I was thrilled to participate in the No Kings protest in Manhattan last weekend. There was an amazing sense of camaraderie with strangers, of optimism, humor, and joy. The march moved slowly because it was so massive – as far up and down Seventh Ave as the eye could see, yet New Yorkers were kind and patient that day.
I grew up going to anti-war demonstrations in Washington, DC. They were also impressive because people traveled far and wide to get there. There were many, and it took years, but eventually the public pressure did end the war in Vietnam.
Last Saturday, over 7 million people participated in more than 2,700 protests – from small and large cities, rural and urban areas, in all 50 states, and in US territories including Guam, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. Others showed solidarity from London, Dublin, Paris, Madrid, and Rome. It was the largest protest in US history. It was simply massive.
And yet, for such a monumental and historic event, I thought it got surprisingly little coverage from major news outlets. Perhaps it is just me, but I felt that the media was still treating the president as though he IS a king – allowing him to dominate the news with his outrageous activities like bulldozing the East Wing, or demanding millions from the justice department. The media did not seize the opportunity to reflect on the fact that this was a significant moment in American history. So many people turned out in peaceful protest to say that they want to uphold the Constitution, that no one is above the law, and that they support public funds for the public good. They fear that we are losing democracy and that America is becoming a fascist state.
And so I want to take the time, in my own small way, to share a few pieces about No Kings that I found especially significant.
Rachel Maddow showed clips from protests in all 50 states:
Denver 7 talked about the significance of the size of the protests:
Fox News in Nashville reported from correspondents around the country:
And Access Hollywood reported celebrities who participated in the No Kings rallies: