I spent most of June 14th watching the live feed on YouTube and Instagram of the “No Kings Day Protest” from the comfort of my sofa. I listened to multiple speeches and read a great number of signs. I nodded approval of those who went the extra mile to create clever posters and costumes for the protests. About 5-6 million people showed up to approximately 2200 protests across the country. And one brave soul was a woman in my senior center knitting group (an 80+ Latina immigrant from South America). She marched in protest that day against her son’s advice. Everyone else in the group agreed with the need to protest but didn’t go, including me. But that was expected.
Notably absent from the crowds were black faces, although there were a few charismatic black speakers. I explained to my group that I was tempted to go, but I had made a commitment not to. I explained that I identify with the 97% of black women who supported and voted for Kamala and did our best to warn the country of the impending danger of voting for Trump. The election forced us to realize that this conflict had to be fought among white and brown people who had yet to decide among themselves the difference between right and wrong. I explained that a large black presence could be counterproductive. The country is desensitized to our protests. And most importantly, the opposition would be relieved to see black people put their bodies on the line so that they could unleash a violent response without restraint. Our absence gives members of law enforcement pause and makes the protests somewhat safer. So, I didn’t go and won’t be attending these protests in person. I will promote them, watch them, and applaud them from the sidelines. I’ve even considered making signs to hand out to would-be protesters, like my white male neighbor who wanted to go protest but didn’t make it. Two of his siblings did though.
But what of the remaining women in my knitting group? Granted they are all elderly women, but all of them are still physically able-bodied. The situation reminds me of the 80/20 rule wherein twenty percent of the people complete eighty percent of the work in any given project. The eighty percent could be lazy, distracted, apathetic, disinterested or simply cautious. I don’t know why my neighbor didn’t protest that day (he’s certainly knowledgeable and passionate) but I think most of the women in my knitting group were rightly cautious. They knew about the protest and agreed with it but were too afraid to go. I understand that crowds can be scary, particularly for elderly women who fear falling, a lack of access to a restroom, and an inability to run away should things turn violent. I understand the “better safe than sorry” mindset that comes with age. So, I give them a pass. I give black people a pass. I also give babies and pregnant women a pass.
But the rest of America should consider protesting in the streets if they disapprove of the kidnappings, the incompetence, the reckless firings, the indecency, the lawlessness, the corruption, the tariffs, the book bans, the demonizing of educators, researchers, LGBTQ folks, immigrants, and scientists, the defunding of safety nets like Medicaid, food stamps, and FEMA, the bullying of law firms, universities, and news networks, the destruction of reproductive rights, the removal of environmental protections, the attacks on voting rights, and the rise of white supremacy accompanied by legal discrimination and the erasure of history.
I am a firm believer in the saying that “silence is consent”. In a nation of 350 million people, there aren’t yet enough people using their voice in opposition to this Administration. Silent opposition will not do. Complaining at the dinner table isn’t enough. Action is called for. I get that there are Trump cultists, racists, white suprematists, sociopaths, and sadists who genuinely enjoy watching the chaos, destruction, and pain of others. But I believe they make up a small minority. The latest polls indicate that Trump has a 40% approval rating. As I said to visiting neighbors just last night, I believe a good portion of those people are unaware of what is actually happening. Our neighbor’s wife cited personal encounters with people who watched Fox News and thought everything was great. We developed a strategy for disabusing them of that idea without offending them. Our idea was to share Fox’s own defense in their lawsuit for lying to their viewers about the 2020 election. They themselves claimed that they aren’t news, but entertainment. Even so, that’s still roughly 140 million people who won’t be protesting in the streets against this Administration.
We can add to that number Americans over the age of 75. They make up 7% of the population, so that’s about 25 million. Black people make up 13% of the population in the U.S. so that’s another 45 million people. Children, eleven years and younger account for about 46 million people.
That leaves a pool of 94 million people who can potentially demand a restoration of our democracy, decency, and the rule of law in street protests. The good news is that Robert Reich, a prominent professor of economics (and former Secretary of Labor), cited a study in his Saturday podcast, “The Coffee Klatch” that it only takes 3.5% of a population rising in opposition to bring down an authoritarian regime. In the U.S., that’s roughly 12 million people if you count everyone, including children. We are almost halfway there.
Thankfully, we have another opportunity to reclaim our country if enough Americans take to the streets at the “No Kings 2.0” protest on July 4th. Let’s actually earn our barbecue and fireworks this Independence Day.
For the next few weeks, our collective job is to raise awareness about the “peaceful” protest and need for protest, remove obstacles to protesting, help with logistics, become an organizer, and build up the courage to protest, if not in ourselves, in the hearts and minds of our friends and family. Let’s save our nation and its people from the horrors ahead if we do nothing. In addition to peaceful marchers in protest, I’m happy to see the cartoonists, the musicians and singers, the actors, the activists, the podcasters, the organizers, the citizen journalists, and the writers (like me) doing their part to express opposition. I’m even grateful for the table complainers (like my husband) who simply strengthen the resolve of those willing to take action. I’m optimistic that we can save our nation if just 20 percent of us are willing to do some real work.