When democracy works too well, some people take to the streets to protest it
Last weekend a crowd of mostly white boomers gathered to protest for what was called the “No King March.” The title alone sounded like satire. The marchers were said to be rallying against what they called “authoritarianism.”
From the looks of it, this was less of a protest and more of a well-funded field trip. Rumor has it some of them were paid fifty bucks for two hours of patriotic cardio. Not a bad deal, really—especially if you throw in free bottled water and the chance to wave a sign with a spelling mistake.
Now, I live in Canada, where we actually do have a king—King Charles III. When I became a Canadian citizen, I pledged allegiance to the King. But let’s be honest: the king’s role here is almost entirely symbolic. He doesn’t dictate policy or interfere with our daily lives. He’s a ceremonial figure, his main job is to cut ribbons and wave to the crow.
To add to the comedy, President Trump decided to post an AI-generated video of himself in a fighter jet dropping manure on the protesters. If anything, we can say that president Trump has become the king of memes.
But the real question is: What are they protesting, really?
Trump promised to crack down on crime and deport illegal immigrants. He campaigned on it. He got elected on it. He’s doing exactly what he said he would do. That’s called keeping a promise and that’s what the protestors are mad about.
The uncomfortable truth might be that many are upset not because democracy has failed—but because it’s working, just not in their favor this time. The voters made a choice, and the chosen one is doing his job. But apparently, when the outcome doesn’t suit your taste, democracy suddenly feels like tyranny.
So let’s be honest: this wasn’t an anti-king march. It was an anti-democracy rally dressed up in patriotism.
It’s as if the protesters looked at the Constitution and said, “Yes, but not like that!”
In the end, the crowd dispersed as quickly as it gathered. The flags came down, the signs went into recycling bins, and the “No King” crowd went back to their regularly scheduled democracy—the one they don’t quite understand but still get to complain about freely.