No Kings Day rallies across Florida and America bring out millions determined to fight for democracy. Will they do any good? What do you think?

News and views for Florida's Left Coast

Photos and videos by J.C. Bruce/Tropic Press

In about 100 cities and towns in Florida and 2,600 locations across the country, millions of Americans showed up at No Kings Day rallies Saturday to demonstrate their opposition to President Donald Trump’s authoritarian regime.

Hundreds of people assembled outside the courthouse in Collier County, where I live, and it was a raucous, joyful exhibition of democracy in action.

I’ve included a few photos and a video here, and as you’ll see, there was an air of optimism-under-pressure and determination among participants.

Will this outpouring of opposition to Trump’s heavy-handed administration be enough to save democracy?

It just might, according to organizers. And I’ll get to what they were saying about this in a moment, but first, a quick look at the rally in ruby red Naples in ruby red Florida:

I asked numerous people lining the sidewalks along the busy traffic corridor why they were showing up. Here are four responses:

It was a political protest rally, an exercise in creative sign-making, and also a bit of a costume contest:

Back to the question, will it be effective?

Ezra Levin, one of the founders of Indivisible, an organizer of No Kings Day, had this to say on CNN:

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win. We’re one step from winning.”

Levin went on to say that Republicans who have denigrated the No Kings protests as “hate America” events are nervous.

“They’re worried about people at broad-based protests around the country, and that’s true of any authoritarian regime anywhere in the world … because authoritarian regimes depend on convincing the population they are weak and they are all-powerful.”

“Peaceful protest is strategic,” not just for headlines, he said. And there are two main goals: One is to “burst that bubble of inevitability … that there is nothing we can do. That’s how we lose.”

Levin argues that Trump and his minions aren’t the only enemy. “Our enemy is fatalism, and nihilism, and cynicism” — all of which result in paralysis and inaction.

By showing up in historic numbers at rallies on Saturday, “we burst that bubble, we show that we are not afraid.”

The second goal is to encourage people to “plug in” to on-the-ground organizing going forward. In other words. Saturday’s protests were step one: Showing to ourselves and others that we aren’t going to roll over. Now it’s time to get to work.

So, does this make sense to you? Did you show up? Will this make a difference? Share your thoughts with the rest of the community by clicking on the COMMENTS link at the end of this newsletter. Thanks!

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J.C. Bruce, journalist and author, is the founder of Tropic Press. He holds dual citizenship in the United States of America and his native Florida. When he’s not blogging, he’s in training for the Florida Man Underwater Ping Pong Championships. Forward this email to your friends. They will love you for it.

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