Millions Rally Against Trump on “No Kings” Day.

​Last Saturday between 7 and 8 million people participated in “No Kings” protests, taking to the streets in all 50 states, Washington D.C. and the territories of the United States.  These “No Kings” events represented the largest day of protests ever against a sitting U.S. president. The protests were peaceful, boisterous and mostly joyous gatherings of Americans of all ages, races and socioeconomic backgrounds eager to express their constitutional rights of free assembly and free speech to voice their unhappiness with President Trump and his policies. The protests came amidst a government shutdown, gridlock in congress, and a president yielding unchecked power to reward his friends and punish his enemies.  

​The protests were derided by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson as “hate America” rallies with protesters aligned with Hamas and antifa. Trump called the protests “a joke”, the protesters “whacked out”, and “not representative of this country”. He also falsely claimed that the protests were paid for by George Soros and other “radical left lunatics”.  Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed in the runup to the protests that Democrats had aligned themselves with terrorists, criminals, and those in the country illegally. This type of unhelpful rhetoric only added fuel to the fire and motivated more citizens to join the protests in defiance of the Trump Administration’s divisiveness. 

​I attended the “No Kings” protest in my city and was overwhelmed by the turnout of nearly 10,000 of my fellow citizens coming together in a celebration of America’s historic values and righteous place in the world.  There was no hate speech to be heard, no one claiming to be “antifa” and no Hamas sympathizers. There were people dressed as frogs, sharks and penguins strolling along parents pushing baby strollers, adolescents and teenagers marching with their friends, fired up grandmas and grandpas, and ordinary people protesting for the first time in their lives over concern for the future of the country that they love. The “No Kings” protest that I experienced was like a 4th of July parade, with people cheering all along the streets where people marched.

In recent days I have read commentary casting doubt on the useful of the “No Kings” protests. I have also spoken to friends who have expressed similar doubts. I don’t agree with this point of view, and here are a few of my reasons why:

​Civic Engagement: The majority of Americans are unhappy with the direction of the country, the inaction in congress and the policies of the Trump Administration. There is a common view that the Democratic Party is not an effective counterweight to the power of the president, leading to skepticism of government. Many people have simply tuned out politics, while others have grown frustrated over the lack of leadership and are looking for tangible ways to become involved.

The “No Kings” protests provided people an outlet to express their frustrations and anger in a tangible way and to engage with other community members to make their voices heard. The protest march in my city ended in a public park where several political and civic groups staffed tables and booths to inform the public about their organizations. People could register to vote, learn about different political parties, and sign up to become involved in various political and civic activities.

​Information sharing is a major component of protests like “No Kings” and it is an avenue for people to become more engaged civically and politically. The high-profile nature of “No Kings” day should help to drive voter registration and encourage those who typically sit on the sidelines to become more engaged. 

​​Changed the Narrative: For several weeks leading up to “No Kings” day on October 18, news and social media outlets began running stories about the protests. The protests became a major point of conversation in Washington D.C. Even for those not tuned in to politics, it would have been difficult not to hear about the protests. On October 18 many of the largest protests were covered live by news outlets from around the world, and videos of protests from various cities flooded social media. The analysis and commentary of the protests continued for several days, and for the better part of October changed the narrative in the country.   

​Politicians Put on Notice: Donald Trump and his inner circle may dismiss the “No Kings” protests, but House Republicans in vulnerable districts can’t afford to. There were many Republican voters among the protesters on Saturday who are unhappy that Trump hasn’t delivered on his promise to lower costs for American families. The inflation rate has increased due to tariffs, and the cost of groceries, housing, utilities and health insurance continues to rise. Trump’s policies are crippling family farms by increasing the cost of inputs and closing foreign markets, while tax cuts which mostly benefit the wealthy have reduced funding for much needed social programs. 

Critical Mass: Non-violent protests and civil resistance by ordinary citizens have been effective in the past at changing government policy or removing unpopular regimes when a critical mass of people participates. Harvard researcher Erica Chenoweth studied civil resistance and social movements from 1900 to 2006. Her research has shown that it takes about 3.5% of the population actively participating in the protests to ensure that serious political change takes place. 
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There were roughly 5 million people participating in the June “No Kings” day protests. The second “No Kings” day protests last week saw 7 million participants. It would take approximately 12 million participants to reach the 3.5% threshold for political change to take place. This is achievable if the people who participated on “No Kings” day remain committed, and momentum continues to grow. Spread the word and let’s get to 12 million citizen protesters and begin to right the ship of state. 

Protests alone won’t win the day, but they are a tangible way for ordinary citizens to have their voices heard and to participate in democracy. Continue to write and call your elected leaders, vote on November 4 and in all elections, support independent journalism, and avoid doing business with companies and institutions that bend the knee to the Trump regime.  Above all, don’t suffer in silence.                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
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Thanks,
Armchair American