No Kings/No Dictators

This past weekend between 5.5 and 8.5 million people took to the streets to declare loudly and firmly that there are no Kings in this country. With marches occurring in all 50 states, in over 2,500 cities, towns, counties, and villages across the nation, it was one of the largest single day political protests in United States history, surpassing significantly in size the first No Kings protest earlier in the year.

Far from the violent mayhem Trump, et. al. were hoping for, and despite proclamations by him, JD Vance, and Mike Johnson ranging from demented to pathetic, claiming this was a “hate America” rally, the protests were joyful, peaceful, and weird in the best way

Saturday was a welcome and visible reminder that the vast majority of the people in this countr​y do not support Republican’s political agenda, and especially don’t like the fascistic power grab Trump is undertaking. Americans don't support this crony capitalism, they don't support higher medical costs and closing rural hospitals, they don't support tearing hard working families apart due to bureaucracy, they don't support deploying troops on American cities, nor tariffs that are raising the cost of basic necessities, along with rising electricity costs driven by new AI data-centers. 

Trump the Mad King was of course a major galvanizing impetus behind these marches, but as Bernie Sanders made clear in his speech on Saturday, this is not about anyone individual no matter how cruel his greed and how numerous his lies. This is about a system in which a handful of wealthy oligarchs have hijacked the levers of political and economic power in this country to enrich themselves ,in their insatiable greed, at the expense of the working people in this country and the rest of the world.

The system of greed and corruption run by individuals that respects nothing but money and power will not concede their ill-gotten gains voluntarily, and despite how impressive it was, no one day of protest, no matter how big, will be enough to shake the system and create real change. The oligarchs have the resources to hunker down and wait out the day of protest. It will take consistent and persistent demands and the exercise of political and economic power on behalf of the 99% to wrest control of our society from the oligarchy’s hands and refute Trump's claims of kingship and absolute authority.

The past weekend clearly shows there is a demand for accountability and justice. Democratic politicians must respond by offering a vision of government that provides us with the basic necessities to build thriving communities and respects every individual as a full human worthy of a fulfilling life.

The No Kings protest was a wonderful step along that journey, showing that the energy and enthusiasm to fight for a representative democracy is still alive and well in America. To get the change we seek the energy from this action must be harnessed and channeled into consistent, on-the-ground local organizing in your own community. It will take solidarity funds, marches, letter writings, making calls to Representatives, joining a rapid response team, showing up at school boards meetings, running for office, and of course, not shopping on Tuesday, to rebuild the decrepit and decaying functions of democracy in our nation. So, join us each Tuesday in growing solidarity as we work to build a coalition powerful enough and resilient enough to outlast this fascistic regime and make good on the promise shouted in every major city Across the Nation: that there are no Kings in this country; this is a government of, by, and for the people.

Don't shop on Tuesday!

#DSOT