Nonviolence Scholar Maria J. Stephan

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode: Nonviolence Scholar Maria J. Stephan
Date: January 24, 2026
Host: Stephen Colbert
Guest: Dr. Maria J. Stephan

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Overview

This episode features Dr. Maria J. Stephan, an internationally recognized scholar and practitioner of nonviolent resistance. Together, she and Stephen Colbert discuss the resurgence and importance of nonviolent strategies in resisting authoritarian overreach, especially in the context of current U.S. politics. The conversation navigates practical tactics, historical comparisons, the role of faith, humor in protest, and the deep philosophy behind nonviolence.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why Nonviolent Resistance?

• Nonviolence as Both Tactic and Philosophy:
  Dr. Stephan underscores the effectiveness of nonviolent resistance in confronting injustice—both as a way to build power collectively and as an ethical framework.
  • “Nonviolent resistance is a powerful form of collective action. It's where ordinary people coordinate a range of different tactics—protests, boycotts, strikes, walkouts, mutual aid—to build power, to disrupt injustices, and to liberate themselves from oppression. So it's a way of fighting back without the threat or use of violence.”
    — Dr. Maria J. Stephan [03:25]

2. Practical Tools for Nonviolent Resistance

• Grassroots Organization & Mutual Support:
  Dr. Stephan discusses the role of local organization and shares a small yet symbolic example:

  • “I've got in my pocket here, Stephen, a whistle. So what people are doing is they are organizing neighborhood groups... learning how to intervene... blowing a whistle to let their neighbors know that ICE is there and that they are there to stand with them and to defend them.”
    — Dr. Maria J. Stephan [03:58]

• Upcoming Day of Action:

  • On January 23rd, Minnesota activists are holding an "ICE out of Minnesota Day of Action"—a form of an economic shutdown to show solidarity and protest injustice.
    [04:49]

3. The Dilemma of State Violence and Legitimization

• Mischaracterization of Nonviolent Actions:
  Stephan addresses how authorities often label nonviolent protesters as violent to justify repression.

  • "Declaring peaceful protesters violent or domestic terrorists or outside agitators is what autocrats all around the world do. That is their playbook..."
    — Dr. Maria J. Stephan [05:52]

• Backfire Effect:
  She invokes historical precedent, particularly the Civil Rights Movement, citing the powerful impact of disciplined nonviolent protest in revealing state cruelty.

  • “They prepared, they trained, they role-played, they organized, all to make that political violence backfire. Think of Selma... when peaceful, disciplined protesters confronted... the dogs, the hoses, the response, it revealed the cruelty...”
    — Dr. Maria J. Stephan [05:52]

• Memorable Quote:

  • "They show up with guns, we show up with whistles.”
    — Rebecca Goode, as recounted by Dr. Maria J. Stephan [07:09]

4. Role of Faith Communities

• Moral Authority and Activism:
  Dr. Stephan highlights the unique position of faith leaders to rally communities and speak against abuses of power.

  • “Faith communities play a powerful role and they're showing up in powerful ways across this country… They can use their pulpits, their positions, their moral authority to speak out against the abuses of power that are happening. They can remind us that the greatest commandment is love.”
    — Dr. Maria J. Stephan [08:11]

• Responding to Christian Nationalism:
  Faith can challenge oppressive ideologies, especially when used to justify state action.

• Message to Those Within the System:

  • “Remind them of the greatest commandment to love thy neighbor… and I would remind them that they have agency in this moment, and they can walk away.”
    — Dr. Maria J. Stephan [09:05]
  • Colbert adds: “They're not in the army. They're allowed to quit.”
    [09:31]

5. The Power of Joy and Humor in Resistance

• Inventive Protest:
  Colbert brings up whimsical protest examples—“frog costumes in Portland, dinosaur costumes happen in Chicago”—as means to reduce perceived threat and inject joy.
  Dr. Stephan responds enthusiastically:

  • “Joy is resistance, Stephen. And there is such a powerful role for humor in this moment. Humor breaks through the fear. It inspires courage.”
    — Dr. Maria J. Stephan [09:52]

  • Colbert jokes, “They've got guns. I've got a little fan on my butt.”
    [10:32]

6. Nonviolence as a Way of Life

• Beyond Strategy—A Worldview:
  In closing, Stephan describes nonviolence as a fundamentally different approach to living and relating:
  • “It is love in action. It's about being human in the face of inhumanity. It's about resisting injustices in courageous, powerful ways, but without harming people. And it's about building something new. Dr. King referred to it as the beloved community...”
    — Dr. Maria J. Stephan [11:06]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “They show up with guns, we show up with whistles.”
  — Rebecca Goode, via Dr. Maria J. Stephan [07:09]

• “Joy is resistance, Stephen. And there is such a powerful role for humor in this moment. Humor breaks through the fear. It inspires courage.”
  — Dr. Maria J. Stephan [09:52]

• “It is love in action. It's about being human in the face of inhumanity.”
  — Dr. Maria J. Stephan [11:06]

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Important Timestamps

• [01:49] - Stephen Colbert introduces Dr. Maria J. Stephan
• [02:47] - Discussing the need for nonviolent resistance
• [03:25] - Defining nonviolent resistance
• [03:58] - Practical grassroots tools (the whistle)
• [04:49] - General strike/ICE out of Minnesota Day of Action
• [05:52] - How authorities attempt to delegitimize nonviolent protest
• [07:09] - "They show up with guns, we show up with whistles"
• [08:11] - Faith communities’ role in resistance
• [09:05] - Faith’s message to those justifying their actions in the system
• [09:52] - The role of joy, humor, and costumes in protest
• [11:06] - Nonviolence as a worldview and way of being

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Conclusion

Dr. Maria J. Stephan provides not only actionable advice for those wanting to participate in nonviolent resistance but also a heartfelt philosophical framing, rooted in love, joy, and collective humanity. The conversation with Stephen Colbert serves as both a practical guide in turbulent times and an inspiration toward building what Dr. King called “the beloved community.”

For more information or to get involved, visit nonviolence.info

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Transcript

[Dr. Maria J. Stephan]

Parle tu francais habla sepanol parle italiano.

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[Stephen Colbert]

Ladies and gentlemen, my next guest tonight is a scholar of nonviolent resistance who has worked with movements all around the world and as co author of the book why Civil Resistance works, please welcome Dr. Maria J. Steffan. Doctor thanks so much for being here. I have wanted to talk to someone and I'm so glad it's you about the idea of nonviolent resistance because I knew at some point during the second term there would be a rebirth of some sort of resistance movement to the overreaches of the Trump administration. And I know that people are hungry for for tools, ways to do this in ethical ways that fit with our own morals. And nonviolent resistance could definitely be one of Those ways people will resist authoritarianism. Let's talk about the ways people can resist. You've spent decades studying nonviolent resistance to authoritarianism. Why is it the way to go?

[Dr. Maria J. Stephan]

Yeah. Well, Stephen, thank you for having me on the show. What a necessary time to be talking about nonviolence and nonviolent resistance. And yes, and we are seeing nonviolent resistance blossoming all across this country. And I'm especially thinking of Minneapolis right now in Minnesota, and the profoundly courageous, tenacious, deeply loving ways that communities are organizing, protesting, protecting their neighbors, all using nonviolent resistance.

[Stephen Colbert]

How would you define nonviolent resistance?

[Dr. Maria J. Stephan]

So nonviolent resistance is a powerful form of collective action. It's where ordinary people coordinate a range of different tactics. Protests, boycotts, strikes, walkouts, mutual aid to build power, to disrupt injustices and to liberate themselves from oppression. So it's a way of fighting back without the threat or use of violence.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay, what can people do right now? What's a simple tool people can use?

[Dr. Maria J. Stephan]

Well, you know, I've got in my pocket here, Stephen, a whistle. So what people are doing is they are organizing neighborhood groups. They are taking Know youw Rights trainings. They're learning how to intervene. And one of those ways is blowing a whistle to let their neighbors know that ICE is there and that they are there to stand with them and to defend them.

[Stephen Colbert]

Can I give a little?

[Dr. Maria J. Stephan]

Yeah, check it out. Take a try.

[Stephen Colbert]

There you go. It's not only a good warning, but it's oddly cheerful. I feel like Thomas the Tank Engine has joined the resistance. Let's talk about things like a general strike. It's a very European thing to have a general strike. Has America ever engaged in a general strike? Like, that's enough. We're not showing up to work tomorrow.

[Dr. Maria J. Stephan]

So we've never had a general strike. But I can say what's happening this Friday on January 23rd, there is an ICE out of Minnesota Day of Action. It's a shutdown day where people will be staying home from work, they won't be going to school. They'll be refusing to participate in economic activities. So a power. And they're calling on Americans across the country to show solidarity.

[Stephen Colbert]

One of the problems with Minnesota right now is you have people like Kristi Noem or the people who are heading up ICE saying that it's not non violent resistance. They're saying someone like Renee Goode was actually a threat to those people or that filming an ICE agent. Or they're saying that filming and Ice Age documenting, which is perfectly Legal is a form of threat and therefore they're justified to use what they say, violence in return to the threat of violence from these people. What do you do when what your non violent action is perceived of what or called violence by the people who can use violence against you?

[Tommy John / Mint Mobile Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Dr. Maria J. Stephan]

Declaring peaceful protesters violent or domestic terrorists or outside agitators is what autocrats all around the world do. That is their playbook is to make people fearful and to try to undermine the legitimacy of protesters. That's their game. And so what are we seeing in Minneapolis right now? What have we seen in our history in this country? Think about the civil rights movement. Profound state violence used against protesters. They prepared, they trained, they role played, they organized, all to make that political violence backfire. Think of Selma, the peaceful march. So when peaceful, disciplined protesters confronted the, you know, the dogs, the hoses, the response, it revealed the cruelty when the disciplined protesters were faced with this form of violence. And so that's how disciplined nonviolent resistance can make state violence, repression, backfire. And they know this. They know that nonviolent resistance is something they can't handle. So they'll do anything in their power to undermine the legitimacy of these protesters, to call them domestic terrorists, to foment violence so that they can justify crackdowns. But people are not taking the bait. They are prepared, they're disciplined, they're trained. It's sticking in my head. A quote from Rebecca Goode, the widow of Renee Goode, who said, they show up with guns, we show up with whistles.

[Stephen Colbert]

We have to take a quick break. We're right back with more. Maria Stephan, everybody. We're back with Dr. Maria J. Stephan. You advise the Catholic Institute for Nonviolence. I do my best to be a Catholic. What role you know, and what role do faith communities play in all of this? I know that many Catholic bishops and cardinals have come out and said that this is totally unacceptable. You know, one, I believe it was, an Episcopal bishop, has said that their clergy may have to actually prepare themselves to a new age of martyrdom to protect people. What role do faith communities play in all of this? Or can they?

[Dr. Maria J. Stephan]

Yeah, faith communities play a powerful role and they're showing up in powerful ways across this country. As you say, they can speak truth to power. They can use their pulpits, their positions, their moral authority to speak out against the abuses of power that are happening. They can remind us that the greatest commandment is love. They can remind us they can speak out against the false idolatry of Christian nationalism using these different platforms.

[Stephen Colbert]

You know, Many, many, many of the people who are in support of this sort of thing, even some of the people who are in ice actually cite their Christian faith as a justification for this. What would you say to those people? Is there anything from your experience of faith that you would. We would say to them, I mean.

[Dr. Maria J. Stephan]

I think I would remind them of our shared humanity in this moment. I would remind them of the greatest commandment to love thy neighbor. I would remind them of Matthew 25, what you do unto the least of the you do unto me. And I would remind them that they have agency in this moment, and they can walk away.

[Stephen Colbert]

They're not in the army. They're allowed to quit. I love. I love some of the things that I've seen this past year, like all the frog costumes in Portland, the dinosaur costumes happen in Chicago too. You know, when the going gets tough. Should the tough get silly?

[Dr. Maria J. Stephan]

They absolutely should. Joy is resistance, Stephen. And. And there is such. There is such a powerful role for humor in this moment. Humor breaks through the fear. It inspires courage.

[Stephen Colbert]

Should you really make jokes about the news, though? Not everything's a joke, Maria.

[Dr. Maria J. Stephan]

But so the frog costumes, like, it has lit people on fire. Young people are inspired. It's a way for people to show up, to get invol.

[Stephen Colbert]

Also, people don't look like a threat when they're in inflatable frog costume.

[Dr. Maria J. Stephan]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

It really drives home the whole thing. Like, they've got guns. I've got a little fan on my butt.

[Dr. Maria J. Stephan]

Exactly.

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[Stephen Colbert]

Before we go, this is really one of the things that's most interesting to me is that people think of nonviolence as nonviolence resistance. They think of the marches of Gandhi, or they think of the marches of Dr. King and other people around the world. But my understanding is that nonviolence is that it's really more of a worldview. And how would you describe that to someone who wants to know what it means to live a life of nonviolence?

[IXL Advertiser]

Sure.

[Dr. Maria J. Stephan]

I mean, I think it's a different way of being with each other. It is love in action. It's about being human in the face of inhumanity. It's about resisting injustices in courageous, powerful ways, but without harming people. And it's about building something new. Dr. King referred to it as the beloved community. So how we can treat one another and anchor out how we relate to one another in love and in respect for human dignity and building a kind of society where we can all feel flourish.

[Stephen Colbert]

Maria, thank you so much for being here.

[Dr. Maria J. Stephan]

Thank you.

[Stephen Colbert]

You can learn how to get involved by going to nonviolence.info or by scanning the QR code right there. Dr. Maria J. Stephan, everybody. Thank you for listening to the Late Show Pod show with Stephen Colbert. Just one more thing. If you want to see more of me, come to The Late Show YouTube channel for more clips and exclusives.

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[Dr. Maria J. Stephan]

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