More Than Ever, Silence is Not an Option
Three years since launching America, America, the need to confront the dangers to democracy has only grown
It’s hard to believe this weekend marks three years since I launched America, America. I had an intuition then that this publication could be the way to build a community that cares about democracy, justice and a better America. But I didn’t know that this work—to dig deep and write as honestly and fearlessly as I can—would only become more urgent.
Here’s how I explained my mission in they very first post three years ago:
If I dreamed that the election of Joe Biden and the eviction of Trump from our house would make this publication unnecessary, that I could simply move on to other work as a new and better America arrived to replace four years of pathological lying, malignant narcissism and cruelty, sociopathy and criminality, the deadly insurrection on January 6 put an end to that.
We have seen how seditious extremists and millions of Americans, including a majority of elected Republicans, continue to stand with Trump and against our democracy. They are willing to toss aside the rule of law to keep Trump and his acolytes near the levers of power.
I intend to sound the alarm with clarity and urgency, to state the truth as directly and vividly as possible about what’s failing and what needs to be fixed. I won’t hesitate to take a hard look at both the troubles and the troublemakers who are an obstacle to our democracy and a just society.
But I also intend to remind us of the ideas and values that have created a country rich with potential, to reflect on those qualities and the people that can inspire us and give us hope.
I thought about calling this new publication Silence Is Not an Option. Because speaking out—writing what I think without fear of retribution—is what I increasingly understood is my responsibility.
As many of you know, I used to be more hesitant. There was a time I maintained more journalistic detachment; I hewed tightly to the facts and hesitated to provide much interpretation, let alone explicitly express my moral position or my feelings. But the daily degradations and desecrations by Trump and the support he garnered by so many changed that.
My sense of duty shifted, deepened. I felt it was my obligation to tell the truth as clearly as I could. To say what I think and feel. To provide reminders of the difference between true and false, right and wrong, sanity and sheer madness.
As a citizen, I could not stand idly by. I had to express my outrage at a time when our democracy, human decency, indeed reality itself, are under attack. Dare I say, I think this remains the duty of each of us who care about the promise of America and a better life.
Few days pass when we don’t learn of a new effort, a new attack, a new set of facts that make it clear Donald Trump and his enablers remain bent on taking back power by any means necessary. It’s as if four indictments and 91 felony charges in addition to multiple civil court rulings that put Trump’s financial penalties beyond half a billion dollars not only don’t slow down either him or his cult, they trigger further aggression. Take back power to regain the cloak of immunity. Take back power to put a stop to the court cases against him. Take back power to pursue retribution against political enemies.
And forget campaigning and governing by legitimate means—like, you know, offering voters a better vision and winning elections—but by relying on networks of right-wing extremists who yearn for absolute power and aim to install authoritarian rule, end democracy and toss aside the rule of law and the principle that no one is above the law.
Deporting millions of migrants without due process? Ending an independent judiciary? Getting rid of a non-partisan civil service and demanding only the service of loyalists? That’s the ticket to keep power if they can successfully grab the levers.
And even while they decry the efforts of the courts as nothing other than political persecution, they continue to find new ways to attack the opposition and undermine trust to dismantle the underpinnings of democracy and social cohesion.
Exhibit A just in the last few days: We learned that Reps. Jim Jordan and James Comer relied on Kremlin-produced disinformation to attack Hunter Biden, attempt to mount a case for impeachment against Joe Biden, and do the bidding of Vladimir Putin who’s dedicated to breaking our democratic system. And has this traitorous behavior caused an outcry among many Republicans who are kowtowing to Trump? Hardly.
Decent people may remain shocked by these attacks on our system, these betrayals by elected officials to fulfill their oaths and stand by America. But we have learned that no matter how loud the outcry may be about these violations, it won’t slow down the commitment to keep pushing the pedal to the metal. Despite everything, Donald Trump continues to be the only game in town (save for the ill-fated campaign of Nikki Haley) for enfeebled Republicans desperate to have a future.
It could be enough for people to lose hope. But I can tell you, three years on, that I continue to see remarkable resilience and refusals to let a tyrannizing minority cloud our vision and break our spirit. Perhaps no better example of this here is the fact that the two most popular essays of the last three years address the topic of kindness (“On the Matter of Cruelty, Kindness and Idiots” and “Kindness is (Still) a Show of Strength”). You should know that desire for decency keeps me going and convinces me to continue to find the rays of light amid an intolerable amount of darkness.
When I launched America, America, I explained that the double name is intended to suggest that America is not just one thing—and that the approach to assessing our body politic would lead me to write essays that offer both a plea and an ode. That’s because I believed then and I still believe now that most Americans want democracy and justice; most Americans want a functioning government and society with leaders that are working to make life better; and most Americans, despite our grievances about what we know in our guts is wrong and must change, also believe in the promise of America.
In the coming weeks, I hope you’ll share this publication with your friends and family and maybe even some of your neighbors who remain doubtful about our potential. We are facing the fight of our lifetime to hold onto the American democratic experiment and the promise of making life better for ourselves and our children. I plan to give it my all—to keep confronting the dangers we face as honestly and fearlessly as I can—and I hope each of you will do what you can to ensure that by the fourth anniversary of America, America, we can relish the work we did to ensure the positive future of this country we love.
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Every generation has their challenge.
Keep what The Greatest Generation gave us: our democracy after vanquishing Fascism.
We NEED to do the same by voting in November and getting the word out to do so.
Women across the nation, it's crucial to recognize the alarming implications of recent rulings. The Evangelical agenda, emboldened by Trump, poses a threat to our rights and autonomy. Their base comprises fervent evangelical Christians seeking to assert control over every aspect of a woman’s life
This isn't merely a political difference; it's an attack on women's freedom and agency. We cannot afford complacency in the face of such hostility. Action is imperative. In states where the political landscape tilts red, it's imperative to vote out Republicans who align with this agenda, Alabama included.
Choosing Democratic representatives at the federal level — in the House, Senate, and for the presidency — is vital. Our strength lies in our numbers, and it's this very strength that intimidates those who seek to oppress us. History has shown how swiftly rights can be eroded when extremism takes hold.
Consider Iran's transformation: once, women held positions in government; now, they're constrained by oppressive laws. We must learn from history and prevent such regression. The threat posed by Christian nationalists cannot be underestimated or ignored.
It's time to channel our anger and fear into decisive action. Stand firm, speak out, and vote with conviction. Our rights, our freedoms, and our future depend on it.