In the face of fascism, our fear cannot overpower our focus
Trump is promising vengeance and suffering. We have reason to fear, but here are four more useful options.
Throughout the election cycle, Democrats repeatedly warned us about the existential threat Donald Trump was to the country and the planet. They assured us of the doom his potential presidency would offer us and seemingly did so as a cudgel to get us to support Kamala Harris.
Our elected officials, though, in the face of an actual Donald Trump presidency, seem to be operating, largely, as if everything is normal. Some pundits are even suggesting we treat him as a normal president. Even long-time critics of Trump are ready to abandon their protest and embrace him as a normative Republican.
So when both Never-Trumpers and Democrats are not really rising to address the alarms they sounded for a Trump presidency, those of us of conscience, many of whom were critiqued for our response to Biden’s failures (notably the genocide in Gaza) are the ones who need to act.
If anyone knows the threat of a far-right regime, it is people on the left end of the spectrum who are prophetically sensitive to evil in all of its forms and aren’t blinded by partisanship. The same energy that we used to name Biden’s complicity and culpability in wickedness, will be and should be applied to Trump.
While Democrats aren’t taking the threats they named very seriously, I think we need to see the real threats of fascism that Trump poses and be prepared to respond. I know many of us are afraid, and many with the means to do so have imagined plans to leave the country. But we all don’t have the option to practice that sort of flight. So we must stay on the ground, awake and present, ready to confront the evil that awaits us. With that in mind, I have four suggestions.
1. Raise awareness
We need to take every word that Trump and his cadre of vipers say seriously. We should expect them to be as wicked as they are claiming. I’ve already heard Trump supporters suggest his mass deportation plan is unrealistic (and even immoral—one wonders why those feckless people voted for a man with immoral policies, but that’s a subject for another blog post). But we need to believe what he says.
And to that end, we need to amplify his and his cronies’ plans and make them clear to everyone. Unfortunately, the Democrats’ sounding of alarms went unheard because of their own hypocrisy, but that doesn’t mean that sounding the alarms is useless. Trump is promising to deport migrants, strip trans people of their rights, limit abortions, turn the clock back on climate change, destroy efforts for free health care and affordable housing, and continue to make the wealthiest Americans wealthier.
We need to speak clearly to our friends, family, and our community about what his plans are, so that we can all be aware of his threats. Trump threatens everyone, and consciousness about that ensures that we all realize we have an interest and stake in stopping fascism.
2. Organize power
Fascism only happens with the consent of the people, so we need to build a diverse coalition of resistance to Trump. We need to do what Democrats failed to do. So, as we raise awareness and help everyone to see it is in their self-interest to stop fascism, we need to look for allies in this struggle. We won’t all play the same role, but we can all play a part.
The power that Trump and his weak majorities in Congress hold can be countered by organized citizens. We need to see that we have power together to confront this evil. We can make a change by demanding that we are listened to and demonstrating that we have the numbers to do so.
Working-class people, poor people, women, immigrants, queer people, people of color, as well as ordinary middle-class, suburban Americans have a stake in this, and the wider we build our coalition, the better. The opposing party has failed to unite us, but that shouldn’t stop us at all.
Even Trump supporters will deflect from their support when they realize the promises he made them are not true and can join the struggle. Now isn’t the time for litmus tests, but rather, an opportunity to demonstrate our power. This doesn’t just mean trying to harmonize our diverse politics, but accepting that people may elect different means of engagement, and welcoming them aboard. Moreover, because of the wide array of issues on the table, our allies don’t have to have all the same interests to be on the same team. Passionate people can join one another’s causes because our liberation is all interconnected. Trump is bad for all of us.
On top of this, we need to find allies in elected offices to help us. Our minds might be on the midterm elections or even the 2028 elections, but Trump’s threats are localized in a way that local municipalities may well be where our action needs to take place. State and local officials can take a stand against the federal government’s creep toward fascism, and we should see the willing ones as allies and lobby them to use their power against Trump.
3. Engage in action
Liberals may tell us that the best thing to do is to elect the right people or try to lobby for policy change. I don’t think those things are without merit, and I believe they are important, but we need to be as practical as we are prophetic and engage boldly in agitation.
I want to emphasize that protest that leads to civil disobedience and agitation channels anger and is useful for the above two suggestions, as well. It is disruptive to block highways and bridges and creates a media storm that helps to make the issues that matter most apparent.
We often don’t even need to reinvent the wheel. Existing organizations can be great places to start if it feels overwhelming to organize action on our own. So look up local groups that need people-power and money and support them that way, as well. We can ally with existing groups and lend them our power to make our impact even more notable.
4. Build hope
Faith-based organizations have a major role to play. In the heat of the fight, people need spaces of protection, hope, and joy. The work cannot be sustained unless we have the inspiration of those who profess faith in a Greater Power that will deliver us. The goal here is not to merely transcend our circumstances, but to have the faith to act on Friday, because Sunday is coming.
Through prayer, worship, and even space for rest and listening, faith organizations have a crucial role to play. If all you can do is listen and respond with care, you are making a big difference. This care should not just be given to allies, but also to the most vulnerable. Specifically, queer people and immigrants need our refuge and hope, and I think faith leaders and communities have a special role to play there.
There will be times where our work seems too daunting, too scary, and too big to overcome. Those of us who believe in a god who defeats evil, who rulers tremble before, can offer our hope and promise as a balm to the wounds of the weary.
So as Inauguration Day approaches, let’s not succumb to our fear. We have good work to do. We can raise awareness, organize our power, engage in direct action, and offer hope to one another. Trump may have won the election, but the fight is far from over.
I share your analysis. One thing we often overlook during elections is that while their differences on certain issues might differ, most congresspersons, whether Democrat or Republican, come from the super-wealthy class; they are the only ones who can afford to run for office. Thus their self-interests are closely aligned and fear of losing an election too often keeps them quiet and immobile. The beauty of people like AOC is that they have nothing to lose and so can speak up.