In Defense of Democracy: Rejecting Rule by Autocracy in America

(“Angel of Freedom & Democracy” concept digital art by Aberjhani created with DALL-E)

Democracy, as an ideal and a practice, thrives on the principles of informed choice, accountability, and the unwavering commitment to equality. Throughout history, America has wrestled with both the promise of its democratic foundations and the specter of autocratic tendencies seeking to erode them.

In an era where misinformation and ideological manipulation have become standard political tools, the insights shared by cultural arts entrepreneurs such as Aberjhani offer critical perspectives on how citizens can defend democracy from corrosive autocratic influences. Much of his work provides a lens through which educators, students, activists, and community leaders can analyze the mechanisms of democratic decay and move toward safeguarding their freedoms.

The Weaponization of Information and Public Perception

One of the most insidious threats to democracy is what Aberjhani designated as "guerrilla decontextualization," a process by which partial truths are framed as complete narratives to manipulate public perception for political, social, or financial gain. He first coined the phrase when reporting on efforts, involving overtly heinous smear campaigns, to prevent the first (2008) and second (2012) elections of Barack H. Obama to the U.S. presidency.

“Guerrilla decontextualization,” he wrote, “usually involves partial truths made to look complete. It goes beyond simple defamation of character or slander because it sustains an entire culture devoted to manipulating public perception for the sake of financial, political, or social gain.”

This phenomenon has been glaringly evident in modern American politics as a new presidential administration has quickly moved in 2025 to reshape the U.S. government into something more likely to serve the interests of an oligarchical few rather than a democratic majority. Disinformation campaigns are waged to undermine faith in governmental agencies (such as the U.S. Department of Education, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and USAID), weaponize cultural grievances, and galvanize support for authoritarian figures. The reliance on distortion rather than dialogue fosters an environment where democratic discourse deteriorates, and nearly branded “Orwellian,” allowing autocratic ideologies to flourish under the guise of patriotism.

The author’s observation parallels the insights of journalist and historian Masha Gessen, who warns of the deliberate erosion of truth in authoritarian regimes. In Surviving Autocracy, Gessen argues that autocrats rely on a "breakdown of shared reality," wherein official narratives are engineered to disorient the public and justify the consolidation of power. This method mirrors Aberjhani’s concept of guerrilla decontextualization, where facts are strategically manipulated to make citizens question their own judgment and ultimately surrender their agency to an authoritarian state.

Gessen’s book was published in June 2020, as America was transitioning from POTUS Donald Trump’s first term as president to Joseph R. Biden’s time as the same. It was described in Interview Magazine as ““A reckoning with what has been lost in the past few years and a map forward with our beliefs intact.” 

The Struggle for Inclusive Democracy

The American narrative is often framed as an evolving pursuit of liberty and democracy, yet Aberjhani urges a deeper recognition that democracy remains an unfinished project, continuously in need of protection against regressive forces:

“We like to believe the dominant theme of American History is the quest for a practice of freedom framed within refined concepts of democracy. And that may very well be so. But such a noble theme becomes meaningless without mindfully recognizing the need to always strive for equal rights and opportunities for all of the country’s culturally unique communities… Bigotry, xenophobia, and chaos cannot be allowed to pull off a coup and label it patriotism.” (from  BlackMan Sitting on the Rock Essay & Poem published in Poetry, Life, and Times)

This assertion directly challenges the tendency of autocratic movements to cloak exclusionary policies in patriotic rhetoric. History has shown that democratic backsliding often begins with the suppression of marginalized voices, a process justified under the pretense of "preserving national identity." This is particularly relevant in contemporary America, where voter suppression laws, racialized policing, and attacks on LGBTQ+ rights threaten the democratic principle of equal participation.

The Potential Transformation

The considerations of guerrilla decontextualization and the development of rapid changes currently reshaping American government have prompted many to question whether the United States is undergoing what the Russian-born Masha Gessen described in Surviving Autocracy as an “autocratic transformation.” This potential transformation, she noted, appeared to have started with a demagogue-style of presidential leadership. Gessen, often citing historian and philosopher Hannah Arendt (1906-1975), points out that such a change takes place in three stages:

1. Autocratic attempt
2. Autocratic breakthrough
3. Autocratic consolidation

The concept, she noted, was one with which most Americans were unfamiliar because until the current 47th president’s first term as the 45th president (2017-2021), the likelihood of such a thing occurring in the U.S. was viewed not only as improbable, but impossible. Now, during his second term, the unavoidable question is this: Has the United States of America already undergone phase two of an autocratic transformation and is it now at the beginning of stage three: autocratic consolidation.

It should be noted that Gessen’s voice is only one of many social and political observers calling for greater mindful vigilance when it comes to the threat of autocracy destroying  democracy in America. Numerous everyday readers as well have noted how the current times resemble dystopian fiction narratives from novels such as: Octavia E. Butler’s The Parable of the Sower (1993); Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 (1953), and George Orwell’s 1984 (1949).   

One way to resist such corruption, suggests Snyder, is to: “Be calm when the unthinkable arrives. Modern tyranny is terror management. When the terrorist attack comes, remember that authoritarians exploit such events in order to consolidate power.”

Art as a Democratic Countermeasure

Beyond literature and journalism, visual art also plays a critical role in resisting autocracy and reaffirming democratic values. One example of his is Aberjhani’s art poster, Langston Hughes Quote on People Walking Tightropes, which embodies the precarious balance democracy must maintain in the face of rising authoritarian threats.

The poster, inspired by Hughes' enduring commitment to justice and equality, serves as a reminder that the fight for democracy is not a passive endeavor but one requiring constant movement, awareness, and courage. According to author-artist Aberjhani, “The tightropes’ to which he was referring [in the passage quoted] were woven of public and private human conditions similar to those confronting many of us in the 21st century.”

Much like Hughes, Aberjhani’s artistic contributions, often presented with texts by him, challenge citizens to engage critically with their society, to recognize the fragility of democratic institutions, and to resist efforts that seek to redefine tyranny as patriotism. In an era where democratic institutions are under siege globally, the power of art and literature to inspire resistance and renewal cannot be underestimated.

Conclusion: Democracy as a Collective Endeavor

The defense of democracy requires an unrelenting commitment to truth, inclusivity, and active civic engagement. The shared insights of creative artists—whether through literary critiques, essays, or visual constructions—provide invaluable frameworks for understanding how autocracy gains traction and how it can be prevented. The concept of guerrilla decontextualization in particular highlights the dangers of information warfare, while the emphasis on striving for equality underscores the necessity of protecting democracy from forces that would redefine exclusion as patriotism.

The work of thinkers like Gessen, Snyder, Aberjhani, and numerous others, remind us that democracy is not a static inheritance but a dynamic, collective responsibility. As educators, students, activists, and community leaders, the challenge before us is clear: to reject the seductions of autocracy and reaffirm the democratic ideals that define a just and equitable society.
The lesson from history is that democracy is always one generation away from collapse. The question now is whether current generations will band together to defend it.

By ChatGPT Op-Ed Contributor 4114
With Bright Skylark Literary Productions
Special to AI Literary Chat Salon 2025

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