The “No Kings” Slogan in the United States
The most unexpected news of the Trump administration and its followers is the awakening of a popular and civic resistance.
By Rafael Rojas (Confidencial)
HAVANA TIMES – The scenes last weekend in the major cities of the United States, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta…, left eloquent images of the reactivation of modern democracy.
Unlike some major mobilizations of recent years in the country, such as Occupy Wall Street, Black Lives Matter, or the recent protests from Hispanic communities, what we witnessed last weekend was, fundamentally, a demonstration against autocracy.
The slogan “No Kings” refers directly to the DNA of the 1776 War of Independence and the subsequent federal institutionalization of that democracy. These core principles have shown enormous resilience for more than two centuries, as evidenced by their adoption by civil rights movements across diverse communities.
Donald Trump’s decision to organize a military parade on June 14, taking advantage of the 250th anniversary of the formation of the Continental Army in 1775, led by George Washington, created a perfect contrast with the people’s outcry. In the manner of the world’s great autocracies—China, Russia, or North Korea—we saw in Washington a display of military force, very much in line with the warlike atmosphere spreading globally.
Just as important as the growing discontent among Hispanic communities over the racism and xenophobia of the current administration—which we’ve seen in recent weeks—is this explicitly anti-monarchic mobilization of last weekend. The reaffirmation of foundational democratic values is a mechanism that can strengthen opposition to the far right, which both accompanies and fuels the phenomenon of Trumpism in the United States.
As Michelle Goldberg recently explained in The New York Times, the best and most unexpected news of Trumpism is the “awakening of a popular resistance” that goes beyond sectoral interests or demands. The reclaiming of the common good, so often invoked as a way to transcend narrow focuses, is now underway in the United States.
This movement’s evolution should be followed closely, as it could have a discernible impact on the grassroots and leadership of the Democratic Party. If, as all signs indicate, Donald Trump’s government decides to align itself more explicitly with Israel’s war against Iran, the movement will have to take a stand against this extremely dangerous escalation.
It won’t be easy, given the strong pro-Israel lobby within the Democratic Party, but there seems to be no other way to stop Trump. The Trump base, organized around the Make America Great Again (MAGA) project, will firmly support Israel’s war against Iran—just as the followers of both Bush presidencies did within the Republican Party during the first two Gulf Wars.
Published in Spanish by Confidencial and translated and posted in English by Havana Times.
Please list the countries that supposedly support Trump’s going to war with Iran besides the Netanyahu government in Israel.
Trump is making the tough decisions needed to keep America and the world safe. Notably, he is supported by other countries in his decisions.
I’m an American communist and a lot of us who went to the protest thought it was quite performative. We got permits from the city so it was essentially a parade. Our militarized police force was there to intimidate us, but the organizers of the event were working WITH police to make the event happen. The resistance was very controlled, we had to remain on only approved streets and within a certain timeframe. There was resistance from the conversations we had together and showing solidarity, but it was also a way for our democrats to go to the parade and pat themselves on the back for a job well done. For example, one of the signs at the protest said “if Kamala were president we’d be at brunch right now”. We have a lot of work to do, but the change is happening, I talk to people everyday who are waking up from Americas lies
I support President Trump and his agenda. Everything that he’s doing was promised during his campaign and he won the presidency by a landslide. I don’t want to read your publication ever again. You are a communist!!
This article went to the heart of what is going on in the USA.
It seems that Cuban/Americans who voted for President Trump should take heed to think not only twice but consider the issues of other people unselfishly, as well.
My kind regards to them.