Hope: The Secret Weapon of Democracy Protection
I had been meaning to republish my 2022 essay about Hope as the “secret weapon of democracy protection,” and this seems a good occasion to do that. We are living through a season of hope now in America, with scenes of enthusiasm and even joy at Harris-Walz rallies, but hope is also part of a longer-term political strategy. Hope means refusing to give in to the fatalism and cynicism that autocrats foster with their messages that they are omnipotent and their victories inevitable.
Thank you for reminding us not only that it is good to hope, but that hope is one thing autocrats seek to crush, thus making daring to hope an act of resistance. The enthusiasm and the powerful sense of relief many I know are experiencing is truly welcome. Tim Walz intensified that enthusiasm. The more one gets to know who he is and how he evolved, the more one embraces him.
So interesting Ruth, because the story that Tim Walz told about WHY and how he and his wife named their daughter, Hope, was incredibly moving. What a great pic for VP~! It’s fun riding this “blue-wave”…long overdue! Have a nice vacation