There were massive protests across the US on Monday, with the rallying cry "No Kings!" -- that precisely expressed the new American message to Trump and Musk.
Here are some of the best signs - and I also appreciated how they were all handmade - no slick generic "protest" signs here, just a profoundly personal outrage:
Protests ramp up across the country as rage builds against Trump and Musk...The demonstrations, called “No Kings on Presidents Day” or “No Kings Day,” are led by 50501, an online grassroots activist group that started on Reddit. The group initially stood for “50 protests, 50 states, one day,” but it has morphed into “50 protests, 50 states, one movement.”The No Kings Day protest was the group's second wave of anti-Trump and Musk demonstrations. The first nationwide protests took place on Feb. 5 across state capitols. The movement focused on the White House’s dismantling of government agencies and threatened prosecution for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. It explicitly targets Musk’s hostile takeover of sensitive personal data in the U.S. government.This time, 50501 partnered with Political Revolution to list nearly 80 events on its website. This allowed users to find a protest happening near them to attend. The group is a “leaderless” movement, which encourages others to create their own activist groups in their circles. According to a press release, 50501 states that the coalition was created to demand “justice,” “transparency,” and “accountability” to “uphold the Constitution” and end Trump and Musk’s “executive overreach.”.... This comes as another group of protesters targeted Tesla dealerships over the weekend. Musk’s Tesla sales have been in an unprecedented decline since he got on the right-wing political scene in support of MAGA. ...
Good! Couldn't happen to a more deserving guy.
Massive protests in the US as the country faces an ongoing coup d’état by the Trump regime and his oligarch cabal headed by Musk. Countless people are standing up to fascism proving the US will not go quietly. #3E #USprotests #fiftyfiftyone #Feb17 (🎥 @vuralelibol.bsky.social )
— Anonymous (@youranoncentral.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 10:49 PM
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We the People are pissed! #50501movement #FiftyFiftyOne #BuildTheResistance #PoliticalRevolution #NoVoiceUnheard #NoKings #VoicesOfFlorida #VoicesUnheard @polrev.bsky.social
— 50501 Movement (@50501movement.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 3:58 PM
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Thousands marched in New York City against the fascist Trump regime. (📹@StatusCoup) "Fascist Trump has got to go" #3E #USProtests #fiftyfiftyone #NoKings #Feb17
— Anonymous (@youranoncentral.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 5:00 PM
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Boston showing OUT #50501
— Andie (@andietech.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 12:35 PM
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Philly- fight for democracy and go birds #50501movement #fiftyfiftyone #politicalrevolution #50501
— Mar (@philamar.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 11:44 AM
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My favorite from today’s 50501 March in Boston.
— Gandolf the Grey (@gsnyder.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 12:15 PM
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Moving now in #NorthHollywood #NoKingsDay #50501
— KittyAKAJody (@kittywestmeow.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 2:25 PM
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1000 standing strong in Idaho and making the news! Thank you! #CourageIsContagious #FiftyFiftyOne
— SeditionHunters (@seditionhunters.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 6:11 PM
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Today’s 50501 rally in Little Rock.
— Indivisible Little Rock & Central AR (@indivisiblelrca.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 6:19 PM
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I saw this today also -- Elon Musk just can't resist getting cute, can he. Mentally, he seems to be about 12 years old:/r 50501 Feb.17th Chicago #Resistance #BuildTheResistance #NoKings #50501 #50501Movement Hundreds and hundreds of protesters in Chicago right now!
— Brian Boruma 🇺🇸🇨🇦🏴☠️⛵🤟 (@brianboruma.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 1:07 PM
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Here is also an article I just saw from David Rothkopf that states the issues clearly:
We Hold America's Fate in Our HandsAre we willing to make the sacrifices required to stop the crisis that is now unfolding?...By any measure, the first few weeks of this new administration has been far more harrowing and destructive than we could possibly have imagined. Trump and his team, led by his virtual Prime Minister Elon Musk, has taken shape in ways that have put the country and the world prior generations have fought to make in grave jeopardy.Musk has sought the wholesale destruction of the government, gutting agencies providing vital services and forcing out patriotic civil servants who are essential to the preserving and advancing the interests of the American people. Court orders blocking his progress have been all but ignored. The president and those around him have condemned efforts to uphold the rule of law and Trump has arrogated onto himself nothing less than the powers of a despot.The White House has effectively pushed aside the Constitutionally-mandated powers of the Congress, as well. Agencies and budgets created by law, manifesting the will of the people, are being erased by edict and without any regard for consequences. Cancer research? Undone as is almost all medical research. Aid to the needy at home and abroad? Shut off thus reducing America’s influence and standing and putting us at risk. Trade agreements tossed into the shredder. Alliances discarded. Enemies elevated.Naziism has been promoted. The interests of our rivals worldwide, notably those of Russia and China, have been advanced by this administration with avidity and comprehensiveness. We have in weeks grown weaker, our institutions have been rocked and their foundations shattered. The sources of our strength have been sapped....That is not to say there are none who are starting to rise up, to protest, to resist. But thus far we have not seen US demonstrations equivalent to those we’ve seen in Israel or Georgia or Germany. We have not seen Democrats effectively block GOP initiatives. We have not seen moderate Republicans—if any remain—stand up to block senior level administration appointments that pose a profound risk to us all regardless of political party.Not only is this frustrating and indeed, dangerous, it also raises the question about what happens when Trump and Musk use confidential data to turn the IRS on their opponents, to stop cities and groups of people from getting aid and programmatic dollars to which they are entitled? Will anyone stand up to block immigration thugs from rounding up the innocent? (They are already threatening “legal action” that would clearly be illegal against political leaders who simply rise up to speak the truth like AOC.)Would you be willing to make less to devote more time to fighting for democracy? Would you be willing to put your livelihood at risk in the go-along get-along world of government contracting to stand up and speak the truth, to criticize those in power, to call out their lies, to make clear the threat they represent?Is the truth or your freedom worth your job or your family’s comfort?Because those in power are counting on the belief that they are not. They are counting on Americans caring more about their comforts than they do the institutions or the system or the values that helped make those comforts or their life here possible.We can talk all we want about those in power. But the answer to whether they will succeed on their destructive dangerous mission does not lie with them. It lies with us. It lies with people within our capitol city and within our government but also in cities and towns across America. It lies with you and with me.For until Trump and Musk feel they will be meaningfully challenged at every level they assault our system, they will proceed. They are bullies and are relying on their power to intimidate. And so far their calculus has proven correct....
Rothkopf published this earlier on Monday.
If what we saw Monday afternoon in the 50501 protests is any indication, I do believe the American people are starting to march.
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