Friday
Today I feel weary and defeated. I know that’s not very inspiring but that’s where I am at and I suspect others are feeling the same.
I was all ready to do a regular call to action today but then I read this article: What if Mueller catches Trump — and it isn’t enough?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/…/8c55de94-db81-11e7-b1a8-62…
https://www.washingtonpost.com/…/8c55de94-db81-11e7-b1a8-62…
This article articulates a fear that has been hunkered down inside of me. The idea that the rule of law doesn’t matter anymore.
Already you can see the narrative changing. Members of the GOP are weaving threads of doubt over the veracity of Mueller’s endeavor. Of course they are incorrect, but the idea is starting to take hold and the Democrats are letting it happen. What do we do when the majority of our Congress decides they don’t want to play by the rules anymore?
“The Trump presidency poses a challenge beyond politics or policy. Wrongheaded trickle-down tax policy is a matter of arithmetic; it can be corrected by moving numbers around a spreadsheet. But once corruption has become established, it takes herculean effort to root it out; once respect for the rule of law is lost, it takes generations to restore.”
What are we going to do?
There are plenty of things that qualify for calls to action today but I am going to switch it up. I need a pep talk. How about you?
1. Civil Resistance and the 3.5% Rule
Have you seen this Ted Talk by Erica Chenoweth? Chenoweth argues that non-violent protest is twice as likely to be successful as violent protest. There are a variety of ways to successfully protest and they all don’t involve getting out into the streets. The exciting part is this: just 3.5% of a population can elicit substantial change. Think about that. Watch the video here:https://rationalinsurgent.com/…/my-talk-at-tedxboulder-civ…/
Have you seen this Ted Talk by Erica Chenoweth? Chenoweth argues that non-violent protest is twice as likely to be successful as violent protest. There are a variety of ways to successfully protest and they all don’t involve getting out into the streets. The exciting part is this: just 3.5% of a population can elicit substantial change. Think about that. Watch the video here:https://rationalinsurgent.com/…/my-talk-at-tedxboulder-civ…/
2. The Resistance Need to Harness the Power of Narrative
Read the article here.
https://rationalinsurgent.com/…/how-can-we-know-when-popul…/
Read the article here.
https://rationalinsurgent.com/…/how-can-we-know-when-popul…/
We are living in a time of alternative facts. How do we compete when our opponents play by their own rules? This article argues the following:
“If we want to defeat Trump and build momentum to address the systemic crises of our time, progressives need to confront one of Trump’s most effective strategies: harnessing the power of narrative. But what does that mean, and how do we do it? “
Facts alone are not enough to win. We need to change the narrative. We need to connect with people emotionally.
“Too often progressives think that just because a story is factually true, it will be meaningful to our audiences, and therefore, build our power. But the reality is just the opposite: If a story is meaningful to people, they will believe that it is true. The currency of narrative is not truth but rather meaning. In other words, there is no inherent connection between the power of a story and whether or not the content is objectively true. After all, if having the facts on your side was enough to win, we would live in a very different world.”
We have the facts on our side. The challenge now is how to present them in a way that resonates with our audience. The resistance needs more storytellers.
3. How Can We Know When Popular Movements Are Winning? Look to These Four Trends
https://rationalinsurgent.com/…/how-can-we-know-when-popul…/
For a movement to succeed it needs to do four things:
1. Be large, diverse, and united.
2. Be committed to non-violence
3. Be flexible and try new techniques when others fails
4. Persuade support from media, businesses, and public officials.
https://rationalinsurgent.com/…/how-can-we-know-when-popul…/
For a movement to succeed it needs to do four things:
1. Be large, diverse, and united.
2. Be committed to non-violence
3. Be flexible and try new techniques when others fails
4. Persuade support from media, businesses, and public officials.
How can we adjust our own resistance movements to achieve this?
4. The 11 Biggest Victories against Trump by The Resistance
https://www.theguardian.com/…/biggest-victories-trump-resis…
https://www.theguardian.com/…/biggest-victories-trump-resis…
What am I trying to say today? Don’t give up. This is not the end. It may just be time to regroup and try some new techniques. We can do this. We WILL do this.
Klobuchar-202-224-3244
House of Representative switchboard: (202) 224-3121
MN Legislators: https://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/legislators
Resistbot: https://resistbot.io/
Governor Dayton- https://mn.gov/governor/contact-us/
House of Representative switchboard: (202) 224-3121
MN Legislators: https://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/legislators
Resistbot: https://resistbot.io/
Governor Dayton- https://mn.gov/governor/contact-us/
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