Marching for Democracy

I Marched. I Learned. I Found Hope.

No Kings Protest, Seattle, March 28, 2026

Dear Fellow No Kings Marchers:

My daughter and I marched with you in the No Kings rally in Seattle this weekend. This was my first protest march ever – which tells you something about the era in which I grew up. Mostly I prospered in the post-Vietnam and Civil Rights years and pre-Trump cataclysm years. For me, Saturday was an eye-opening and hopeful experience.

On a personal note, sharing this opportunity with my daughter was very special. I am fortunate to have deep and close relationships with all our kids, and Madeline is no exception. Growing up, we read all kinds of books together (well over 50) and continue to share that love for reading. We also bond over current event discussions, and she is the primary “pre-reader” of all my LinkedIn/Substack letters. Her politics are more liberal than mine, which is why we have such great conversations about the world around us. Bridging the generational and philosophical gaps is rewarding. Protesting with her was a very special experience.

Protesting Together

Beyond that, the march impressed me on a couple of levels:

1. Generational Diversity: Usually, when I think about protests, I think about young people. Maybe that reflects my distant memories of the Peace Movement and the Vietnam War protests. The No Kings rally had people from all generations – in fact, I would say there were more “50+ gen” there than there were “<30 gen” which surprised me. The irony is that the 50+ crowd probably owns more responsibility for the problems we are in, and yet they are the ones protesting. I will add that the crowd looked to be from a broad sweep of economic and social life – again a bit surprising to me. No matter what, seeing cross-generational, cross-societal opposition to today’s regime was very powerful.

2. Many Causes: I also found it interesting that the protesters were focused on so many different causes. Put another way, Donald Trump has managed to piss-off so many Americans with completely different complaints. Anti-war activists, LGBTQ+ rights proponents, pro-immigration/anti-ICE protesters, democracy advocates, those opposed to corruption, and anti-wealth socialists were all on hand to denounce the President’s policies. The highly positive news is that a broad swath of Americans cares about the evil being perpetrated, creating a big coalition. The challenge it creates is providing “heat” and focus for action. More on that below.

3. Peaceful: Above all else, the protest was very orderly. People were patient with the speakers (which was challenging because it was difficult to hear them), respectful in line, and almost festive during the march. Don’t get me wrong, it was serious – but the anger people felt was projected in a positive way, including some brilliant signs. There was very little visible police presence (they blocked off streets one block on either side and were never present on the march that I could see). Wisely, the organizers had volunteers in red construction vests who helped keep things moving and in order. Finally, I didn’t see a single “anti-protest” element during the event. Perhaps that is Seattle…but there were no meaningful confrontations that I have heard of around the country.

A Sea of Marchers

The No Kings coalition has clearly done an excellent job organizing and mobilizing these marches across so many towns, cities, and all fifty states. Scaling from 5 million people to 8-9 million in less than a year is a remarkable achievement and demonstrates a level of persistence and sustainability. For me, the most important element of the day was the gift of hope. When so many people from so many walks of life come together to demand change, you begin to think there is a better future to come. During our march, the positive feelings were palpable, even amidst the anger.

I need that hope. I think we all need that hope.

Naturally, with that scale and hope comes a new challenge: for what outcomes, exactly, are we fighting? There is certainly a focus on ending Trump’s regime – something that should happen in three years, depending on how leadership of the MAGA movement evolves. There are policies that protesters want to see changed, but they range across a wide set of issues with no clear direction from the No Kings partners. Nor is there a thematic leader (as MLK arguably became) or even a group of leaders that people recognize, listen to, and follow.

Perhaps it is too early for that to be clear. And perhaps the emphasis on numbers of protesters is the primary goal. Personally, for this movement to gain even broader significance, I think it needs some priorities and a few leaders to drive home the message. Measuring progress is important, and the only metric right now is the turnout. In the end, that criticism is a small point amongst a much larger set of achievements.

I believe that in the near term, the clear focus should be on the November mid-term elections. If these protest marches convince more people that they can have an impact, encourage them to let their voices be heard, and most importantly, get them out to vote, that will be a tremendous victory. Without a presidential election to drive people to the polls, voter turnout in mid-term elections is notoriously low. With so much at stake this year, we need a record turnout…not just for a mid-term…but for any election. This is especially true for younger people who under-participate in most elections.

If the No Kings movement can motivate us all to the simple acts of registering and voting, I am an all-in believer.

Saturday’s march gave me renewed hope. It may not be for everyone, but I encourage everyone to join at least once.

I know I’ll be back again…

Respectfully,

Robbie