Fighting to Prevent Trump-Pence from Coming to Power Is Our Best Chance

January 2, 2017 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us

 

(The following is adapted from a letter shared with us by a reader in writing to people about signing the Call to Resist.)

We face the most serious situation in this country in nearly 150 years: in a few weeks a fascist regime will be implanted. I don’t use that word lightly: I use it to describe a certain kind of rule, pioneered by Hitler and Mussolini, finding expression in Chile and other Latin American countries in the ’70s and ’80s, and today taking shape in Turkey. The logic of fascism, once implanted, is to constantly “double down” and push further, and today this logic continues to assert itself even before ascending to power. While forces like Obama and others in the ruling structure of society oppose and fear aspects of what Trump-Pence threaten to do, they are mainly normalizing the transition and working for stability. So, despite the anguish and opposition of tens of millions, despite ever more and newer and worse outrages, the ascension of the Trump-Pence regime to the reins of power proceeds apace.

But this is not yet a “done deal.” This does not have to stay this way. There have been times when masses of people in the millions have streamed into the streets to resist blatant tyranny, often with little warning and minimal prior organization, and become unstoppable... as recently as Tunisia and Egypt several years ago, South Korea a few weeks ago, and other instances as well... The basis for such a thing exists—in the millions and millions who are sickened by this prospect, who are already protesting and raising their voices in many different ways, but who need to come together as a force now to PREVENT this.

The following paragraph captures the dynamic I’m talking about:

Imagine if people, in the tens of millions, filled the streets, powerfully declaring that this regime is illegitimate and demanding that it not be allowed to rule! The whole political landscape would be dramatically transformed, every faction within the established power structure would be forced to respond—and all this could well lead to a situation in which this fascist regime is actually prevented from ruling. This is not some idle dream but something which could be made a reality if all those who hate what is represented by this fascist regime translate their outrage into firm determination and massive mobilization to create the conditions which make this possible.

(from The Mission and Plan for a Month of Massive Resistance)

Some ask, “But how can that really happen?” There is no guarantee as to how these things turn out... but sometimes such mass upheavals can create a political crisis throughout all of society, reaching to the very top and, as the vision above says, forcing every faction in the power structure to respond. The ways are suddenly found, where seemingly none existed, to oust the tyrant and open up hope. Indeed, once there is sufficient will, there is no shortage of ways that can be found. Of course, sometimes the upheavals don’t work, crashing up against the rocks. And in either event there are real sacrifices and real costs.

But there IS one guarantee and that is this: if we DON’T try this, there will be a fascist regime consolidated in a country that already has repressive capacities far beyond Germany in 1933... in a society where the established parties and forces have gone along with and gotten in on the implantation of this regime and where a section of people have had all their worst aspects validated and stoked and marshaled into a force... and where nuclear weapons are not only available, but are already being brandished before the destructive demagogue has even gotten into office.

You can call this a long shot; but it is our best shot at averting nearly unimaginable horror. And sometimes, when the underdog throws all they have into it and rises to the occasion, the long shot comes in. If enough of us throw into this now, and organize others, we have a chance...a real chance... our best chance of preventing catastrophe.

There is a ton that you could do. Go to the website. Listen to the initiators. Get involved. Sign the call, today. This goes up this week in the New York Times and other significant outlets and you can donate and spread it and make this something that everyone in society is checking out and thinking about and looking toward.

 

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