Projection and “the accusation being the confession” manifests itself in many ways within MAGA, and at varying depths as well. It just so happens that MAGA’s self-referential “opposition research” has yielded the proper approach to defeat Trumpism, too.
Capitulation is not the answer
First things first. The stupidest thing that we can do is capitulate and give in to fear. When we cave to the bigotry of MAGA, as the cowardly Miami Open gold tournament reportedly did, we embolden hate to become even more aggressive and overt. Hate cannot be pacified. Hate cannot be appeased.
The only effective response to hate is to push back, double down on doing the things that hate movements hate, and never show fear. You can feel fear, but never, ever show it.
And MAGA itself shows us how it’s done.
“We will not comply”
MAGA is famous for refusing to follow federal or state directives that they dislike. The California Family Council, affiliated with the SPLC-listed hate group Family Research Council, announced that “We Will Not Bow” to a state-mandated requirement to “complete an hour-long ‘LGBTQ Cultural Competency course annually.”
During the months of pandemic-era mask and vaccine mandates to slow the spread of COVID-19, MAGA famously dared, “We will not comply.” The Alliance for Tyranny Liberty reported that The Daily Wire “will not comply with President Biden’s tyrannical vaccine mandate and we are suing the administration to put a stop to their gross overreach.”
In August 2024, 26 Republican governors announced, “‘We Will Not Comply’ with Pandemic Treaty” with the World Health Organization. MAGA is so good at feeling entitled to simply ignore laws that they dislike that they even win Supreme Court cases that permit them to do so.
Contempt of Court
In 2025, a senior DOJ official reportedly “suggested the department should tell courts “f*** you” and ignore their orders to carry out President Donald Trump’s aggressive deportations.” MAGA-aligned “Constitutional sheriffs” feel entitled to disregard court orders, proclaiming themselves as the last words on what is considered “Constitutional” in his country.
JD Vance himself claimed that the Executive Branch is under no obligation to obey court orders. The MAGA-aligned revisionist history school “Patriot Academy” similarly claims in their teaching materials that the Executive Branch is not bound by court orders.
March 2026: “Trump admits he told top official to ignore the courts.” March 2025: “Trump team ignoring 1 in 3 major judicial rulings against them, analysis finds.” June 2025: “Trump judge nominee told DOJ lawyers to ignore court orders on deportations.” February 2025: “Dan Bongino argues that Trump “should ignore” court order blocking federal funding freeze.“
And to round it out, California Republican gubernatorial candidate Chad Bianco ignored orders from the state Attorney General’s office to stop seizing ballots. That’s some real “law and order” there, sheriff.
We decent, normal people can “become ungovernable,” too
MAGA has long responded to vaccine mandates, mask mandates, and civil rights laws and policies by stating that “we must become ungovernable.” That is exactly the right approach for defeating hate and fascism.
Freedom-loving Americans can play the same damn game. H. L. T. Quan writes, “Become Ungovernable – An Abolition Feminist Ethic for Democratic Living.” Glenn T. Martin, Ph. D writes, “Ungovernable: Nonviolent Mass Solidarity against Corruption and Despotism.” Make fascism and authoritarianism so resource-intensive that oppression simply runs out of sufficient resources to sustain itself.
When Trump threatens to pull broadcast licenses (he can’t), the response must be “Fuck you, try and make us stop.” When Trump’s FCC chair tries to bully and intimidate news media, our answer need to be “I fucking dare you. We aren’t complying. We’re staying on the air, and you ain’t gonna fucking like what we have to say and what we plan to expose.”
Capitulation is not the answer
We decent people outnumber the fascists three to one, and we always will.
But let’s face an uncomfortable fact: the fascists are fundamentally different kinds of people. They aren’t afraid to take risks. They aren’t afraid to go to jail. Many of them aren’t even afraid to die for their cause, or their orange antichrist.
We normies are. We’re a timid lot. We have low risk tolerance. This is how a small minority can impose an almost unbreakable tyranny on a nation. It’s easy for a small number with no fear to oppress masses who are held back by fear.
We need to be braver. We need to be more mentally prepared to take risks and take hits, because the failure to do so is riskier down the road. Being prepared to endure what the fascists are willing to endure will be the great equalizer, and eventually the great outnumberer.
There is risk, but capitulation is riskier, because fascism is never placated. Fascism will advance with every concession that decent people make to it.