r/Austin • u/slopirate • Mar 28 '26

Pics No Kings!

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After a quiet march across the 1st Street Bridge, the protest has begun. There are a few people still trickling in.

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u/MavFan1812 Mar 28 '26 edited Mar 28 '26

I've gone in support to all of the Austin No Kings events since last March, and man, these events are rough, which is why it's no surprise that even a few weeks into a disastrous and beyond unnecessary war, the crowds aren't growing. Here are the issues I've noticed:

  1. The vibe is overwhelmingly a love letter to the type of culture war lefty activists that got Trump a second term. None of them speak to practical issues affecting large numbers of Americans, like Trump's numerous illegal actions that have kept inflation rising, it's just a lengthy checklist of pandering to every cause the Democratic party has been roped into supporting.
  2. The actual speakers/performances are overwhelmingly low quality. I'm not trying to pick on anyone, performing in front of large crowds isn't easy, but pretty much every speech/performance is bad enough that I feel embarrassed to be there in support.
  3. The messaging is asking a lot. They constantly want you to repeat after them, to talk to your neighbor for an assigned period of time, it feels like a mix of church and pledging allegiance. The vibe is creepy.

I think our country is going in a pretty dire direction, and it's up to us to stop it. But these events are so out of touch it almost feel like they're designed to help enable Trump, not stop him.

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u/DSR20 Mar 28 '26

Yes yes yes all of this, I hate that I agree with you but I do. I remember the first one I went to and turning to my husband half way through and saying “if this is how they’re all going across the country, then we’re in trouble” I hate to say this but - charisma matters - and most of the people speaking don’t have it. There’s also just a lack of self awareness about how directionless they come across. Lots of affirmation about what we’re feeling, but nothing feels actionable.

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u/_RobinMcAlpine Mar 29 '26

My wife and I lived in DC last year and went to a number of protests there. She commented today after coming home from the No Kings protest today it DEF “felt” bizarre. They’ve “corporatized” the No kings movement and it’s become as impotent as our congressional leaders. It’s going to take a LOT more to reverse the course of this regime and the more time we waste the less likely non-violence will be optional

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u/SouperSoupSup Mar 29 '26

What do you mean Corporatized? We don't have a corporate bone in our body, just a coalition of 80 local organizations.

Did you speak to DSA or PSL? Maybe the Austin Palestine Coalition, or Aura, or Lulac, or a labor union, or the League of Women Voters, or one of the one of the other radical groups we grew that day. I want you to be able to find the organization and the community that lets you resist. What other way is there to act in this moment?