Dwain Northey (Gen X)

Tomorrow, Americans from coast to coast will take to the streets under a simple yet powerful banner: “No Kings.” These marches aren’t acts of rebellion or unrest—they are acts of remembrance and renewal. They are a reaffirmation of what this country was built upon: the radical idea that no man, no matter his wealth, power, or self-proclaimed destiny, is above the law.

The No Kings movement is not partisan—it is patriotic. It is the living, breathing spirit of democracy in motion. From Philadelphia to Portland, from Atlanta to Anchorage, citizens are marching to remind those in power that this nation was founded in direct opposition to monarchy. The Founders fought a revolution not to crown a new ruler, but to create a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Tomorrow’s marches are a declaration that we have not forgotten that promise.

Yet, as expected, the GOP and the Trump-aligned right have begun to twist the message. They’ve labeled the marchers as radicals, anarchists, even “enemies of the state.” But let’s be clear—what they fear isn’t chaos. What they fear is accountability. They fear citizens who refuse to kneel. They fear a public that still believes in the Constitution more than in a cult of personality.

The No Kings movement is a peaceful and powerful stand against authoritarianism masquerading as populism. It is a reminder that patriotism isn’t blind loyalty to one man—it’s loyalty to the principles that define a free nation. The irony, of course, is rich: a political faction once claiming to be the defenders of liberty now seeks to elevate one man as untouchable, infallible, and beyond question. That is not democracy. That is feudalism wrapped in a red, white, and blue flag.

For years, we’ve watched the steady erosion of democratic norms: officials punished for truth-telling, judges attacked for upholding the law, journalists vilified for doing their jobs. We’ve seen this former and unfortunately current president—who still commands the loyalty of a terrified party—speak as though he were chosen, not elected; ordained, not constrained. He demands obedience, not consent. He seeks vengeance, not justice.

That is why tomorrow’s marches matter so deeply. The No Kings movement isn’t about tearing something down—it’s about building something up again: civic courage. It’s about reclaiming the moral center of democracy, one citizen, one step, one sign at a time. The chants won’t be angry—they’ll be resolute. The crowds won’t be mobs—they’ll be patriots.

This nation was born in defiance of monarchy and sustained by the will of its people. Every generation must prove worthy of that inheritance. Tomorrow, as Americans march under the banner of “No Kings,” they’ll be reminding this country—and the world—that democracy doesn’t die quietly. It roars in the streets, wrapped not in violence, but in purpose.

Because in America, there are no kings. There are only citizens. And together, we are the crown.