Americans are angry. Millions of people recognize the danger posed by authoritarianism. So why does opposition so often feel fragmented, exhausted, and ineffective?
My guest this week is historian, Army veteran, and returning On Offense guest Tad Stoermer, author of A Resistance History of the United States.
In his new book, Tad argues that Americans have been taught a version of history that encourages us to trust institutions, celebrate founders, and wait for change rather than understanding how ordinary people have actually resisted abuses of power throughout American history.
We discuss:
Why so many Americans feel exhausted after a decade of political crisis
The difference between protest and resistance
What today’s opposition can learn from the Underground Railroad and the abolitionist movement
Why Tad believes “pacifiers” hold democratic movements back
What we’ve misunderstood about George Washington, the American founding, and the mythology surrounding both
Why resistance movements need a vision for the future, not just a reaction to the present
How ordinary people can identify their role in a broader movement for democratic change
This is not a conversation about nostalgia. It’s a conversation about power, organizing, and what it takes to build something capable of confronting authoritarianism.
As always, I end by asking the same question:
What can you do to go on offense?
Tad’s answer may challenge everything you’ve been told about how change happens in America.
Follow Tad Stoermer:Tad Stoermer on Substack
Buy the book:A Resistance History of the United States by Tad Stoermer
