Politically Pomp

Pt. 1- The Authoritarian Trend

It’s late. The house is quiet. And yet, I’m wide awake, not because of bills or deadlines, but because of a thought that won’t let go: are we really sliding into authoritarianism without most even realizing it?

I’ve always believed politics belongs to ordinary citizens. I grew up watching my dad organize workers through the union. He believed in giving people a voice when management would rather ignore them. His lesson was simple but profound: silence serves the powerful, but voices protect freedom.

That memory feels sharper now, because what I see around me is unsettling. Authoritarianism doesn’t usually announce itself with a grand speech or a single moment of tyranny. More often, it creeps in quietly. It slips into the cracks of democracy when people stop paying attention, when outrage becomes normalized, when fear outweighs courage.

The Warning Signs Are Here

History teaches us to look for patterns, and some of those patterns are showing up in our own time:

• Attacks on the press: when journalists are smeared as enemies instead of watchdogs.
• Manipulation of elections: when faith in the system is eroded on purpose.
• Weakening checks and balances: when courts, legislatures, and oversight are bent to one person’s will.
• Scapegoating opponents: when fellow citizens are labeled as threats simply for disagreeing.

These aren’t abstract concerns. They’re happening in real time, here and abroad. And what keeps me up at night is that authoritarianism rarely feels like authoritarianism at the start. It feels like “security.” It feels like “order.” It feels like “someone finally doing something.” Until one day it doesn’t.

Why It Matters Now

I can’t shake the thought that one day we’ll look back and realize democracy didn’t collapse with a single dramatic blow. It withered away in the small moments of quiet compliance. Each time citizens shrugged off an abuse of power as “just politics.” Each time we told ourselves we were overreacting. Each time we accepted a little less freedom for the promise of safety.

My dad fought for workers because he knew their voices were the only defense against exploitation. Today, the stakes feel bigger, but the lesson is the same. Authoritarianism thrives when we stop speaking, when we stop questioning, when we accept silence as normal.

A Citizen’s Responsibility

I’m not writing this because I have all the solutions. I’m writing this because I believe in the power of ordinary voices. And I refuse to believe that authoritarianism is inevitable, not if we see the signs and speak up before it’s too late.

What keeps me awake is the thought of my daughters inheriting a country where freedom is a memory instead of a reality. What keeps me awake is the possibility that by the time people realize what’s happening, the silence will be too loud to break.

I know I’m not the only one who feels this unease. So I’ll ask you: Do you see the warning signs too? What moments have made you pause and wonder if we’re drifting away from democracy?

Because politics isn’t just about those in power. It’s about us. And if ordinary citizens stop speaking, authoritarianism doesn’t just creep in, it takes root.