“To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards...”

–Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850–1919; American poet known for her uplifting and socially conscious writing. Her work championed justice, personal responsibility, and the power of speaking out.)

Whether everyone owns up to it or not, America is in the throes of a Constitutional, social, and moral crisis—unlike anything in our Nation’s history. It doesn’t take a genius to see what’s happening. We only need to look around.

It’s unfolding in real time, shaping and shaking the very foundation of our democracy. Since his second inauguration, Donald J. Trump has tested the limits of executive power, issuing sweeping orders that centralize authority, gut independent oversight, and sideline checks and balances. The rapid dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, the mass pardoning of January 6 rioters, and the rollback of environmental protections—all justified under the banner of “restoring order”—are not isolated actions. They are a pattern, a deliberate reshaping of the country to fit a singular vision.

Already many people—immigrants, federal workers, and LGBTQ+ individuals—feel the pain through deportations, firings, and the rollback of protections. Many other people—seniors, low-income families, and those reliant on federal programs—will feel the pain yet to come through health care cuts, the cancellation of USAID programs, the discontinuation of flu vaccine updates, and threats to Medicaid and Social Security. And now, in a shocking display of authoritarian bravado, Trump humiliated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office—publicly berating a wartime ally fighting for survival against Russian aggression. His attack was not just a personal insult; it was a signal to the world that American leadership, once defined by its commitments, is now dictated by impulsive cruelty.

Now is not the time for silence. Now is the time to speak up.

Now is not the time for complacency. Now is the time to act up.

Now is not the time to be broken by divisiveness. Now is the time to come together and walk together.

Why? This crisis threatens the very essence of who we are as Americans.

Why? This crisis is unparalleled in our Nation’s history.

Why? This crisis threatens our today, our tomorrow, and our future.

I am heavy-hearted, but I find hope in looking back on those who stood up when hope seemed lost. Time and again, ordinary people have overturned what once seemed inevitable. We can learn from those ordinary Americans who took extraordinary actions. We can be extraordinary, too.

History tells us time and time again that moments like these define not just leaders but entire movements. The moral high road isn’t a scenic detour—it’s often the hardest path, requiring both conviction and courage.

Taking a Stand Means Taking Action

When faced with injustices like the unprecedented ones we’re up against now, neutrality isn’t a shield—it’s a choice. And history has been shaped by those who refused to sit back and let injustice run its course. They took a stand. They acted. I’m thinking about:

● Thomas Paine – A political writer who stoked the flames of revolution with “Common Sense” and “The American Crisis.”

● Frederick Douglass – A former slave who demanded that America reckon with its hypocrisy, forcing the nation to see itself as it was.

● Henry David Thoreau – Who refused to pay a tax that supported slavery and war, writing “Civil Disobedience” to argue that individuals must resist unjust laws.

● Susan B. Anthony – Who cast an illegal vote in 1872, knowing she’d be arrested but refusing to accept a system that denied women their rights.

● Martin Luther King Jr – Who rejected patience and appeasement, writing Letter from Birmingham Jail as a rebuke to those who claimed to be allies but urged him to wait.

● Daniel Ellsberg – Who leaked the Pentagon Papers at great personal risk, exposing government deceit about Vietnam.

These people didn’t just take the moral high ground—they fought for it, walked it, and held their ground when it mattered most.

Silence Enables Tyranny: The Lesson of Nazi Germany

If history teaches us anything, it’s that silence enables oppression. In Nazi Germany, countless people looked the other way, convincing themselves that they had no choice, that someone else would act. Their silence helped pave the way for one of the greatest atrocities in human history.

German pastor Martin Niemöller, once complicit himself, later warned against the dangers of staying quiet:

“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.

“Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.

“Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.

“Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”

People Are Taking a Stand

From city halls to concert halls, from boardrooms to town squares, Americans are refusing to be silent. People are taking a stand, and the movement taking shape in powerful ways.

Our crisis started when Trump and J. D. Vance were sworn into office on January 20. The next day, the movement started as people were brave enough and bold enough to stand up to the crisis that threatens our Nation and our Democracy.

At the inaugural prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, took a stand and directly addressed the President, urging him to show compassion and mercy toward vulnerable communities. She implored, “In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy on the people in our country who are scared now.” Her courageous plea highlighted the fears of LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, and refugees, calling for leadership grounded in empathy and justice.

The next month at the February 21 Governors’ Conference, the president threatened to strip Maine of its federal funding if it refused to comply with his executive order, banning transgender women from competing in women’s sports. In a tense exchange, Maine’s Democratic Governor Janet Mills took a stand and did not waver. Her response to the president? A simple: “See you in court.”

This wasn’t just a sharp retort. It was a moment of moral clarity, an assertion that principles matter more than political pressure.

Two days later, on February 23, Jane Fonda received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the SAG ceremony in Los Angeles. In her speech, she urged her fellow actors to channel the courage of those who resisted McCarthyism, reminding them of past social movements like Apartheid, Civil Rights, and Stonewall.

“Have you ever watched a documentary and wondered if you’d have been brave enough to walk the bridge or face the hoses and batons?

“We don’t have to wonder anymore—we are in our documentary moment. … And even if they’re of a different political persuasion, we need to call upon our empathy and not judge, but listen from our hearts and welcome them into our tent, because we are going to need a big tent to resist successfully what’s coming at us.”

It’s not just celebrities and politicians taking action; ordinary citizens are making their voices heard, sometimes at great personal cost. We all witnessed the legislative town hall meeting in northern Idaho descend into chaos after three plainclothes security workers forcibly removed Teresa Borrenpohl, who was heckling the speakers.

Others are taking a stand, too, against actions that threaten our nation’s core values. Their courage serves as a beacon, reminding us of the power of collective action.

I’m thinking of the recent upheaval at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the resistance performers are showing as they take a stand. Issa Rae canceled her sold-out show, Renée Fleming stepped down as artistic advisor, Shonda Rhimes resigned as treasurer, and Ben Folds relinquished his role as artistic advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra. These actions underscore the artists’ commitment to preserving the integrity of our cultural institutions.

I’m thinking of Labor Organizations and grassroots movements that are also mobilizing to voice their dissent. The People’s Union USA, founded by John Schwarz, organized a national “economic blackout” on February 28, urging Americans to halt all consumer spending for 24 hours. The boycott was a warning shot—a demonstration that ordinary citizens can disrupt the economic status quo when corporations and policymakers ignore their voices. Early reports suggest widespread participation—major retailers and businesses have already reported noticeable dips in sales. And this is just the beginning. More boycotts are planned in the coming months, targeting corporations that fuel inequality, suppress wages, or remain complicit in policies that threaten democracy. This movement is a reminder that collective economic action has long been a tool for social change, from the Montgomery Bus Boycott to the anti-Apartheid divestments. If history is any guide, the pressure will only build.

I’m thinking of the citizens of Mad River Valley, Vermont who protested Vance’s ski trip just this past weekend. One poster said it all:

“Vermonters don’t bend the knee to wannabe KINGS.”

These contemporary examples of moral leadership echo history, where individuals refused to remain neutral in the face of injustice.

History doesn’t look kindly on those who stand on the sidelines. And we don’t get to tell ourselves we would have acted differently then, if we refuse to act now.

Every Act of Resistance Matters

For the first time in my life, I’m feeling powerless. I imagine that you are, too. At the same time, so did many of the people we now call heroes—before they took action.

● Thomas Paine was just a pamphleteer.

● Susan B. Anthony was just one woman with a ballot.

● Martin Luther King Jr. was just a preacher.

● Daniel Ellsberg was just a government analyst.

● Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde was just a faith leader.

● Jane Fonda was just an actress.

● Governor Janet Mills was just a politician.

They weren’t waiting for permission to do the right thing. They just did it. And because they did it in the past, our country changed. And because people are standing up and acting now, our country can “course correct” again.

Will You Stand When It Counts?

Taking a stand doesn’t require grand gestures. It can be as simple as:

● Participating in economic boycotts as a way of doing something.

● Calling out injustice, rather than letting it slide.

● Supporting those fighting for equality, rather than assuming someone else will.

● Refusing to comply with policies that erode human rights.

● Voting for leaders who put principles above politics.

The moral high road isn’t for the comfortable. It’s for the brave—for those who refuse to look away, for those who understand that silence is complicity.

This is one of those moments. It’s a moment that history won’t forget.

What will you do? Will you take a stand? History is watching.