We discuss the long history of vigilante democracy in the US and its return in our current politics. The playing field is currently tilted in favor of these vigilante policies, but blue states can level the playing field by playing constitutional hardball. David Noll reminds us that the American people have beat back movements to use vigilante power to enforce a reactionary agenda time and again.

David’s civic action toolkit recommendations are: 

1. Get involved in local politics

2. Resistance works and there are a lot of opportunities to resist authoritarianism 

David Noll is the co-author of Vigilante Nation: How State-Sponsored Terror Threatens Our Democracy. He’s also the Associate Dean for Faculty Research and Development and a professor of law at Rutgers Law School, as well as an academic fellow of the National Institute for Civil Justice.

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Credits: 

Host: Mila Atmos 

Guests: David Noll

Executive Producer: Mila Atmos

Producer: Zack Travis