A few weeks back, scores of people in major American cities (including where I live) and small rural towns in blue, red, and purple states participated in “No Kings” rallies and marches to adamantly defend democracy and fiercely denounce President Trump’s increasingly autocratic behavior. It was one of the largest single-day protests in the nation’s history.

In this age of chronic complaints and cynicism, the naysayers began touting their anticipated doubtful and dissuading rhetoric. Trump and his associates began complaining days before the initial protesters took to the streets. House speaker Mike Johnson referred to them as “hate America” rallies, a slogan quickly picked up by other conservative Republicans, and described the “No Kings” protests as a crucible of potential riots, representing “all the pro-Hamas wing and, you know, the antifa people.”

Tom Emmer, a Republican representative for Minnesota, described the rallies as a product of the “terrorist wing” of the Democratic Party. Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz falsely stated MSNBC’s video of massive crowds at “No Kings” was actually footage from previous 2017 protests. President Trump dismissed the protests as “a joke” and posted an obscene AI-generated video of a fighter jet with him in the cockpit dropping what looked like feces on “No Kings” marchers.

Fortunately, the violence that Trump and his minions appeared to thirst for failed to materialize.

Before the event, some seemed fearful of what might transpire — whether Trump-inspired federal law enforcement would crack down with mass arrests or pro-Trump militias would instigate a confrontation. However, the demonstrations were serene, even buoyant. Confrontational antics from either camp were virtually nonexistent. In New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and several other of the nation’s largest cities, upwards of seven million marchers participated in “No Kings” events with few reports of civil unrest or arrests.

While disdain and derision was anticipated from the right, pockets of liberals offered their own sobering analysis of the event. More than a few “What did it achieve?” postmortems kicked in. These doubting Thomases could only judge any colossal public display of dissent that fell short of instantaneously terminating Trump and his right-wing administration from the White House as an insignificant failure. Talk about instant gratification.

No rational person expected any newly crafted movement could wave a magic wand and immediately solve all the problems plaguing society. The suffrage movement, the labor movement, the modern civil rights movement, and other associated movements never hit the jackpot with their initial efforts.

Amid the challenges that besiege this current depressingly adversarial moment, a movement such as “No Kings” could represent the birth of a new political statement. In essence, the “No Kings” protesters are almost certainly united in their desire to restore the liberal-democratic environment that will afford them the opportunity to engage in a rational examination and exchange of ideas without potentially being subjected to political or legal consequences.

Almost a year into the most derelict, incompetent, vengeful, lawless, and arguably politically ruthless presidency this nation has ever endured, millions of Americans are still frantically searching for an answer. They want a rapid reversal of the status quo, hanging their hopes on Democratic and swing voters voting for the Democratic Party in next year’s midterms.

Movements such as “No Kings” provide the opportunity for people to congregate and find a like-minded community.

All acts of resistance, regardless of their size, increase in momentum. Massive efforts to mobilize citizens are not solely about numbers – they are about persuading public perception and the larger narrative. Given the current state of affairs, we should embrace rather than forsake or ridicule such resistance.

The protests will hopefully be the genesis of a larger movement for individuals of all stripes to adopt the principles of economic fairness, equality, religious diversity, and other aspects crucial to maintaining a diverse, pluralistic, and accepting society.

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Copyright 2025 Elwood Watson, distributed by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate

Elwood Watson is a professor of history, Black studies, and gender and sexuality studies at East Tennessee State University. He is also an author and public speaker.