By World BEYOND War, May 18, 2025
World BEYOND War supports the No Kings rallies planned around the United States on June 14 (https://www.nokings.org ) and in addition protesting the Trump weapons parade in Washington, D.C. (meet at the Lincoln Memorial at 4 p.m. on June 14 — contact WBW if you want to do this; we want a large crowd if we’re going to do it).
World BEYOND War supports the No Kings agenda of opposing dictatorial power for U.S. presidents, but does not advocate proper non-Trumpian celebrations of the U.S. Army or flag. Instead we advocate building a culture of peace and of respect for all people and living things on Earth. We say No to the military parade but also to the military’s wars. We say No to cutting useful government services but also to dumping ever more funds into war profiteering. We say no to kings but also to Congress Members behaving as royal court jesters rather than as the first branch of government. We propose that the rise of the imperial president over the past few decades has been centrally based on warmaking. We recall the words of James Madison:
“War is in fact the true nurse of executive aggrandizement. In war a physical force is to be created, and it is the executive will which is to direct it. In war the public treasures are to be unlocked, and it is the executive hand which is to dispense them. In war the honors and emoluments of office are to be multiplied; and it is the executive patronage under which they are to be enjoyed. It is in war, finally, that laurels are to be gathered, and it is the executive brow they are to encircle. The strongest passions, and most dangerous weaknesses of the human breast; ambition, avarice, vanity, the honorable or venial love of fame, are all in conspiracy against the desire and duty of peace.”
Signs you might want to bring to the No Kings rallies could say:
- No Weapons Parades! No Weapons Shipments! No Weapons Use!
- Stop moving our money from where we need it to the Pentagon!
- Tell Congress: the Constitution put you in charge. Act like it!
For those three posters, download and print this PDF.
This graphic also tells an important story:
2 Responses
If I believed that signs made a difference, mine would say:
“Whose speech? Our speech. What speech? Free speech “
If I believed that even blog comments can make a difference mine would say even blog comments can make a difference!