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A NECESSARY, SIGNIFICANT, OCCASIONALLY JOYFUL “NO KINGS”
ON OCTOBER 18, 2025, 7 MILLION AMERICANS protested Trump 2.0’s autocracy. Yesterday, we concentrated on the absurdities of a government official saying “Who cares?,” of Trump himself posting a scatological video of his kingly response, and of the Secretary of what used to be called “Defense” exhibiting incredibly poor judgement in celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Marines.
Today, we glean tidbits from around the world of people celebrating the No Kings concept. These come from a variety of sources including newspapers, Facebook postings, and my own iPhone happy snaps of activities occurring at nearby Centennial Park, Santa Ana, California.
Centennial Park, Santa Ana, California. Here’s a collection of No Kings neighbors along Edinger Avenue on the way to Centennial Park.
One of the volunteers offered this poster for my horn-tooting Honda Crosstour circling the event.
I love “Cleanup on Aisle 47.”
And the “86” imagery.
’Way in the back is one that’s meaningful to me: “We’re not radical. We remember McCarthy.” I also like “Think While It’s Still Legal.”
I’m reminded of monarchs who snack on my front plantings.
One of my favorite monarchs.
Other Locales. I was particularly impressed by the crowd turning out in Boise, Idaho. Years ago, one of my job offers in academe was at Boise State Teachers College, now Boise State University.
Idaho may not be as red as usually perceived. Or is it just the intellectual level of college towns? Image by @DittiePE via Facebook.
This is Niece Jenn in suburban KC, Kansas. I like her T-shirt too.
This one was signaled out among the NYC crowds.
I concur with this sentiment because I recall as well when Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion weren’t obscenities.
A view of Washington, D.C. The photo is by Tyrone Turner/WAMU via NPR.
Around the World. Plenty of people around the world share our sentiments. For example, the 50501 Movement participated in a protest in the Parisian Bastille neighborhood. Kerry L. Decler wrote, “So glad we found them. Fight fascists in every part of the world!”
Images by 50501 Movement via Facebook.
In London. News X Live assembled a video of more than one hour’s length in describing No Kings protests occurring near the U.S. Embassy in London.
Video from YouTube.
In Berlin. HJ News reports on “Berlin No Kings Protest,” October 19, 2025.
A woman displays a “No Kings” sign as she participates in a pro-democracy, anti-Trump protest outside the US embassy at the Pariser Platz square in Berlin, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. Image and caption by Markus Schreiber/AP.
HJ News cites, “Republicans disparaged the demonstrations as ‘Hate America’ rallies, but in many places the events looked more like a street party.”
Agreed, though plenty of us have had quite enough of this faux king/genuine felon. ds
© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2025
Simanaitis Says 
Perhaps some more cautious optimism is called for .
I too enjoy the signs and Monarch butterflies, when I do my rural back road road trips once in a while I encounter a large flock of them migrating, it’s wonderful and reminds me that Nature, not I am in overall charge .
-Nate
There were 3,000 of us here in Green Bay, which is not generally considered a liberal bastion. I grew up in the 50’s and was proud of my country. Now all I feel is embarassement and anger. My goal is to outlive T***p so I can spit on his grave.