Tulsa against kings
What rally goers said, did and want
The first thing handed to me at the Tulsa No King’s Rally on Saturday was an American flag. That set the stage: If this was to be about anything, it was to show that everyone attending are Americans. It also reclaims the flag that has been used recently by nationalists as a purity test.
Americans can criticize its leaders and still be patriots.
The second thing offered was a homemade flower to asking to “deconstruct from white supremacy” and check out joinEAGER.com. It was a cool flower. Then, a woman gave me a hug and offered a yellow bandanna to tie around my arm. She also made sure we had water.
Kindness and care were the feelings for the day as people spent their morning in the rain out of concern for the direction of the country.
The color yellow dotted the rally to symbolize unity, hope and peaceful resistance to what many view as authoritarian tactics from the Trump administration. Protest signs - always the most interesting and creative part of a rally - stated why these Tulsans were upset.
Many of the signs boiled down to wanting President Trump to follow the U.S. Constitution and Congress be the check on his authority. They don’t like his attempts at more presidential power. They want federal immigration officials to stop their masked, violent actions in cities.
They don’t like his hateful words, particularly against marginalized communities like LGBTQ+, immigrants and people of color. “Fear and hate do not make America great” was a common theme.
Signs spoke about the need for affordable health care, jobs and women’s reproductive rights. There were signs against Israel’s bombing of Gaza and in favor of releasing federal files in the case against Jeffrey Epstein (a campaign promise).
There were signs to “Love your neighbor” and “Your voice matters.” Some warned against Christian nationalism and to fight against fascism and authoritarianism.
Most of the cars honked and gave a thumbs up in support. Some decorated their cars in No Kings messaging and drove around several times - a smart way to be part of the rally without being in the rally. I didn’t see any driver respond negatively to the crowd.
What I saw wasn’t what conservatives described.
U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin claimed the communist party was sponsoring the rallies based on a flyer he saw from a New York rally. I saw no such influence or evidence of that in Tulsa. U.S. Sen. James Lankford said Democrats are purposely keeping the government shut down to hold the rally. That makes no sense considering the last No Kings Rally wasn’t held during a shutdown.
Also, the government shutdown is not the fault the Democrats, nor is it entirely the fault of the Republicans. What Americans want is bipartisan leadership to keep our essential services going. It’s fair to point out that Republicans have the majority of every branch of government at the moment.
Lankford also said on social media that the rally participants were of “far left activists who want open borders, more spending, and less freedom. The American people want the opposite: security, peace and a strong economy.”
Quite the contrary. Freedom, peace and prosperity for all were dominant themes - along with not being ruled by authoritarian leaders.
In Oklahoma, 19 No Kings rallies were held in various cities. It makes sense those would be in places like Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Norman, Stillwater and Lawton because of population. But, some people came out in smaller towns like Miami, Idabel and Paul’s Valley. In a deeply red state like this, particularly in rural areas, that takes guts.
Tulsa had people rallying in at least three locations. I attended the one downtown at Dream Keepers Park. My best guess at a crowd estimate is between 1,000 to 1,500 people. People lined the streets from from about Boston Avenue on 21st Street down to Riverside Drive and curved around to reach about Main Street and 18th Street.
There were some chants, “Hey, ho, Trump must go” and “No Trump, no KKK and no kings.” But the backdrop was mainly freedom songs and cars honking in solidarity.
A sound system had a playlist with songs including “No Kings” by Jesse Welles, “Talkin’ About a Revolution” by Tracy Chapman, “Our Country” by John Mellencamp, “Peace Train” by 10,000 Maniacs, “Unleash the Power” by Hidden Citizens, “Rockin’ in the Free World” by Neil Young, “The Times They are A-changin’” by Bob Dylan, “We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister, “Tear the Fascists Down” by Woody Guthrie, “Born in the USA” by Bruce Springsteen, “Killing in the Name” by Rage Against the Machine, “Fight the Power” by Public Enemy, “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival,” “America the Beautiful” by Ray Charles and “This Land is Your Land” by Woody Guthrie.
The crowd wasn’t angry or disrespectful. There were friends meeting and friends being made. People posed with their signs as strangers took pictures. The talk wasn’t of politics because it was obvious everyone there was of the same mind.
In a state like Oklahoma, where the voices of every elected congressional member is of the Republican Party, this crowd of people with differing thoughts want to be heard. They want to feel just as represented by their elected leaders.
Participants found a communion with others who feel out-of-step with Oklahoma’s dominating party, as supermajority of the state Legislature and every state elected official are also Republicans.
This rally was about having an outlet to express frustration. It was about being around people who believed as they do. It was about getting their points across without violence or violent rhetoric.
One last thing about this rally: God bless Portland, Oregon, for giving America the trend of inflatables for protest. It’s hard to be violent when there are dancing chickens, dinosaurs, a pink unicorn and a frog king with a bullhorn.
Thanks so much for including our poster “My Dad Fought Fascists” in your Substack! What an honor!!