Tom Sullivan: Neighbors will do what they see you do

[Fiendish Thingy]

Tom excerpts a column by Rebecca Solnit, which references a podcast by the former president of the International Center for Nonviolent Conflict:

It is a succinct, excellent argument against defeatism and doomerism.

Acts of non-coöperation are very powerful,” Merriman, the former president of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, says. “Non-coöperation is very much about numbers. You don’t necessarily need people doing things that are high risk. You just need large numbers of people doing them.”

-snip-

Conventional wisdom has it that Trumpism is going to win and prevail for a long time and there’s not much we can do, but it’s conventional because it’s informed by status quo/centrist notions that power is something that resides in those people we call ‘the powerful,’ the elite few, that the rest of us have none, and that most people are narrowly self-interested and won’t stand up on principle (leaving aside that we don’t need ‘most people,’ just a lot of people). Which is just wrong and ignorant and extremely disempowering and a story some of all of us get fed all the time and some of us swallow. Especially as people are standing up in a thousand ways. Do not forget that the Trumpists are weak and scared and rushing to destroy as much as possible before we stop them.

As an aside, one of my frustrations about moderate Democrats, some socialist-y people, and too many pundits is their insistence that ‘people’ other than themselves, the people they’re patronizing, only vote for narrow self interest, aka ‘kitchen table issues.’ In fact, people often choose the candidate they agree with ideologically over their immediate material well-being or there wouldn’t be this right-wing stuff to begin with. The whole idea that when you’re financially insecure you don’t care about democracy and human rights is an insult to poor people and a total miss of the rich people who would sell democracy and human rights and their mom to add to their billions.

More at link, including links to original sources.

https://digbysblog.net/2025/10/27/not-high-risk-but-high-numbers/

Just another reminder of this absolute truth:

Trump is not omnipotent, and the states and the people are not powerless

[Ninga]

1. This is exactly what I needed to read this Monday..,

TY.

[Fiendish Thingy]

3. You're welcome!

[usonian]

2. Just posted. Nonviolent ways

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10114652
Blueprint for Revolution: How to Use Rice Pudding, Lego Men, and Other Nonviolent Techniques to Galvanize Communities, Overthrow Dictators, or Simply Change the World

Frogs and dinosaurs unite!

Use your bazookas to fight the dicktater.



Be not fearful in the fight.