Letter to the Editor
Opinion Editorials state the views solely of the author and do not reflect the views of the Community Journal.
Dear Community,
On Saturday, October 18th, I, along with hundreds of other residents of Park County, will again take to the streets. We will be part of a nationwide day of defiance called, No Kings Day 2. From cities to small towns, all across our nation, people are taking action to reject authoritarianism and show the world what democracy really looks like.
A number of people have asked me why so many others and I are protesting. Since the first No Kings Day in June, when almost 800 people protested in Livingston and Gardiner combined, the Trump administration has doubled down on its use of authoritarian tools. It has deployed troops to cities, abducted immigrants, blown up boats, impounded funds, sued media organizations, bullied television networks, extorted law firms, silenced universities, and weaponized the government against Trump’s political enemies.
Many institutions have caved, and that has emboldened the Trump administration to become even more aggressive with threats in the false belief that people will submit to authoritarian rule.
As the Trump administration has worked to silence opposition through fear, the nationwide pro-democracy movement has grown stronger and must continue to exert pressure.
Our movement aims to show up peacefully, make our voices heard, and encourage lawmakers, business leaders, academics, and judges who are frightened to stand up and speak out for democracy.
We are not just protesting against the Trump administration; we are protesting for the protection of our First Amendment rights, the restoration of constitutional checks and balances, a non-partisan judicial system, an effective working congress, and support for working families, our communities, and democracy.
On October 18th, I’ll help organize and join many other residents in Livingston and Gardiner to protest and remind the Trump administration that this is America. And in America, we don’t do kings. We will show up because we refuse to sit by while our democracy is damaged. We will show up to say we believe in people over power.
And we will not be alone. More than 2,200 nonviolent No Kings Day 2 protests have already been registered nationally—and in every state. That exceeds the rate of total event registrations for the first No Kings Day. Since that earlier event was the largest domestic protest in years, No Kings Day 2 is shaping up to be the largest peaceful protest in modern American history.
The organizers of the local protests, Indivisible Park County and the Women’s Action Project, are committed to peaceful, nonviolent, lawful, and respectful action. We ask all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our beliefs and values.
Rick Lamplugh
Co-Founder of Indivisible Park County