Author Ami Fields-Meyer: WCPT 820 Interview

Richard Chew is joined by Ami Fields-Meyer, former senior policy adviser at the White House, former senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation, and co-author of "On Courage: How to Be a Dissident in an Age of Fear" (2026). The discussion focused on recognizing authoritarian tactics and strengthening civic resistance through collective action. Here are a few highlights from the conversation: - Fields-Meyer argued that attacks on political opponents, institutions, and media can normalize selective persecution; naming these tactics helps people understand what is happening. - He said fear and a sense of inevitability are central to authoritarianism, and that public pushback can disrupt both. - He described four approaches: heed moral concerns, find a community of shared values, avoid conduct that can be used to discredit a movement, and persuade a broader coalition without abandoning core principles. - Strikes and boycotts can exert economic and reputational pressure, but Fields-Meyer said they have not yet been used at mass scale. Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views). Follow us: Website: https://heartlandsignal.com WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820 Heartland Signal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandSignal Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heartlandsignal Heartland Signal X: https://x.com/HeartlandSignal WCPT 820 X: https://x.com/WCPT820 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartlandsignal Threads: threads.com/@heartlandsignal YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heartlandsignal