7 things to do to oppose MAGA authoritarianism

“Time heals all wounds.” That’s the most galactically stupid saying in the English language.

It’s like saying, “Time hits all baseballs.” While it takes time for a baseball to get from mound to plate, time doesn’t hit the ball. We have to swing.

I recently published an article asserting that while Nazis didn’t have recent history from which to learn the dangers of fascism, MAGA hardliners have the example of Nazis and, thus, don’t have an excuse for contributing to the rise of authoritarianism. A progressive-minded Christian author shared my piece on the social media page of one of his popular books. A conversation exploded.

One person accurately critiqued that I offered no practical actions for the common person to take in response to our national and global crisis of authoritarianism. I reached out to the person, and we had a great chat about the need for a plan of action.

Since then, pastor and retired circuit court judge Wendell Griffen published an article calling for all of us to talk about all the ways Donald Trump’s “white supremacist fascist regime” threatens democracy, civility and decency. He concluded it is our “moral and patriotic duty” to “talk about (Trump’s) fascist tyranny and then get rid of it.”

That begs the question: What do we do to get rid of fascist tyranny? And, in the spirit of “tank man” from 1989 Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China: “Even if we can’t get rid of authoritarianism, is it worth dying to try?”

Promoting justice must be just in itself. In that spirit, here are suggestions for collectively responding to authoritarianism:

Take an invasion perspective. Overwhelming evidence shows China and Russia are striving to influence elections in the U.S. These efforts slant heavily toward supporting MAGA candidates. Their effort has a motive, and we must see this invasion for what it is: an existential threat to democracy as real as any army.

Confront like Martin Luther and Alexander Hamilton. I grow weary of people contradictorily saying in social media posts that social media posts never change anyone’s minds. In 1500s Germany, social media existed on wooden church doors where theologians posted their treatises. Luther posted his Ninety-five Theses on that platform and started a revolution.

Similarly, and though popularized in the musical Hamilton as a street debate, Alexander Hamilton’s 1775 argument with Samuel Seabury’s sycophantic loyalty to King George actually took place via paper tracts — the social media of the day.

Today? Former Donald Trump aide Jason Miller has says Trump has made decisions based on social media chatter. Using the social platform of your choice adds a divergent voice to what Miller has called the “marketplace of ideas.” While MAGA hardliners tend to be too indoctrinated for a single conversation to alter their opinions, engagement helps understand their perspective. More importantly, there are truly inquisitive folks who are watching such discourse and are open to influence.

Ask questions and set boundaries. The late Steven Covey said, “Seek first to understand and then to be understood.” I’ve spent the last few years trying to understand the MAGA mindset. In terms of confronting it, the only effective interaction I’ve found is to ask questions.

A recurring experience has been MAGA supporters changing the subject when faced with a question that undermines their assumptions. I have declared a rule on my social media feed: If someone enters a conversation but doesn’t answer a question, I will repeat the question one time. I will then send a private message to make sure the question was received. Anyone who refuses to answer is added to a list of folks whose future comments will be deleted without being read. There currently are two folks on my personal list.

Socratic questioning rather than unfriending people offers an opportunity to either alter opinions or expose narrow-mindedness.

We need to actively confront people’s ignorance, cruelty and word-vomit. Research indicates change is prompted by cognitive dissonance. We can create this dissonance by asking questions that spoon back to folks the crap they are shoveling until they gag on it and then, hopefully, repent.

Repent of hatred. Leftists must avoid the arrogance of only calling for the repentance of conservative bigotry. Regarding my MAGA/Nazis article, most commenters expressed positive reactions or were at least constructive with criticism. However, several leftists asserted that all MAGA supporters are ignorant and unworthy of my friendship. Does referring to MAGA supporters as friends mean coddling them?

Those leftist commenters ruling out the personhood of MAGA supporters were using the very black-and-white thinking I and even they themselves were condemning in MAGA. There is a black-and-white totalitarianism of both left and right, and the left would do well to realize much of the right’s reaction is out of justified fear of the totalitarianism of the far left.

“There is a black-and-white totalitarianism of both left and right.”

Employ holy trolling. When the Apostle Paul preached at Mars Hill in Athens, he met the people where they were. He didn’t say “Tear down your idols.” He pointed to their temple to an unknown god and basically said, “Let me tell you about the unknown god you are looking for.” I suspect many of my MAGA friends have migrated from Facebook to Truth Social and progressives to Bluesky. I haven’t done it, but I wonder about MAGA opponents joining Truth Social and other MAGA centers and engaging there — not to actually troll in the typical sense but to provide curious lurkers with an alternative viewpoint.

Organize sit-ins and other civil disobedience/interference. The Civil Rights movements, following the call for civil disobedience by Thoreau and Gandhi, utilized sit-ins. We need to proactively envision ways to intervene when masked kidnappers abuse fellow human beings. If there is no identification, no warrant, or the agents are superseding the law, these are kidnappers not law enforcement agents, and, therefore, it seems just and in the spirit of patriots to interfere with tyranny.

Hone attitudes that lead to action. Gandhi’s protest speech passionately persuaded a justifiably hostile crowd to fight tyranny nonviolently. Gandhi was willing to act on his words when he endured a beating for burning discriminatory passes. I propose we adapt these examples to our current fight for liberty and justice for all.

People are being grievously wounded and even killed by the current administration. So-called “Christian” nationalists continue to strip rights that taste sour to them but fulfill other people’s nourishing and unharmful pursuit of happiness. While “time heals all wounds” is ridiculous, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure.

We obviously are past preventing the beginnings of authoritarianism in the U.S., but we can prevent it from getting worse — or at least prevent the shame of not trying. We must rise to the calling of not just history but God, remembering the words of the prophet Micah’s list of what the Lord requires of us: to walk humbly with God, love kindness and do justice. Our forebears, future generations our honor and our profession of faith demand it.

 

Brad Bull has served as a hospital chaplain, pastor and university professor. He currently works as a private practice therapist in Tennessee and Virginia. He’s a regular teller at storytelling events. His speaking and retreat services may be reached found at DrBradBull.com.