OPINION: Can ‘No Kings’ rallies forestall crowning Trump king? 

On Saturday, October 18th, starting at noon, there will be a No Kings rally on the Southside of the Mississippi State Capitol Building. This rally is one of hundreds of such rallies being held across the country. These rallies are follow-ups of the protests that began June 14th. They have collectively drawn millions of protestors and are likely to continue for months.

The No Kings rallies are organized efforts to (1) inform citizens of the determined attempt by white nationalists and other ultra-conservatives to replace America’s current Constitutional democratic republic with a government run by and for very wealthy white conservatives; (2) demonstrate to supporters of democracy, locally and internationally, that there are millions  opposing the fascist, anti-working class and anti-democratic policies of the Trump administration; and to (3) rally people to be prepared to take the necessary actions to prevent or de-rail the determined attempt to crown Donald Trump as king or dictator of America.

We raise the question regarding the rallies because the Trump supporters are so determined. Their strong determination is reminiscent of the Southern planter class leading the Southern rebellion in 1860.

Not only are these modern-day rebels determined, so much is falling in place for them until their success sometimes appears to be inevitable. Among other things, (1) Donald Trump won the presidency, (2) the Republicans gained control of the House of Representatives, (3) the Republicans retained control of the Senate, and (4) Trump has been able to secure an iron clad majority of supporters on the Supreme Court. 

With that kind of support, Trump and his Make America Great Again (MAGA) followers have proceeded with deliberate speed to follow their road map to control and change, as spelled out in Project 2025. This includes crippling many agencies and programs, firing many competent administrators and thousands of other federal workers, and politicizing the military and every other department. He has proceeded to rule by executive order, depending upon the Supreme Court to find in his favor if and when his orders are challenged. He has more recently decided to test the idea of using the military in major democratically-run cities and threatened to declare a state of emergency, which he thinks would enable him to remain in office for a third term, by suspending or controlling elections. 

The point of these examples is not to be exhaustive, but to underscore the seriousness or gravity of the matter and the importance of the success of the No Kings rallies. Their success needs to be manifest early and often. In addition to that, the rallies clearly need to be coordinated with and supported by individuals, groups, and organizations appreciating the value of a society that is democratic and fair in how it views and treats all its citizens – workers and professionals, youth and elderly, immigrants and natives, male and female, rich and poor. 

In short, no one should expect the No Kings rallies alone to stop or de-rail the Trump train. Individual and class action law suits are still needed. Well-publicized acts of courage are still needed. High-profile, well-run campaigns are still needed. A great deal more of political education is still needed. Rallies, such as the No Kings rallies, are invaluable and should not be down-played or seen as old fashioned. They can help move mountains just as they did in Ghandi’s India, apartheid South Africa, and elsewhere.