Here’s an uncomfortable truth. Millions of our fellow citizens prefer autocracy. What is autocracy? The simple answer is that it’s a form of government controlled by one person.
Millions of Americans would prefer an autocrat like Donald Trump or Ron DeSantis for one reason, it’s simple. It’s easy. It doesn’t involve a lot of work. it involves loyalty to a leader who makes you simple promises in return expecting nothing more than your loyalty without question.
Democracy is Hard Work
Democracy involves engaging and educating our fellow citizens. It involves organizing and mobilizing them. It also involves sitting down with somebody who you don’t agree with. But you come to a consensus and you do it for one reason. Because the outcome is always better.
We would not be in this situation where our democracy is under threat if you and I had done our part over the last several decades to get involved in participatory democracy. When we sit down with people we disagree with and come to a consensus, we’re building a relationship. And when we start building those relationships, we’re building community.
When we build community, we’re strengthening institutions. Institutions are the things that autocrats attack. And they are being attacked today. Public Schools. Librarians. Doctors. Scientists. And Government itself. Autocrats undermine institutions because what they want to undermine is people’s faith in those institutions. And when they do that, people lose sight of democracy. They lose hope. And then they become easy prey for the autocrat.
When you make oversimplified promises to fellow citizens, they’re more likely to give up everything in return for getting what they think they want. Even if in the end, you know, they’re not getting that at all.
Participating in Democracy
We need to restore our faith in democracy every day by participating in our democracy. That means reaching out to people you don’t agree with. Being decent. Being kind. Being fierce. Being credible. And of course, never wavering in your belief in democracy.
Autocrats who are running for President of The United States, will come to your state and make promises. You have to organize and mobilize. And you have to make sure you’re prepared to stop them at every turn.
Also, also, DEMAND THAT WE TEACH HISTORY IN ITS ENTIRETY. This will help fight against autocracy and the autocrat’s oversimplification of racism, racial justice, and diversity. That’s what autocrats don’t want you to know and learn about.