At the No Kings event yesterday in Stillwater, Minnesota, many different feelings came to mind as my group, and I gathered with hundreds of other people on a bridge overlooking Highway 36. I was struck by a warm sense of community and camaraderie. People of all ages gathered together yesterday, waving signs and American flags to express their opposition to the administration currently inhabiting the White House. And despite what Mike Johnson, Tom Emmer, or anyone else said, I felt a warm and deep sense of patriotism.
We were much like our forefathers who threw British tea into Boston Harbor. Or the Union soldiers who fought a Civil War to end slavery and preserve a nation. Or the Vietnam War protesters who declared loud and proud that we were engaged in an unpopular and undeclared conflict between two sovereign nations. The people I joined on that bridge yesterday, and all those who gathered, sang, marched, and spoke at No Kings events worldwide, were taking the most patriotic action possible. Protesting a Tyrannical government.
No Kings Attendees: Angry But Resilient
The emotions of the attendees at the Stillwater No Kings event were a mix of anger, frustration, hope, and joy. There was great joy in being with others who understand the importance of saving democracy. Hope resonated from this also, as the feeling of isolation and helplessness melted away in the sea of dedicated people saying no to an authoritarian regime. As for the anger and frustration, listen to the words of one of the attendees, Evonne, whom I interviewed yesterday.
New Leaf News: Evonne, tell me why you’re here?
Evonne: “Because we’re in a very dangerous time. This is 1933. ICE is like the Gestapo. I can’t believe ICE goes around looking for people with their faces covered. Trump is totally out of control. Yes. I’m at this No Kings event because people need to come out. David Brooks wrote an excellent article in the Atlantic. People need to come out into the streets. All of us.”
NLN: Have you ever seen anything like this in America before?
Evonne: “We thought Nixon was bad. I demonstrated for civil rights and to end the Vietnam War when it became clear that we were being lied to. Nothing like this. Trump is so much worse. President Eisenhower, the Republican president, fought in World War II. Americans lost lives, and now we have a fascist-leaning president. I’m not going to say he’s totally fascist yet; people get upset.”
NLN: Have you ever seen a democracy threatened like this in your lifetime?
Evonne: “Oh my God, no! I can’t believe what’s happening here. I cannot believe this is happening to the United States. I’m a naturalized immigrant; I came here because we believed in justice and freedom. We believe this is the country that was safe for democracy, for law. And now, we have a criminal in the office.”
NLN: Where are you from originally?
Evonne: “I was born in Germany of Ukrainian heritage. I know all about Stalin and Hitler. I know what it’s like to sacrifice everything for your freedom.”
We are so fortunate to have citizens like Evonne who have the strength and conviction to stand by their principles and are compassionate enough to care for the well-being of others and share their thoughts and feelings with others at events like a No Kings rally.
Humor and Personal Stories
At the No Kings event, as with other protests I have attended in the past in challenging times, I am always struck by the kindness of the other attendees and the humor that they exhibit, even though we gather to voice our concerns about threats to our freedom and the scaling back of our democracy. There was a man giving away free cookies, and a woman was handing out miniature American flags. There were creative homemade signs everywhere, and people greeting each other with the warmth and compassion of old friends.
The event also prompted participants to speak out about how their lives, or the lives of family and friends, that have been affected by the cruel and draconian policies of the Trump administration. I asked an event participant, Pam, about the fallout from these policies and how she, or someone she knew, had been affected.
NLN: Why are you here today, Pam?
Pam: “Things are going in the wrong direction with the White House enacting policies that are against human rights. Against our own people. We need our democracy back.”
NLN: Do you know anybody who’s been affected directly by any of Trump’s cuts?
Pam: “Yes. I have a friend WHO works at the Veterans Administration (VA). They laid off 350 people right at the beginning of the year. So, they’re very understaffed, and she’s very stressed as a manager, too, with her lack of staffing. At the VA, you know, the needs of the patients don’t go down.”
NLN: What message are we sending to Washington from this No Kings event today?
Pam: “That we’re gathering here. The message we’re sending is that we, the people, need to take back what is ours. The Medicaid cuts, the human rights violations, and ICE agents invading our cities are threats to all of us. Being someone who comes through illegally, they face their families being torn apart. Having their children put in ICE detention. That’s not America!”
No Kings Message and the Fight Goes On
So, the people I stood with yesterday, and the seven million other patriots around the U.S., and many more from around the globe who participated in No Kings events, have taken another big step in taking back our democracy. Our very unpopular president may feel like a king, but the real strength of our nation is the courage and ability of people to rise up and declare their opposition to oppressive dictators.
And the palpable vibe that permeated the entire movement yesterday was that this was merely a small step on the path of regular Americans taking back their country and saying an emphatic no to those who seek to suppress our rights and freedoms and subjugate us to their fiefdom.
No Kings!!!
