So This Is How Liberty Dies: Thunderous Applause in the 2024 Election
Triton #36.3
In Star Wars: Episode ІІІ Revenge of the Sith, Padme Amidala utters a chilling line as
she watches the Republic fall: “So this is how liberty dies- with thunderous applause."
In 2024, this quote has resurfaced with a sense of haunting urgency as Donald Trump returns to the presidency, and many Americans question whether the foundations of democracy are eroding before their eyes. The urgency of this situation cannot be overstated, and it calls for immediate and decisive action.
Donald Trump’s re-election campaign was more than just a political comeback; it was a triumph of populist fervor, aggressive nationalism, and institutional fatigue. As he assumes the presidenсу again, Trump’s rhetoric and agenda echo Palpatine’s rise in the Star Wars prequel trilogy with alarming similarity. Like Palpatine, Trump has used fear and division to consolidate power, and his disregard for democratic norms and penchant for strongman tactics have prompted critics to draw parallels between Trump and the Sith Lord, who disguised tyranny as salvation.
Proposals for mass deportations, expanding the use of the military in domestic affairs, and retribution against political enemies have raised alarms that the Empire isn’t something from a galaxy far, far away. It’s right here at home.
Just as the Jedi sought to resist the fall of the Republic, Democratic leaders and progressive activists have tried to defend democratic institutions. Figures like Tim Walz, Alexandria ocasio Cortez, and Ayanna pressley have taken on roles that feel not unlike Mace Windu or Yoda trying to hold the line, even as the Republic frays at the seams.
Yet, like the Jedi, Democrats face their challenges: infighting, a lack of cohesive strategy, and
an electoral system tilted by gerrymandering and Senate overrepresentation. Though some call for reform, others fall into complacency, fearing that bolder action might backfire. As in the Jedi Temple, the risk is that inaction might be the very thing that enables the darkness to rise. The danger of not taking a stand, of not pushing for change, is that we allow the current political climate to continue, potentially leading to further erosion of our democratic institutions.
Joe Biden, the aged and weary figurehead of the Democratic Party, plays the role of Yoda in
this political drama. He speaks in the language of moderation, telling us that the solution lies in compromise and careful negotiation. Yet, as we’ve seen repeatedly, his commitment to ‘uniting’ the country often means siding with the forces contributing to its dysfunction. Biden’s inability to confront the profound economic and racial disparities in American society makes his position increasingly untenable. Much like Yoda, he is an older figure who believes in the wisdom of the past. Still, in a crisis, his reliance on outdated ideas only hastens the demise of the Republic.
Kamala Harris, on the other hand, mirrors Mace Windu. She’s strong, articulate, and unapologetically assertive in her rhetoric. Still, ultimately, she too is tied to a system that perpetuates inequality. Windu may have wielded a lightsaber, but his allegiance to the Council’s bureaucracy blinded him to the forces of darkness within his ranks. Similarly, Harris has been a force for change in certain areas. Still, it remains a product of the same neoliberal machine that birthed Trump’s rise. Her proximity to power in the Biden administration often rendered her too complicit in the status quo to effect meaningful change.
The Clone Wars didn’t start overnight, nor did the American political crisis. The 2024 election occurred against deep national division and a civil cold war. Debates over abortion, climate change, racial justice, and economic inequality have turned civic discourse into battlegrounds. In its final days, the Senate feels more like the Galactic Senate, with lofty speeches masking backroom deals and rising authoritarianism. Protests have erupted, courts are under siege, and trust in the media and electoral process has cratered. With institutions faltering and power consolidating, many fear the American Republic may give way to an authoritarian order masquerading as “law and order."
Still, even in the darkest times, the Star Wars saga reminds us that rebellions are built on hope. Civic engagement, grassroots movements, and new waves of politically active young people, many inspired by justice, inclusivity, and democratic ideals, may yet chart a different course. The Resistance in Star Wars was a small but determined force, as were the students, organizers, journalists, and reformers fighting today. It is not too late to restore balance to the Force. There is a potential for a new hope in our political landscape, and it is up to us to realize it.
May the Force be with us all in these dark days.