When Joe Biden called on Americans to “turn down the temperature” following Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 election, he echoed the kind of hopeful rhetoric that has marked his presidency: a commitment to unity and a peaceful transfer of power. As Americans, we all want our leaders to rise above the fray, to be statesmen, and to work for the good of the entire nation. We want peace, stability, and a government that functions for all its citizens. But there’s a deeper, more urgent truth we must face now, one that transcends the usual pleasantries of political civility.
Donald Trump has shown us, time and again, that his ambitions far exceed the bounds of democracy. His authoritarian tendencies are well-documented and have been increasingly apparent throughout his political career. If we are to preserve the values of liberty, justice, and democracy that define America, we cannot afford to merely hope for the best. We must be ready to confront these tendencies head-on, to push back against policies that threaten our freedoms, and to fiercely protect the rights of all Americans.
The reality is that while we may hope for Trump to be a “good president” for all Americans, we must never lose sight of the very real risks of his governance. His rhetoric, his contempt for the press, his disregard for the rule of law—these are not isolated incidents but patterns of behavior that should concern us all. His vision for America is one in which power is consolidated in the hands of a few, where dissent is silenced, and where the rights of marginalized communities are trampled.
Biden’s call for unity is important, but it cannot be an excuse for complacency. Our democracy is not a passive entity that will thrive simply by taking a backseat to the political spectacle. It requires active engagement, vigilance, and, when necessary, resistance. This is not a moment to be passive or deferential. This is a moment to be proactive in preserving the freedoms we hold dear.
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That means standing up to the Republican Party’s most outrageous policies, whether it’s their relentless assault on voting rights, their attacks on reproductive health, or their undermining of public education. It means organizing in our communities, not just to protect what we already have, but to demand a better future. We must galvanize young voters, who have a direct stake in the future of this country, and ensure they have the tools and the motivation to exercise their right to vote. But we also need to speak to older voters, to remind them of the ideals of the American experiment and the importance of protecting those ideals for future generations.
The focus must be on the people: the working class who have been abandoned by politicians from both parties, the marginalized communities whose rights are under constant threat, the students who face a future shaped by climate change and economic instability. Our politics should not just be a response to the whims of the powerful, but a clear articulation of what we stand for: education, individual rights, economic justice, and a commitment to equality for all.
Now is not the time for quiet resignation. We must prepare for the reality of a Trump presidency with clear-eyed determination. This doesn’t mean inciting violence or chaos—our fight for democracy must remain rooted in peace and reason—but it does mean preparing for a sustained resistance against policies and rhetoric that threaten the integrity of our institutions. It means holding our elected officials accountable, speaking truth to power, and never losing sight of the fundamental principle that the rights and freedoms of the many must never be subordinated to the will of the few.
This is the moment where we must rally as a nation, not in a spirit of division, but in the spirit of defending the very principles that allow us to be a free people. If we let Trump’s authoritarian tendencies go unchallenged, we risk losing the very freedoms that make this country great. So, yes, Mr. President, it’s time to embrace civility—but it is also time to stand up, speak out, and fight back with all our might to preserve the freedoms that so many have fought and died for.
