“So what do we do now?”
It is the question of the moment, and all the moments that have led up to now, and the ones that are sure to follow. So many of you have approached me in public to ask this query with pleading eyes and grimaces of disgust. It is echoed in thousands of your comments online, and in my own mind as well. As the wheels of our democracy wobble and spin into greater surreal dangers, there is a struggle to turn outrage into action.
I must confess that I am humbly touched that so many of you have sought out the musings of a journalist deep into the autumn of his life. I am so proud of the community you have built in this small corner of the digital world. It fills me with hope at the basic goodness and decency of my fellow citizens and citizens of the larger world.
I am not an oracle, philosopher or an activist, just a simple reporter who got lucky. Whatever passes for wisdom I can dispense is mostly a product of age and circumstance. I have seen a lot, moments of pain and of triumph. I firmly believe the writing of the future chapters of America’s destiny still lies in our hands.
Any advice must begin with a favorite personal mantra: in a democracy, revenge is best served at the ballot box. The stakes of the upcoming election cannot be overstated. So vote. And organize. And make your voices heard. Work on getting others to the polls. Show the world what the “silent majority” really thinks of our current state of affairs.
We must protect a free and independent press as a check on corruption and power. This is essential. When the President goes on an anti-press diatribe – subscribe. If you have the means, support working journalists, especially at the local level. Subscribe to that paper or magazine. Urge others to do so. This has a cascading effect. Trust me on this one.
Reach out to those who need help, preferably beyond your own immediate circle. Acts of kindness, empathy, and justice towards your fellow citizens (and people around the globe) reaffirms the bonds of our common humanity which the cynical forces of destruction are actively seeking to undermine.
More generally, we must face down this debasement of American ideals. We cannot allow the gas lighting to detract from our own self-knowledge. We cannot forget who WE are. Take heart in the lessons of history, of improbable successes in forging paths of greater tolerance, inclusion, and justice. Remember that the abolitionists, the suffragettes, the civil rights protesters, the LGBTQ activists, the environmentalists, and so many other improbable actors secured great victories – some of which are now being threatened. But they understood that progress was often slow, painful, and uneven. It requires grit and determination. And so it does in this moment as well.
Do not minimize the power you have or the allies to the cause. Those who do not wish to see America succumb to hatred, who do not wish to undermine the world order, who do not believe cruelty is a governing strategy – this is the MAJORITY. No matter how loud are the contrary voices, do not confuse decibel level with a broadness of support. Discouragement is their most potent weapon.
We Americans have many faults, but by and large, we have not been quitters. We have faced seemingly impossible tasks with can-do naïveté we have tackled great challenges. Our win-loss record on this score is pretty impressive. We are an improbable nation of diversity and freedom. That is being challenged. But the battle is far from lost. A victory for the forces of goodness and justice, for sanity and facts, is not beyond our grasp. I would argue it is there for the taking if we believe and are willing to fight for it.