NO KINGS - Protest Rally in Rochester NY April 19, 2025
A Coalition of Anger and Care
This second protest under the auspices of 50501 in Rochester NY was, like the one two weeks ago, threatened by weather. But the rain never came (though the wind played mild havoc with signs and canopies), and the crowd remained focused and disciplined. My estimate would be in the 3,000-4,000 participant range. It was held at MLK Jr. Park, which has quotes from Dr. King, and banners extolling the local heroes from history, Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony. Not surprisingly, both Frederick and Susan were present in the spirit of some demonstrators.
“The thing worse than rebellion is the thing that causes rebellion” - Frederick Douglass - on a chalk-board blackwall
The protestors, as I had noted last time, were as annoyed with Democrats as they were infuriated with Republicans. There were no Democratic signs, and quite a few that critiqued the inaction of the Democrats:
The elements that had changed since April 5 included, as expected, an emphasis on Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s case, and the illegality of all of the treatment of immigrants. A number of speakers identified themselves as Latinx, but for obvious reasons of fear, there were few present within the rally crowd. But the protestors were clear on what was happening with Garcia, and the collective intelligence of these people was well past the quibbling legal loopholes of either the Republican Administration or the Judicial system.
However, there were a few things specific to what I saw and heard today that point to some developments in the nature of radical thought in this historical moment.
INCIPIENT PHILOSOPHIC MOMENTS
The speakers were, as always, a mixed bunch, and they went on too long. The acoustics and site lines to the main stage were problematic, which didn’t help. But a few were very strong. One was Arthur Moran, the head of the Rochester Rainbow Union - an LGBTQI library, archive, community activist organization. He connected all the movements for freedom, from Latinx farm workers to the protection of archives (he cited the destruction of the Sexuality library of Magnus Hirschfeld by the Nazis), to the heritage of Douglass and Anthony in Rochester, and much more - all to bring home the present danger to queer people and transgender youth in particular. I think it was Moran who also said that “they (the Republican Administration) is coming not only for the detainees, but for diversity and for difference.” Another speaker - whose name I did not catch - was a white woman who pointed out the lack of marginalized people in attendance, gave a few potential reasons, then said (and I paraphrase) “perhaps we white people should also look at how often we’ve let them down in the past, and sit with that, and learn from it.” I was impressed not only at her saying it, but at the white people around me applauding and cheering approval of this call to anti-racist introspection.
While the setting had some practical problems, it was replete with radical history references - and a few messages about history from participants and speakers.
Another interesting moment for me was an accidental confluence of flags. Their proximity at the back end of the rally may have been dictated by the need for space given the wind conditions, but it still made something manifest to me: the dynamics of multiple levels of self-determination. At one time the following flags were flying in close proximity to each other
American
American upside down (distress)
Canadian
Palestinian
Ukrainian
Gay Pride (traditional)
Gay Pride with Trangender Triangle
Transgender Flag
(later in the rally we saw an Israeli flag, too, near some pro-Palestinian protestors, with no observed negativity between these participants)
I asked one of the guys holding a Gay Pride flag, if all the flag holders had come together. He said they had not, but went on to explain to me what each flag was; he also endorsed the various causes. I said to him - all these flags are about self-determination - resisting imperialism (Canada and Ukraine), desiring nationhood (Palestine), and asserting bodily autonomy (LGBT rights). AND all these causes and flags were getting along. He got it too - immediately. It all just made sense, to both of us. It was freedom to be ourselves, collectively, and to say NO to the bullies - whether they were other nations, or religions, or governments - that want us to be subsumed into their repressive worldviews.
The claiming of American identity through the flag was present but not oppressive at the event. The reclaiming of patriotism was about due process and freedom of specch, not about jingoism. No one seemed eager to look ahead to elections, but rather there was an understanding that the bedrock of democracy was civic engagement to make a difference - that democracy resides in the people, and therefore saving it, and maybe altering it, is in our power.
Each of these signs points to an understanding of the need for a different future. I don’t think we have yet reached the point of articulating a new beginning, but I am feeling it is emerging in inchoate fashion. “Life can be so much better…”
Many were quoting the line “The Power in People is Stronger than the People in Power” (I saw one poster crediting it to Sen. Cory Booker, but I think it pre-dates his filibuster speech). It has some philosophic sweep to it, but not enough, because it focuses too much on the current crop of individual fascists in office. The systems of capitalism, racism, sexism, and more need to be challenged in toto, even more than Doge, the Don, and their allies. A few in the group understood this
It was a great crowd! So much positive change in motion, such solidarity across the causes of queer, Palestinian, immigrant, education, labor, and so much more. The lack of internecine conflicts within the group, both today and April 5 - was noteworthy and admirable.
So many causes - so little conflict between them!
I close with this sign. It combines rage with fact, to encapsulate outrage with a purpose. That is what we were trying to do. The crowd knew there was no one simple solution to the problems caused by the Republican Administration, or capitalism. But one sign (that I didn’t get a picture of) said “we can do this every weekend until you’re gone” - and I hope we can raise that to every day, as needed, until all the oppression has either gone away or is receding. FREEDOM! ONWARD! SI SE PUEDE!