It’s easier than you think and more necessary than ever.
If you find yourself alarmed, furious and deeply anxious about the unraveling of our democracy, you are not alone.
Most everyone I know is horrified about this regime’s rampant abuse of power and the thoroughly incompetent leadership purporting to run the country.
Trump is defying the courts, Kristi Noem has no idea what the Constitution is about, Pam Bondi is thoroughly confused about the Epstein List, among other things, and JD Vance has proclaimed the Big Beautiful Bill as marking a new era of stability and prosperity for working families. The cruelty of this regime is unlike anything we have seen in our country’s history.
In reality, the ridiculous funding bill signed into law on July 4 will leave many Americans with no health coverage and no food security, all in the name of giving billionaires more money through tax cuts.
ICE is boldly kidnapping immigrants who have no criminal record and depriving them of their right to due process. Horrid concentration camps are housing illegally kidnapped people.
U.S. Government agencies continue to reel after the chainsaw massacre imposed by Musk’s DOGE. Universities are being targeted and losing billions in research funding due to what Trump believes is ideological indoctrination, and Trump is suing mainstream media whenever he gets his nose out of joint. Most recently he sued the Wall Street Journal for its report on the Epstein case.
You don’t need to look far to see the damage being done, so my question to you, to quote Bob Marley, is “Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?” And make no mistake, they are coming for all of us. No one is safe.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with all that is happening and the speed at which it is unfolding, but simply observing and commenting on it is not the answer, it’s not what’s going to save us. I am increasingly distraught by how many people who could do something are finding endless excuses not to.
It’s easy to make excuses: I’m too busy, it’s too hot, I have a job, I don’t like public speaking, I can’t draw well enough to make a sign, I’m not sure what to do, I’m afraid. WE ARE ALL AFRAID! Fear is not a remedy. It’s action we need. It’s time for us all to step outside our comfort zone and do something, anything, to keep democracy alive.
I have recently done so much that is way out of my comfort zone. For starters, I’m an introvert. Meeting people at protests, joining group calls, attending meetings – so not my style. But it helps that those I am meeting are good and just people wanting to make our country whole again. We are forging bonds and finding so much common ground as we join in protest, make signs together, brainstorm non-compliance ideas and share strategies. The core group at my local Tesla Takedown protests, people I had never seen before March, are the people who inspire me every day to do more, to be strong, and to step up. We are a community and we keep each other strong and hopeful.
I’m hanging ribbons around my neighborhood that say “Release the Disappeared” in Spanish and English. I bought a bucket of chalk and leave messages on public property (like sidewalks) letting neighbors know about our local Tesla Takedown and inviting them to join the resistance. I’ve visited the offices of House Representatives to pass out flyers and to discuss concerns. It’s amazing how easy it is to find your voice – and we all have one – when you care deeply about what’s happening around you.
I recently spoke at a county Board Meeting to encourage the Board to do more to protect our immigrant neighbors from ICE. I have signed up for training to be a court monitor at local immigration hearings, and I’m learning how to safely protect my neighbors from ICE. I join countless zoom calls, organized by grassroots organizations, where I learn about upcoming actions and how to make a difference.
One of the best calls I’ve been on this year was the first of three One Million Rising calls organized by Indivisible, held on July 16. Over 100,000 people joined that call to learn about next steps in saving our democracy. The organizers asked participants to sign a Gathering Pledge – they hoped to get 1,000 participants to host local meetings to bring others on board. Over 5,000 of us signed up on the spot – and I was one of them. Out of my comfort zone? Hell yes, but I am all in.
If ever there was a time to take action and to do things you aren’t used to doing, that time is now. I am guessing you will find, as I have, that it’s actually liberating to step outside your comfort zone and help resist tyranny. Taking action goes a long way to easing the anxiety of what we see happening around us, and by joining with others, you will find the hope you need to get through these troubling times. With hope, we can do anything.
