The Day After
Post Protest Reflections
There was impatient chatter before yesterday’s third No Kings rally, indicating that it was performative and useless. For a moment I thought, “Does it even matter anymore?” For a moment.
To quote Monty Python, “I got better.”
We cannot ignore that we are in unprecedented times and that the arc that bends toward justice bends oh-so-fucking slowly. None of us truly thought after one protest that the narcissist, known rapist, and (alleged) pedophile, who has grifted over 4 billion dollars ($4,000,000,000) since his return to office 14 months ago— would suddenly say, “Oh goodness! You’re right, I’ve gone too far, I’ll step down.”
Nor can we trust the Grand Old Party to find their spine and stand up for the constitution, the country, and its people. Hell, right now we have democrats we can’t trust to full throatedly come out against this illegal war of choice against Iran.
We have watched this administration become more and more authoritarian with brazen acts of violent and deadly overreach, so to expect change overnight would be fanciful. Though in our hearts, our weariness, frustrations and horror at how badly our democracy has been ravaged, makes us wish for dramatic and immediate change. And if our day of protest were that— just one day—then yes, it would matter little.
But the No Kings rally is merely a part of a greater movement. A pro-democracy, pro-American movement, unlike how it has been depicted by a certain entertainment baron’s “news” channel.
At these rallies people were there giving of their time, their Saturday, the time and effort to make a signs and many elaborate art projects. They were also just giving: at ours, Melanie found her zone by providing supplies to make signs. With a massive tarp across the ground, families and young folk were comfortably working together with her markers, poster board, and stickers she had made with a QR code leading to South Carolina Election Commission’s voter registration page. An hour later, a young woman offered me a bracelet with this year’s voting date emblazoned on one side and VOTE on the other. These creative acts are not performative, but genuine, generous deeds for the community.
Even if your rally didn’t have The Boss like St. Paul’s, most rallies had speakers, candidates for offices, activists from a myriad of organizations, each with a message of how to take action, (should you need more direction, please read this piece by activist Qasim Rashid). If you’d never been to a 50501 or Indivisible organized protest before, you would have left yesterday with plenty of ideas, and been guided to at least one organization that would suit your beliefs. And in turn they guide you to continue the fight, like Qasim says, “Activate, organize, and be relentless.”
We have a big tent, and while we may not agree on everything, we can agree on one truth: the enemies are the billionaires, whose industries will sap this earth dry of her resources and leave future generations in a toxic hellscape. They’re kings— they have the luxury, comfort and resources to weather any storm they create.
Today is the day after the third No Kings rally, and as numbers and footage continue to roll in, we can bask in the knowledge that 9 million people across the globe spent their Saturday in community, in solidarity with one another— not just against the tyranny of this polyester Pol Pot and his immoral ilk.
I, for one, am energized by these events. I am recharged by the humor and kindness of my community. I am authentically grateful for their good cheer. As therapist Kathleen Hoagland suggests, reflect on the day you spent at your rally. Truly sit with how you felt with your community, and in doing so you are neurologically wiring in the sense of “shared energy.” And in the weeks and years to come, we are going to need to tap into that well of good will to continue this battle against the corrupt.
As long as men act as kings in our republic, as long as pedophiles are allowed to not only walk free, but hold public office, as long as voters are being disenfranchised, as long as our neighbors are being ripped from their homes and families, as long as long as people are dying in detention camps— camps created and paid for with your tax dollars— as long as the world suffers because of a group of greedy, rotten people— there is work to be done.
Yesterday was merely one piece of a larger movement and only together can we succeed. While it’s an old photo from a previous rally under another administration (Trump’s first go around) the Rose Tico quote on the sign Coca and I made still is one by which I stand: “We’re going to win this, not by fighting what we hate, but saving what we love.”
The gallery of portraits from yesterday and previous rallies can be found here: Protectors of Democracy
Thank you.
Now go make good trouble.
Katia
Yes, I always leave energized, renewed, and hopeful. Actually, we had a lot of fun. I made buttons and passed them out for donations. One lady organized and practiced with a group to sing at several points. A person from the crowd stepped up to lead us in singing our National Anthem. One young man swept through the crowd blowing bubbles to everyone’s delight. All of this to the background noise of continuous happy horns honking. And yes, this was all in a red town in a very red county in Wisconsin. It was worth every minute of my time because we are planting seeds that will grow into “a more perfect union”. No, not tomorrow, nor the following month, but one day. We just need to keep on keeping on, “One Day More!”
I loved having the references to facts, and I truly am "recharged by the humor and kindness" of our thousands in Springfield, Missouri! It was "good trouble" at its best! Thank you for spelling it out for us, and reminding us of all the wonderful (and humorous) signs (and people)!