[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written and submitted by a verified Burien resident. It represents the opinion of the author, and does not necessarily reflect the views of South King Media or its staff.]
Yesterday a group of 15 Burien neighbors met in a beautiful home to discuss an ugly thing: authoritarianism in our country.
But the beautiful thing is that there are things we can do about it. People are talking, getting together, concerned to support our democracy, and part of that growing consciousness and movement is an initiative called One Million Rising.
Everyone in that living room on our late, sunny Sunday afternoon here in Burien, had a lot more questions than answers: how can we safeguard our American way of life which is democracy? Whether we’re Republican, Democrat, or none of the above, we love our freedom, we love our rights, and we want ourselves and our children to live in a prosperous society. For that, we need rule of law and equal rights under the law.
One Million Rising is about joining with others to not cooperate with authoritarianism. The example I heard that I liked best was that a teacher wanted to put a poster in her classroom that said “Everyone is Welcome Here” and she was told to take it down. She refused. People heard of this incident and supported her sentiment – the positive message spread.
The question we neighbors were asking is, besides boycotting certain products or going to protests, what can we do? The authoritarianism spreading in our country, with accumulating power in one branch of government even though we all studied in school that our democracy is based on “checks and balances” of power of three independent branches – the executive, legislative and judicial – isn’t touching our own daily lives yet, but we’re concerned as hell. We want to play our parts.
I woke up this morning with these same questions, but I also woke up with one answer: my parents’ country is staring me in the face as a country famous for fighting like hell right now for democracy, and what I know because I live there half the year, is that EVERYONE is involved.
You don’t have to be fighting on a front to be playing your part in a democracy.
Studies in Ukraine have shown that there is one kind of person that is admired tremendously above all others: “the volunteer.” But the thing is, virtually 100% of the Ukrainian population is a “volunteer.” What does that mean? There might not be a single adult in Ukraine who hasn’t donated money or time to someone or something to keep their democracy alive.
Also, while Ukrainians don’t demonstrate often, when they do, they get results: just recently people turned out massively in all the big cities when they didn’t like a new law the government passed that would have weakened the national anti-corruption bodies. The next day, the president signed it out of law as quickly as it was signed in.
When at the end of our meeting, a neighbor expressed a feeling of frustration, helplessness, that while he wants to do something, he has no idea what to do, we started coming up with names of groups we could join.
When you feel alone: join. We in Burien can join Southend Indivisible, for example – join with neighbors in Des Moines, Tukwila, SeaTac, Kent who come together monthly to hear what others are doing, what might fit our time and interests to get involved in. And there are so many other groups we can become members of – participate online or in-person.
I was not sure how this neighborhood meeting would turn out. But it turned out great because we neighbors who never have time to get together as a group to express our concern on where we’re heading as a nation, did it. And we got some answers from each other on what we can do.
I’d love to see other neighbors in Burien getting this kind of support, sharing concerns and information. If growing authoritarianism in our country worries you, and a community gathering like ours based on the basic ideas in One Million Rising sounds good to you, feel free to contact me (irenedanysh@gmail.com). I didn’t lead our meeting and it makes sense for a neighbor in your neighborhood to lead yours, but we can always find leaders – volunteers! 😊 – in whichever neighborhood we live.
– Irene Danysh
Burien
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Thanks, Irene. An excellent letter on one of the most critical topics today. A good source of information on No Kings is at https://www.nokings.org/#map
A protest gathering is set for Oct 18 at Southcenter Parkway & Minkler Blvd. from 2 – 5 pm.
There may be other gatherings in South King County as well.
Live free or die becomes more apparent each day.
Perhaps your next meeting should start with reading our constitution!
We are not a democracy; we are a democratic republic.
Yes, we are a country of laws and finally seeing some enforcement!
You never gave an example of any “authoritarianism” in the USA, however you mention Ukraine’s president who by the way has overstayed his term and refuses to have an election!
I strongly disagree with most everything you’ve mentioned.
Organizations like Southend Indivisible and similar groups are not politically neutral. They align overwhelmingly with progressive causes and worldviews. Encouraging people to join specific groups as a way to “play their part” in democracy is effectively saying: “Get in line with our politics or risk being left out.” And I 100% disagree with that concept
Also, your claim of authoritarianism is “spreading in our country” is a vague and fear-inducing generalization that lacks substance. Fear mongering 100%
You bring up Ukraine which is not our country, not even close to compare on a political spectrum or governing….
Invoking Ukraine to justify domestic activism in the U.S. conflates two entirely different contexts as well. The more I read, this is seemingly less about civic engagement and more about ideological conformity.
Not to mention, using an open ended emotional story doesn’t justify a sweeping claim that American democracy is under attack… This rhetorical move is a classic cherry-picked story to fit under your narrative, which is manipulative and misleading as well. It is not supportive to your general claims at all
Also to Irene, the health of a democracy is reflected in stability,
not in a state of perpetual civic anxiety where people feel pressured to protest, donate, or volunteer just to prove their patriotism.
I don’t recommend weaponizing emotion and fear to push a particular worldview…. Democracy is more resilient than this narrative gives it credit for and it doesn’t need to be “saved” by ideological conformity. This type of thinking divides, isolates, and just further creates in-difference.
** I’d advise anyone to be very careful with these “protesting groups”.. as you can clearly see through their factless dribble and baseless claims.**
You just described the current state of the Administration’s regime which creates a “state of perpetual civic anxiety” by taking people off the street without due process (including citizens), send the National Guard to cities that don’t agree with them, and getting revenge on people who are considered disloyal because they don’t agree with the reality-TV power-hungry government currently in our country
If you’re going to accuse an entire administration of being a “regime” and creating a “state of perpetual civic anxiety,” you need to come with something stronger than slogans, soundbites, and recycled talking points.
Right now, you’ve offered nothing but opinion and empty rhetoric — no evidence, no facts again
The National Guard isn’t sent into cities because of political disagreements.. it’s deployed where there’s a threat to public safety. Period.
Law-abiding citizens don’t have a problem with violent rioters, looters, or organized criminals being watched, arrested, or held accountable. That’s literally what protecting a community looks like. ?? You want this in your backyard? Go visit a 3rd world country please, the US is preventing themselves from becoming one….
And let’s talk about “taking people off the street without due process.”
Do you even understand what due process means?
Illegal criminals are still subject to U.S. law, but law enforcement acting under warrants, probable cause, or existing statutes is due process.
If you’re claiming otherwise, explain what “proper” due process should look like in your view.
Educate us, because so far all you’ve done is repeat half-baked talking points from 15-second clips and social media algorithms instead of presenting real, concrete facts.
If you’re going to level accusations as serious as you have, then stop parroting headlines and actually back them up. Otherwise, your entire argument collapses under its own exaggeration.
I’ve seen far to many examples of what happens when you start believing in progressive groups.
Not saying the one mentioned here is that or “bad” per say, but its in the same spectrum.
No thank you but good luck!
Sylvia, where did you get this information from as it sounds like you know EXACTLY how this happened and WHY this is happening? (I mean you sound so very sure of it all) I’m very curious to know your clearance if you have one in the government and how you’ve been allowed to gather all of this extremely sensitive information? Also thanks for listing all of your supportive evidence too
Sincerely,
Legacy Media
Yeah, I don’t agree aside from neighbors helping neighbors..
My concern is over progressive agendas and the extreme radical groups being created from it. I disagree with the current left side & liberal side in America today (progressives). But I also disagree with things from the (far) right as well
Being an independent for the majority of my life, this has been going way too far, for way too long.
The desperate fear mongering is exhausting. God bless everyone that can get far away from that type of narrow-sighted mindset, its becoming a bad pychological problem in our country. Nor should one consume yourself with politics and then use it as your guiding light to life… life is far, far greater than that.
Disagree, Burien doesn’t need protest groups or progressive agendas.
Neighbors helping neighbors is great but this is soft propaganda that has one sided thinking and only one perspective thats not supported by facts but opinion. General rhetoric
This is where wires can get crossed that shouldn’t and many results can come out of it, including very bad results.
Remember to vote!
Yeah, take the protest groups and hit the road in my opinion, im a definite NIMBY on this – not in my backyard.
Also I believe (against your beliefs) that your incorrect and there is no authoritarianism threat at all. It’s called accountability and upholding the US laws. You choose to break the laws in this country, then you deal with the consequences of your decision.
The United States is not a third world country
Well, a man from “Southend Indivisible” came into a Burien city council meeting recently and spoke like a cars salesman…. except it had nothing to do with the city of Burien nor was he a resident of Burien. I thought it was odd to be honest..
He was trying to recruit and market… He started going on about some of the same in this letter and to join this “Southend Indivisible” to protest…. and here its mentioned again.
And to conclude after reading this letter:
Absolutely no. Use your free time for your family, neighbors, friends, yourself maybe?… not conspiracy groups.
Thank you for sharing your experience with neighbors, Irene. Coming together in community and building connection is vital. I appreciate what you are doing!