I Believe in Us: From Radical Understanding to Radical Transformation
I am exhausted.
The emotional and mental whiplash in January has been draining and overwhelming. From the Trump Administration’s disregard of the rule of law and international diplomacy to the violence and terrorization of immigration enforcement in Minneapolis and across the country resulting in nine deaths, every federal action is alarming and disconcerting.
The rapid deterioration of American democracy is scary. The attacks on our communities are painful. We are at a major inflection point. From BISC’s perspective and that of many political scientists, the US has entered a phase of competitive authoritarianism. We don’t use that term lightly. But it is our view that it is important to name the system we are operating in so we know how to respond and create a plan to move forward.
Under competitive authoritarianism, democracy doesn’t disappear outright. We may have successful acts of resistance, court victories, legislative wins, and electoral gains. But under this system, the playing field is no longer fair. Those in power manipulate the rules, weaponize procedures, and use courts and administrative agencies to control outcomes without openly rejecting democratic norms.
We’ve witnessed firsthand how this plays out through the attacks on direct democracy. Think of the successful ballot measures over the last couple of years on reproductive rights, economic justice, voting rights, and more. We have been winning. We are improving the material conditions of people’s lives.
Because of our success, which is in opposition to those in governing power, we have been met with efforts to thwart our progress. We have challenged entrenched power, and it has pushed back.
We have faced court battles, implementation challenges, and the overturning of voter-approved measures. We have witnessed the use of law enforcement to intimidate petition signers and gatherers in states like Florida and Missouri. State actors have manipulated ballot titles and language to confuse voters, raised voter approval thresholds to supermajorities, increased signature gathering requirements, and more. These actions by state governments not only undermine the will of the people but also create the conditions for authoritarianism to rise.
Ballot measures, the People’s Tool, are a threat to anti-democratic forces. Exercising our collective power is dangerous to our opposition.
Our work at BISC with all of you becomes increasingly more difficult under authoritarian rule. I am not going to pretend the road ahead is easy; in fact, things will get worse before they get better.
But I remain hopeful because I believe in us. At protests and direct action events, you often hear the chant: “The people united, will never be defeated,” which comes from the Chilean protest song: “El pueblo unido, jamás será vencido!” It was the anthem of organizers fighting the authoritarian regime of Augusto Pinochet during the 70s and 80s.
I believe in the power of organized people who come together for collective action. I believe together we can be an unstoppable force.
My hope comes from our state partners who are defending direct democracy every day in the courts, at state legislatures, in their communities, and at the ballot. I’m particularly inspired by our partners in Nebraska and Missouri, who are going on offense by proposing ballot measures to protect and strengthen the initiative process rather than waiting on elected officials to do the right thing.
My hope comes from watching people resist authoritarianism every day. These last three weeks have been brutal in Minneapolis, but the people haven’t stopped fighting. That has been true in Portland, Chicago, Los Angeles, and the place I call home – DC. Every day, I read messages from parents in my MANY group chats about organizing and defending our neighbors.
I know you are tired. I know you are scared. I am too.
While I am alarmed and overwhelmed, I remember these words from Angela Davis: “You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.” It is their intent to make us so afraid and numb that we cannot dream beyond these times. But we must.
Radical transformation is not only possible, it is necessary for all of us to be free. We can. We will.
I believe in us. Always.