America’s peacebuilding challenge on November 5th and beyond

Once again, Americans find themselves at another pivotal moment for U.S. democracy and concerned about political violence. With less than a week to go before Election Day (November 5th), polls suggest a tight race between the candidates. The country is polarized and seemingly divided between alternative visions for the future, how we reckon with the past, and our country’s future role in the world. People from all political persuasions are apprehensive, anxious, and frightened about what the next several months and years might bring, regardless of which candidate prevails.

It is not surprising that two decades of war coupled with long-term trends in inequality, public health, and demographic change have destabilized American society. As a peacebuilding organization, Saferworld works globally in places where we’ve seen such trends lead to political violence, civil strife, and threats to democratic institutions. As peacebuilders, we see signs in the United States that concern us: institutional mistrust, toxic polarization, weaponized misinformation, dehumanizing rhetoric, foreign political interference, and widespread access to weapons. These worry us here as they would anywhere else.   

But as peacebuilders, we also know that a strong civil society, resilient democratic institutions, and people’s commitment to peace are a bulwark against violent conflict. The U.S. has a rich history of social justice and civil rights organizations, many rooted in the Black community, that have always been the first line of defense for our democracy, while also being the most at risk. Over the last decade we’ve witnessed the emergence of peacebuilding organizations focused on the U.S., some of whom have brought home experience from preventing and transforming violent conflict abroad, seeking to bridge partisan, geographic, racial, and cultural divides. They, along with an array of citizen groups, public servants, law enforcement agencies, state judges and courts, veterans’ groups, civil rights organizations, election protection groups, and some (but certainly not all) business and religious leaders, have mobilized across the country to act intentionally to defuse confrontation, find common ground, and defend democracy. This movement – and the presence of an incumbent administration that appears committed to the rule of law and the peaceful transfer of power – are powerful counterweights to violence and instability, but that does not mean the months ahead are going to be easy.

Looming over this election is the prospect of another Donald Trump presidency and his politics of division and authoritarian nationalism. His first term was marked by egregious transgressions of democratic norms and institutions, including an attempt to overturn the 2020 election result and disrupt the peaceful transfer of power. Many believe he will go further in a second term. The candidate is already telegraphing that he will not accept an election loss, and there is growing concern of plans afoot to subvert the election and take power if he is not declared the winner. Recently enacted reforms have strengthened the electoral system and certification process, but they remain untested. While our civil society and democratic institutions are better prepared than four years ago, it is clear that the U.S. faces deep challenges that the people must solve.

Most Americans, irrespective of political leanings, hold faith that we can overcome our differences and fulfil our promise as an inclusive, multi-racial democracy. We believe this despite the fact that many of us feel we and some of our fellow citizens live in alternate realities. The essence of peacebuilding is the belief in – and commitment to – building relationships across all types of boundaries and differences, relationships that allow us to work together to resolve injustice, reconcile and heal, and create the institutions that give everyone a stake in a common future. There are more of us committed to these ideals than you would think from what one sees in the media and hears from some of our leaders. No matter what happens on November 5th and beyond, the real work ahead is peacebuilding work.

Jason Calder, Director, Saferworld USA

Image credit: Phil Roeder, CC-BY