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Keeping momentum, balance — and hope

Scott Nadler

• 4 min read
Keeping momentum, balance — and hope

A few weeks ago, 5 million Americans took to the streets to demonstrate that we want democracy, not kings. Since then, not much has changed except things have gotten even worse. 

So did we fail? Should we give up?

No. We didn’t fail. We just haven’t succeeded yet - and shouldn’t expect to. It took years for those in power to build up to the deconstruction of democracy that we’re living with now. We won’t undo that in one day or one march or probably even one year. (For insight into how they did this and how we got here, check out our Learning more deeply page.)

This is going to be a long, tough fight. It will take three things:

  • Keeping momentum. It’s not about one march or one call to a legislator. It’s about keeping it up, watching for the next event, building and expanding the base of people who are engaged and active. When the next national event is scheduled, we’ll share it. (There might be something emerging on July 17, a national “Make Good Trouble” day.) In the meantime, lots of national and local groups are continuing to sponsor smaller actions.  Our events/organizations page has links to national and local groups. 
  • Keeping balance. Each of us has to find our own ways to keep it together during this fight, to balance vigilance and sanity.  A new article suggests practical ways to break our “gloomcycle” of scrolling, noting: “As Americans, we need to know what’s happening so we can act. But that doesn’t mean constant online immersion.” Our Coping with stress page has lots of other good articles and practical suggestions.
  • Keeping hope. The victories are few and scattered, but they are there; take notice of them and celebrate them. 
    • Was the huge horrible bill in Congress loaded with lots of bad policy items as well as slashing Medicaid to fund tax gifts for the wealthy? Yes, but Democrats did comb through the bill to find those, and the Senate Parliamentarian did rule those provisions out. 
    • Did the US attack a country with whom we are not at war without Congressional approval? Yes, but Senate Democrats did finally demonstrate leadership and spine, with every one (except Fetterman) voting for the resolution to require Congressional approval.
    • Is ICE out of control? Yes, but elected officials are taking more direct action to shine a light on and try to stop these actions. As one New York City politician noted, “I think there is an important line right now – and it’s not between moderates and progressives. It’s between fighters and folders, between people who will stand up against creeping authoritarianism and people … who will side with Donald Trump and allow creeping Gestapo tactics to scoop people off our streets and arrest and deport them with no due process.”

Keeping hope also comes from staying connected with others who are fighting the same fight. You’re not alone. Remember that. 

Over the next month, we’ll explore ways to help our readers connect more directly with each other, if they want to do so. In the meantime, stay connected with us (email us with questions or suggestions), subscribe if you haven't already, and share this newsletter and our site with anyone you know who cares and might be feeling helpless and hopeless. Help spread the hope.

(Below: some June 14 signs shared by readers outside Santa Fe, from Santa Fe's Pride Parade, and from the "banned" Pride Parade in Budapest [photo from NY Times])

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