and then they don’t register. They say they’re outraged and then they don’t show up because it’s raining. The gap between attitude and behavior is where elections go to die.
This blog speaks to commenters –and the “lurkers” I frequently encounter– about matters upon which we largely agree.
I have assumed that my writing and posting here is an extension of my twenty-one years in a university classroom: to explain, to interpret, to share information that many readers are unlikely to have encountered. Ealy disagrees. He says the purpose of preaching to the choir is to motivate concrete behavior.
Just as pastors and rabbis and Imams exhort their “audiences”/parishioners to act in conformity to their religious tenets, the job of those of us who “preach” politically is to turn opinion into action.
I pondered that insight.
There is research suggesting that people who make a public vow to take a specified action are more likely to follow through. Accordingly, I would be very appreciative if those of you who read these daily rants and agree with the need to reclaim the America we thought we inhabited would make some sort of public commitment–in a comment here, or on Facebook or Bluesky, Threads, or some other place or platform. Confirm your intent to vote, to attend protests, to register or transport voters, send postcards, volunteer for a campaign…whatever it is that you are prepared to do.
A flood of such public promises to turn opinion into action and increase the choir’s singing volume– would both confirm Ealy’s observations and make me feel much less useless….
I read and agree with most all you write. I just volunteered to work for J D Ford. Good motivation!
ICE is setting up an office in Carmel. Time to find out details and take action.
Sheila dear, you are anything but useless. You provide a place for so many of us to express our ideas, a place where we learn how to put those ideas into action, and a place to connect with others. In other words every group of singers needs a choirmaster.
My public commitment: I will continue to vote in every election for candidates who will work for liberty and justice for all. I will continue to write to my state and federal representatives on the issues that matter most to me. I will continue to read this blog, HCR, and Joyce Vance daily. I will continue to read my local paper and to write letters to the editor and op-eds when inspired or requested. I have marked my calendar and will show up for the 3rd No Kings Day on March 28. I will stay connected with like-minded people and engage in self-care to nurture hope where there is sometimes despair.
Agree completely. I registered to be a delegate for the Democratic State convention June 6th.
I am preparing an email to my “choir” about the potential for ICE in Carmel. I will also refer them to today’s column by Sheila. It is so powerful. I will also protest, vote and help as I can. Thank you, Sheila.
I hate to keep referring to my anecdotal work on the Charlie Kirk assassination, but the experience confirms my political theories. Most of the commenters here understand there is a major problem in the US because people (voters) are stupid and easily distracted by “bread and circuses.”
Politicians are elected by the oligarchs, as evidenced by the last election, in which money determined winners. Trump is a known entity and has been a bullshit artist his entire life, but people actually believed it would be different this time (this is a perfect example of insanity). If the oligarchs throw enough money at our corrupt media, they can make him look palatable and even believe he was a “change agent.” How do we fix that with action?
I read an interesting article from a Chinese journalist basically telling us to keep our democracy and kiss his ass. One corrupt official in the mix and he was tossed immediately to the wolves, whereas, in the “democratic leader for the free world,” corruption IS the norm.
One of the commenters wrote with a skit from South Park, “As in the attached Instagram clip, ‘MAGA is the dumbest fucking cult in the history of cults. It’s literally people with four teeth defending people with six yachts.”
“You can’t fix stupid!” ~ Forrest Gump
Yes the “choir members” are already converts to the cause. But they all have family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors who are MAGA people, and more important, wavering independants; and they know how to post what you say to social media and use the “SHARE” button on their screens. And they do. Its called networking, and its powerful. At least a dozen of my circle now read your blog with some regularity because I was able to send them one choice, thoughtful column on a topic that I knew would “pop” with them.
Don’t quit! You are making a difference.
Sheila, never minimize your own effective good work! I hope you are reassured that your readers count on your keeping on just as we are. Thank you for every word. Thanks also for the resulting possibility of networking with other readers. Indivisible of Indiana posted last week of accelerated ICE activity in Indiana and with C. Latas’ comment, I now know where. I sent Indivisible’s warning and hotline number to my immigrant and non immigrant friends.
Connie Latas, I want to know more about ICE setting up in Carmel, and would like to be on your mailing list, please and thank you. JoAnn Giannini. [email protected]
Laurie Gray said all I am thinking this
morning. I commit publicly to do what she listed. I live in KY and as part of SURJ we are doing neighborhood canvassing ahead of our fall elections.
I commit to continue networking, contacting legislators, attending protest marches, donating to ACLU, supporting other resistance organizations and, of course, voting.
This Is interesting. I didn’t realize how many things I was doing until I listed them. Thanks, Sheila. I’ll keep preaching to my choir, too.
I am 72 and live in Casa Grande, AZ where I am committed to continuing participation in all anti-ICE and No Kings protests here in town. There are 3-4 each month scheduled so far in February and March. Sheila, thanks for all that you do!
On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.
So substitute “US Law” for Scout law, and delete the “morally straight” part until we can figure out what that means in 2026, and I’m amazed how much the Scout Oath sounds like the oath you’re talking about.
Or maybe
___, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God
Or, maybe one more…
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
The constant theme is to protect the governing laws and COnstitution, and to defend our nation. Now, who here thinks Donald Trump and his MAGAt minions could really take any of these oaths.
ICE in Carmel will be interesting. Lilly and others have brought a lot on “non-Americans” to Indiana, and provide high paying jobs. Will this be one more attack on historically very Republican Hamilton County, to go along with the assualt by the Indiana Legislature?
I’ll take the oath…to defend this country from enemies foreign and domestic, to honor the Constitution, to follow the law, and to help others…
Thank you, Professor, for showing me that the little I am able to do is not insignificant.
Tonight, I will attend a town hall hosted by State Rep. Carey Hamilton and State Sen, Fady Qaddoura along with an IMPD North District officer. Sharing information like this means carefully framing the message to avoid the “politics” ban on some social media shared platforms.
Sharing information, attending meetings, marching, protesting, donating, communicating, supporting, yard signs, registering and encouraging family, friends, and neighbors to vote not matter their leanings. Once they are engaged, there is chance for understanding the issues. It all makes a difference.
RESIST.
Neibuhr was one of the great theologians that appeared to be all over the map, but was loved by Obama and Carter because of gis progressive stance on politics. Caring about the poor and oppressed is what we should do if we are focusing on the tenets of religious beliefs. The problem we are facing is that Islam is finally being called out on its homophobic and misogynistic approach. In London where they govern, Jews cannot walk the streets safely anymore. So why aren’t we noticing whats heading to America?
Pastors who fled Africa tell us of the beheadings
I will continue to attend “No Kings” and related protests/marches, and to connect with my also outraged buddies about the danger from within the Orange skin. Writing to my congresspeople is useless in Florididia!! Will my rep. ever, again, hold a public meeting…Ha! Dirtbag!
Sheila, you are, as has been written, not at all useless.
Todd, ” It’s literally people with four teeth defending people with six yachts,” is so perfect!
I will be signing up as a poll worker once again. Especially so as my county, Shasta, Registrar of Voters is now a MAGA-basted lunatic. Yes, even in sunny California there are pockets of Trump-derangement.
I’m 81 and my wife is almost 81. We are deeply involved in local political events, always vote, attend almost all demonstrations and would stand in 3 feet of snow for hours to vote against the rabble that is ruining our country. Great column, Sheila.
As a former Federal government employee, I’ve taken the oath six times. Even though I’m now retired, I still take the obligation seriously. I donate to candidates I support, participated in the No Kings rallies and I will be at the March 28th rally. I’ve been working to get the rector at my Church to speak out more forcefully,. She finally did last week. I’m planning to take the All Saints weekly email to church this week as an example of how a small congregation can make a big difference.. I’m trying to recruit people for the March rally.
Sheila, I will have to agree with other commenters regarding your value to the choir. The contribution you make every day is immeasurable, if only because you make us stop and think. There are precious few who are able to do that seven days a week. Thank you!
Not all who identify as Democrats are (D)ecent, and not all who identify as Republicans are c(R)uel, but as a generalization, both are mostly true as demonstrated by actions taken by the Partys.
So, the meme reads:
Vote for (D)ecency
Not for C(R)uelty!
Called my state representative today asking them to vote against SB 76 that would require local agencies, including law enforcement, to participate in immigration detention efforts in Indiana. Further emailed 2 friends in Carmel asking them to call their legislator: Rep Danny Lopez 317-232-9735 District 39. If Carmel can turn more blue, that could have a significant impact. Readers of this can call the House switchboard at 800-382-9842 to ask their representative to vote “NO” on SB76.
I promise to vote, and to encourage all my friends, family, and acquaintances to confirm their voter’s registrations and government IDs are correct and up to date, and to vote both in the primary and in the general election. I know I will do more than this, but these seem to be the things that can change who is in charge.