Today, Donald Trump takes the presidential oath of office once again. Let me make this very clear: He and those who surround him are a real threat to our democracy.
But now is not the time for acceptance and resignation. This is — yet again — a time for commitment and action. It’s fitting, then, that today we also honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose life shows us the power of principled resistance.
Now is not the time for acceptance and resignation. This is — yet again — a time for commitment and action.
Dr. King is often quoted as saying, “The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice.” This is true — but only when caring, committed people put their hands on that arc and pull it toward justice. We must be those people. Now is our time.
With Trump in the White House and Republicans in power in many parts of the country, I have no expectation that our goals will be simple to achieve or that needlessly complex challenges will be easily overcome. I know that our road will be long, and that many obstacles will stand in our way.
But I have no doubt that — if we stand together; if we walk together; if we believe as we always have in the power of our ideals and the potential of our shared community; if we recognize and use our citizen power — not only will our cause overcome, but our country shall be made better.
So do not despair over where we are today, as hard as that may be. Instead, set your sights on where we need to go and on determining how we are going to get there.
It’s the same destination Dr. King was marching toward in Selma, the same destination that Thomas Wilson Dorr was marching toward in Rhode Island, the same destination Ida B. Wells was marching toward in Washington, D.C. — a destination where the promises in the documents that shaped this nation aren’t empty words on paper but a lived reality for every single American.
The journey may be arduous, but we have no choice but to embark upon it. From Yorktown to Gettysburg, from Seneca Falls to Normandy, from Selma to Stonewall, every American generation has fought to preserve and enhance our democracy. Ours cannot be the first that fails in this ongoing and sacred task. If America’s history is any indication, this progress won’t come in a straight line — and there will be days when we grow weary, when pessimism seems justified, when we are tempted to let up. But when those moments come, when the road ahead of us seems too steep and the weight starts to feel like too much to bear, I hope you will remember the giants who came before us, like Dr. King. They each carried more on their shoulders than we could ever imagine but kept on marching, one foot after the other, no matter what stood in their way. And I hope you will choose to fight.
Eric H. Holder Jr.
Eric H. Holder Jr., was the 82nd attorney general of the United States. He is currently the chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, which fights against gerrymandering and for a comprehensive redistricting strategy. 
