A blueprint for grassroots rebuilding

Every day I meet people who are concerned by current events. They see schools, municipalities, states, and federal alphabet-soup agencies pushing globalist agendas and opposing the people they are supposed to serve. But people only speak of their grave concerns in hushed tones, if at all. And most of them, lacking clear direction, are paralyzed into inactivity.

Last week I used this space to lay the cornerstone of an effective response. It begins with in-person gatherings at the local community level. Today, I want to extend that foundation and show how one community is coming together. Perhaps it will inspire others to do the same.

Evil wins by isolating individuals and discouraging them from acting. That’s why the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights specifically protects “the right of the people peaceably to assemble.” There is power in personal connection. Our founders knew it, and so does every tyrant.

But it’s not only state power that can prevent peaceful assembly. We also see psychological manipulation used to isolate us. Media companies employ swarms of behavioral psychologists whose task is to keep us glued to the screen. By mass hypnosis, they have isolated more people and crushed more communities than any tyrant in history.

Thankfully, the spell of social media is not irresistible. As rational creatures, we can choose a better way. When we break the grip of social media and get people together, we are empowered. Assemblies of people are force multipliers. Like the dying embers of a campfire, physical proximity rekindles the flame.

Once gathered we are positioned to fight the next dragon, discouragement. In war, psychological operations are designed to undermine the enemy’s will to act. They do this by exaggerating the power of the enemy and belittling the power of any resistance. People who feel powerless lack the courage to act. But the propaganda that makes you feel powerless is a lie. 

The truth is that even the smallest resistance is infinitely powerful. You can resist the power of lies by refusing to adopt their language. You can resist the destruction of families by keeping your own family together. You can push back against the forces of secularization simply by going to church. These—and a thousand other acts—are more powerful than you know.

And courage is contagious. By acting you encourage others to act. If you are looking for a list of meaningful actions to give you a starting place, you will benefit from an article written by Joy Pullman titled, “85 Things You Can Do To Help The United States Shake Wide Awake.”

Joy Pullman, Executive Editor, The Federalist

Pullman compiled assorted ideas from The Federalist staff. Suggestions range from the simple act of playing a board game or reading with your kids to writing a book or running for office. The fourth suggestion on the list is, “Start a neighborhood group — present yourself under an umbrella that welcomes all other responsible members of your community who are sick and tired of being sick and tired, and who are willing to stand up.”

Inspired by Pullman’s article, several people from Evanston, Wyoming did just that. We called a meeting on a cold January morning. A baker’s dozen showed up. Many had never met one another. But soon friendships were forming. We decided that the answer to global and impersonal problems is to focus on local and personal solutions.

Our second meeting doubled in size and brainstormed a list of key decision-makers in Evanston. Since nobody can attend to everything, tasks were divvied up. Some volunteered to cover the school board, while others went to the legislative session, local party meetings, or the city council. We share what we learn with each other and recommend action when needed.

We are unabashedly Evanston-first. We are not careless about other communities, but confident that Evanston’s success will benefit them, as well. By the third meeting, we adopted a motto: “We gather to build, not to tear down. We focus on local solutions, to distant problems. We work to support neighbors for a better community.” 

Evanston is defined by geographical boundary lines. We have had enough of the false language of “neighbors” in Timbuktu, and “communities” that will never occupy the same real estate. Our commitment is to real flesh and blood community. Real-world encounters expose the fraud of divisive ideologies.

That makes us non-partisan. We invite participation from everyone. No political, ideological, or religious requirements are needed, only a desire to share ideas and work for the mutual benefit of our friends and neighbors. 

Try this in your community. Don’t wait until you have figured all the angles. Just get people together and get out of the way. The Bill of Rights protects assemblies because they have amazing power to build.