Make a Plan: Defending the Elections with Nonviolence
Less than a week until Election Day, and many of us are feeling the collective anxiety of the uncertainty. What will happen? What can we do? Whether or not he wins the vote, Trump has made his plans clear to undermine the election in order to maintain power. But leaders can’t take control of power on their own. They rely on pillars of support to give legitimacy to their position. That’s where we come in.
The video above from Rivera Sun walks us through some of our options for defending the elections with nonviolence in a worst case scenario. From the beginning she makes clear that this is not about getting Trump out of office. This is about making sure votes get counted and the results of the election are honored. It’s about defending democracy and standing up for the voice of the American people. So where do we begin?
Groups and community connections can give us a starting point for organizing and mobilizing to hold the integrity of this election and make sure our democracy continues to function. You can start by signing the Choose Democracy Pledge, getting involved with Election Defenders, and encouraging your friends to join you. To do more you can:
Form affinity groups of 6-8 people and make a plan.
Get involved with nonprofits and faith groups.
Reach out to your personal mailing list and talk to your people — we may need all hands on deck.
Build alliances — don’t just preach to the choir, but bring others into the fold for strength in numbers.
For organizers involved in Nonviolent Cities or similar projects, use your connections with city officials to encourage them to join in.
Stay calm. Insist all votes are counted. Remind your friends and families of the same.
Counter false information whenever and wherever you see it.
Refuse to recognize illegitimate authority.
Make a plan to erode pillars of support through strikes, boycotts, demonstrations, and more.
Design discipline into your actions and and get creative — find what works for you.
Rivera covers all of this and more in the above video, so find the time to watch and get motivated for ways that you can join in this collective effort.
It’s better to have a plan and call it off than to be caught unprepared, so this time before election day is particularly valuable for reaching out and discussing actions with your contacts. Rivera and Pace e Bene’s Ken Butigan are leading Nonviolent Action Labs on Thursday nights where you can learn from the experts on how to have the biggest impact. You’re not in this alone, so join the community and bring your friends along with you. Let’s dig in and do some work.