✊ No Kings, No Masters: Why Protest Matters (and Why Some People Are Terrified of It)

/ tammy4nd@gmail.com

Some people are terrified of protest—unless it’s their own.

If you’ve scrolled the news lately, you’ve probably seen people carrying signs that say “No Kings.” Maybe you felt uncomfortable. Maybe you thought it was disrespectful. Maybe someone on your feed called it “anti-American.”

But here’s a question worth asking:
Why does peaceful protest feel threatening to you?

Because if we’re going to call something un-American, we should start with the actual insurrection on January 6, 2021.

A violent mob—waving Trump flags and Confederate banners—stormed the U.S. Capitol, intent on overturning a democratic election. Over 1,200 people have been charged, with multiple deaths, pipe bombs, and police officers severely injured timesofindia.indiatimes.com+3en.wikipedia.org+3elpais.com+3apnews.com.

So if you’re more outraged by cardboard signs than by the attempted coup, sit with that contradiction.

No Kings” Isn’t About Hatred. It’s About History.

“No Kings” comes from deep roots in American political tradition. We rejected monarchy in 1776—George Washington famously refused to be called ‘King’ .

Protestors chanting “No Kings” today are saying:

  • Check power.
  • Reject cults of personality.
  • Demand accountability.

That’s not radical. That’s core civic values.

What Actually Happened in L.A.

Federal Response & Media Hype

President Trump federalized California’s National Guard and mobilized about 700 Marines to L.A. cbsnews.com+9en.wikipedia.org+9foxnews.com+9. Trump labeled protests “violent riots” that needed to be “quashed.” But if you were there—or even read most eye-witness reports—you’d see something different: mostly peaceful protest and tense but contained police action.

Jimmy Kimmel, in fact, said plainly: “there’s no riot outside,” and poked holes in the militarized response nypost.com.

FOX News, meanwhile, broadcast “war-zone” visuals with dramatic voiceovers, creating fear around peaceful protests. Their headlines suggested chaos—not camera phone clips of people singing, holding signs, and cleaning up litter .

Manufactured Fear Is Political

Fear generates clicks, sells ads, and keeps control tight. Media outlets like FOX have mastered the art of fear: zoom in on the rare tense moment, play it nonstop, forget the calm, and voilà—a peaceful protest becomes an “insurrectionist mob.”

But that’s not what was happening in L.A.
It was democracy in action—loud, defiant, yet peaceful.

You Can’t Have It Both Ways

  • You can’t cheer for 1776 and fear “No Kings.”
  • You can’t glorify the Capitol riot—then turn around and demonize peaceful dissent.
  • If protest only bothers you when it challenges your narrative, what you’re defending isn’t freedom. It’s control.

Final Thoughts

What we’re seeing in cities like L.A. isn’t societal breakdown—it’s a pulse. People waking up, saying no to authoritarianism and yes to accountability, equity, and dignity.

“No Kings” isn’t chaos.
It’s remembrance—of what America was built to be.
Participation, not passive loyalty.

If that scares you more than Jan. 6?
Ask yourself: Who benefits from that fear?

📚 Recommended Sources & Further Reading

On Jan. 6 insurrection & legal action:

History of “No Kings”:

What happened in L.A.:

Federalization legality & analysis:

Media framing & fearmongering:

Legal context for protest:

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