Reactions to: "This is not how a global leader behaves"

On Saturday, I wrote a column in the Fulcrum entitled “This is not how a global leader behaves.”

It was about what I categorized as a shameful and embarrassing display at the White House, as President Donald Trump mimicked President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine.

I expressed my concern about being overly reactive to what transpired in the White House on Friday and the challenge The Fulcrum faces in reacting to situations like this as a non-partisan publication.

As a publication, we have decided that we must not ignore the dangers of the administration's degrading, hostile, and accusatory language and actions when they occur. Finding where that truth remains is one of our key objectives, and last Friday was one of those days in which it was imperative that we not ignore uncivil behavior.

I was gratified by the many responses to my writing from colleagues and leaders in the democracy reform movement. Many of them are going through the same challenge of finding the proper balance between bringing us together as a nation and actively resisting their perceived danger related to what has transpired since the start of Trump's second term in office.

In talking to many leaders in the field since Friday, several themes have emerged.

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First and most important is the shock, concern, and fear about what the future holds.

There are deep concerns about the bullying tactics of both President Trump and Elon Musk, as well as the ability and desire of Congress and the courts to uphold American democracy.

Many of the people I have spoken to believe as I do that we must rethink our approach. Many feel that we must go local, for trust must be built from the ground up, not from the top down.

Debilyn Molineaux, former executive director of The Bridge Alliance, said this to me about Friday’s White House event:

I watched the whole 53 minutes. And Z’s interview on Fox afterward. Early on at the White House, they were politely disagreeing about the story of what happened when Russia invaded Ukraine. It became heated when Zelenskyy tried to contradict Trump about how demoralized Ukrainians are, and the chances of success without a deal (brokered by Trump so he can take credit). Trump obviously favors the Russian perspective and wants Z to make concessions.

Yet, friends who support Trump heard him telling Z “the truth” that he cannot win, we cannot afford to continue U.S. support, and he needs to settle with Putin.

How weird and absurd it feels to find our leadership siding with authoritarians. What is our lesson here? Forget international law?

Transformation is happening before our eyes. I’m in awe of the pace, concerned about the direction, and hopeful the new world will be less extractive and more aligned with continued life on Earth. In the meantime, I’m deepening my love of all making acts of kindness. I’m choosing to believe the butterfly effect will amplify these intentions to nudge us in a healthier direction.

Given that anyone can find a thread for their story in the (planned) disaster, what can We The People do?

Lisa Solomon, futurist in residence at the Stanford d.School, wrote to me, and like everyone I have talked to, was troubled by the events of Friday. Lisa told me she feels that "it's too much all at once. Our brains and nervous system just aren’t wired to process the deluge.” Lisa believes one way to counter the deluge is to encourage more investment in visual ways of communicating to promote more understanding, energy, and action. Why? “…It’s because our brains are wired to absorb and process information visually,” Lisa explained. As a visual thinking expert once told me: "The person that draws the picture solves the problem." I would add that it also facilitates a broader imagination of new solutions.

For some reason, as I reflect on my conversation with Debilyn and Lisa and so many others, I am more at peace. Of course, I realize the path forward will not be easy for those of us in the democracy reform/bridging space. Yet, as concerned as I am, (and I realize that some will call me an idealistic fool) I have faith in America, and an optimism that America will emerge stronger in the coming years.

In my lifetime, and throughout history, our nation has been tested, time and time again. I remember well the Watts riots in L.A., the violent Democrat Convention in Chicago in the ‘60s, the song “Four Dead in Ohio”—after the National Guard shot innocent college students—and the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King. I’ve lived through periods of turmoil and uncertainty many times, and this pattern has played out throughout our 250-year history.

Yes, I feel the angst and questioning during these challenging times along with many other Americans. I am personally feeling it today. Yet, through it all our nation has been marked by resilience and a spirit of renewal.

And, so, I remain hopeful.

The foundation of America is rooted in the idea of striving toward something greater, even when the path is not clear. And that is why I urge my colleagues in the field to remain focused on finding a new path forward.

This week, The Fulcrum commences a series called The Path Forward: Defining the Democracy Reform Movement. The purpose is to engage diverse thought leaders to elevate the conversation about building a thriving and healthy democratic republic that fulfills its potential as a national social and political game-changer. This series is the start of focused collaborations and dialogue led by The Bridge Alliance and The Fulcrum teams to help the movement find a path forward.

Today it is impossible to know what actions are needed to restore and strengthen the faith needed to bring our nation through these difficult times. Is it the actions of millions of individuals, is it a movement for change, or something else?

What I do know is that the history of our nation shows us that when our ideals are under threat people have risen to the moment...whether through resistance, community-building, or legislative change.

We have a shared spirit as a nation that I will not lose faith in. Through our collective energy, resilience, and values that encompass our shared history of dreams, struggles, and triumphs, we have prevailed.

I believe we will do so again.