During this turbulent time, a call for peaceful leadership: President Obama, lead a sit-in for change in Los Angeles
Barack Obama has recently been criticized for being virtually absent during the Trump-induced crisis that has been going on for months, and what is happening right now in Los Angeles could well lead to a conflagration that no American — regardless of political views — wants to see.
Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard, and now the Marines, despite the fact that doing so goes against the wishes of the California governor and the Los Angeles mayor is dangerous in the extreme.
But what can be done?
Here’s my suggestion:
Someone sane, with standing, must step in and find a way to cool this situation down. It’s clearly not going to be Trump, who is obviously profiting politically from it (after all, no one is talking about his fight with Elon Musk, or Musk’s charge that the reason that Trump refuses to release the Jeffrey Epstein files is because he’s in them), we’re back on Trump’s preferred ground — bitterly dividing us.
What we need is a respected leader to come forward, and my suggestion is former President Barack Obama. Drawing from the rich history of the Civil Rights Movement, Obama should organize a peaceful sit-in demonstration to channel frustrations into productive dialogue and tangible change.
Sit-ins have a storied history as a powerful nonviolent protest tool. During the 1960s, African American students boldly sat in “white-only” spaces, refusing to leave until they were served, thereby challenging segregationist laws and attitudes. The sit-ins epitomized peaceful resistance, capturing national attention and playing a pivotal role in desegregating public spaces.
By revisiting this powerful form of protest, Obama can inspire a new generation to embrace strategic, peaceful activism while ensuring that the core message of fairness and equality does not get lost in the chaos of violent clashes.
Barack Obama is a unifying figure capable of bridging divides and fostering dialogue. With his proven ability to garner attention and sway public opinion, Obama could spearhead a peaceful sit-in, signaling to both protestors and policymakers that change is not only possible, but achievable without resorting to violence.
Obama’s leadership in this context would serve multiple functions. First, it would directly address the concerns of demonstrators, validate their grievances and amplify their voices in a constructive manner. His presence in a sit-in would illuminate the issues at hand, attracting media attention that so often decorates violent scenes but overlooks peaceful resistance.
Furthermore, a sit-in led by Obama would bring national focus back to the roots of the protest: justice, equality, and the urgent need for reform, rather than allowing the narrative to be diluted by instances of unrest.
Moreover, Obama’s moral authority is one that Trump, outspoken critic of protest movements, might find difficult to undermine in this context. A peaceful, organized sit-in — one where participants simply sit down and refuse to leave — counters the narrative often used to justify heavy-handed police responses. It’s impossible to cast sitting protestors as a threat, or to justify excessive force against them. It is a strategic method of protest capable of minimizing physical harm to participants while highlighting discrepancies in treatment or response from law enforcement.
The violence on the streets, from the arrests in downtown Los Angeles to the burning of Waymo driverless cars, signals a boiling point — one that can be abated with the right influence. Obama’s sit-in could bring together local leaders, activists, and citizens in pursuit of dialogue-driven change. It is an opportunity for impactful intervention before these tensions escalate into irreversible tragedy.
A sit-in led by Obama symbolizes not just resistance, but a commitment to nonviolent advocacy — a powerful message to the citizens of Los Angeles, lawmakers, and the world. It is a move that relies on morals rather than force, and one that demands attention to its silent, yet powerful plea for justice.
Los Angeles needs a beacon of hope, a strategy for peace, and a leader to guide it.
Barack Obama has the capacity to fulfill these roles.
As Rosa Parks proved, sometimes the most profound change can begin with a simple act of sitting down, standing firm in one’s beliefs. This could be the moment Obama steps forward to lead once again — prompting change not through power, but through peace.
Drey Samuelson, who worked for Tom Daschle and served as Tim Johnson's chief of staff for 28 years when Johnson was a congressman and senator, has remained active and involved in politics in South Dakota.
Photo: public domain, wikimedia commons
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