There are two simple things that will determine our fate:
1. How many of us sustain active resistance and how many of us let our fear turn us into bystanders.
2. How many Democrats become active collaborators with fascism by normalizing and legitimating Trump/Putin by working with their regime.
The numbers and percentages matter. They are the difference between democracy and dictatorship.
The rest is the details.
In a room of 100: 3 resistors, speaking to the whole and standing to confront 1 fascist, can convert 96 bystanders into resistors!
3 vs 1 = 99% for the 100%
That’s our math. Study, practice and prepare, then execute with love.
We must continue to take all possible steps to stop Trump/Putin from seizing power and work to bring down their regime if they do. And we must demand that Democrats join the resistance:
- #DontInaugurateHate and join the women’s March instead
Anything less is legitimation, normalization and collaboration with hate, racism and violence.
The two most dangerous normalizing and legitimating positions that we must challenge aggressively if we are going to defend democracy and human rights are:
- I will work with Trump when he is trying to do good things and fight him when he is trying to do bad things.
- I still need to “win” things for my constituency under the Trump administration. He is in power so we have to work with him.
Choosing to “get things done for your constituents” because “Trump is in power” means the active sacrifice of some of your constituents and other communities. This is how that old “First they came for the communists” or “First they came for the Muslims” thing works. They don’t just come for them. The come offering some of us a crumb for being silent or participating in the persecution of others of us. Then eventually someone gets a crumb to throw us under the bus (or gas chamber, or immigrant relocation camp, etc). If no one takes a crumb in the first place fascism can’t take root.
Building “The Wall” will be done with “Good Union Jobs” so will constructing Muslims registries and interment camps. Some are wondering where to “draw the line” or waiting for Trump to cross it. There is a line and it was crossed by Trump long ago. How many people will literally die because they won’t have health care anymore? How can any of us actively legitimate that by collaborating with this regime? Boasting about violence against women, having elected officials copy you and then say they did it to follow you, and then commit to defunding all of the federal laws that protect violence against women? Who can still go to the inauguration after that? Cowards and the delusional.
There is only one position that will prevent the slide into fascism and the dismantling of our democracy. A sustained and resolute commitment to bring down the Trump regime as quickly as possible. That should be the unified and shared goal of the resistance.
We do that by trying to cripple the ability of the Trump regime to govern and operate, through becoming #Ungovernable. The other way we do that is by advancing our visions and values at home. Now is also the perfect time to make bold progress and advance our values in our neighborhoods, cities and states. Accelerate the work to build a stronger, more loving and resilient Union today. Our work at home, if done with great care, will transform everything.
Shoulders back
Chin up
let our song and laughter
ring out
Hold on tight to
Little hands
Familiar skin and
The protective embrace
Of those you just met
We are one
Unbowed, unbought, and unbossed
We are unstoppable