Sisu

By Joanie Juster–

As a child during the Cold War, I saw news of coups and revolutions in other countries, and heard concerns about revolution happening here at home. I was worried that tanks would soon be rolling down our quiet little suburban street in sleepy Santa Clara. But recent events have made it clear that no one needs to send tanks down every street in order to cause massive upheaval to life as we know it.

It has now been over a month since the new administration—and its unelected enablers in DOGE—have seized control of our government, with the endgame of destroying it from within. They are in full rampage mode, gleefully slashing federal agencies and programs, firing thousands of federal employees, wreaking retribution upon their real and perceived opponents, alienating our allies, and burrowing deeper and deeper into the computer systems that are essential to the safe and efficient running of our country.

The United States of America that we once knew is no longer. And these folks are just getting started. History tells us that when authoritarian regimes take control, it is going to get much worse before it gets any better.
It is damned hard to fight against an opponent who simply doesn’t care about the rules of engagement—or, frankly, any rules. This is now a street fight. Those of us who care deeply about our Constitution, the rules and values upon which our country was founded, and the rule of law, are at a disadvantage. Their inherent lawlessness makes the battle infinitely harder.

But that doesn’t mean we should simply give up. And it doesn’t mean we won’t win. But we must find ways to resist, every day, in every way possible.

Taking It to the Streets and Elsewhere

The good news is that resistance to all of this is building every day, as more people are becoming aware of what is happening to our country, and are becoming emboldened to step up and act. People are flooding lawmakers’ phone lines, and taking their protests to the streets. A call to protest on February 17, Presidents’ Day, led people throughout the country to protest in big cities and small towns alike, many of them in subzero weather. More calls for public protests are popping up on social media every day.

There are many, on both sides of the political spectrum, who discount the efficacy of protest rallies and marches. And while I agree that marching by itself may not solve the problems we face, I can attest to the fact that boots on the ground and eye-catching messages on signs can be a powerful tool in our resistance toolkit. People call their elected officials unseen, from the privacy of their homes, but protesters in the streets are visible. Their images get amplified by mainstream and social media platforms, giving encouragement to others to join the movement.

Each of us has different talents, different abilities, and different availability. None of us can do it all, but if we each do something, our power will grow. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of the most prominent leaders of resistance in Congress, urges us to fight, saying, “Every day our job is to wake up and say, ‘What can I do today?’ There is no act too small. Every action matters.”

Each day more resources are being created to help us all find actions that we can do. Here are a couple to get you started; I’ll share more in each Bay Times issue:

5 Calls – 5 Calls is a nonprofit that has built an app that makes it easy to take one of the most effective actions available to us: calling our elected representatives to speak out on issues that are important to us. Their team researches issues; writes brief, effective scripts; and directs you to your representatives’ phone numbers. It’s easy, powerful, and effective. Make your calls every day. https://5calls.org/

Protect Democracy – Protect Democracy is a nonpartisan nonprofit working to defeat authoritarian threats, safeguard elections, and build a stronger democracy. They have many great resources on their website, but one of the most urgently needed is a page specifically for federal workers: “What Federal Workers Can Do to Protect Themselves.” Share this link with all federal workers: https://tinyurl.com/ProDemFed

Meanwhile, Voting Rights

Because the MAGA folks know their policies and tactics are not popular with the general public, they realized that the only way they can win elections is to make it harder for people to vote. They have reintroduced the SAVE Act (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) in the U.S. House of Representatives—legislation that would place an undue burden on voters by requiring all Americans to prove their citizenship status by presenting documentation in person when registering to vote or updating their voter registration. For most Americans, that would mean providing a passport or birth certificate. The thing is, more than 140 million Americans do not have a passport. And as many as 69 million women who took their spouse’s name don’t have a birth certificate that matches their legal name. And many transgender people don’t have the kind of documentation that would be required. Then there’s the issue of having to present this information in person for voter registration, a change of address, or party affiliation. For seniors, nondrivers, people with disabilities, or, simply the 60 million people who live in rural America, this could prove very challenging.

The SAVE Act is bad legislation masquerading as a solution to a problem. But it is actually a power grab by a party that knows it cannot win on a level playing field. Call your elected officials and encourage them to fight this bad legislation. For more details on the SAVE Act, go to
https://tinyurl.com/SAVEAct25

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow? Not on Our Watch

Some of the most egregious undertakings of this administration and their cohorts are their callous efforts to simply erase everyone and everything they don’t like. Their efforts range from the remarkably petty to the deadly serious. From executive orders banning trans girls from school sports to actually declaring that trans people don’t exist, they have made it clear that cruelty toward anyone who isn’t a heterosexual cisgender white male is now to be encouraged and celebrated.

We cannot be silent about this. I’ll be writing more about this in future columns, but it is up to all of us to stand up and speak out against this erasure of LGBTQ+ people. Silence is not an option.

On a Personal Note: Sisu

What’s happening to our country is a lot to take in. The cruelty is crushing. The speed with which so much of what we as Americans have been able to rely on is being gleefully destroyed and is terrifying and disorienting.
I have always tried to remain calm and hopeful. I try to stay focused on solutions, and uplift others around me. But recently I admitted on social media that despair had finally gotten to me. My fighting spirit was gone; I had no words of hope or encouragement to share.

Then something beautiful happened. Friends from every corner of my life responded with love and support. Many also shared their own fears and despair, and expressed that they were grateful for my confession. Sharing my own feelings of weakness and despair led to them becoming empowered to share their own stories. We could all admit that we are simply human, and will have times when we have to let others shoulder the burdens of the world while we take a break to rest, recuperate, or simply scream into the void. Reading all those messages, I felt hope and strength returning.

My friend Ruth—one of the most fiercely badass activists I know—reminded me of one word that has sustained me since I first heard it 30 years ago: sisu. Sisu is a Finnish word, but more importantly, a uniquely Finnish characteristic. Look up “sisu,” and the first thing you will learn is that it cannot be translated directly into English, as it is so much more than just a word.

Sisu refers to a level of perseverance, courage, and strength that goes above and beyond. Sisu means keeping your head about you and acting rationally when up against impossible odds. Sisu is more than acting courageously in the moment: it means sustaining that courage for the long haul, as long as it takes. Sisu is never giving up.

May we all find the sisu within us.

Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer, activist, and ally.

In Case You Missed It
Published on February 27, 2025