On Sept. 23, The New York Times opinions columnist Thomas Friedman published an opinion piece about his observations of Ukrainians fighting for their democracy as war ravaged their country.

For over three and a half years, the country has battled Russia as bombs and missiles have leveled cities and killed countless soldiers and civilians on both sides.

However, Friedman was referring to a different battle.

On July 22, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a bill into law that would strip anti-corruption agencies of their autonomy and put them under government control.

Ukrainian citizens instantly took to the streets and risked their lives to protest. Two days later, Zelensky submitted a draft law to reverse the original bill.

On Aug. 1, the new bill was approved.

Friedman’s piece posed a sobering question: Why have Americans remained largely complacent as their society and democracy crumbles around them?

Children are regularly gunned down in their classrooms. Political leaders and commentators are being murdered.

In addition to this, the Trump administration has undertaken an authoritarian push. The military and federal agencies are occupying cities without first consulting the cities they are going to. Medical recommendations are being pushed without strong, scientific backing. U.S. citizens are being deported to countries they have never been to.

As he sat in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump explicitly told reporters “A lot of people are saying ‘maybe we’d like a dictator.’”

On the other side of the aisle, Democrats have failed to produce any significant opposition.

Kamala Harris, who ran against Trump in the 2024 election, seemingly vanished from politics until recently. For someone whose campaign centered around messages of “freedom,” she has remained largely silent.

She has come back out of the woodwork to promote her new book, “107 Days,” but it takes aim at multiple prominent Democratic politicians. While she made some valid points, the timing is horrific. Instead of using her platform to unite, she has driven a wedge between her and her allies.

The government shutdown represents a unique opportunity for the Democrats to stand up to Trump, but it is unclear how it will be resolved.

When will Americans wake up? Or, perhaps even scarier, are they awake, but refusing to do anything?

Maybe it’s because they support what is happening. If they don’t, maybe they are afraid of what is happening. Maybe they feel powerless. Maybe they are supporting what is happening because they feel scared and powerless.

They are not.

Americans have the same right as Ukrainians to protest. They also have the added benefit of not being in an active combat zone.

The American people’s power comes from within. It comes from their ability to have honest conversations with one another under the First Amendment. It comes from their access to more information than any other time in history.

External forces will try to manipulate these conversations and information. Don’t let them. They will be intense and they will be emotional, but they are crucial to our survival as a nation.

We need to find a common truth before the country tears itself apart.

After all, we are all each other has.