We have to assume that we are responsible for the future of this world.
—James Baldwin
ACTION
Decide what happens next.
RESULT
That’s up to you.
You are here, where you are in life, as a result of every choice that you have made. You have been shaped by your beliefs, by the company you keep, your friends and family, and to some extent by random stuff that has happened to you, but I believe we happen to life more than life happens to us. Not everybody believes that, but that’s how it is. Little by little, day by day, we create ourselves, often through habit and repetitions, but also, sometimes, consciously, willfully, and by choice.
A nation is the same way, except that it is a huge collection of people, so sure, it’s a lot more complicated, but basically “We the People” is every American that lives in this big place, from sea to shining sea, from purple mountains to amber waves of grain, the whole enchilada—we the folks living here right now are responsible for what happens next. That is what a democracy is. That is all that it is. We can make this place anything, anything at all that we want it to be!
Abbie Hoffman by Luke Ramsey
There have always been people who try to subvert democracy to serve themselves. There will always be people who seek to subvert our freedoms for their own selfish gains. It’s an age-old story, as old as the first democracy.
The struggle is nothing new. Greed for wealth and lust for power were not invented by Trump. The struggle within this democracy between the rich and corrupt and everybody else is as old as America, it is the struggle of history.
What Happens Next?
Perhaps this struggle against the malignant cancer in our government is the birthing pains of something even bigger. What happens if we resist this demagogue, and when he is defeated, we don’t stop? What could we achieve then? What happens if we take the energy that is fomenting right now against tyranny, against ignorance and lies, and against the corporate plutocracy and we keep pushing? What happens if we don’t stop after Trump has been defeated? What if we keep using all the tactics of resistance, using the strengthened energy, and networks, and awareness, and motivation, and we just keep going? Where can we get to from here? Imagine what that could look like!
The final action of this book is to envision the version of America you want to see materialize. What is the version of our future that is worth fighting for? Take a moment and write down a description of what you want us to become. Think of it as planting a seed.
The shape of the future will be determined by you and people like you, those who dare to resist. History has shown that when We the People wake up, when we get involved, when we organize, when we act with courage, it is possible to survive, to fight, and to liberate ourselves from tyranny. When freedom, equality, and the truth are at stake, those who take action, brave men and women like yourself, have the power to boldly shape the future.