Here’s what history tells us about how to defeat fascists

Only got 5 minutes? Even if all you do is #1 under Do this + feel better below, you’ll be part of the solution. 🤩

The cruelty of this fascist regime is relentless. Just when you catch your breath from the sucker-punch of one atrocity, another one hits you in the gut. This week, it was ​this photo of detainees​ at a Texas detention center that left me doubled over. 💔

So you feel helpless and hopeless, frozen in place.

Which is kinda the point, isn’t it?

This regime wants us overwhelmed. They want us to feel powerless. They want us to feel disconnected from community.

Because that’s how bullies win.

👉 Well, here’s what they don’t want us to know.

Bullies are really just cowards.

Remember the bully Scut Farkus in A Christmas Story? When Ralphie feels powerless, Farkus reigns supreme.

But then Ralphie finally stands up and says: Nuh-uh. Not today, buddy.

And Farkus collapses into a pitiful puddle.

That’s the energy we need to bring to this moment. 🔥

Because here’s what I’ve learned from people who’ve devoted their professional lives to studying the history of fascism and how to fight it—what works and what doesn’t:

Fascism doesn’t just go away on its own.

We won’t reach a tipping point where the majority of people who voted for this regime will wake up and announce, “Whoopsie-doodles! My bad!” 🫣

And even if that did happen, it wouldn’t matter because this regime has already started consolidating power.

In the words of Ejeris Dixon, an organizer, writer, and strategist who hosts ​The Fascism Barometer​ podcast:

“What history tells us about fascists is that they have to be defeated. So waiting for them to just fizzle out does not have a historic parallel. When you allow fascists to continue to grow power, they become more violent, they imprison more people, they consolidate more power, they remove all checks and balances. There’s nowhere to go. It’s a direct fight. It’s a direct fight, and we’re going to have to fight for our people and we’re going to have to fight for our safety and we’re going to have to fight for our services.”

Think of it like this.

Imagine that you’re back in middle school. And right now, that yellow-eyed bully Farkus is after an elementary school kid—someone who’s smaller and weaker.

Sure, you could put your head down and avert your eyes as you walk by. 😬

But after Farkus bullies that kid into submission, he’s not going to stop. He’s not going to fizzle out. He’s not going to suddenly feel satisfied with his current level of power.

He’ll get more violent and bully more people.

Now’s the time for us to stand up to the bully.

Because here’s the good news.

When we show up and speak out, the bully backs down:

• The bully-in-chief announced ridiculous tariffs. Then we spoke up, and he backed down, pausing most of them for 90 days. ❤️‍🔥
• He made drastic cuts to Social Security phone services. Then seniors showed up in droves at Social Security offices, and he backed down. ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥
• He terminated the visas of thousands of foreign students studying in the U.S. Then We the People said: Nope. And he backed down and reversed the terminations. ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

So yes, these fascist bullies are just cowards.

But they won’t go away on their own.

We gotta speak up. All of us.

And we need to be just as relentless as this regime. ✅

Make yourself a rule that you can’t check social media or the news until you’ve used the ​​5 Calls app​ (with handy scripts!) that day.

Write a letter to your rep and mail or fax it—every week.

Gently nudge a friend who shares their outrage on social media and encourage them to transform that outrage into a phone call to their reps.

Full disclosure: The news will sucker-punch us again and again.

You’ll still feel anxious about the hostile takeover of our government.

But every time you speak up, you’ll feel better knowing that you’re doing your part.

And every time you do, you reclaim our power. Because this democracy belongs to us, not the bullies. 💪

Nuh-uh. Not today, buddy.

Get this in your inbox: When you join Molly’s Army here, every week, you’ll get simple, doable steps we can take to save our democracy even when we’re busy and overwhelmed by the firehose of bad news.

What’s inside

Inside our latest update, you’ll find these sections:

• Do this + feel better: 3 things you can do right now. Taking any action (even if it’s tiny!) will help dispel feelings of hopelessness and overwhelm.
• Get a shot of motivation: A quote that resonated this week.
• Hey, look! We did this: A quick run-down of what folks in our little group of rabble-rousers have been doing to help.
• Your turn: What small actions have you taken lately? Let me know so we can celebrate with you!

Do this + feel better

Here are 3 things you can do right now. As a bonus, taking any action (even if it’s tiny!) will help dispel feelings of hopelessness and overwhelm…

1. Block your calendar for June 14

On June 14—Flag Day—Trump wants to spend tens of millions on a military parade for his birthday, complete with tanks in the street and helicopters overhead. A parade worthy of a king.

But in America, we don’t do kings.

So on June 14, we’ll join together for No Kings, a nationwide day of defiance. 🇺🇸

We’ll reject authoritarianism by showing the world what democracy really looks like, from city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks.

Please do everything you can to show up for this event to protect our democracy and our freedoms.

Push your trip to Costco a day. Reschedule that brunch. Bring your family with you. We’re experiencing a Constitutional collapse, and the time for us to act is now.

👉 So stop what you’re doing and block your calendar on June 14 right now, then tell a friend (or ten) so they can plan ahead to join you. (To save time, you’re welcome to copy and paste this part of my message into a note to your friends and tweak as necessary!)

As details firm up, I’ll keep you posted. You can also sign up to get updates directly from the organizers ​here​.

2. Ping a social scientist

More than 400 social scientists have signed an open letter to the current regime, condemning the dangerous destruction of U.S. foreign aid programs such as USAID.

As just one example, conservative estimates of the cuts to one HIV/AIDS program suggest the cuts have already caused roughly 28,000 adult and 3,000 child deaths as of the end of March. 💔

This is literally a matter of life and death.

👉 If you know someone who works in the social sciences, such as at a university or a health care program, ​forward this open letter​ and ask them to sign it.

To help you think of folks you might know, here are a few examples of people who’ve signed onto the letter:

• Professors
• Lecturers
• Researchers
• Epidemiologists
• PhD students
• Board members

People who’ve signed on tend to work in the areas of sociology, anthropology, psychology, medicine, and public health, but if you’re not sure if a friend would be a good fit, it never hurts to forward anyway. Even if it’s not in their wheelhouse, they’ll likely know someone who would be perfect. 🎯

3. Try calling in

Professor Loretta J. Ross​ has experience with deprogramming white supremacists and teaches a course about white supremacy. Based on her work and experience, she advocates for “Calling In” as a tool and practice for turning difficult conversations into productive ones. ❤️‍🩹

If you have a difficult conversation on your horizon—like maybe with that angry uncle who keeps posting misinformation memes on Facebook?—this framework can help.

👉 Join Professor Ross for this virtual conversation in a couple weeks:

• What: Calling In Conversations: You Reap What You Sow
• Date: Thursday, May 15
• Time: 6 pm to 8 pm Central (​​click to see in your time zone​​)
• RSVP: ​Go here​

This month’s event will focus on the idea of “you reap what you sow”:

“Decisions were made, ballots were cast, and now reality is setting in. People are starting to feel the impact of their choices, while those of us who knew better are enjoying the spectacle of watching them reap what they sow. The chickens have come home to roost…But, why shouldn’t we revel in this moment of their self-afflicted suffering? While we bask in smug satisfaction, are we losing sight of the bigger battle?

Gloating may feel good, but being strategic feels better.”

Get a shot of motivation

A quote that resonated this week:

“Giving the bully your lunch money doesn’t make him leave you alone. It shows him you’re an easy mark, and encourages him to come back for more…

As history teaches, appeasing fascists does not work.”

— Professor and author Nicholas Grossman in ​What the First 100 Days Taught Us About Resisting Trump

Hey, look! We did this

Here’s a quick run-down of what folks in our group have been doing to help lately:

• At a recent rally, Zina found a neighbor group to join for local activism. And she said: “I ​donated to Molly’s Army​ to help spread hope and give others like me actions to take!” Thank you to Zina, Dana, Janica, Karen, Michael, and Sara! 🙏
• Austin contacted his alma mater’s president and asked him to sign a public letter to protest the “unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education.” ✅ (Find instructions for contacting your alma mater under #1 ​here​.)
• Allison and Amy organized a people’s town hall to call out a U.S. rep for hiding from his constituents. On a Saturday morning, 125 people showed up to share their personal stories of how this government takeover has impacted them—and to listen to each other so that we can build a better democracy that works for all of us. 💞 Plus, Lex, Melanie, and Wendy pitched in as volunteers to make it happen!
• Several Molly’s Army members showed up for that town hall, including Susan who said it was “informative and energizing.” 💃🏼
• Katelyn was scared to speak up at the town hall, but she did it anyway. 💪
• Annie started a rapid response Signal chat for local organizers to share timely updates about important actions and events. ⏰
• Debbie is finding solace being in community with you here: “Some days it’s hard to keep going, and knowing others are just as horrified helps.” 💙
• The analogy in ​last week’s Molly’s Army message​ resonated deeply with Lisa, so she shared it far and wide. 👭

Your turn

What small actions have you taken lately? Please drop a comment below (or email me) and let me know what you’ve been up to so we can celebrate with you. 🥳