The Problem with the No Kings Day Protests
About 1 in 50 Americans attended a No Kings protest that day, making it the largest public demonstration in the 250 year history of the United States. Despite that, the No Kings Day protests were not nearly as effective as they could have been.
For one, No Kings day took place on a weekend, meaning it resulted in very little economic disruption. Protesting on a weekday will directly impact the economy, as many people will be protesting instead of going to work, and roads will be blocked, slowing down traffic. Such economic disruption can be very effective, because it will immediately catch lawmaker’s as well as corporation’s attention.
The second protest I attended took place in a downtown area, which are generally pretty empty on weekends. Although the demonstration was large, with around 10,000 people in attendance, it could have been far more impactful had it been held in a busy shopping area, or downtown on a weekday. In fact, most large No Kings protests were held in city downtowns as to not be disruptive. But protesting is meant to be disruptive, and it is meant to scare politicians. Protesting in ways as to not be disruptive defeats the purpose of protesting entirely.
Furthermore, lawmakers will usually be in their offices during the week, meaning that a weekday protest is far more likely to grab their immediate attention. There is also generally more news coverage during the week, and media coverage is a major reason why protesting is effective.
The thing is, protesting on a Saturday is simply easier and more accessible than protesting on a weekday. However, to make lasting change takes sacrifice. And although No Kings was an amazing start, we simply have to do more. That means striking, protesting in busy areas, writing to our representatives and organizing in other ways, because change cannot happen without collective action.
Remember that anyone- including you, can make an impact, no matter how small.
-The Patriotic Cucumber
