Silence Is Not an Option

“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” ―Elie Wiesel

We live in a defining moment. It’s a scary world out there right now, and every day seems to be worse than the one before. It can feel risky to take action in this political climate.

I’ve had some disturbing conversations during the last few weeks. Some people seem to be almost paralyzed by fear. One person told me they won’t go to protests or rallies because “you never know who might be photographing participants or have a gun.” A Holocaust survivor advised that I shouldn’t wear a Star of David, which signifies Jewish identity, so that I won’t be immediately identifiable as a Jew. Many people use psuedonyms on social media to avoid being identified as anti-Trump. All of these are legitimate concerns, but right now we need everyone to participate in the effort to save our democracy.

While the current time seems uniquely dark, activists have often faced threats from the other side. In 1996 I was the president of the San Diego Coalition for Reproductive Choice. When the Republican Convention was held in San Diego, several of us protested in front of the venue where the platform committee was meeting. I was publicly identified and featured in newspaper articles and on TV news. The experience made me really think about safety because I was clearly out there, discussing a viewpoint with which many Republicans disagreed. However, it was important to me to stand up for something I believed in.

Of course, social media wasn’t a force in 1996, so most resistance was done on a local level. Now every action is broadcast throughout the world, and anonymity is hard to maintain. It is understandable that many people feel more comfortable staying out of the spotlight.

But in order to win elections in 2025, 2026 and 2028, we need everyone to take action to protect our democracy. Here are some suggestions of things you can do anonymously or with little public exposure:

• Sending postcards is a powerful way to boost voter turnout, registration or your candidate.

• Phone banking to reach voters can be done with software that doesn’t reveal your phone number or identity. The same is true of text banking. A few years ago Mandy Patinkin and his wife Kathryn Grody shared some helpful tips on phone banking.

• Donate to causes and candidates you believe in. Most donation platforms will allow you to be listed among anonymous donors.

• Use a pseudonym on social media. The downside to this is that it may take longer for people to take you seriously.

• Take part in boycotts. Significant losses from service cancellations was instrumental in Disney deciding to bring back Jimmy Kimmel.

• If you are an artist or musician use your talent to speak to people who can be moved by what you create. Music has long been an important part of resistance movements.

  Turn this thing around, I will not go quietly
  I will not lie down, I will not go quietly…”
  Don Henley I Will Not Go Quietly

Franklin D. Roosevelt once said:

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.”

Stand up and speak out fearlessly when you can. You may find it feels good.

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