[Below, the script for the above video — wirth some additional links.]
It took Hitler 53 days to dismantle German democracy.
Trump was sworn in 27 days ago.
Elon Musk’s administrative coup began 14 days ago.
Three days ago, WIRED magazine reported, “The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has frozen all of its election security work and is reviewing everything it has done to help state and local officials secure their elections for the past eight years… The move represents the first major example of the country’s cyberdefense agency accommodating President Donald Trump’s false claims of election fraud and online censorship.”
But the courts! I hear you say. The courts are pushing back! They are, yes. But the results are, at best, mixed. President Musk, Vice President Trump, and their appointees are not necessarily abiding by these rulings. Since Musk and Trump routinely break the law and face no meaningful consequences, they of course do not feel bound by the law. They do not obey the law.
The courts will not save us. And, to quote an inscription on the US Dept. of Justice building itself, “Where law ends, tyranny begins.”
So, it is up to us, the people.
A billionaire dismantling the federal government according to his whims is not broadly popular. There are more people who oppose the coup than support it.
We are calling our Senators and Congresspeople. We are showing up at their offices. Since our Congresspersons are currently on recess, many are coming back to our states — and we must now seek them out at their town halls or ask them why they’re not holding town halls. Show up at their offices and, if necessary, at their homes.
On Monday February 17 in all 50 states, join the Presidents Day Protest. Go to your state Capitol (if you can) or your City Hall (if you cannot). Demand an end to Musk’s coup. Demand an end to the destruction of the US government. Fight for democracy.
We are 27 days into Trump’s presidency, and 2 weeks into Musk’s coup. It is not yet too late.
But it’s boots-on-the-ground time. Let’s go!
And whenever in the future you may be watching the above video or reading these words, remember that it is never too late to do something, however small, to fight for a better world. Because a better, more just, more fair world is possible. We all deserve to live in such a world. And we can build it. Together.
Related (on the blog unless otherwise indicated)
RESIST
- “Another World Is Possible” (19 Nov. 2024).
- “You Are Not Alone: A Letter to My Students After the 2024 US Election” (6 Nov. 2024).
- “Resolutions for a New Academic Year: A survival guide for higher education in perilous times” (Chronicle of Higher Education, 5 Sept. 2017)
- “The Public University in an Age of Alt-Facts: Remarks on Receiving a Higuchi Award” (13 Dec. 2016)
- “Surviving Trumpism, Restoring Democracy” (12 Nov. 2016)
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE & EDUCATION
- “Defending the Right to Read: Resources for Opposing Book Bans” (1 Jan. 2024).
- “Why Are People Afraid of Multicultural Children’s Books?” (Geschichte der Gegenwart, 21 May 2023). See also the related blog post.
- “Breaking up with your favorite childhood classic books” (Washington Post, 16 May 2021).
- “Seuss, Racism, and Resources for Anti-Racist Children’s Literature” (9 Mar. 2021).
- “Trump is a liar. Tell children the truth” (Public Books, 15 Oct. 2019). See also the related blog post on the essay.
- “Migration, Refugees, and Diaspora in Children’s Literature” (ChLAQ) (11 Dec. 2018). Blog post announcing special issue of the Children’s Literature Association Quarterly on this subject, including excerpts from my introduction.
- Refugee Stories for Young Readers (Public Books, 23 Mar. 2017). Francesca Sanna’s The Journey and other contemporary refugee tales for children.