Demonstrations capture the imagination–at least sometimes–but effective social movements always include much more.

The image above covers a March on the Pentagon (October 21, 1967), and demonstrations, large and small, were a critical component of the antiwar movement. The 1967 march followed years of teach-ins on American college campuses, draft counseling and draft resistance, testimony before Congress, lobbying at the national and state level, and local draft boards employing varying degrees of sensitivity to claims of conscientious objection. There were electoral efforts and organization building, journalism–including hard questions of authorities and first hand reporting.

Effective movements include diverse efforts, sometimes spilling into public spaces, but often taking place around kitchen tables and church basements and classrooms–less visible, maybe less dramatic, but no less important.

One important strategy relies on telling the truth when authorities seem to be lying. And sometimes the settings in which truth-telling takes place are smaller and far more subtle than the large demonstration.

Rejecting official mendacities is a core component of “living in truth,” a first step in changing the world. The phrase is from Czech and Czechoslovakian playwright/president/dissident Vaclav Havel in his powerful and elegant essay, “The Power of the Powerless.” Translated into English by Paul Wilson, it’s a powerful piece of writing, which recognizes a kind of heroism of small gestures–the key example in the essay is of a grocer who doesn’t display a sign in his store: “workers of the world unite.”

When I first read the piece, I saw the nobility of individual resistance–and then I read political scientist David Ost’s insightful analysis of Havel’s essay,* which recognized the cumulative power of smaller, less dramatic gestures, taking the steps that appear available and recognizing that effective resistance to authoritarian governance is contingent upon many factors outside an individual’s influence–and it often takes a very long time.

But finding a way to reject lies and resurrect the truth is a core task of effective democratic politics, and is particularly critical in the current moment.

To be sure, Donald Trump is hardly the first American president to dissemble about critical issues publicly. All presidents lie, recognizing more and less selfish motivations. But the volume, carelessness, and transparency of Trump’s lies far surpasses previous presidential deceptions, and dishonesty is redolent throughout all levels of the Administration.

Although there’s plenty of malice, Administrative incompetence and carelessness is everywhere. You may have seen the story of a State Department presentation at an international conference on AIDS in Africa, in which every country on the continent was mislabeled. (The picture below is from a story in The Guardian.)

Ulp.

In this context, injecting a bit of truth and respect for truth is critical activist and democratic work.

Checking and correcting facts doesn’t generally make for the same dramatic images as a big protest, but it’s important to put some sands of truth into slowing the mendacity machine. Examples will follow in the next few entries.

Hint: take a look at the reflecting pool.

*David Ost, “The Sham, and the Damage, of ‘Living in Truth,’” East European Politics and Societies, May 2018, 32 (2): 301-309.