A Gathering Storm

Last updated on: July 8, 2020 at 9:06 pm by Gabriel Blanchard

A Gathering Storm 2020-07-08T21:06:51-04:00 Gabriel Blanchard

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Be warned, this post is a bit grim.

I have entirely lost confidence that there will be a peaceful transfer of power in November. Trump said in so many words in 2016 that he’d accept the results of the election if he won. He’s spent the last four years proving he meant exactly that, and he’s run ads fantasizing about remaining president longer than the two terms the Constitution allows. We’re past the point where we can afford to treat those as “just jokes.” He has never been shy about his gross disregard for the rule of law, or his bootlicking admiration for dictators across the globe. Hell, he had DC citizens pepper sprayed just so he could get a photo op he wanted. I don’t believe he’ll accept the 2020 election if he loses. I believe he will stage a coup.

If I turn out to be wrong, I will probably cry with relief. But I think each one of us needs to reflect on what we will do if I turn out to be right.

First, some no-go tactics. Popular revolt is probably impossible. Remember that POTUS is Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces; unless there were a massive refusal of orders on their part, which would likely make a revolt unnecessary in the first place, there would be no serious prospect of success for a revolt. As long as coronavirus remains active and no vaccine is available, we’ll probably need to treat emigration as impossible too. If a vaccine or a highly-effective treatment does become widely available, that option can be revisited. It is probably the safest option for most people whom the regime would endanger—political opponents, people of color, and LGBTQ people—which is yet another reason to hope and pray, fervently, that a vaccine is developed quickly.

Petitioning the U.N. to impose sanctions on the U.S. until Trump is removed might, possibly, work; we have a lot of resources of our own, but we import a lot of stuff too, and it would be a huge international embarrassment. There’s a chance it could help.

Civil resistance to the regime may become very important. Since the internet makes it a lot easier than it used to be to spread testimony, photographs, and video of non-violent resistance and of the government’s response to it, not only domestically but internationally, the power of that kind of resistance is magnified accordingly. I encourage anyone who’s unfamiliar with Mahatma Gandhi’s thought and techniques to read Non-Violent Resistance, a collection of his articles and interviews composed over the years he spent advocating for home rule in India, against the colonial dominion of the British Empire. Non-violent resistance is a tactic that takes a lot of courage and resolve; you need to start practicing before the crisis begins, just like you need to start training for a race.

Other than that … prayer. It’s easy to say “pray” without conviction, because you don’t know what else to say; and that is how I’m saying it now. Fortunately the efficacy of prayer does not depend on how I feel about it, but on God’s mercy and power.

antifascism

Previous Post

June 30, 2020

Thank You Patrons!

Next Post

July 14, 2020 Ever After

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category abuse antifascism art bad Catholic celibacy chastity Church crucifixion culture war eros forgiveness gay gender homophobia ikons language liturgy peace poems politics Pope Francis prayer pro-life race recommendations reform repentance review sacraments saints satire scandal schism scripture sex suffering theology Uncategorized violence

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the Jewish festival celebrating the giving of the Law at Sinai?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Yom Kippur Tabernacles Purim Shavuot (Pentecost)