I live in central Pennsylvania, in a small town that is near Penn State. I’ve lived here for 20 years, so I guess that makes me a rural male. I am also a Democratic rural male who is pretty progressive.
There really are people like me in rural areas, individuals with progressive views. My wife is another example. When it comes to politics, I admit we keep our heads down, given the ratio of MAGA-to-Dems is about 2:1.
But this was not the case on Saturday. My wife and I joined just over 1,000 people at a No Kings event in Hollidaysburg, Pa., which is just south of Altoona, Pa. It’s in Blair County, which went to Trump in 2024, 71%-28%. This is not just red, but deep red.
Nevertheless, the local chapter of the progressive group Indivisible that organized the No King protests, Keystone Indivisible, held Saturday’s rally and march as a joint effort between Blair County Indivisible and the Centre County group, which I am part of. Hollidaysburg is a quaint little town with a nice downtown area, and I will say that this easily broke the record for most left-of-center people in the town of 5,600 people at one time.
And none of us got paid by George Soros, despite the delusional idea that protestors only show up to earn money. I mean, c’mon, people…why is that even entertained?
Speaking of bullshit, the very few skirmishes that occurred in places like Los Angeles and Seattle got some play in the media, but the truth is millions of Americans gathered in thousands of places in America to tell Trump to stuff it.
I won’t show any of the Army 250th Anniversary Celebration Trump’s 78th Birthday Party, you can easily find the hilarity of it all on social media. The images of Trump dozing off, the shocking video of American troops not really marching but listlessly strolling, cabinet members looking like they want to be anywhere else, and oddly enough, the playing of the CCR anti-war song Fortunate Son. I mean, playing a song about how rich guys avoid combat while Commander-in-Chief Bone Spurs is sitting there nodding off has to either be a brilliant troll or yet another example of right-wingers not paying attention to a song’s words.
The New York Time’s Jamelle’s Bouie summed it up perfectly here:
the story today is of a profoundly low energy military parade being met with millions of americans in nationwide protests denouncing the dictatorial pretensions of the president
If you’re a MAGA cultist, how do you avoid dying from embarrassment, despite your strict hatred of reality? Cultural grievance is what you are all about, how the Real Americans are on your side, and, man, the Real Americans just kicked your sorry ass. At least several million people in the street to protest your guy while he salutes the most embarrassing parade in human history. I guess spin harder into the World of Denial, but man, at some point, you just have to admit your guy isn’t popular. No matter how much the mainstream media outlets try to ignore Saturday, it’s clear what happened.
As they love to say to us, deal with it.
The last word goes to the wonderful and prolific Australian band, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, who have a new album out, their 27th since their first one came out in September 2012. Not a bad work ethic!