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The scenes last weekend in the major cities of the United States — New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta,—left eloquent images of the reactivation of modern democracy.
Unlike some major mobilizations of recent years in the country, such as Occupy Wall Street, Black Lives Matter, or the recent protests from Hispanic communities, what we witnessed last weekend was, fundamentally, a demonstration against autocracy.
The slogan “No Kings” refers directly to the DNA of the 1776 War of Independence and the subsequent federal institutionalization of that democracy. These core principles have shown enormous resilience for more than two centuries, as evidenced by their adoption by civil rights movements across diverse communities.
Donald Trump’s decision to organize a military parade on June 14, taking advantage of the 250th anniversary of the formation of the Continental Army in 1775, led by George Washington, created a perfect contrast with the people’s outcry. In the manner of the world’s great autocracies—China, Russia, or North Korea—we saw in Washington a display of military force, very much in line with the warlike atmosphere spreading globally.
Just as important as the growing discontent among Hispanic communities over the racism and xenophobia of the current administration—which we’ve seen in recent weeks—is this explicitly anti-monarchic mobilization of last weekend. The reaffirmation of foundational democratic values is a mechanism that can strengthen opposition to the far right, which both accompanies and fuels the phenomenon of Trumpism in the United States.
As Michelle Goldberg recently explained in The New York Times, the best and most unexpected news of Trumpism is the “awakening of a popular resistance” that goes beyond sectoral interests or demands. The reclaiming of the common good, so often invoked as a way to transcend narrow focuses, is now underway in the United States.
This movement’s evolution should be followed closely, as it could have a discernible impact on the grassroots and leadership of the Democratic Party. If, as all signs indicate, Donald Trump’s government decides to align itself more explicitly with Israel’s war against Iran, the movement will have to take a stand against this extremely dangerous escalation.
It won’t be easy, given the strong pro-Israel lobby within the Democratic Party, but there seems to be no other way to stop Trump. The Trump base, organized around the Make America Great Again (MAGA) project, will firmly support Israel’s war against Iran—just as the followers of both Bush presidencies did within the Republican Party during the first two Gulf Wars.
*This article was originally published in La Razón de México.
