Here we are in 2026, and it's off to an absurd and horrifying start, with the United States acting like a rogue state on the international stage while its highest leadership cheerfully lies to defend elevating violence on the domestic front. I realize that many Americans continue to characterize these events in different ways, but it's growing ever harder to do so convincingly. I'm not here to lend my analysis of these events, as others have written plenty, and I frankly don't have the time or energy. Instead, since many of us are wondering how on earth to behave under these ugly circumstances, I thought I would share a few thoughts on protest.
Historically, I have not had much respect for organized protest, even though my parents often spoke from experience about its power. I just didn't see the point, given that the people being protested against typically didn't care about the opinions of those protesting, and because I was not convinced that waving signs in people's faces would win hearts and minds or accelerate progress. The one time I did try a protest -- the 2017 March for Science in Philadelphia -- my mind was certainly not changed. Frankly, some people there acted like jerks, and it didn't feel like it accomplished anything. I thought that would be that, but then 2025 happened, and there was too much outrage to hold in... so I ended up attending four different protests, and now I finally get it.
I still don't think protest is an especially good tool for changing people's minds, but it turns out that's not really the point. When horrible things are happening, it feels good to stand with other people who recognize that something is wrong. It's an act of mutual support, and a reassurance that the whole world hasn't gone mad. While I approached my first protest of the year with considerable trepidation, there was very little in the way of conflict and confrontation, and I left feeling emotionally recharged: more hopeful, less cynical. That, of course, is why I kept going back.
I make no claims for the heroism of my actions. Spending two hours on a weekend to stand by a road in a suburban area holding a sign listing (to my mind) fairly uncontroversial ideas about basic decency doesn't require a great deal of courage and comes with about the same amount of risk as going to any public place. Still, it felt more impactful than I expected that it would. Every protest I have attended has provoked a nearly non-stop reaction from passing motorists, the vast majority positive. In some cases, people's expressions of joy and relief were touching -- it felt like we were delivering something that others deeply needed. Of course, we also got the occasional rude gestures and shouted insults -- but these were such a minority, and the anger so disproportionate to the peaceful messages being conveyed, that they felt more pathetic than threatening.
I am not naive enough to believe that signs and good vibes are the sole solution to an administration unafraid of deploying excessive force and desperate to portray peaceful protesters as "domestic terrorists that hate our country." But I also don't believe we are too far gone to be able to effectively leverage peaceful protest to effect change. 2026 is going to be a pivotal year one way or another. The midterm elections (or any excuses leveraged to defer or disrupt them) are going to be hugely impactful. I fully expect increasingly unhinged behavior from the current administration. While there is still some semblance of normality -- no matter how diminishing it may be -- concerned citizens should make themselves visible. This is an act of mutual support. It is a refutation of the nonsensical "domestic terrorist" claims. It is a reminder to remain engaged and vote against corruption and cruelty. It is also, importantly, a show of power -- the current administration may not care about the needs of the average American, but it also relies on our apathy to succeed at some of its nastiest goals. If we demonstrate our ability to organize and act in solidarity, we may at least inhibit some of the worst possible impulses.
I truly have no idea what the next few months have in store. I certainly hope it will be, at worst, more of the same, but I think there's a possibility that things could get very ugly indeed, especially as election season looms and internal and external political tensions continue rising. A great deal hinges on people continuing to resist the urge to meet force with force; it is currently very clear where the moral high ground lies, but if that is given up, things could descend very quickly. For now, I'll keep hoping for the best; whatever happens, I don't plan to be silent about unacceptable things.
This weekend, spontaneous protests are springing up all over the country in response to the murder of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. I'll be attending one tomorrow. Weather this time of year is not ideal for such things, but this feels important. If you're feeling upset and hopeless in the face of this and other events, I encourage you to find something near you -- I hope it will make a positive difference to you and those around you. It may be small, but the point of democracy is that many small things can combine into something powerful. We really need to get better at exercising that power in a positive way, and there's no time like the present to do so.
– Demian Katz, January 10, 2026
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