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Friends,
Today I published an article in Waging Nonviolence chronicling "How the Disney boycott beat the FCC’s censorship push." It's an important story to tell — because it tells a key winning story. Few know that the boycott moved over 1.7 million unsubscribes (!) — we are not alone.
Reminders that we're part of a bigger "we" are important — another reason we hope to see you all at your local October 18th No Kings action.
And for cities facing National Guard deployments, I wrote this guide "So the National Guard is (or might be) coming to your city?"
Yes, we'll need the protests, the blocking, the boycotts — and even still, there are many other roles needed right now. Amidst the rapid response, I wanted to affirm some of those folks addressing root causes, too.
A recent exchange with a colleague feels telling.
She's an organizer in restorative justice. She was planning a workshop for her crew working to build systems that divert people convicted of violent offenses away from prisons and into victim-led restorative processes. I happened to be helping their team plan. Off-handedly, mostly as a joke, she said: “I mean, it’s not the most IMPORTANT work to be doing right now.” Then she looked at me — meaning, compared to the fast-paced fight against authoritarian takeover.
The comment stopped me. On the one hand, yes. If the authoritarian consolidates power, many, many, many, many things will get harder. It becomes much harder to interrupt our current carceral system.
But that’s not all.
I responded firmly: “I’m working on the burning flames, but you all are working on what’s feeding that fire in the first place. You all are working on some root causes of violence and breakdown."
We don’t get to authoritarianism without societal breakdowns — economic inequality, destruction of community ties, or a justice system with holes so big one can turn it in a matter of months into a weapon against Trump critics (from James Comey and Letitia James, to grassroots groups wrongly deemed domestic terrorists).
There are many roots that feed authoritarianism — and working on those roots, as fruitless as it can feel in this moment, is more important than ever.
adrienne maree brown reminds us that change doesn’t happen in linear processes. Sometimes it looks like it’s crawling uphill at a snail’s pace — and then suddenly it spills rapidly, like a waterfall.
The root work matters. For those of you carrying it forward, I want to offer encouragements.
There are many roots, and I love hearing the different ways people are digging. One dear friend organized parents into Wait Until 8th — a growing national movement of families pledging not to give their kids cell phones and social media access until at least 8th grade (I’ve signed on). Social media has devastating effects, especially on developing brains, leading to what some call “the anxious generation.” You can get authoritarians without cell phones, of course — but when social connection is eroded, the door swings open wider and faster.
Or think of those teaching about capitalism and the wealth divide. One of my heroes, Chuck Collins, just published Burned by Billionaires: How Concentrated Wealth and Power Are Ruining Our Lives and Planet. Folks working on local economies or alternative ways to meet people’s needs are also critical. We don’t get this authoritarian without billionaires.
I could go on. There are multiple roots that feed the fracturing, factionalism, and broken systems that gave us an elected Donald Trump.
So please: continue that work. It’s needed now as much as ever.
And two additions to root cause work
First: Some of your work will have to address the moment. We need to add to our program checklist: “Stopping the authoritarian takeover.” Assessments will need to keep getting made. One group, for example, decided: “We’re freeing up 4 hours a week of your time to fight the bad things that are happening. Your choice how, but take some time each week to do it.” Another chose to join upcoming protests as an organization — showing up together as a social service group to consciously support the broader effort. Others share boycott literature as a social service agency.
Obviously, some long-term root work will have to stay quiet. Not all of it, of course — but sometimes, drawing too much attention makes it impossible to continue. But in a time of great fear, we have to remember that they're coming for all of us and our work — boldness now can save much suffering later.
Second: even accepting some work must remain quiet, we all must be ready to throw down at key moments. That may mean joining economic strikes, showing up when local communities call for urgent action, or lending people power to tip the scales in high-stakes confrontations. Root work is steady, patient work — but when the moment comes, we can’t hesitate to move quickly and with force.
Because this isn’t either/or. It’s both/and.
The daily tending of the roots. The urgent dousing of the flames.
Both keep us alive. Both move us toward freedom.
Warmly,
- Choose Democracy
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