No Kings Day turnouts were too big to ignore.
NOTE: This post cites No Kings Day estimates via Alt National Park Service, who placed members at almost every event across the country to confirm tallies with local authorities. While “official” reporting has downplayed these numbers, turnout was still historic by any measure.
Most Americans are non-fans of tear gas, rubber bullets, and social backlash. And yet more than 13 million of us mobilized for No Kings events this June. It was the biggest one-day demonstration in US history, with thousands of demonstrations across the country.
Here in Philadelphia, 80,000+ people flooded the Parkway from Love Park to the Art Museum – all ages, all faces, up and down the political spectrum. This diverse and buoyant crowd came together in glorious agreement over zero tolerance for monarchy.
While the turnout was thrilling – record-breaking by any standard – it barely registered in mainstream media. Even in progressive circles, the effort sparked debate, not so much about attendance but effectiveness. So what if a bunch of middle class “liberals” came out with their goofy signs? Hardly the show of strength and bravery required for radical change. 🙄
Yeah, you’d think… but you’d be wrong.
TRUE STORY: In conflict after conflict through history, peaceful solidarity is more than twice as successful in achieving goals than violent tactics. Numbers matter! When you energize enough people, you can widely disrupt daily life, commerce, productivity, and the very fabric of society. Leaders take notice when large populations stop buying, working, and contributing as expected.
We all tend to think of Revolution as rioting in the streets, but real resistance is more like middle aged women in church basements, putting lists together and writing postcards. It’s knocking doors and making sure our neighbors are fed and cared for. It’s webinars on de-escalation and non-cooperation. Zooms with mutual aid partners to lay the groundwork for future marches, strikes, boycotts, and other strategic collective actions.
Just because you are not seeing all this work, doesn’t mean these mass marches are performative.
No Kings Day was a huge win — proof positive that a robust movement has been building, and is effectively underway.
Approval ratings are tanking. Town halls are packed with furious constituents. Congressional phone lines are jammed. Boycotts are eating into corporate profits. And across the country, in fierce new coalitions of workers, students, artists, journalists, organizers, and neighbors.
There are so many organizational events and activities all over the country, both online and in person every single day. People everywhere are organizing and actively resisting. Don’t sit this one out! Roll up your sleeves, find your lane, and do what you can to protect the melting pot we cherish, before it boils over into a toxic froth that scalds us all.
Agree? Disagree? Please leave your comments and questions below. To learn more, click the links to great info and context.
🔍 Inspiring Thought: The Chenoweth Threshold
It only takes 3.5% of a population engaging in sustained, strategic protest to bring about major political change. That’s the takeaway from Harvard political scientist Erica Chenoweth, who studied 300+ campaigns worldwide and crunched the numbers. She found that once that threshold is reached, success is basically inevitable.
Let’s math! For the US, 3.5% is roughly 11 million people, and on this No Kings Day, it’s quite possible that over 13 million Americans came out. Benchmark hit! Now the challenge is to sustain the momentum. While nonviolent resistance is no magic bullet, it’s still our best shot at affecting the changes we want to see.
WHAT’S NEXT? JULY 17: Good Trouble Lives On — a national day of nonviolent action to respond to recent attacks on our civil and human rights. Rallies, marches, teachings, vigils, and press conferences to protect our freedoms and our vote. A moment of moral clarity and solidarity. March in peace, act in power.
Virtual trainings:
Wed June 25 7pm to 8pm
Thurs July 3 7pm to 8pm
Thurs July 10 7pm to 8pm
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