This morning, a friend and I were talking about how to respond to folks who are skeptical about whether or not protesting helps. There’s mixed data on nonviolent resistance, so I’d rather leave that debate to the experts. But even if massive protests don’t actually move the needle in the fight against fasci$m, showing tf up is essential.
Why?
>> Because if we’re unwilling to actualize our values, what good are they? Morality is about more than spiritual platitudes. It requires we speak up, challenge status quo bias, and sometimes lose face with people who’d prefer we stay silent. If we don’t actively express moral outrage… when individuals and systems of power threaten basic human rights, when cruelty becomes normalized, when democracy is vying for our attention (and gasping for its last breath)… when WILL we?
>> Because “true peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice” (Dr. MLK, Jr) and injustice can extend beyond a single lifetime. I’m a relative newcomer to activism, and long-time organizers (Indigenous, LGBTQ+, POC, WOC) are my role models and teachers. They embody a legacy of resistance and the ongoing fight for equity. Despite obstacles, they continue to show up consistently, staying the course to “bend the moral arc” toward justice with all their might, not because they are sure to win but because it’s who they are! Nearly every freedom that you and I take for granted is a result of those who didn’t live to see the fruits of their own labor and sacrifice. It is up to us to carry the torch for them and to pass it on to the next generation.
>> Because people need to be reminded that they matter. I can’t say that I’m convinced that this or any other protest will save this country from authoritarianism, but I want all the people who are currently being terrorized to know that they aren’t invisible, that we respect, see, and value them. In times of brutality and grave injustice, we show up to apply the balm and create an atmosphere of solidarity… to spread it thick in the air through our words and actions.
>> Because joy and love will be there. For years I kept my ears closed and my head in the sand when it came to politics because privilege and because I thought the “fight” for justice was low-vibe and unseemly. Turns out, I was wrong about that… in this week’s drop on the pod, I share audio from my time in LA this past June when I marched with thousands (past the LAPD and National Guard) in joy, purpose, and solidarity. If you’re new to all this noise, the overall vibe might surprise you.
All of that to say, tomorrow’s event is not a single ‘fix’ in a shitty situation; I don’t know what is. But I do know that: 1) in a democracy, we’re under no obligation to follow leaders we don’t respect, and 2) if you ask me, our shared humanity (and anxious uncertainty) is reason enough to show up.
If it’s safe for you & you are able, I hope that you’ll be out there, too.
