Food for Thought: “How to Stand Up to a Dictator”
We can learn a lot about current threats to American democracy by understanding how others successfully—though not without struggle—confronted similar authoritarians in other countries.
CNN in the Philippines was led by Maria Angelita Ressa for over 20 years, but she was “let go” soon after her reporting displeased the tyrannical Rodrigo Duterte government (2016–2022). She then founded an independent online news organization, Rapeller.com, and continued to publish, despite serious threats and while facing ten criminal charges. She won international support and the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021.
Recently, we in the U.S. have experienced attacks on the press, much like those that silenced the legacy free press in Duterte’s Philippines.
Ressa advises Americans:
- “This is a crucial time.”
- “Hold the line; Do NOT cede your rights.”
- “If you lose truth-focused, fact-focused journalism, you lose democracy.”
What we can do to defend democracy now!
- Keep informed about what is happening right now.
- Make your views known; organize others.
- Support organizations that use the courts to defend democratic institutions.
Duterte left office in 2022, and Ressa was acquitted of eight charges, with two more pending. Rapeller continues to publish, and Ressa continues to speak out in the Philippines and worldwide. Ressa is now a professor at Columbia University, CEO of Rapeller, and continues to speak truth to power in the Philippines.
In her book, How to Stand Up to a Dictator, Ressa shares the hard lessons she learned in the Philippines. Although the Philippines has a constitution patterned on that of the U.S., Duterte ascended to power and established total dominance. Within six months of being elected and taking office, Duterte had silenced the main press and taken on the justice system; all of the checks and balances in the system had collapsed. Social media and technology were critical elements in tightening his grip on power.
See also: Maria Ressa Interview PBS, 3-4-2025