What a powerful speech! Thank you! Activism is a hard job and activists really can’t sit back and wait to see what happens—we know what happens when we do nothing. The No Kings March activated activists to work harder and to take greater efforts to embrace everyone. We are all in this together and the division between who is red and who is blue doesn’t matter when we decide that democracy is the goal and later, we can fix what needs fixing. There are some positive aspects of where we are in today’s America and one of them is that even the threatened MAGA are questioning what’s happening. I think this is the perfect time to organize in rural America on a nonpartisan level. Let’s meet rural people and address what their needs are and how to achieve them. Let’s listen to their stories and yes, their anger and angst. Let’s work toward a solution that saves democracy and also saves rural Americans —those people who believe that government has failed them and now, so has Trump. All people want freedom. Even those in Hungary and Korea and Russia—everyone wants freedom. There, that one fact is a building block for would be organizers to begin.
The Rule of Law? I am no lawyer and certainly not schooled in Constitutional Law but I know people who are and I can promote them and send their messages all over the web—-anyone can do that. If they would. Democracy is a group effort to save. First, we win the fight and keep our Democracy, next we rebuild the system so all of US are included. We can do this.
United, we can move the Trump Mountain and we need to do that because our infrastructure has a crack in its foundation.
Keep activating activists. Knowledge really IS Power and Power means Action. We need to Act Soon by the millions of US. And yes, we can.
I don't like politically aligned motivations used as a way to pigeon hole the public. This is usually done inadvertantly by both sides (either side, any side!) through the use of language & argumentation when communicating or organising. Your article is no exception HOWEVER, I gather that there's a conscious effort on your behalf to steer away from such language, and I commend you for it.
Democracy is the politically-aligned motivation you're espousing here as The Good Fight and if you chose a different, politically-neutral term as your named cause to unite for then I think you'd have a bigger uptake of politically disaffected/harmed/destroyed individuals who have no political camp as home.
> "South Korea 2016-2017. Sudan 2019. Ukraine’s Orange Revolution. Each succeeded because electoral challenges and institutional resistance were backed by massive street mobilization."
alright then. I wont pass my discerning gaze over this statement without some criticism, but if you could be so kind as to explain (doesn't have to be in detail) what you consider a success in each of the listed nations. Especially South Korea as I had no clue whatsoever of massive street mobilizations occurring during 2016-2017 in south korea.
Hi Scot, Thanks a lot for this helpful newsletter! I was trying to look up the study of the 7 percent success rate of institutions but cannot find it. Could you please share a link?
Scot. What a great speech! I was fortunate to have a front row seat for it in Portland and to hear the give and take after you delivered it. Later today I'll be sharing this article / your speech with the Inter-Movement Impact Project distribution list, posting / pinning it on the Generate Democracy! LinkedIn Group and cross posting it to the Thriving Together US Substack. I wonder if you are available to present your perspective and analysis with a group of change makers on a zoom on Thursday October 20th at 9am Pacific Time. My email is waltsearch@gmail.com.
Like a long drink of cold clean water on a very hot day. Thank you for this succinct call to action for all of us whose experiences in this democracy have been only half-baked or even less. Sorry I missed your call in-person, but I can imagine that you riled up some folks.
One of the best I’ve ever read. Speaking from Orban’s autocracy, every word rings true. Speaking from my past experience in an actual dictatorship (Ceaușescu in Romania, 1965-1989), once democracy has collapsed, precious little organizing can happen to change the situation, and people are reduced to surviving from one day to the next, individually. At that point, only outside historical forces can make any changes. It’s important not to get sucked into an actual dictatorship. Rebuilding from that takes many generations
Your wisdom and perseverance are so appreciated. May we overcome all the systems of harm.
What a powerful speech! Thank you! Activism is a hard job and activists really can’t sit back and wait to see what happens—we know what happens when we do nothing. The No Kings March activated activists to work harder and to take greater efforts to embrace everyone. We are all in this together and the division between who is red and who is blue doesn’t matter when we decide that democracy is the goal and later, we can fix what needs fixing. There are some positive aspects of where we are in today’s America and one of them is that even the threatened MAGA are questioning what’s happening. I think this is the perfect time to organize in rural America on a nonpartisan level. Let’s meet rural people and address what their needs are and how to achieve them. Let’s listen to their stories and yes, their anger and angst. Let’s work toward a solution that saves democracy and also saves rural Americans —those people who believe that government has failed them and now, so has Trump. All people want freedom. Even those in Hungary and Korea and Russia—everyone wants freedom. There, that one fact is a building block for would be organizers to begin.
The Rule of Law? I am no lawyer and certainly not schooled in Constitutional Law but I know people who are and I can promote them and send their messages all over the web—-anyone can do that. If they would. Democracy is a group effort to save. First, we win the fight and keep our Democracy, next we rebuild the system so all of US are included. We can do this.
United, we can move the Trump Mountain and we need to do that because our infrastructure has a crack in its foundation.
Keep activating activists. Knowledge really IS Power and Power means Action. We need to Act Soon by the millions of US. And yes, we can.
Thank you! Very clear and inspiring... "both/and"!!!!
I don't like politically aligned motivations used as a way to pigeon hole the public. This is usually done inadvertantly by both sides (either side, any side!) through the use of language & argumentation when communicating or organising. Your article is no exception HOWEVER, I gather that there's a conscious effort on your behalf to steer away from such language, and I commend you for it.
Democracy is the politically-aligned motivation you're espousing here as The Good Fight and if you chose a different, politically-neutral term as your named cause to unite for then I think you'd have a bigger uptake of politically disaffected/harmed/destroyed individuals who have no political camp as home.
> "South Korea 2016-2017. Sudan 2019. Ukraine’s Orange Revolution. Each succeeded because electoral challenges and institutional resistance were backed by massive street mobilization."
alright then. I wont pass my discerning gaze over this statement without some criticism, but if you could be so kind as to explain (doesn't have to be in detail) what you consider a success in each of the listed nations. Especially South Korea as I had no clue whatsoever of massive street mobilizations occurring during 2016-2017 in south korea.
Thanks in advaance!
Hi Scot, Thanks a lot for this helpful newsletter! I was trying to look up the study of the 7 percent success rate of institutions but cannot find it. Could you please share a link?
Scot. What a great speech! I was fortunate to have a front row seat for it in Portland and to hear the give and take after you delivered it. Later today I'll be sharing this article / your speech with the Inter-Movement Impact Project distribution list, posting / pinning it on the Generate Democracy! LinkedIn Group and cross posting it to the Thriving Together US Substack. I wonder if you are available to present your perspective and analysis with a group of change makers on a zoom on Thursday October 20th at 9am Pacific Time. My email is waltsearch@gmail.com.
Like a long drink of cold clean water on a very hot day. Thank you for this succinct call to action for all of us whose experiences in this democracy have been only half-baked or even less. Sorry I missed your call in-person, but I can imagine that you riled up some folks.
One of the best I’ve ever read. Speaking from Orban’s autocracy, every word rings true. Speaking from my past experience in an actual dictatorship (Ceaușescu in Romania, 1965-1989), once democracy has collapsed, precious little organizing can happen to change the situation, and people are reduced to surviving from one day to the next, individually. At that point, only outside historical forces can make any changes. It’s important not to get sucked into an actual dictatorship. Rebuilding from that takes many generations