Adam Fefer and Maria J. Stephan at Just Security have an excellent overview of some of the many ways people are resisting the abuses anti-democratic actions by the Trump administration, from veterans to businesses to clergy, including all kinds of people from all parts of the country.
Evidence shows that an increasing number of Americans from all walks of life and from various economic sectors and political identities disapprove of — and are refusing to accept — mounting abuses of power and anti-democratic actions by the Trump administration. These signs, whether small and subtle or vivid and public, indicate that the political winds are shifting.
They go on to describe four important and encouraging trends:
Expanding Resistance
The “No Kings” protests in October, possibly the largest single-day demonstration in U.S. history, occurred in 2,700 locations with an estimated 5 million to 7 million participants, including in deeply red areas.
Engaging Strategically for Democracy
There is no one-size-fits-all formula for effective individual and collective action ...
Some will most effectively defend their freedoms by speaking out ...
Others will be most effective by engaging in public action ...
Still others will maximize their efforts by standing in the way ...
Building Broad Alliances
Even conservative-leaning constituencies in deep blue Los Angeles County, such as the Chamber of Commerce, the Farm Bureau, the Sheriff’s Office, veterans organizations, and faith groups, broke with the Trump administration over ICE raids and National Guard deployments. Their actions have included police protecting protesters, Chamber of Commerce statements condemning ICE activity and affirming the role of immigrants in LA’s economy, farmworker labor strikes, lawsuits against ICE raids at houses of worship, and an alliance between the LA Archdiocese and local businesses to provide critical services to immigrant families.
Facilitating Loyalty Shifts and Inclusion
Faith leaders, businesspeople, and conservative workers and professionals need to know that there will be spiritual, social, and financial backing to help them weather storms when they shift support away from a corrupt and abusive regime. They should believe they are contributing to a bigger project and will thrive in a world without authoritarian governance. This type of solidarity action and big-tent organizing is gaining strength, and is the way to normalize pro-democratic behavior.
Fefer and Stephan have extensive knowledge about maintaining healthy democracies and fostering civil resistance against authoritarianism. This overview is both an encouraging summary of the many ways that our neighbors are resisting, and a gateway to learning more about what has worked to restore democratic norms in other places.
For me, it also reinforces my sense that finding ways to work together with all kinds of people to defeat government abuses is both possible and effective.
