When Democracy Trembles: A Call to Resist, Rebuild, and Hope

Hope always arises when hopelessness abounds

You try to speak, but the words won’t come—the shock and horror feel unbearable. The country has entrusted the presidency to a man who believes he holds a mandate to rule as a dictator. It all seems unspeakable.

We must allow ourselves a moment to mourn, to grieve, to shake off the initial shock. This process cannot be bypassed; otherwise, we risk staying stuck in a comforting numbness that will, in time, drain us of the energy we need to support our loved ones and actively work for restoration.

In the days ahead, one of our main tasks will be to confront reality. In face-to-face conversations, phone calls, and texts, we must acknowledge to each other that many of our fellow citizens either reject or don’t understand the American experiment in freedom and democracy.

We must also acknowledge that we are entering the gravest political crisis since the Civil War, and Trump will pursue his agenda with a sense that he has earned an unassailable mandate, and he really in fact, did.

In Washington, Trump will install loyalists in the highest positions and purge mid-level government managers of all but those who declare their allegiance. Federal employees may not be forced to sign loyalty oaths, but their (justifiable) fears will compel them to comply and silence any dissent.

We should expect that Trump will fulfill his promise to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. Local, state, and federal law enforcement, and possibly troops, will be enlisted for this purpose. Families and communities will be torn apart as law-abiding spouses, parents, workers, and taxpayers are arrested and sent to camps (though they’ll be given a more palatable name) for processing before removal from the country.

Trump will also push harder than ever to build his border wall. He’ll dismantle agencies, including the Department of Education, that protect everything from our food supply to air quality. Public health policy will fall under someone intent on dismantling vaccine programs, and, should a pandemic arise, any government response will be discouraged.

The outlook for economic and foreign policy is equally dire. Trump is likely to impose the massive tariff scheme he’s proposed, driving up prices on everything from rare earth materials needed by tech manufacturers to the TVs on Walmart’s shelves. The economic repercussions will worsen as trading partners retaliate, impacting farmers, manufacturers, and other export-dependent industries. Make no mistake: a recession is coming—and it will be global.

As the world economy suffers, Trump will abandon Ukraine in its fight against Russian invasion, will likely seek an untenable peace and we can only hope that Europe understands it is finally time to step up, in a massive way.

Meanwhile, rivals in China, North Korea, and the Middle East will see the end of Pax Americana. China may decide it’s time to invade Taiwan, and disrupt the global supply of microchips that run the world. North Korea will intensify its nuclear ambitions. Iran will grow more aggressive. Terrorist organizations will become emboldened. Foundations of stability, such as NATO, will strain and may fracture.

In foreign and economic affairs, there may be little we can do to prevent the coming pain. Our work will lie in the domestic sphere, where we must prepare ourselves. We will need to deploy our voices, our resources, our presence, and our hope.

Our voices must rise, individually and collectively, to give courage to our friends and allies. Our financial support is vital to sustain current institutions of resistance and build new ones. Legal defenses and mass protests need both our funding and our presence. And we must nurture hope.

All in all, this battle will take a little longer that we hoped, but in the context of history, it will seem like a brief moment. It’s difficult for me to see a future AFTER Trump that embraces the same hate and anger, Americans usually correct from bad choices. This fight is exhausting, but generations have given their lives for freedom, we’re just required to keep engaging politically. Really, a small sacrifice in comparison. My belief is that history will just this as a very low point, but will praise how Americans fought back and defended their freedoms. The best part of the story is yet to be written.

In times like these, hope can seem elusive. Yet history’s darkest episodes have shown that surrender is not an option. The sun rose today. It will rise tomorrow. We must draw inspiration from each new dawn—and carry on.

I stand with you, I won’t surrender. I’m not intimidated, not afraid, not cowering. Though discouraged, I’m doubling down. Our children and grandchildren deserve no less. Will you stand with me?