Jump First — Holding the Line for Democracy

How Courts, Citizens, and Courage Are Checking Trump’s Authoritarian Reach

Sep 21, 2025

By Dr. John Petrone

Trump is losing control of the story. His lawsuits are collapsing in court, his censorship schemes are backfiring in public, and even his allies are sounding alarms. At the same time, ordinary Americans are rising—teachers, parents, journalists, coaches—proving that courage doesn’t live only in institutions but in the people themselves. The fight for democracy is raging on every front, and the question is no longer whether the walls are shaking. The question is: will we stand and hold them?

The Courts Push Back

Heather Cox Richardson reported that U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday dismissed Donald Trump’s $15 billion defamation suit against The New York Times, calling it “decidedly improper and impermissible.” It was a reminder that even when Trump tries to weaponize litigation as theater, the judiciary can still draw lines.

And Merryday’s decision isn’t an outlier. In recent weeks, federal courts have:

Blocked Trump’s sweeping tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), ruling he cannot use emergency powers to impose near-universal trade restrictions.
Halted Trump’s executive order restricting birthright citizenship, affirming that the Fourteenth Amendment still means what it says.
Issued an injunction in Cook v. Trump, protecting Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook from an unlawful removal attempt. The court reminded the administration that independent institutions exist for a reason.

The message from the bench is clear: even in stormy seas, the Constitution still has anchors.

Free Speech Under Siege

The assault on free expression is just as alarming. After Jimmy Kimmel criticized the administration, ABC suspended his show under FCC pressure. Chair Brendan Carr went so far as to threaten affiliates with license consequences. That drew comparisons to mafia shakedowns, and even Senator Ted Cruz warned it was “unbelievably dangerous” for government to punish networks over speech it doesn’t like.

And the crackdown hasn’t stopped at television. Just last week, a federal judge struck down the administration’s policy of denying National Endowment for the Arts grants to artists who failed a so-called “gender ideology” test. The court ruled it violated the First Amendment, underscoring that political litmus tests for expression have no place in America.

The administration even tried to strong-arm the press itself. In Associated Press v. Budowich, the White House restricted AP reporters’ access over what they called “disloyal terminology” in coverage of the Gulf of Mexico. AP fought back in court, arguing that no president gets to decide which journalists are “worthy” of covering the news.

Authoritarians thrive by silencing voices. These cases show the resistance is real—and growing.

The People Are Turning

Polls now show Trump’s approval sliding and Republicans increasingly uneasy with the country’s direction. Tariffs, troops in U.S. streets, unchecked power grabs—these are not only authoritarian. They are deeply unpopular. Autocracy depends on silence and consent, and both are evaporating. When even conservatives blanch at the heavy hand, the tide is shifting.

Law, Legislation, and Mobilization

Richardson noted that Democrats are fighting on three fronts. In Congress, they’ve introduced reforms to restore shattered norms, including a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. In the courts, more than 400 lawsuits have been filed this year, with over 100 victories halting authoritarian policies. And in civil society, citizens are mobilizing: filing lawsuits, organizing protests, and refusing to look away.

Litigation buys time. Legislation frames the fight. But mobilization—the courage of citizens themselves—is what tips the balance.

Courage at the Grassroots

Representative Jason Crow, a former Army Ranger, described where real courage lies. He pointed to ordinary Americans standing tall: a Harlem coach who defied ICE, a Washington teacher who protests Medicaid cuts every Saturday, parents patrolling schoolyards against raids, journalists reporting truth despite threats.

And courage isn’t confined to those stories. Hundreds of protesters rallied outside Disney’s headquarters in Burbank after Kimmel’s suspension, demanding his reinstatement and denouncing political intimidation. Writers Guild leaders joined them, proving that when one voice is silenced, many more rise to take its place.

These acts aren’t footnotes. They’re the frontline of democracy.

How We Fight Back

We don’t defend democracy by watching from the sidelines. We defend it by acting. Here’s what we can do right now:

Defend free speech by refusing to accept censorship as normal
Show up at school boards, councils, and legislatures where democracy is tested daily
Support civil rights groups and watchdogs who are winning in the courts
Hold elites accountable by denying money and attention to those who enable authoritarianism
Stay visible through protests, letters, calls, and organizing that keeps pressure alive

The Call to Jump

Crow told a paratrooper’s truth: the leader jumps first, then the rest follow. That is the call of this moment. Elites may bend or sell out, but citizens don’t have to. We can lead. We can jump first.

Democracy isn’t gone. It’s contested. And whether it survives depends on our courage, clarity, and unity.

I’m ready to jump. Are you?