I have worked my entire career in the democracy space, primarily working towards bridging divides and developing stronger, deeper democratic life. The work that has occupied my decades now feels inadequate to the times I find myself in.

I live in the Washington, DC area. Heather Cox Richardson’s “Letters From An American” from August 22, 2025 prompted hard thoughts, as I board a flight from Heathrow to the USA after a holiday.

I used to believe that the most significant problem in democracy was that we had lost the ability to disagree with one another in any productive way, that we had become hyper polarized to the extent that our opponents had become mortal enemies. But, while those conditions are still true, and the long-term problems they bring are real, the last months have exposed a new threat which is more urgent. There are active moves being made right now to dismantle the democratic order and rule of law, and to install an autocracy.

We are living through and witnessing the creation of a police state. The tipping point is past. An initial test in LA has become a full-fledged takeover of the law enforcement apparatus in the nation’s capital.

Walking the streets, we see multiple federal law enforcement agencies on patrol. Many masked like the secret police seen in other nations.

The FBI has lowered its standards for entry and no longer requires a college degree. We will have a federal police force.

Secy Hegseth has announced military occupiers will now carry firearms. Residents here are becoming used to the sight, even as some brave individuals confront the federal officers on the streets and stream it.

Next on the list is Chicago, explicitly targeted by the White House.

Meanwhile the apparatus of the state has been pointed squarely at retribution. Individuals are targeted. John Bolton’s home raided. James Comey under investigation.

Personalist parties — like the MAGA party — are resilient to the loss of their leader. This means we cannot be comforted by the current president’s age. The mechanisms of totalitarian control are almost fully solidified.

Meanwhile, in electoral politics there is an argument over how the democrats can best win back those who left. This naively assumes that we have not already crossed over into being what Steven Levitsky calls a “competitive authoritarianism” where we have elections but they do not matter.

I submit: We will have elections. They will not matter in the way many hope.

The democratic party is arguing over messaging. The messaging must be resonant, yes, but to what end? Not simply to vote, but to activism. We are well beyond electoral politics.

If we are to come back from this fate, society will have to become ungovernable. This will mean unrest and disorder. Some of that will be used as an excuse for further crackdowns.

But there appears little other choice.

The options, for ordinary indivduals, leaders, and civil society organizations, are all the same:

• Collaborate.
• Hide.
• Resist.

We will need to block, bridge, and build our way out of this — but the urgent work now is to block.

What does this mean for individuals, for me? It means embracing more risk. It means using my position of privilege to stand against dictatorship.

It means living as a “dissident” because we now live in a nation that has dissidents.

What might resistance look like?

Sand in the gears. Make every aspect of takeover difficult for the occupiers.

Walking down the street: look the occupiers in the eye. Consider filming them. A clerk: slow or lose the paperwork. A pastor: shelter the pursued. A community group: convene the banned meeting. An establishment leader: dare to be criticized by middle-roaders.

I am new at this, but trying to learn from others.

Sand in the gears. All hands needed.