This archive report was first published on 1 August 2019.
On August 1, 2019, The New York Times published an opinion piece that highlighted the importance of a moral uprising in defeating President Trump. Marianne Williamson, a Democratic candidate, was quoted as saying, “This is part of the dark underbelly of American society: the racism, the bigotry and the entire conversation that we’re having here tonight. If you think any of this wonkiness is going to deal with this dark psychic force of the collectivized hatred that this president is bringing up in this country, then I’m afraid that the Democrats are going to see some very dark days.”
Williamson emphasized that the Democrats need to rebuild the moral infrastructure of the country, which involves reminding Americans of the values they share and the damage done when people are not held accountable for trampling on them. She outlined five core values: unity, honesty, pluralism, sympathy, and opportunity.
These values are essential in a democratic society, and Trump has consistently put himself on the wrong side of them. Williamson urged the Democrats to lead an uprising of decency, promoting their plans while also advocating for a moral awakening.
As Williamson noted, “We’ve never dealt with a figure like this in American history before. This man, our president, is not just a politician; he’s a phenomenon. And an insider political game will not be able to defeat it. … The only thing that will defeat him is if we have a phenomenon of equal force, and that phenomenon is a moral uprising of the American people.”
