Repression can creep into our societies when politicians begin to use coercive force against civic organizations, their leaders, and other entities that have traditionally been seen as champions of democracy. In the Trump presidency, this has happened with startling speed, from verbal attacks on civil society to physical intimidation and even violence.
We've entered a phase where the administration is deploying security forces against organizations and people deemed "threats" by the state. As history shows us, once coercion begins, it's difficult to stop its escalation. Research on democratic backsliding warns us that resistance grows harder as repressive actions intensify.
The key question now is: how do we resist this growing repression? The answer lies in proactively building coalitions of diverse groups to stand up for fundamental rights and freedoms. We need community, labor, advocacy groups, universities, law firms, and individuals like you and me to unite against abuses of power.
While the Trump administration's actions may seem contained at first, experts warn us that once coercion starts, it snowballs. The US has a history of democratic backsliding when leaders exploit fears and create massive repressive machines. Leaders like Putin in Russia, Chávez in Venezuela, and Erdoğan in Turkey all followed this path.
In the Trump presidency, we've seen an increasing focus on security forces to suppress opposition, with tactics that have become more extreme by the day. Intelligence agencies are being fortified, new security units are being created, and state-led violence is becoming more common. We're witnessing a worrying escalation of state repression in cities across America.
To counter this, pro-democracy organizations must stand firm, while training their members in strategic nonviolence to resist provocations from the state. Community groups need to build strong networks that can withstand coercion. Law firms and universities are also essential pillars in defending democracy.
But for all this to work, we need more than just resistance; we need a movement. And what's giving our spirits hope? The tens of thousands joining trainings on nonviolent strategic action since the beginning of the year, both online and in-person. Legal organizations and law firms using their courts to defend rights and curb executive branch overreach.
It will take courage, determination, and unity to confront this emerging crisis head-on. We must stand together as a people, united against oppression.
We've entered a phase where the administration is deploying security forces against organizations and people deemed "threats" by the state. As history shows us, once coercion begins, it's difficult to stop its escalation. Research on democratic backsliding warns us that resistance grows harder as repressive actions intensify.
The key question now is: how do we resist this growing repression? The answer lies in proactively building coalitions of diverse groups to stand up for fundamental rights and freedoms. We need community, labor, advocacy groups, universities, law firms, and individuals like you and me to unite against abuses of power.
While the Trump administration's actions may seem contained at first, experts warn us that once coercion starts, it snowballs. The US has a history of democratic backsliding when leaders exploit fears and create massive repressive machines. Leaders like Putin in Russia, Chávez in Venezuela, and Erdoğan in Turkey all followed this path.
In the Trump presidency, we've seen an increasing focus on security forces to suppress opposition, with tactics that have become more extreme by the day. Intelligence agencies are being fortified, new security units are being created, and state-led violence is becoming more common. We're witnessing a worrying escalation of state repression in cities across America.
To counter this, pro-democracy organizations must stand firm, while training their members in strategic nonviolence to resist provocations from the state. Community groups need to build strong networks that can withstand coercion. Law firms and universities are also essential pillars in defending democracy.
But for all this to work, we need more than just resistance; we need a movement. And what's giving our spirits hope? The tens of thousands joining trainings on nonviolent strategic action since the beginning of the year, both online and in-person. Legal organizations and law firms using their courts to defend rights and curb executive branch overreach.
It will take courage, determination, and unity to confront this emerging crisis head-on. We must stand together as a people, united against oppression.
The numbers are crazy! 34% of Americans say they're less likely to participate in politics because of the current administration's actions 
. Meanwhile, 72% of experts agree that democratic backsliding is on the rise 
. We need to take action now! 
️ The good news is that 85% of people who attend training sessions on nonviolent strategic action report feeling more empowered and confident 
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. We can't just sit around and watch this happen. The stats show us that resistance grows harder as repressive actions intensify, so we need to act NOW! 
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. We can't let this continue. The future of our democracy depends on it 
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Can't believe how fast things have spiralled out of control in the US 
It's like they're trying to suffocate any dissenting voice 
. We need more than just resistance; we need a real movement 
. All these new coalitions building and training in nonviolent actions are giving me hope, though 
. I think we need to start building these coalitions of diverse groups ASAP, or else we'll lose the fight for fundamental rights and freedoms 
. I mean, who needs free speech and assembly when you can have a good ol' fashioned security crackdown? And let's be real, history shows us that resistance is futile once things get this way... so why bother trying to stop it? It's not like we'd even make a difference anyway 
... like, what's next? I mean, we've seen this play out in other countries and it's not pretty 
... and I'm loving the idea of community groups building strong networks that can withstand coercion 
. I'm so glad to see pro-democracy orgs taking a stand and training their members in strategic nonviolence 
!
. All these security forces being deployed against civic orgs and individuals is super concerning. I mean, what's next? The government cracking down on protest groups and shutting down online communities that speak out against them? It's like they're setting a bad precedent for future leaders to exploit fears and crack down on dissent.
I mean, who needs an opposition when we can just silence them? It's like they're using us as guinea pigs to test the limits of what we'll tolerate before we lose our minds 
. Newsflash: just because he says you're a "threat" doesn't mean you are! It sounds like we've got a real problem on our hands here - all these examples of Putin and Chávez are super concerning 
. Strategic nonviolence is key here - no more physical intimidation or violent crackdowns 
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. And those tens of thousands joining trainings? That's what I call a movement 
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The fact that tens of thousands are joining trainings on nonviolent strategic action gives me hope, but it's still early days. We need to keep pushing forward, united and unafraid. 
. As someone who's always passionate about social justice, it's heartbreaking to see so many organizations being targeted 
, and I'm hopeful that we can make a real difference 
I'm not surprised to see how quickly things can escalate when someone in power feels threatened by civil society. It's like they think we're all just going to cower down and take it lying down 
. like, trump was already being super aggressive towards civil society, but now it feels like the security forces are just getting more and more extreme 
. law firms, universities, community groups... everyone needs to be on the same page 
. and yeah, training in strategic nonviolence is key 
. but what's also giving me hope is all the people getting involved in trainings and using their voices to defend rights 
. The Trump admin's tactics are just the tip of the iceberg, and if we don't do something soon, it'll be too late 
what can we do to stop it? i think building coalitions and standing up for fundamental rights is key