The Arc “Bends Toward Justice”

Bending the authoritarian curve

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. famously declared, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” But if that’s true, the arc doesn’t bend by itself; it takes the efforts of activists who are willing to stand up to injustice when they see it.

I’ve been in conversations lately about whether or not the United States has already fallen under an authoritarian regime. I’ve written about moving into tyranny as “navigating the twilight of liberty,” suggesting that authoritarianism doesn’t arrive all at once. There is no distinct line of demarcation. We slide into it over time.

Reflecting on Dr. King’s concept of the arc, I’ve started thinking about authoritarianism as a downward-bending continuum, and right now, we’re descending toward tyranny. Things are likely to get worse before they get better.

But I DO believe things will ultimately get better, and we will ascend the other side. If my read on the last 200 years of history is correct, tyranny has a lifespan, and authoritarian regimes based on charismatic personalities founder when the central figures fade. Weak leaders can be undermined as popular support moves against them. When pro-democracy activists rise to fill the power vacuum, liberty has the potential to take root again.

On No Kings Day, I witnessed thousands of activists assemble in my town. I saw news reports of millions more across the country. Based on that demonstration of resistance, I believe we have the power to flatten the authoritarian curve we’re on. By working together in our communities and building peaceful service-based resistance networks, we can bend the arc back towards justice.

Gather a few like-minded friends for an IN-PERSON conversation, share your concerns, and identify ways to engage in your local community. Build your resistance now so you can coordinate peacefully when opportunities arise.

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