The State of Our Union

Notes after an Orwellian weekend – how do we move forward?

After an incredibly dystopian weekend in the United States (read: military parade, political assassinations, No Kings protests, the National Guard being deployed against the people), it’s hard to chart a path forward. For us, for democracy, for humanity. Before getting back into the work, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the moment we’re in.

Early on Saturday morning, Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were assassinated in their home by a right-wing, anti-abortion extremist. Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were also injured – both of them taking 8 or more bullets each while Mrs. Hoffman was protecting their child. While the Hoffmans are thankfully projected to recover, this is a jarring reminder of the state of American politics and the lengths extremists are willing to go for power – the shooter’s list of potential targets included other Democratic figures like Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, U.S. Senator Tina Smith, and more.

In Los Angeles, Donald Trump called in the National Guard against Governor Gavin Newsom’s wishes, escalating protests against ICE raids that have been tearing families apart – a different form of violence, but violence nonetheless.

In the last few months, Trump and his (literal) partners in crime have threatened the rule of law and the Constitution, arbitrarily fired (then re-hired, then fired again) hundreds of federal workers and USAID employees, taken the United States out of the World Health Organization, raised the prices of insulin and other prescription drugs by rescinding Executive Order 14087, attempted to dismantle the Department of Education, weakened regulations on air and water quality, cut grants for small businesses, banned travelers from over a dozen countries, disrupted the economy by instating, then removing, then instating again incredibly high tariffs on trade partners, and so much more.

These events (and smoke from wildfires in New Jersey) created the dictatorship-esque backdrop for Trump’s military parade on Saturday in Washington, D.C. – allegedly for the Army’s 250th anniversary, though it conveniently fell on Trump’s birthday – not his 250th, but close. As my fellow Gen Z’ers would say, “it’s giving Putin… it’s giving Mao.”

In Trump’s first term, there was a belief that the election was a fluke, that the heart of America couldn’t really be so insidious. We go into his second term with our eyes wide open to the very real culture of hatred, fear, and misinformation that we’re up against – a culture that has made political violence a norm and caused damage to our democracy that will likely take decades to rebuild.

A large portion of my generation has never voted in a presidential election in which Donald Trump wasn’t present. We haven’t experienced the goodness of governance, the trust that a populace is supposed to be able to put in their elected officials. Every day, it feels like an uphill battle to ensure everyone has basic human rights and needs – clean water, healthy food, the right to vote, marry, have kids. In just a few months, Trump has managed to tear down the core of what it means to be an American, to completely destroy freedom in its most literal sense. How can what is right be so difficult to protect?

While I don’t have the answers, the biggest thing I took away from this weekend is the sheer power of the people. Millions of people showed up, overwhelmingly peacefully, to do the most American thing imaginable – protest against a king. Neighbors showed up for each other, fighting for their rights – for immigrants, women, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people of color, veterans, and every other American in the country.

The way forward, now, is to continue in that spirit of togetherness. Instead of finger wagging, let’s invite others into the fold. Instead of nitpicking others for how ‘woke’ they are, let’s create a coordinated defense against fascism and right-wing extremism. Support local journalists that are working to ensure we have an informed public. Rally behind candidates that are running against unpopular and unjust incumbents – yes, even if every belief of theirs doesn’t exactly match yours. Build coalitions. The infighting between Democratic institutions and ideologies only makes it easier for fascists to win, and if the events this weekend prove anything, it’s what we’re able to achieve when communities come together with a common goal.