- November 7, 2025
Dear Editor:
There was a very impressive turnout at our area’s “No Kings Rally” on October 18th. Three locations were scheduled and all appeared to be even larger than the similar one in June. There is no doubt that both represented the largest of such protest gatherings in the history of Flagler County, and based upon national turnout estimates, it may be the largest one day protest in our country's history.
Our very engaged and very peaceful local attendees sported some creative costumes, carried signs, some rude and crude, but also creative with purposeful and meaningful grievances. There were lots of drive by supporters who waved and honked. All things considered, it was a “Big Beautiful Bill of Rights” day.
Protests have historically been a powerful catalyst for significant societal and political change.
They produced the 19th Amendment to the Constitution ratified in 1920, granting women the right to vote with similar protests in other countries leading to women gaining that right as well. Sustained nonviolent protests and civil disobedience campaigns were instrumental in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (which outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin) and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (which prohibited discriminatory voting practices). The end of the Vietnam war was also aided by recurring protests and activism. These are just a few examples of their past successes.
This year's protests were intended to drive home a core tenet of democracy ... that the people run the country, not the president, who is a servant, not a sovereign ruler and the constitution is his guidebook. The theme was in part to ensure that democracy remains healthy and intact and is never threatened or at risk. So many now believe they are witnessing alarming autocratic actions and policies and that an urgent call to action is imperative.
Whether or not the recent and presumably ongoing large protests will have an impact on current U.S. administration policy and presidential behavior is not known. But our community did its part to assist in that effort for hopeful change and are now among the estimated 12 million protestors that have hit the streets in just the last five months. Surely that sends a message worthy of attention.
Bob Gordon
Palm Coast
