Dearborn No Kings rally held to protest against Trump administration

 

By SUE SUCHYTA

Times-Herald Newspapers

DEARBORN – Protestors gathered in front of Henry Ford Centennial Library along Michigan Avenue Oct. 18 to protest the Trump administration’s actions as part of No Kings protests nationwide.

No Kings rallies were also held in Wyandotte, Taylor and Detroit.

Silly Halloween costumes were worn by some attendees to emphasis the peaceful nature of the protest.

Signs were clever and biting, indicating the frustration and anger of those in attendance.

One man held up a sign that read, “No Kings – I should be watching football right now.”

Many were short and to the point, calling for “No Kings, No Nazis,” “Remove the Regime,” “Trump Lies, We Rise,” “Love America, Fight Tyranny,” and the double-meaning, color-coded “Democracy needs your courage.”

Other signs were longer. One said “Only caring about your own rights is exactly how you lose them,” while another said “If you are neutral in situations of injustice you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”

One sign was directed at the president: “Trump: Stop wasting taxpayer money on your petty and vicious revenge tour.”

Another sign, perhaps written by a fan of musical theater, said “Freedom of speech, having no kings, two of America’s favorite things.”

Speakers included U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-12th District), state Reps. Alabas Farhat (D-3rd District) and Erin Byrnes (D-15th District), Dearborn City Councilmember Leslie Herrick, and Dearborn Democratic Club president Sami Khaldi.

Laura Dudgeon, vice president of the Dearborn Democratic Club, said she was impressed by the turnout, and said people attended the rally “celebrating in joy together against the tyranny and the fascism.”

She said she thinks there is a lot of support for their cause throughout the community, the country and the world.

“Protests have always made a difference, and our country was founded on the Boston Tea Party, which was a protest,” Dudgeon said. “Women got the right to vote because of protests, the Civil Rights (movement) got strong because of protests, and we ended (U.S. involvement in) the war in Vietnam because of protests.”

She said that as long as people unite for a common cause they can beat anything.

Khaldi said America is a country that has always supported democracy and human rights, as well as giving people a chance to experience the American Dream.

“It’s so important for us to continue with this democracy, with these vigils and these values that we hold, where everybody looks up to America,” he said. “We don’t want to change that.”

Khaldi said he was pleased that so many people came to the No Kings rally to express their vision for the country.

“It’s a democratic country, and power lies in the hands of the people,” he said. “We don’t want to change that, and there is a lot that can go wrong when the power is in the hands of a few.”

Khaldi said Dearborn is a city of immigrants from all over the world, and the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and assembly, allows citizens to assemble and protest when we believe something is wrong.

Dearborn City Councilmember Leslie Herrick said she loves seeing people come together for something that they believe in for peaceful demonstration.

“They are fighting not just for themselves, but for all the people,” she said. “It’s positive, uplifting, and a spirit of the power of the people coming together, and that’s what real democracy is.”

Earlier in the rally, Herrick spoke to the crowd, saying the gathering was about more than “No Kings” but about saying yes to fairness, equality and a world where no one is born to rule over others.

“We’re here because we believe in something better – a world where leadership is earned, not inherited; where respect is mutual, not demanded; where power is shared, not hoarded,” she said. “The U.S. Constitution was written to include a system of checks and balances to ensure that power in the United States belongs to the people – all of the people.”

Herrick said the people at the rally want to protect and defend civil rights, free speech, access to quality health care, the environment and voting rights.

She said they want to protect marginalized groups, including immigrant families, the LGBTQ+ community and people of color.

Herrick also called for continued funding for Social Security, Medicaid, public broadcasting for unbiased information, public education, and the protection of national parks and public lands.

“We are fighting for the future of our children and grandchildren, and for a country where leadership means service,” she said.

“I’m here because I want it to be remembered that I fought as hard as I could to ensure a government that works for all of the people of my community,” Herrick said. “Let’s carry today’s energy forward, because history doesn’t change by itself – people change it, we change it.

“No kings, no queens, no crowns – just people – free, equal and united.”