If You're Wondering, Now is the Time for Defiance

Burn the white flag.

Close your eyes and imagine a debate in the House or Senate. Picture a C-SPAN view of the chambers, the hallway press conference afterward, and the interviews with politicians that crop up on cable news channels later.

In those visualizations, what is the protocol, what is expected? How do you tell which party or politician made progress? What kind of faith do you have that the decisions made are those that reflect the will of the people, or the ethically right thing to do?

Now factor into that world AOC, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie. Add in the Tennessee Three: Justin Jones, Justin Pearson, and Gloria Johnson. Shake things up some more with the likes of Greta Thunberg and David Hogg.

How do those rooms change with the addition of these defiant figures?

Earlier this year, the world cheered on New Zealand politician Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke as she protested further encroachment on Māori land by leading the parliament chambers in a Haka dance. Something about her infectious passion and determined defiance was immensely inspiring. Likewise, something about the oh-so-stereotypical frustrated white guy response of Speaker Gerry Brownlee was so satisfyingly hopeful.

Americans, innovative as we claim to be, are constantly living in a political world that is outgrowing its policies, norms, and ideas. We have a tangled mess of traditions, and it’s debatable which make our country shine and which hold us back.

Old school politicians hold on to them all, clinging to their decorum like a life raft in raging rapids. They bang their gavels, wear polished suits, and welcome dictators with a handshake. They accept the rules of the game, no matter how much they distort the playing field, and they quickly become part of the systems they campaigned against.

All the while, citizens watch in disconnected disappointment, only wanting laws and institutions that fit their modern lifestyles. We’re desperate for change, longing for a government that matches our needs. To various degrees, we’re hungry for someone to just show how ridiculous and unfair the current system is. I think that is probably the center part of the Venn diagram of all demographics of American voters.

Traditionally-minded leadership has adapted to find change through the established, though deeply corrupted system. They have found, through generations of ingenuity, workarounds, alliances, and backdoors that create gradual but meaningful change, and they understandably believe in those methods as the best way to get things done. They aren’t entirely wrong.

But the world around them is changing. The opposition is evolving. The speed with which bad actors are able to destroy social and environmental infrastructure is rapidly increasing. Antiquated diplomatic tactics cannot always keep up, and it shows.

Young leaders were literally born into a different atmosphere. They see and experience the challenges of the world differently. Their creative approaches, their lack of patience and reverence of former structures can be really effective in showcasing injustice and making change.

So far, I think anyone in the country could read this article and say, “Yes! Exactly. I voted for someone to shake things up. Someone who speaks truth to power and really challenges this messed up government.” In this way, the buck-the-system attitude can, at a glance, look similar between Bernie and Donald, AOC and MTG, and P!nk and Kid Rock.

But there is a stark difference between the defiant figures in the maga movement and those of freedom-oriented social movements common in today’s democratic party. Maga disruptors revere wealth and white, patriarchal society, and they revolt against social support for anyone outside of that approach to America. They yell, fight, and rage against the part of the system that has allowed for more checks on the powerful institutions that reinforce those interpretations of patriotism. Despite their appearance of disrespect for tradition, they protest change.

On the other hand, those on the left side of the political spectrum demand more acceptance, more support, and more equality for those with less power. They believe in the inclusive, stronger together, holistic approach to America. They chant, lock arms and lift fists against the part of the system that restricts rights and opportunities to people who are not white, wealthy, or conforming to previous social norms. They protest for change to the status quo.

Right now, part of the reason Kamala isn’t in office is because of the confusion between people who misread our current movers and shakers. Though the VP showcased and promised drastic moves forward, away from toxic traditions of the past, she played by the rules as she did so. Donald showed all the signs of putting the country in retrograde, but he did it while bucking every rule of decorum.

As Democrats and Independents face the next couple of years without control of any of our three branches of government, they need to see that this is not the moment to be respectful. It’s not the time to dust off the old, we-don’t-have-any-power playbook. It’s time to demand change, and to do it in a way that clearly distinguishes them from those they are rebelling against.

As confirmation hearings and votes get going in the Senate, as legal challenges mount against executive orders, and as shock sets in across the nation and world in response to brazen disrespect to the American dream, our Democratic leaders have to take a stand. This is our chance to demonstrate, to rebel and outrage over the incompetence and complete disregard for everyday citizens that is displayed at every turn of this Republican governance.

This is our chance to show how we are actually the ones who fight for the United States of America with passion, in the face of old white men harrumphing in the background.

Our leaders have to be bold and brave. They have to be loud and clear. And they have to, with every bit of people power behind them, demand to be heard as the true instigators of democracy.

With love and hope for the future,

Stephanie

What do you want to see from your leaders right now? What are your favorite acts of defiance from our formal and unformal leaders?

For inspiration and pride: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-youre-not-qualified-duckworth-tells-hegseth-in-confirmation-questioning