Hope at the Intersection of No Kings and Our Future

Across the country and around the world today, 3,100+ “No Kings” protests were held. 

This was my third in less than a year and I knew what to expect.  Neighbors talking, smiling, laughing, sharing, supporting.  It always feels like a family reunion.   People check on one another. They shared sunscreen. They give water bottles to ensure everyone remains hydrated in our warm Phoenix weather.

We stood at a major intersection in SE Mesa where many hundreds of people gathered at all four corners and down each street. Cars passed in both directions, six lanes of traffic moving steadily.

Here's What Struck Me

The overwhelming majority of those drivers responded with encouragement. Honking. Clapping. Smiling. Calling out words of support. Some held up their own signs as they passed.  I could see clearly that the vast majority of Americans are feeling the same way.  And in that, I felt hope.   

Now, that said, there were a few...

Three, out of hundreds of passing vehicles, drove by with the driver yelling obscenities, flipping us off, shouting anger into a space that was otherwise peaceful and even joyful.   Those moments felt so out of alignment with everything else happening around them.

One moment in particular stood out.   After the protest ended, four of us were standing near the road, talking with each other and minding our own business.  A man drove by and yelled at us, “Get the f* out of the country”.   He didn’t stop. He didn’t engage. He didn’t ask a question or offer a perspective. He drove by and hurled anger at four women standing on a sidewalk.

And it brings me to something I want to say carefully and directly.

It’s not ALL men.
And it’s not all white men.
But - in my experience with three "No Kings' protests under my belt  - it is always a white man who feels compelled to do something like this.

So the question becomes… why?   What is being triggered in these moments?   Because from where I stood, there was nothing threatening happening. No aggression. No confrontation. Just people existing, expressing, gathering.   And yet, that alone seemed to be enough to provoke anger.

There’s something worth exploring there from a place of awareness. Because true strength doesn’t need to shout from a moving vehicle. It doesn’t need to assert dominance over strangers. It doesn’t need to tear down in order to feel secure.   Those actions are fear, dressed up as control.  

The Bigger Picture

And here’s the part I keep coming back to:   Those brief moments were the exception, not the rule.   The rule was kindness, cooperation, people taking care of one another without being asked.   Police officers were present, calm, courteous, and respectful.

That’s the reality of a No Kings protest.   It matters that we say that out loud.  Because there’s a narrative that suggests division is dominant.  But from what I see, connection is.  

It’s human nature to focus on one individual, one personality, one figure at the center of the stage.  In other words, keeping your eyes on (and funneling your frustration toward) the puppet (Trump) vs. remembering the puppeteer is largely responsible in the background (Heritage Foundation and big money.) The larger systems at play matter just as much as Trump, if not more.  Long-game strategies are the forces shaping direction behind the scenes in America. If we’re going to be informed participants in what comes next, our awareness has to extend beyond the surface.  

It is essential that every American retain the right to vote.  SAVE Act was passed by the House and is currently before the Senate.  This is a voter suppression bill no matter how you slice it.  We must communicate with our congressional representatives.  Let them know how you feel.  (House) (Senate)

Today was a good day.

What I saw today reminded me that most people are good and want tolerance, kindness, and acceptance.  Most people want healthcare to be affordable.  Most people want immigration policies that don't involve gestapo-like actions.  Most people are accepting of others, be that religion, race, sexual orientation, or whatever. Most people are not interested in chaos.  And most of us are far more aligned than we’re led to believe.