By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
JUNE 20, 2025 | There may be more substance than first meets the eye in the current “No Kings” demonstrations across the nation. The immense turn-out in more than 2,100 locations around the nation to protest Donald Trump’s presidency was virtually impromptu and certainly amazing. It shows that everyday citizens, the ordinary voter, has a new weapon in opposing the wannabee king presidency.
Could these particularly peaceful protests of last week against blarney, bombast and bullying of Donald Trump grow into more of an effective movement? Some seem to think so, mainly since this protest seems to burst out of nowhere.
People were grieved over the route the Republicans are taking the country. Those opposing the president haven’t known what to do, and dread the remaining 3.5 years of the president’s term.
“So let’s join this local peaceful protest,” somewhere between four and six million people thought. Look at the accompanying map. It happened all across the country, in small towns and in major large cities, and here in Suwanee, where the demonstration was peaceful with no disruptions! And throughout the country, all were particularly peaceful.
Out of nowhere.
It was right here in Georgia that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. used his non-violent approach to take down the government’s position on Civil Rights. He was inspired by Mahatma Ghandi, using nonviolence resistance to overthrow British dominance over India years ago.
What were people protesting on Saturday? Much can be called the cruelty and chaos of the Trump Administration, and everything from often-changing tariffs, to dizzying relaxation of environmental policies, to deporting people, to trying to silence the universities, and on and on.
Another reason people are upset: seeing law enforcement officials donning masks and using rough treatment when arresting people. Georgia can talk to this. It’s against the law in Georgia to wear face masks, dating back to 1951.
The Georgia law reads:
“2022: O.C.G.A §16-11-38 makes it illegal to wear a mask, hood, or any device that conceals a person’s identity on public ways, public property, or private property without the owner’s consent.”
This law passed the Legislature as a measure to identify Ku Klux Klan members. But for law enforcement officials to wear masks? Why? Unbelievable.
The real whammy of “No Kings” demonstrations was that they happened the same day Donald Trump was giving himself a big costly military parade in Washington! Turnout was not impressive, with stands often half full. Apparently some soldiers marching in the parade were telling the president something, since many were seemingly deliberately out of step. The parade was a major juxtaposition to the citizen-led peaceful protests.
Two scholars wrote an article in The New York Times, entitled “Only Nonviolence Will Beat Trump.” They said in conclusion the evidence shows that of societies that have a free press: “….movements are most effective when they remain non violent and build broad coalitions. And governments are most vulnerable when their use of force is perceived to be excessive or cruel.”
Well said.
The type of peaceful protests our nation has seen in the Civil Rights struggle may be a powerful force for today’s new “No Kings” movement.
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