21 Comments
User's avatar
Jac's avatar

I wasn't aware of the Zoom call, so I missed it. Was there any discussion about how to widen the net in attracting participants? I heard it mentioned in a podcast that the participants at "No Kings" (with exceptions of course) were a lot of the people who are already tuned in. (Also a lot of people who look like me and who read Substack type blogs and listen to informative podcasts.) So, the question was, how can we get the attention and participation from the people who may not be as fully engaged? This is a challenge for us Democrats. We need to make it easy for people to stay informed and speak up because a lot of people are busy with little kids, work, and surviving. They need a government that works for them and we need them to help us get to a point where that type of government is in place. Anyway, I thought it was a valid point.

Expand full comment
Susan Campbell's avatar

Go to the YouTube link and you can watch the whole thing. It has some good ideas.

Expand full comment
Susan Campbell's avatar

Sorry. I got interrupted. The thing about #NoKings is that it might make it easier for people who aren't so engaged to do that, to get engaged. See? You can do this and it's not only OK, it's necessary. I do think the message has to vary depending on the audience.

Expand full comment
Jac's avatar

Thanks. I watched it. I hope pastors and other groups bring in more people - especially in red states. And like you said, the messages need to resonate with a wide range of people who all need to feel valued and heard.

They referred to a call on the 18th that may address a plan. However, I didn't hear where/how to connect in to it. Do you know? Maybe here? https://www.nokings.org/next

Though, I don't see a reference to it there.

Expand full comment
Susan Campbell's avatar

I don’t remember that reference and don’t find it in the usual places.

Expand full comment
Jac's avatar

Check out around 49:45 and 50:50.

https://www.youtube.com/live/ECEbs-zOfdc

Expand full comment
Susan Campbell's avatar

Oh, excellent.

Expand full comment
Jac's avatar

Do you know where we'd go for this? I don't see anything on the "No Kings" website.

Expand full comment
Ashley Louk's avatar

I was on the Zoom call. And I'm a recent convert to taking action. It was good to see so many people out and feel less alone in my outrage. I have hope that there might be enough of us to fight back, even in my deep red state. The call was great, and I'm joining another one tonight with the John Lewis Good Trouble group around organizing for July 17th. I'm excited for Democracy Summer.

Expand full comment
Susan Campbell's avatar

Do you have a web address for tonight’s call?

Expand full comment
Paul Ashton's avatar

The next opportunity on the calendar is the 4th of July. Ours is pre-organized due to the Boom Box Parade and various groups are already making plans but plenty of towns have events that people could take advantage of and keep things local. If your parade is as open as ours march with signs. If not, leaflet the crowd, set up a booth. Given the celebratory nature of Independence Day, owning the celebration might be a better choice than disrupting it but that’s just me. Remind people that the 4th is about independence and Trump is not.

Expand full comment
Susan Campbell's avatar

Excellent ideas.

Expand full comment
Carol M Robinson's avatar

Really good ideas. Thank you. And I have always loved the Boom Box parade. A great example. It was started a couple of decades ago I think (can't remember exactly) by community ingenuity and lots of spirit.

Expand full comment
Paul Ashton's avatar

It started in 1986 when there weren’t any marching bands for the Memorial Day parade. A woman named Kathy Clark suggested to the local radio station, WILI, that she would make a tape of marching music if the station would agree to play it on the 4th of July and invite folks to bring radios (boom boxes) to tune into the radio station and play while they marched or watched. What started with a modest but decent turnout has grown into thousands of people.

If I remember correctly, Susan wrote a Courant story about Kathy.

https://www.wili.com/parade/

Expand full comment
Susan Campbell's avatar

I did. I always loved the idea of a boom box parade and have attended a few times, myself (though not marched).

Expand full comment
Joan Sheehan's avatar

I’d like “Impeach now!” But that’s probably too much to hope for.

Expand full comment
Susan Campbell's avatar

Amen.

Expand full comment
Stephanie Silver's avatar

Thank you this gives me hope!

Expand full comment