CleanTechnica Exclusive — A No Kings Day Photo Essay – CleanTechnica

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Here at CleanTechnica, we are dedicated to keeping our readers fully informed on topics that touch their lives. And so, one of our ace reporters (me) was dispatched to cover the No Kings Day rally for democracy. What follows is an unvarnished account without the input of corrupting influences such as large infusions of cash from major advertisers (we actually wish we had some of those).

What you are about to read is unadulterated, first-hand information delivered straight from the shoulder by someone who was there and witnessed the acts of courage, kindness, and occasional silliness that took place on No Kings Day, 2025.

Let’s begin with the participants. We were told they would all be rabid, foaming-at-the-mouth antifa agitators who hate America. In fact, they looked like ordinary folks, the kind who have jobs, kids in school, and rent or mortgage payments that have to be met every month. The word antifa is a contraction of “anit-facist,” and we admit we are flummoxed by all the screaming about antifa activists coming from MAGAlomaniacs these days.

It is perplexing because being opposed to fascism suggests these people are in favor of democracy and the whole “liberty and justice for all” idea. Logically, if you are opposed to antifacisism, doesn’t that mean you are opposed to democracy? Is it possible that political leaders in the US are actually coming right out and admitting publicly they are fascists? It sure seems like it. Here’s a photo of a fellow with a sign and a T-shirt that seemed to sum it up rather well:

The crowd I saw in Vero Beach, Florida, was calm but passionate. People actually spoke to each other in civil tones and exchanged stories about what motivated them to turn out for No Kings Day. None were foaming at the mouth or calling for the destruction of the government — that’s what the Repugnicans were doing all week leading up to No King’s Day. The only people attempting to cause trouble were paid provocateurs hoping to become Instagram heroes.

There were a few folks dressed up in animal suits to poke fun at the spittle being spewed by folks like JD (Juvenile Delinquent?) Vance, whose métier is sniveling about how white males are being unfairly treated because of efforts to bring equality to everyday American life. Vance has contributed nothing to America except for an endless litany of how he had to choke back his rage at the liberal ideals he encountered at the institutions of higher learning he was forced to attend against his will.

Being a reporter did not prevent me from carrying my own sign. Thanks to a last-minute delivery from the Post Office, I had a nice white cardboard box I could use to create my message. After a little trimming and taping, I wound up with this:

All in all, being present was a cathartic experience. For many Americans, this year has been a series of shocks to the system as the party in power has taken a sledgehammer over and over again to the notions of fair play and equality we thought were the bedrock of the American experience. Instead of meeting agitators, I meet grandmothers and husbands singing songs and carrying signs, asking for the American Dream to remain intact.

There were about 30 people from my community in attendance at the No Kings Day rally in Vero Beach. Afterwards, eight of us adjourned to Waldo’s, a seaside restaurant that has been in operation since 1937, where we kibitzed and shared our thoughts about the day’s events. After all, protesting is hard work and it makes a person thirsty.

During the day, my daughter sent me a photo of the No Kings Day rally on the lawn of the state house in Rhode Island. It seems quite a few folks up north also object to the heavy handed skullduggery being promoted by the Potomac potentate and his henchmen.

Clearly, the hatred and venom is all flowing one way in America. The people who love their country were out in force, while those who want to slam their fists into people’s faces are spreading their bile across the land. If they despise America and all it stands for, perhaps they should self-deport back to the countries where their ancestors came from. We’re sure those nations would welcome an influx of misogynists and bigots. Who wouldn’t want such angry, belligerent people living next door?

The quest to shred the government has been part of the American experience since the nation was founded, as those who are followers of Heather Cox Richardson know all too well. So have public demonstrations like No Kings Day.

The battle is not over yet, but the bastards are winning. Only standing up for the ideals enshrined in the Constitution can keep the US from becoming a dictatorship where oligarchs get obscenely rich while the people get bupkis. If that sounds a lot like Russia, that’s because America’s so-called president idolizes Vladimir Putin. It doesn’t have to be that way, but it will be if we don’t take a stand, not just on No Kings Day, but every day from now on.

I have to confess that so far this year, I have been horrified, angry, and depressed. A dark foreboding has been my constant companion. But I came way from No Kings Day with a sense of profound relief. I am not alone. There are millions more like me who are saying, “We’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore!” For the first time this year, I feel optimistic and hopeful that the country I know and love will endure. What a relief that is!

It is up to us to carry the dream of a liberal democracy forward. In the words of Harry Truman, who was not one to hide his light under a bushel, “Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear.”

It is time to face our fears and decide we will not permit our country to be ruled by hatred. Fascism is on our doorstep but we can defeat it by being unified in our love for one another, just as a great leader taught us more than 2000 years ago.

We leave you with this melody from 1967, which is about the time that America began to lose its way: