Another “No Kings” day has come and gone. It was amazing to see our Brookings community turn out for this event the way they did.
It wasn’t the nicest weather. At times you thought you might be blown away by the wind. Still, we were a little short of 500 in number, all ages and backgrounds (I saw one young man with a sign who couldn’t have been more than 3 years old, and there was a good friend who will be celebrating 100 years in a few days), all united in a conviction our country was in serious danger and our bodies and voices needed to communicate our protest.
In Brookings we were part of a world wide demonstration. In this country, some 8 million people staged the largest protest in U.S. history in some 3,000 cities and towns. In South Dakota, we had people gather in several places: Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen, Vermillion, Yankton, Spearfish, Sturgis, Pierre, and White River. And this time we were joined by friends in other countries: England, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Greece, the Netherlands, Spain and Australia. Shouldn’t this tell us something, intensify our concern, when these long time allies are as worried about the direction of our country as many of us are?
I was especially attracted to news of a couple of special gatherings across the country. 5,000 people gathered on a beach in San Francisco to spell out “Trump Must Go Now.” And in Utah, a red state voting overwhelmingly for Trump in the last election, there were 20,000-30,000 who gathered in Salt Lake City and in 18 sites across the state.
Some might wonder why the theme of these gatherings has been “No Kings.” A friend of mine said it so well it needs to be shared far and wide. He writes:
“Kings start wars without the people’s and Congress’ approval, Presidents don’t.
Kings use prosecutors to go after their personal enemies, Presidents don’t.
Kings receive lavish and fake gifts, Presidents don’t.
Kings belittle their citizens, Presidents don’t.
Kings demand loyalty to themselves, Presidents demand loyalty to the Constitution.
Kings decide who is or is not a citizen, Presidents don’t.
Kings try to overturn elections, Presidents don’t.
Kings enrich themselves and appoint loyalists to high level government positions, Presidents focus on enriching citizens and appoint competent experts to serve the people.
Kings name everything after themselves and build colossal monuments and ballrooms, Presidents honor those who came before.”
“Mayday” is the highest level distress call used in aviation and shipping to indicate trouble, and trigger rescue efforts. It is also recognized as International Workers Day and celebrated on May 1. Recognizing the continuing threat to the average working American from this administration, and the growing threat to world peace, the next nationally organized response of peace loving citizens will be May 1, 2026. Says Indivisible Co-Founder Leah Greenberg, “we demand a government that invests in our communities, not one that enriches billionaires, fuels endless war, or deploys masked agents to intimidate our neighbors.” The May Day Strong Coalition is calling for “No Work, No School, No Shopping.”
We need an escalation of peace people on May 1 to meet the escalation of the war makers. For the first time in U.S. history, we are spending more than 1 trillion dollars on the military, and our Secretary of War is asking for that additional 200 billion. This, as U.S. troops have arrived in the waters off Iran and the likelihood of a ground invasion grows daily.
Also, I’m writing this on Palm Sunday, the day Jesus entered Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. He rode into the city as the people placed palm branches on the ground in front of him and cried, “Hosanna, Hosanna in the Highest.” It was a plea for deliverance, for salvation.
It is still an appropriate plea for those of us in this country, in this century. We won’t be delivered to anything but greater poverty and disgrace by the present actions of this administration. The president and his minions aren’t riding on donkeys, but sitting in limousines and on luxury airplanes. They aren’t bringing a message of peace and love of neighbor. They will never be remembered as the Princes of Peace.
And we will likely see more Good Fridays, with the faithful losing their lives in protest or in battle. Many will offer themselves up, knowing the risks but believing in the cause. There will be darkness. There will be dark days.
But in Christian teaching, there is a resurrection. The dead are raised. New life emerges from the tomb.
Friends, I see it happening. With each new day this Easter season, as the days warm and the light lasts longer, there’s a new spirit emerging in this country. It’s a celebration of life, and love, and liberty. It’s a shout out for a new reign in the halls of government, more in keeping with the requirements of our forebears and our faiths. I’m looking for the resurrection, with hope and expectation.
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