No Kings 3.0 Rally and Protest attracted in the neighborhood of 10,000 participants on March 28 at Peoria Stadium.
KANDAS MERRIAM
America is still at war with Iran, and the United States has once again seemingly bitten off more than it can chew in the Middle East.
What are we to make of it? Well, it’s hard to tell, what with the puzzling propaganda coming out of the White House.
People took to the streets across the country once again to protest, among other things, another forever war — this time with Iran — at the No Kings 3.0 Rally and Protest on March 28. Why did they come? Where were they from?
“War, dismantling health care, dismantling education, the SAVE Act,” mentioned Emalee from Morton on why she arrived on one side of War Memorial Drive near Peoria Stadium. “I’m young and I’m scared.”
Nothing seemed certain at presstime two months into the “excursion” as President Trump has taken to call it because he can’t call it war — even though he does — without authorization from Congress. Nevermind the rumor his advisors suggested he call the military maneuvers an “incursion,” but the president confused the two terms. Our leader has already declared victory, but what have we won?
Crowds lined both sides of War Memorial Drive for No. Kings 3.0 in a much larger gathering than the first two No Kings events.
English YouTube commentator James O’Brien took a whack at explaining the situation three weeks into the war, er, incursion, uh, excursion.
(Best if read in Brogue) “So there is a war, but there’s not a war. It’s an excursion, but we’ve won it. Except we haven’t won it, and we don’t need help, but we do need help. But we don’t need aircraft carriers, but we do need aircraft carriers. Please send aircraft carriers. We don’t need any help opening the Strait of Hormuz, but we do need help opening the Strait of Hormuz.
“And you better send that help otherwise we’ll start bombing power stations. Except we don’t need to start bombing power stations because we don’t actually need the Strait of Hormuz. Only our allies use the Strait of Hormuz. It makes no difference to us anyway. It’s good if the price of oil goes up because we make lots of money.
“It’s a war, but it’s not a war. It’s an excursion. We’ll be home in a week, but we might be there for months. We’re going to change the regime, but we don’t need to change the regime. They’ve got a nuclear capability, but we destroyed their nuclear capability nine months ago. They might get a nuclear capability, but there’s no way they’re going to get a nuclear capability. We need your help, but we don’t need your help. And in fact, even if you do send help, we’re going to attack you and insult you.
“It’ll be over in a week. It’ll be over in a month. It’ll be over in a month. It’ll be over in a year. It may never be over. I wasn’t forced into it by Israel. I was forced into it by Israel. I know what I want. I don’t know what I want. I know what the plan is …” That’s the United States Commander-In-Chief Donald J. Trump, ladies and gentlemen.
Here in Peoria, people are getting more and more tired of the crazy — there’s more than just the war. And upwards of 10,000 people rallied around the Stadium on March 28 to say so.
Why did they come? Where were they from?
No Kings 3.0 Rally and Protest on March 28.
KANDAS MERRIAM
“To protest Donald Trump and the ongoing and unprosecuted attack on Democracy,” said Mike from Peoria. “Be part of something so big they can’t ignore it.”
“Where to start? I lost three relatives to Vietnam, including my husband. I’m antiwar, anti-everything Trump is doing,” said Sally from Peoria. “I’m pro-immigrant and I’m 76 and I vote.”
“I don’t agree with anything the government is doing right now. I don’t agree with anything with ICE,” explained Arin from Morton.
“So many things. I’m a nurse fighting for my patients and my children. Alex Pretti really hit home. It could happen to any of us,” mused Emily from Milwaukee. “Tired of the oppression,” her friend Tegan told us.
“Our country sucks right now. We have to stand up for our country,” proffered Payton from Peoria.
“We have to stand up for what is right,” lent Lila from Peoria. “Less Trump, more cowbell,” seemed to be a sentiment.
The most powerful man in the world has been banging his drums and tooting his horns in his Madman’s Theory of negotiations. Take this one-day exchange on March 23 chronicling the president’s positions by Hasan Piker:
No Kings rally-goer takes a stand at the Stadium.
KANDAS MERRIAM
12:03 p.m.: President Trump said he wanted a ceasefire with Iran.
12;05: Trump declared victory.
12:07: He announced he was sending Marines.
12:08: He said, “No boots on the ground.”
12:11: He did not want a ceasefire.
12:16: He declared victory again.
12:17: He asked for a ceasefire.
12:23: He told NATO they were cowards.
12:29: He said Iran was begging for a ceasefire.
12:31: “Everything’s perfect.”
12:36: “$500 (per barrel) oil is a good thing.”
12:37: He demanded Iran “Open the Hormuz.”
12:39: “Hormuz was never closed.”
12:41: “U.S. is not at war with Iran.”
12:42: He declared victory in Iran.
And people ask why hundreds of thousands are taking to the streets for the No Kings rallies?
“I have an obligation. Things aren’t right. It’s up to us to say, ‘Hey, it’s not right’,” said Gary from Peoria. “There are folks in wheelchairs and scooters who should be home instead of out in the cold. Slow the progression of nonsense.”
— Brian Ludwig is Managing Editor of The Community Word.