Dear Kent Streeters,

As you all may have heard by now, Louise is taking a well-earned sabbatical until early September. During the next several weeks, we will be introducing you to other members of Kent Street’s leadership team through Happenings “The Week in Perspective.”  This week’s Perspectives is from Tracy Hahn-Burkett.

It is a truism to say that it’s a difficult time in our state and in our country. But if we are to meet the moment, more is required: we must be able to recognize this moment for what it is, and we must also be able to explain the urgency of it to those around us.

Republicans have given up on the ideals of the United States of America: e pluribus unum, freedom and equality for all, and a refuge for those who require it. These ideas comprise our very foundation, even though this country has never fully achieved them. Everything we are that is good has been built upon the notion that the long “arc of the moral universe bends toward justice,” and until now, even when we faltered badly, most of us could agree on that.

But this is no longer true. Now the GOP, via the MAGA movement, has traded our heritage and our republic for fascism.

Yes, fascism is really happening here. Merriam-Webster defines fascism as:
“a populist political philosophy, movement, or regime … that exalts nation and often race above the individual, that is associated with a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, and that is characterized by severe economic and social regimentation and by forcible suppression of opposition.”

The fall has not quite been fully achieved yet, but it is well underway. We have been vulnerable due in part to American complacency that it could not happen to us, and so we have seen institution after institution fall or become compromised: Congress, the Supreme Court, the press, universities, law firms, businesses, and the rule of law itself.

How can we hope to stand against this? How can we hope to win?

We win by recognizing that we are the ones who must save ourselves and our country. These are not just words, but a true call to action. We win by taking heart in recognizing that not every action has to be a grand one; every single step you take to resist autocracy and fascism matters. Every protest you attend, every friend or neighbor to whom you explain the day or week’s events, every boycott, every expression of support for democratic actors helps. Every sign you hold or post on your lawn. Every phone call you make to an elected official to encourage them to do the right thing. (For ideas of resistance in a time past, read “The Danes Resisted Fascism and So Can We,” in The Nation.)

Every. Thing. You. Do.

All these things matter because you don’t do them in a void; rather, you act alongside hundreds of thousands or millions of others. As the voices of those speaking up for democracy grow, so do their effectiveness. So never doubt that you are a critical part of this movement.

There will be a time later to count lessons learned, reforms needed, and so on. But we are not there yet. Now is the time to ensure our 249-year-old constitutional democratic republic reaches its 250^th birthday, because as I write this, it’s not clear that it’s going to make it.

Kent Street continues to assess, to consider actions and reactions, and to offer and notify you of effective means to help save democracy and to protect vulnerable populations here in NH. Some of the best ways to respond to what is happening continue to be state and local in nature, and most of our actions will likely continue along this path.

If you have ever wanted to “be involved” in a way that matters, or if you know someone who has talked in this way but not done anything about it, now is the time. Our history, our varied cultures, our families, our economy, our very democracy—it’s all on the line. The question put to us is what the future will look like. And the answer is up to us.

Clear eyes. Strong spirit. Tight community with all who are both physically and emotionally close to us. These qualities and our empathy will guide us as we help each other and march forward in this struggle.

We are the only ones who can save us.