This past weekend, some 2,000 “No Kings” protests visited American cities in opposition to President Trump’s deportation efforts after violent riots engulfed Los Angeles the week prior.
In addition to signs reading, “Due process is for everyone,” and “Immigrants make America great,” there have been numerous violent encounters between rioters and law enforcement, bystander battery and harassment, and even a shooting in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Meanwhile, Democrat politicians posted an almost verbatim script on social media, espousing America’s greatness in defiance of tyrants. California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis remarked to MSNBC: “People are very determined to get out there and be seen. This is the United States. We do not want a king.” New York Sen. Chuck Schumer posted, “Millions of Americans are standing up today to say loud and clear: No kings in America.” Sen. Patty Murray of Washington wrote, “There are no kings in America. We need to remind ourselves that our voices are important. … That’s how we change the direction of this country. That’s what democracy is.” Illinois governor and Hyatt hotel billionaire JB Pritzker exclaimed: “Let me remind you: we don’t have kings in America—and I won’t bend the knee to one. … This is what democracy in action looks like.”
While it is a breath of fresh air to see Democrats adopting a new love for liberty, do these “No Kings” protests actually reflect a grassroots effort against “tyranny,” or are they something else entirely?