by Shawn Nowlin
America’s largest single-day demonstration in more than five decades occurred on March 28. From major metropolitan areas such as Seattle to small college towns like Oberlin, Ohio, more than 3,300 events across all 50 states protested the actions and policies of the second Trump administration.
From the suppression of the Epstein files to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents shooting and killing Renee Good and Alex Pretti, an estimated ten million protestors of all ages and ethnicities participated in the third iteration of No Kings rallies.
The Star City’s coordinated protest at Elmwood Park was made possible by Roanoke Indivisible, a nonpartisan organization committed to building a mass movement that demands the government ensure fairness for all.
As people gathered from noon to 2 p.m., drivers in support of the movement honked their horns as they drove by. Signs held were as creative as they were powerful – “I’ve Seen Better Cabinets at Ikea,” “Things Are So Bad That the Introverts are Here” and “They’re Eating the Checks and Balances.”
The crowd included Hillary Jenkins, a Caucasian woman with biracial children, and Roanoke City employee Andi Wilson.
“When Trump was running to become America’s Commander-in-Chief for the third time, he vowed he wouldn’t get us into any more wars while also making housing more affordable. I knew he was full of crap back then, but now, even some of his biggest supporters are starting to accept the reality,” Jenkins said.
She continued, “People who look like me should be here. Black folk and others of color are at risk when they voice their opposition to Trump. We all need to walk in their name.”
Just when Wilson thought Trump couldn’t get any worse, he goes on to say he’s glad that former FBI Director Robert Mueller died at 81. “I can’t put into words my disdain for this man,” Wilson said. “He has no compunction, no class, no integrity. Simply put, he is the worst of us.”
In a desperate attempt to distract Americans, days before the protests, the Treasury Department announced it would soon begin printing dollars with Trump’s signature on them.
The White House’s response to last Saturday was dismissive, as usual. “The only people who care about these Trump derangement therapy sessions are the reporters who are paid to cover them and people who don’t know what’s best for them,” said a spokesperson.
Roanoke native Kim Smith says Trump is so predictable that she already knows how he will respond when the midterms result in a massive blue wave.
“Mark my words. It is going to sound something like this, ‘Everyone knows that these results are fake news. I am the greatest President of all time. I got more votes than Barack Obama and George Washington combined,’” she said.
If Democrats take back the House of Representatives and the Senate in November, they will control leadership committees, the country’s purse strings and have the power to impeach Trump for a third time.
Roanoke Indivisible organizer Rachel Grey said the rally reflected something much larger than politics. “This is a nationwide, worldwide protest. The largest one, to be exact. Like so many others, I am more activated than before,” she said afterwards.
