Buckle up, buttercup: Defending democracy begins at home

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by Ted M. Coopman

Performative self-harm has been the recent hallmark of the left and, IMO, a major reason why we find ourselves in this predicament. As social movement policy wonks, we used to say: “Protest is easy, policy is hard.” Protests like the recent “Hands Off” rallies are important as a signal of resistance and “you are not alone” solidarity.  Protests also give political cover for politicians to act.

However, as Saturday Night Live’s Michael Che remarked when noting that Corey Booker’s 25-hour speech broke the record set by Strom Thurmond, who spoke against the Civil Rights Act of 1957: “And how did that work out for him?” It still passed. Not to discount Booker’s feat. Someone had to step up and lead. It is simply not enough.

Keep in mind the global protests against the invasion of Iraq in 2003 were the largest one’s ever, yet they failed to dissuade then-President George Bush from invading Iraq and committing one of the worst geopolitical mistakes in modern history.

What do we want? More chanting! When do we want it? Now!

Bush invaded Iraq because he felt he could do so and not face serious domestic political consequences. Trump does not care and, one way or the other, will never have to face voters again. And while you can proudly say you were there April 5 and go home and put your homemade cardboard placard in your window, that is not going to cut it. 

Elon Musk is a fascist, but I am not selling my Tesla

Vandalizing some random Tesla is not striking a blow against fascism; it is hurting a neighbor who was trying to do the right thing by buying an EV. Fight fascism by fighting fascists, not your neighbors.

Obviously, protesting Musk by picketing Tesla dealerships or deciding against buying one is a valid reaction. Vandalizing or setting fire to dealerships or charging stations is not. Both are crimes, endanger firefighters, and cause pollution.

Recent acts of advanced idiocy include fighting climate change by setting fire to several SUVs in Eugene several years ago, thus dumping more toxics and carbon into the atmosphere than those SUVs would have produced in their lifetimes. Not to mention the time wasted and danger caused to firefighters. Actions like these do not help; they just make the case for an authoritarian crackdown.

Giving money to the ACLU or NPR (and others listed below) certainly will help. But we must face the fact that the rise of authoritarianism does not randomly happen – we set the stage through our failure to provide a meaningful alternative.

Eugene is not future fascist ready

Plainly put, we have our own problems. And those problems keep us from seriously contesting, let alone surviving, the federal government’s authoritarian slide. We need to build resiliency at the local level, neighborhood by neighborhood, because democracy depends on our relationships with, and trust of, our neighbors, even if it’s only based on enlightened self-interest.

Author Michael Lewis observed recently on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert that Trump’s tariffs are fundamentally about the destruction of trust because Trump lives in a zero-sum world (if you win, I lose) and a world based on trust works against him.

The destruction of trust in government, in institutions, and in our neighbors is straight out of the authoritarian playbook. If we are fostering trust, then we need to own how Democrats and progressives helped validate the tactics now being used against us.

On a horseshoe to hell

The horseshoe theory argues that advocates of the far left and the far right, like the opposite ends of a horseshoe are close together, closely resemble each other rather than being at opposite and opposing ends of the political spectrum.

A good example is the overt antisemitism on the right (Jewish space lasers setting wildfires, Jews control the banks and media, etc.) to the barely covert antisemitism on the left (Jews/Israelis are colonial “settlers” and deserve the violence inflicted on them).

The tactics of the illiberal left validated the actions we face from the neo-fascist right. The crackdown on universities can’t be seen outside the context of efforts to silence some speakers based on their noncompliant ideology under the guise that words that confound your own worldview are somehow violence.

Coercing compliance from corporations and institutions can’t be understood outside the excesses of DEI, such as coercive problematic training programs and diversity statements for potential hires that enforce an ideological perspective.

Overreach by the executive branch and consolidating and evolving power up need to be examined in the context of progressive state legislatures undermining home rule in cities by overriding local planning and land use. The Republican party’s ruthless purity purges are mirrored by the Democrats’ own actions where the raw pursuit of power is woke-washed to justify personal vendettas and enrichment of allies.

Finally, there are the culture wars waged to enforce ideological agendas by “cancelling” the noncompliant, silencing dissent, and character assassination instead of honest policy debates.

I am not arguing a false equivalency between previous questionable behaviors of the illiberal left and the next-level political arson of Trump’s GOP. Not even close. What I am arguing is that to effectively fight back we need to own our own mistakes and not double down by chasing extreme, alienating, and unpopular policies. Before you get to protect minority rights, you need to achieve majority rule.

Resiliency is just another word for nothing left to lose

As Eugene staggers from divisive zero-sum fights on housing, homelessness, the natural gas ban, the “fire services” fee, and the city’s budget, our deficiencies have become impossible to ignore. We simply cannot withstand the degradations of an increasingly autocratic federal government or the expansive overreach of our state government and more to survive, let along thrive.

We need local leaders who put Eugene first, not the state Democratic Party platform. We need local leaders who serve all residents, who value public process as more than a performative exercise twisted to achieve predetermined ends, and who accept and thoughtfully alter policy based on what their constituents have to say.

We don’t have that, so the public does not have the trust we need to face an uncertain future, and leaders don’t have the trust required to lead us there.

There are tools to resist autocracy. Federalism is the last line of defense where the states exercise their power. We have local control of elections and education because of the understanding that power is best exercised close to those who bear the brunt of its application. This is also true at the county, city, and neighborhood level. Democracy works best the closer you get to the governed.

Progressive Democrats’ efforts to move control out of neighborhoods and cities to the state level assumes that citizens are incapable of making the “right” decisions. Of course, what is right is determined by a small party cadre, special interest groups, and the business interests that finance them.

Real democracy requires the consent of the governed, so leaders need to make their case for public support. The conceit is that the public is too ignorant and self-interested to be trusted and those who question party orthodoxy are enemies to be silenced.

We can’t afford to destroy truth and silence dissent when it serves our own ideological agenda and policy desires. How is this so different from the dismissive arrogance we are getting with MAGA? The left twice failed with just “not being Trump/Republican,” and needs its own vision based on equality and abundance, not chasing impossible levels of equity, rationing compassion, and punishing so-called privilege.

The left must provide a compelling alternative, not just an alternative.

“…if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.” —Donald J. Trump

Kilmar Abrego Garcia and First they came for the immigrants…

We lose our rights gradually and then suddenly. The advice from people who have watched their democracies collapse into authoritarianism in places like Russia, Turkey, and Hungary is that you need to act early and decisively. Abandon the idea of some conceptual red line that you are waiting for those in power to cross—it already has been crossed.

Listen to what Trump says. Yes, he says crazy things, so you get used to hearing them. Then follows through, so it is a shock, but not a surprise. He says “homegrowns are next” to be sent to El Salvadorian gulags. You are a fool not to believe him. Assume the worst-case scenario and work back from there. Trump cannot rule a prosperous and functional nation and that is why he is trying to destroy it. He only can prevail though fear and keeping the majority too focused on basic survival to resist. He needs us fighting each other. Denial is deadly. Capitulation is contagious, but so is courage.

Fight like a Ukrainian: Better to die on your feet than live on your knees

While dissidents from Russia and Hungary could flee, we do not have that luxury. If the United States of America collapses, we will take the entire planet with us. No place will be far enough away. That is not arrogance, that is fact. The U.S. underpins the entire global economic and security infrastructure. Currently no country or group of countries has the capacity to replace us.

American failure puts us in the same conditions that gave us two world wars (100+ million dead), a global depression (U.S. unemployment peaked at 25%), and a flu pandemic (50+ million dead) that make the 2007-2009 recession and COVID look like a Hawaiian vacation.

As Americans, we have benefitted greatly from the post-war global order, an order that was designed based on avoiding the horrors of the first half of the 20th century. If you are even thinking about fleeing and have the capacity to run for it, you have particularly benefitted.

Plenty on the left have spouted hate on American excess. Certainly, this country has made grievous mistakes, including slavery and genocidal colonialism. The reality is, we can get better and do better. We have done great things and helped billions of people.

So, before you get your hate on, consider the alternatives. If you have any empathy for the poor, immigrants, minority groups, women, or the environment, we need to try and save what we have. If we lose it, we only will regain it at a devastating cost in blood and treasure, if we get it back at all. 

What you can do

• Get informed: Learn the strategies of resistance from place such as If You Can Keep it from Protect Democracy. 
• Invest in local news: You are here—support Whole Community News via The Corporation for Public Community Newspapers. Also support other community news outlets such as KLCC and LookOut Eugene-Springfield.
• Do not use social media as a news source. The algorithm is not your friend.
• Invest in national and international news: My go-to sources are The Atlantic, The Economist, New York Times, and Washington Post. Also search out comparative news aggregators like Ground News.
• Know your local leaders and pay attention to Eugene City Council and the Lane County Board of Commissioners. You can get transcripts of their meetings and public comment here at Whole Community News.
• Be heard! Contact your local elected officials. Don’t just complain. Let them know when you think they are doing the right thing.
• Clean up your contacts list and secure it. Your network is your best resource. Expand it.
• Go to your neighborhood association meeting. Get involved. Volunteer for neighborhood projects.
• Volunteer! There are many opportunities ranging from your neighborhood association, park groups, food banks, teach kids to ride bikes, and so forth.
• Budget monthly charitable donations. Regular payments allow for better budgeting.
• Vote in every election. Low voter turnout fuels partisan extremism.
• Support voter reforms such as open primaries.

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Western Exposure is a semi-regular column that looks at issues and challenges from a West Eugene perspective – a perspective that is often ignored or trivialized by city leadership and influential groups and individuals largely based in south and east Eugene. 

Western Exposure rejects the fauxgressive party line, performative politics, and “unicorn ranching” policy in favor of pragmatism focused on the daily experiences of residents and small businesses in Eugene—and West Eugene in particular.

Ted M. Coopman has been involved in neighborhood issues since 2016 as an elected board member, and now chair, of Jefferson Westside Neighbors and has 30+ years experience as an activist and community organizer. He earned a Ph.D. in Communication (University of Washington) and served on the faculty at San Jose State University from 2007 to 2020.

Ted’s research on social movements, activist use of technology, media law and policy, and online pedagogy has been published and presented internationally and he taught classes ranging from research methodology to global media systems. He and his spouse live in Jefferson Westside with an energetic coltriever and some very demanding and prolific fruit trees.