The No Kings Day protests were inspiring. Millions turned out in thousands of protests in large cities and small towns, blue states and red states. All with a clear message: Our country rejects corrupt totalitarianism.
But a mistake a lot of us make (including me) is to call these protests “peaceful.” They were certainly non-violent, and the only violence that happened was instigated by the police or outside attackers. But we must understand that protest isn’t peaceful.
Those in charge don’t relinquish power willingly if you ask nicely enough. Power has to be wrested from them with continuous, unrelenting pressure. It’s risky, uncomfortable, and dangerous.
The last part was made tragically clear with two incidents. The first was the assassination of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband and the attempted assassination of State Senator John Hoffman. The second was a shooting at the No Kings march in Salt Lake City. Look at the history of any mass movement for freedom—workers’ rights, civil rights, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights. All of them have had losses of life. Sometimes, substantial losses.
The same danger exists in our current struggle against tyranny. We are not only trying to wrest power from billionaires and corrupt politicians who will do anything to keep it. We are dealing with a cult defending a man they’ve built their whole identity around. And for those people, violence isn’t merely an option; it is their cherished dream. We can’t expect the police to protect us from them. The police was designed to protect power.
Even if we are not in physical danger, taking a stand can cost us business partners, followers on social media, jobs, and even our entire career. We will lose friends and family members. I recently had to unfriend someone because he was spouting the same hate-filled, easily refutable propaganda fed to him on right-wing media. I can’t remain friends with someone who would be happy to see my family and me killed.
I don’t say all this to make you afraid or dissuade you from fighting for freedom. But we need to know what we’re signing up for and what it will take to stop the tyrant and the oligarchs. Protest isn’t a kid-friendly event with bouncy houses and face painting. It can (and should) be a celebration and place to build community. But we must be ready when trouble comes. And if we’re unable to march in the streets, there are other ways we can build and support the movement.
We shouldn’t be afraid because we have numbers on our side, and those numbers are growing. And the more outrageous and disastrous the administration’s actions get, the more people will join us—including those who voted for him in all three elections. But between the headline-grabbing protests, we have the unglamorous but necessary work of organizing, planning, and community building. We need to find political candidates who have the willingness to fight (and are unencumbered by PAC money) for our democratic institutions. These too require sacrifices of time and a need to push ourselves far beyond our comfort zones.
The work won’t end when we achieve victory. Let’s not make the same mistakes we did with the civil rights achievements of the past 70 years and assume those rights would be secure forever. We must hold those who caused harm accountable. We must build institutions and social structures that can withstand future attacks on our freedoms. And we must remain vigilant. We will always have racists, autocrats, religious fanatics, and wealthy sociopaths. Never let down your guard.
Protest must be non-violent because violence only gives those in power the justification they seek to use violence themselves to repress us. Non-violent protest also has a cherished and effective history in our country. But protest is risky, uncomfortable, and dangerous. It requires long and persistent effort, often behind the scenes. And our fight for freedom doesn’t end when our democratic institutions are restored. Protest isn’t peaceful. But when our freedoms and humanity are on the line, it is necessary.
Terrific post. You tell it like it is- like always, and I appreciate that.
[…] of them all. Before we got into an unnecessary and devastating war with Iran, we were talking about protests and the dangers that come with them. I experienced those dangers firsthand when I attended a town hall with US […]