I am probably one of your more moderate readers, definitely in the liberal camp. I wholeheartedly agree with your premise - I too wish for a country and planet where everybody is safe and loved - but by virtue of my profession and background, I am strongly pragmatic and incrementalist. I can't help but to ask questions like "but how we will implement that" or "but how do we pay for that program given existing constraints" or "what does the evidence show about whether that policy works." I think it's important that there are sharp limits on government power. I don't think that's incompatible with the deep, firmly held belief that societies should be oriented around the well-being of people, not corporations or machines or money.
I say all this because, as a "moderate" who is really not an activist and has attended < 5 protests in my whole life, I actually ducked out of work on Friday May 1 and headed over to the local May Day rally. I did that because in this moment, I don't know what else we do. We cannot continue in this direction. Because of where I live, I don't have a voting member of Congress. I have no voice on the federal level.
My disappointment, though, was that when I arrived, the two largest flags waving over the crowd were the Palestinian flag and the Lebanese flag. (Don't get me wrong, what has happened and is happening in Gaza and now southern Lebanon sickens me and I don't want U.S. support for Israel military's violations of international law. While I'm at it, Hamas's October 7 attacks were also sickening and wrong. Two wrongs don't make a right.) The crowd was... as not large as the organizers later claimed. If there hadn't been a federal helicopter circling low, you wouldn't have known anything was happening there that day.
So when the local movement - and if you read the bit about no voting representation, you can guess where this is - plans a protest but doesn't lead with the local flag and doesn't center the acute local injustices we have ... man, I don't know. We have the boot on our own necks because the armed soldiers patrolling are still here, walking through the neighborhoods and parks in groups of 5 or 6 or more, and they will be here indefinitely. Federal officers have killed (Black and brown) people here with no accountability, too - and that's not new with this administration, even. For me, we need to put our own masks on first, so to speak, in order to have the power to affect what is happening on the other side of the globe.
To get truly massive crowds in the street, and to build a movement that gets a mass of people to be willing to skip work, I think folks in organizing need to be speaking about our local issues in a way that makes sense to someone who hasn't taken social justice 301 and doesn't necessarily identify with "solidarity" but sure as heck isn't okay with authoritarianism. I don't see us - the ones who want the world where the human dignity of all is respected - winning as "bigly" as we desperately need to without being willing to build coalitions around our shared, immediate, local issues. There's a reason "No Kings" is attracting so many people, and it's because it's clear, simple, and doesn't require allegiance to every progressive issue to get on board with.
I wish I could share these thoughts with this local group, but I don't think they would hear me. I don't think I'm who they are interested in organizing. And so instead, I put it here, because I do want to be part of this "we" and it seems like the White Pages is a place I can do that. There are ideological differences. I am okay with that - in fact, I welcome it, if we all thought the same thing we'd never learn anything or get anywhere - and I'm committed to hearing out and considering respectful challenges to my views. That's the democratic free society that I want to live in. Can that flow both directions?
"To get truly massive crowds in the street, and to build a movement that gets a mass of people to be willing to skip work, I think folks in organizing need to be speaking about our local issues in a way that makes sense to someone who hasn't taken social justice 301 and doesn't necessarily identify with "solidarity" but sure as heck isn't okay with authoritarianism. I don't see us - the ones who want the world where the human dignity of all is respected - winning as "bigly" as we desperately need to without being willing to build coalitions around our shared, immediate, local issues. There's a reason "No Kings" is attracting so many people, and it's because it's clear, simple, and doesn't require allegiance to every progressive issue to get on board with."
I'm also really sorry (though not surprised, sadly) that you don't feel comfortable having this kind of conversation in any local groups. I think, while of course it's good for groups to have a clear sense of "we stand for ____/our politics are ____" you rightfully identified that there are a lot of folks like you who care deeply and align on quite a bit but also care about the question as to how we welcome more people in, and I don't think we should have a culture of ostracization (of even just a lack of curiosity) around those questions! So glad you shared this here.
And by the same token, perhaps I need to accept that in order for this large coalition to be built, I will need to be okay marching in support of the rule of law alongside folks whose slogans and maybe even politics aren't my cup of tea. If they need to not have me agree with every little thing... well, same's got to be true for me. We can all knock facism out together and then use the amazing democratic, representative system we build to debate, you know, the appropriate place for markets as a means of exchange and whether private property should be a thing :)
FWIW I totally agree with you. Would I vote for a candidate who had taken money from AIPAC? No. Do I want my city council to spend its valuable time (at meetings which, by the way, frequently don't end until after midnight) discussing whether or not it should pass a resolution calling for an end to military aid to Israel? Also no.
Here are some ways I see us winning: As the politics get more vicious, we become kinder to each other at the community level. The harder others work at silencing us, the louder our voices become on behalf of and in support of ALL. As the rhetoric becomes more divisive, we work to be more inclusive in language and deed. As prices rise in the grocery store, community farms are showing up in urban areas. In very divided neighborhoods, we're finding language to move beyond the cliche name-calling and talking points and working to listen with respect and compassion TO EACH OTHER. As ICE shows up, we're ready with whistle kits and trained locals. As we use "yes, AND" and avoid labeled boxes, we're making it possible for dialogue that's moving the needle. Ex: I know you're pro-life. Me, too. I want every child born to have our support until he or she becomes an adult. Will you help me push for strong schools across our state?" There are many examples, and they all matter. Yes, we ARE winning, not everywhere, not all the time, but more and more that matters.
Thank you for this. Seeing the research helps a lot, as does continuing to be reminded, over and over, that there is work for me to do that isn’t “attend protests” (which disability and family circumstances make less and less possible for me).
Thank you Garrett. Your voice is one we need. On May 9 we held a Dogs for Democracy walk in our little suburban town. Our goal was to offer a demonstration that reached out beyond our currently protesting demographic. It was small (75?) but delightful. Thrift-store stuffed dogs for adoption, ‘Pup-a-razzi’ taking pictures, a march through town. Lots of kids.
We need to keep reminding each other to hold hope, to lean in, not out. Thank you for leading in that. I loved this line, "...crowds to grow larger and more in love with each other." Now we're talking!
Saw your footnote re: liberals and leftists.
I am probably one of your more moderate readers, definitely in the liberal camp. I wholeheartedly agree with your premise - I too wish for a country and planet where everybody is safe and loved - but by virtue of my profession and background, I am strongly pragmatic and incrementalist. I can't help but to ask questions like "but how we will implement that" or "but how do we pay for that program given existing constraints" or "what does the evidence show about whether that policy works." I think it's important that there are sharp limits on government power. I don't think that's incompatible with the deep, firmly held belief that societies should be oriented around the well-being of people, not corporations or machines or money.
I say all this because, as a "moderate" who is really not an activist and has attended < 5 protests in my whole life, I actually ducked out of work on Friday May 1 and headed over to the local May Day rally. I did that because in this moment, I don't know what else we do. We cannot continue in this direction. Because of where I live, I don't have a voting member of Congress. I have no voice on the federal level.
My disappointment, though, was that when I arrived, the two largest flags waving over the crowd were the Palestinian flag and the Lebanese flag. (Don't get me wrong, what has happened and is happening in Gaza and now southern Lebanon sickens me and I don't want U.S. support for Israel military's violations of international law. While I'm at it, Hamas's October 7 attacks were also sickening and wrong. Two wrongs don't make a right.) The crowd was... as not large as the organizers later claimed. If there hadn't been a federal helicopter circling low, you wouldn't have known anything was happening there that day.
So when the local movement - and if you read the bit about no voting representation, you can guess where this is - plans a protest but doesn't lead with the local flag and doesn't center the acute local injustices we have ... man, I don't know. We have the boot on our own necks because the armed soldiers patrolling are still here, walking through the neighborhoods and parks in groups of 5 or 6 or more, and they will be here indefinitely. Federal officers have killed (Black and brown) people here with no accountability, too - and that's not new with this administration, even. For me, we need to put our own masks on first, so to speak, in order to have the power to affect what is happening on the other side of the globe.
To get truly massive crowds in the street, and to build a movement that gets a mass of people to be willing to skip work, I think folks in organizing need to be speaking about our local issues in a way that makes sense to someone who hasn't taken social justice 301 and doesn't necessarily identify with "solidarity" but sure as heck isn't okay with authoritarianism. I don't see us - the ones who want the world where the human dignity of all is respected - winning as "bigly" as we desperately need to without being willing to build coalitions around our shared, immediate, local issues. There's a reason "No Kings" is attracting so many people, and it's because it's clear, simple, and doesn't require allegiance to every progressive issue to get on board with.
I wish I could share these thoughts with this local group, but I don't think they would hear me. I don't think I'm who they are interested in organizing. And so instead, I put it here, because I do want to be part of this "we" and it seems like the White Pages is a place I can do that. There are ideological differences. I am okay with that - in fact, I welcome it, if we all thought the same thing we'd never learn anything or get anywhere - and I'm committed to hearing out and considering respectful challenges to my views. That's the democratic free society that I want to live in. Can that flow both directions?
I love this thought so much and agree:
"To get truly massive crowds in the street, and to build a movement that gets a mass of people to be willing to skip work, I think folks in organizing need to be speaking about our local issues in a way that makes sense to someone who hasn't taken social justice 301 and doesn't necessarily identify with "solidarity" but sure as heck isn't okay with authoritarianism. I don't see us - the ones who want the world where the human dignity of all is respected - winning as "bigly" as we desperately need to without being willing to build coalitions around our shared, immediate, local issues. There's a reason "No Kings" is attracting so many people, and it's because it's clear, simple, and doesn't require allegiance to every progressive issue to get on board with."
I'm also really sorry (though not surprised, sadly) that you don't feel comfortable having this kind of conversation in any local groups. I think, while of course it's good for groups to have a clear sense of "we stand for ____/our politics are ____" you rightfully identified that there are a lot of folks like you who care deeply and align on quite a bit but also care about the question as to how we welcome more people in, and I don't think we should have a culture of ostracization (of even just a lack of curiosity) around those questions! So glad you shared this here.
And by the same token, perhaps I need to accept that in order for this large coalition to be built, I will need to be okay marching in support of the rule of law alongside folks whose slogans and maybe even politics aren't my cup of tea. If they need to not have me agree with every little thing... well, same's got to be true for me. We can all knock facism out together and then use the amazing democratic, representative system we build to debate, you know, the appropriate place for markets as a means of exchange and whether private property should be a thing :)
Really great reflection as well!
FWIW I totally agree with you. Would I vote for a candidate who had taken money from AIPAC? No. Do I want my city council to spend its valuable time (at meetings which, by the way, frequently don't end until after midnight) discussing whether or not it should pass a resolution calling for an end to military aid to Israel? Also no.
Here are some ways I see us winning: As the politics get more vicious, we become kinder to each other at the community level. The harder others work at silencing us, the louder our voices become on behalf of and in support of ALL. As the rhetoric becomes more divisive, we work to be more inclusive in language and deed. As prices rise in the grocery store, community farms are showing up in urban areas. In very divided neighborhoods, we're finding language to move beyond the cliche name-calling and talking points and working to listen with respect and compassion TO EACH OTHER. As ICE shows up, we're ready with whistle kits and trained locals. As we use "yes, AND" and avoid labeled boxes, we're making it possible for dialogue that's moving the needle. Ex: I know you're pro-life. Me, too. I want every child born to have our support until he or she becomes an adult. Will you help me push for strong schools across our state?" There are many examples, and they all matter. Yes, we ARE winning, not everywhere, not all the time, but more and more that matters.
Yes, yes, yes, Gail!
Thank you for this. Seeing the research helps a lot, as does continuing to be reminded, over and over, that there is work for me to do that isn’t “attend protests” (which disability and family circumstances make less and less possible for me).
Protests are one piece of the puzzle, but absolutely JUST ONE! Thank you fora ll the ways you've been showing up!
Thank you Garrett. Your voice is one we need. On May 9 we held a Dogs for Democracy walk in our little suburban town. Our goal was to offer a demonstration that reached out beyond our currently protesting demographic. It was small (75?) but delightful. Thrift-store stuffed dogs for adoption, ‘Pup-a-razzi’ taking pictures, a march through town. Lots of kids.
oh my god I love this Gene
❤️
But also, let's talk about THE DRAMA
I was expecting a lot of things but NOT the very White Pages coded flashback mid-way through! I now want everybody to watch this movie!
But which flashback, there are so many 😂
We need to keep reminding each other to hold hope, to lean in, not out. Thank you for leading in that. I loved this line, "...crowds to grow larger and more in love with each other." Now we're talking!
Thanks Cary!
Thank you for this one. Coupled with Solnit’s piece today, I have some good and thoughtful solar in my tank.
So glad you’re supporting Molly Knight, Garrett! Welcome to The Long Game community!
I'm registered for one of those Kinfolx Coffee slots, and not to give you homework, but I just might want to discuss this article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/11/world/europe/eurovision-israel-gaza-netanyahu.html?unlocked_article_code=1.h1A.jfu6.A_V3hyLwn_wZ&smid=url-share