So incredibly happy that Saturday’s No Kings Day events across the country, and even parts of the world, were peaceful and energizing. According to a report on NPR on Saturday evening, “Protests appeared to have been peaceful with no major incidents of violence reported.”
For a full report on the rallies in various cities, read the full story Protesters decry Trump administration policies in No Kings rallies across the U.S. written by Alana Wise and Chandelis Duster ** contributions from NPR’s Joel Rose, KQED reporter Brian Krans, MPR’s Dana Ferguson, KUER’s Martha Harris and WGCU’s Mike Braun
The comprehensive article mentions the size of crowds and includes remarks from people in many parts of the country. It’s quite an interesting read.
While the protesters were peaceful, many having fun in their costumes and dancing in the streets, MAGA folks tried to incite violence, but protesters didn’t take the bait. When things got beyond rude gestures and shouting, some anti-protesters got aggressive. About 22 MAGA folks were arrested for attempting to attack peaceful protesters. Those arrests occurred in OH, KY, CA, SC, NC, MI, OR, FL, VA, TX, and PA.
The effort to restore democracy and the rule of law doesn’t end because everyone is back home, or back at work. We have to do more and No Kings Org has some ideas. If you’d like to know what those ideas are, click on the LINK to get information on an upcoming phone call you can join on October 21. Not sure how a conference call with more than two people works – this one has over 1,500,000 people signed up,, but those with a much friendlier relationship with a smart phone can probably figure it out. Or maybe already know. 🙂
In the middle of writing this post, I called my daughter who has always been active in local campaigns in her city and state. I was sure that she had most likely been at a No Kings Day rally and wanted to share some mutual excitement.
She surprised me by saying she had not gone to a rally. Then she posed a few interesting questions and points.
“What did the marches accomplish? Like really in the long run did they make a difference?”
She mentioned that the rallies are more performative than substantive, and that stopped me for a moment, then I said, “The day showed solidarity and a willingness to stand up for democracy. Show Trump and the GOP that millions of people don’t agree with what is going on in Washington.”
“So. Okay. Then what’s next?”
A very good question. In addition to what I mentioned above about the No Kings Organization and the phone call tomorrow, I’m still trying to find out what other organizers might have in mind for action we can take.
One thing my daughter reminded me of is the fact that 1 percent of the population controls the other 99 percent. This is true. The oligarchs, especially in the tech industry, wield great power over government – Elon Musk bought the 2024 election.
Senator Bernie Sanders has spoken passionately about the destructive influence on politics and governing of billionaire oligarchs such as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. He has always stood on a platform that calls on Americans to “…stand together to defend democracy and build a nation devoted to freedom, dignity, and fairness for all.”
I looked for information on any boycotts that are tied to the current protest movement, and was only able to find this: Companies facing boycotts in 2025 include Walmart, Target, Amazon, and McDonalds because of issues like rolling back Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and other corporate policies. Other companies targeted for boycotts include Disney and Starbucks, and some activist groups have added companies like Coca-Cola to their lists. Boycotts are often called by different groups for various reasons, such as social or political stances, but there is nothing specific for targeting all the high tech companies or other ones controlled by billionaires.
My opinion is that those kinds of boycotts don’t have enough of an impact to influence any kind of change. To take that power away from the richest people in the country, we first need to get rid of lobbyists. Completely. Gone. No more large contributions to campaigns with the expectation of getting something in return.
And maybe overhaul the entire political system, limiting campaign contributions and shortening the campaign periods across the board.
I’ve literally run out of mental and physical steam, so I have to stop my research and writing about this, but I am interested in whether those financial boycotts could have impacts on what is wrong in our society. If you have thoughts about that, and perhaps concrete ideas, please do share them in the comments.
It would also be great to have information about any groups that are organizing a specific day of a spending boycott. Would it be possible to have the entire country not shop on Black Friday? That was an idea my daughter mentioned. It wouldn’t be hard for me, as I haven’t shopped on that day in years, but I know most people really appreciate getting the bargains. Would you consider it?
That’s all from me for today, folks. I do hope your week starts off on a good note. Be safe. Be happy.