Of course there were all the “No Kings” signs, the “Sick of Trump” shirt, the American flags and “We love America” valentines, the appeals to the Constitution, the reminders about Epstein and felonies and innumerable crowns with a slash across them.
But what there was more than anything at today’s trio of “No Kings” demonstrations in Palm Coast and Flagler Beach, where many hundreds gathered and protested as millions did across the country, was cheer and charm as much as challenge and conviction, making you wonder where all that energy was as Trump’s opponents floundered in gloomy defeat a mere 11 months ago. It made you wonder where all that energy is even now, especially now, as his political opposition continues to grope for relevance.
The political opposition hasn’t found its voice. The street has.
There was an older woman offering “free balls for Congress,” a man brandishing a skeleton with a hot-pink tie and that recognizable bleach-blond whoop of hair, a man in a Taco costume, another inside a blow-up Trump doll in diapers. There was a trio of dinosaurs (“We aren’t scared of tiny hands”) and someone in a chickenhawk suit. There was the Native American hoisting the American Indian Movement flag that flew during the occupation of Wounded Knee. There were innumerable veterans wondering what on earth they’d served for, if it was to end up with a banana-republic authoritarian.
And there was the double-sided sign held up by a grandmother wearing shades and a big smile, the rainbow-lettered sign saying on one side, “Love my Hispanic Heritage Love my LGBTQIA fam Love my right to my body,” and on the other, “Get ur nasty old white hands out of my Latina pussy” (a reference to the president boasting, before his 2016 election, of predatorily garbbing women “by the pussy”) along with a few additional choice logos. Like mother, like daughter: “Soldiers didn’t die for this shit,” the daughter’s sign read, its flip side steaming with echoing puns.
What there wasn’t was a sense that any of it would translate to the sort of political opposition that could slow, let alone stop, the Trump juggernaut. With a single visible exception, there were no counterprotests in Flagler Beach and Palm Coast. There didn’t need to be. Not in a county where almost two of every three voter cast a ballot for Trump, a ratio that appeared unaffected after the first large-scale “No Kings” protests four month ago, and will likely be unaffected by today’s equally thronged version.
So demonstrators were left to their voices as their last–as their only–resort.
“We have a president that doesn’t care about everyone. He only cares about his people,” a local resident who declined to give her name said. (Many more people declined to be identified today, compared to four months ago.) She and her husband had moved from Monticello, Va., home of Thomas Jefferson. “I’m a Jewish person. I worry about that. I worry about immigrants, I worry about health care, I worry about the life my grandchildren are going to have. I can go on and on.”
Karen Martin was holding up a sign decrying the drain of students and dollars from public schools to taxpayer-supported private education through vouchers. A local resident, she has no children or grandchildren in the district. “The people that are taking this money, in my opinion, that are not using it for their private tuition, are putting it in their pockets and homeschooling, and they’re not homeschooling their kids,” Martin said. “There’s no direction for homeschool in our county. There’s no protocol, there’s no check-ins, there’s nothing.”
Martin was not exaggerating. While the local district requires homeschooling parents to submit a “portfolio” of work homeschool students accomplish, there are no standards, no required curricula, no required testing, and the submissions are annual. Home-schooled students are entitled to the same $8,000 per student (more if the student is in special education) as are students attending private schools. “You’re walking away with eight grand per student, and these people are pocketing the money. They can go to Disney for free. That’s BS. That’s just garbage. That’s garbage.”
What does all this have to do with Trump? “The dismantling of the Department of Education trickles down to us until we’re all affected,” Martin said. “And we are all affected by every single thing that this king, or non-king, this administration, is doing to us. We’re all affected by it.”
Peter Birtolo, an independent, wasn’t holding a sign. He was just participating, almost out of desperation. “I’m a little tired of what I see going on. Somebody’s got to say something, because I don’t know what else to do. That’s why I’m here. I can support people. I can find friends. I can find friends,” he said, standing at the southeast corner of State Road 100 and A1A. Traffic was heavy. Horn-blasting was frequent, the drive-by insults less so, but arresting. “I marvel at the intensity of the negative energy that drives by. There’s a lot of it. And it’s frightening to me. We’re supposed to hug and kiss, you know? We’re supposed to get along. And we always used to get along. We did, back in the day.”
Did we though?
“Yeah we did,” Birtolo said. “We got along. It was underneath. There was always that current underneath. It was bubbling underneath. There’s a big difference.”
Randi Anderson, 55, was protesting with her two children, Brendan, 21, and Jordan, 18, and a blue and red sign that read “MILITARY VETERAN Served for FREEDOM not FASCISM.” She’d served in the Navy in the 1990s. The tipping point for her was Jan. 6, though when she was in college, she worked at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. That was when it was losing money, violating anti-money-laundering regulations and disintegrating into bankruptcy before it became a Hard Rock Cafe.
“He was an asshole then. We knew who he was. I’m from South Jersey,” Anderson said. “He screwed everybody out of a shit-ton of money, hired a bunch of contractors come in, do all this work for him, and then never paid them. He was supposed to bring Atlantic City back, and it just turned into a bigger red-light district. I was never a fan to start off with. But even getting past that, getting past the person, and then just looking at it straight politically: January 6. At that point in time, I called my son and I said, right now, I wish I was at that Capitol helping those police. I wish I was at that capitol. I was so mad to see people just shit all over our Capitol way that they did. It was an insurrection. He shouldn’t be in office. He’s a felon.”
Her son Brendan aligns with traditional Republicans, she said, but not Trumpism. He held up a no-kings sign.
“ We’re very excited that we have a larger turnout than last time, and we’re also seeing a lot of independents and unaffiliated and even Republicans voicing their disgust at what America has become,” the Flagler Beach Democratic Club’s Sayre Berman said.
Every protest has its counterprotesters, or at least one counterprotester. Four months ago it was a lone man at the southwest corner of Belle Terre Parkway and State Road 100, holding a sign supportive of ICE, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency whose masked agents are routinely conducting raids across the country, sweeping up documented and undocumented migrants. The ma included a phone number for those inclined to join the paramilitary’s ranks.
Today it was a young person–man, woman or in between, it was difficult to tell–in a maga hat, holding up an unusual flag: Trump on one side, trans colors on the other. “Trans rights are gun rights,” the person would yell out periodically, followed by “Fuck Democrats. Fuck Democrats,” a few steps away from a more humorous woman with a “Free balls for Congress” sign globular with ball-sized balloons.
“I’m just having a debate with them, that’s all,” the person said, moments after having a few words with protesters walking by. “Some of them were telling me not to interact with them, but some of them were pretty chill.” The young person explained the flag’s unusual conjugality: “There’s a lot of LGBTQ Trump support. Trump isn’t anti LGBT. He’s just anti-transitioning kids, which I agree. We can’t–you shouldn’t let kids transition without, you know, parents, right? And they’re just too young.” The person spoke supportively of Trump, citing “the border,” the economy, lower taxes, but though the person is 23, they had not voted for Trump–or for anyone–in 2024. The person declined to give a name.
Steve Lunsford, a Marine who served three tours of duty in Vietnam and earned three Purple Hearts, is one of the last remaining members of the local Military Order of the Purple Heart. He was protesting today, from a rise above State Road 100 where Flagler 50501 had set up a booth with trinkets and giveaways, and where Eric Yonce, a Democrat running for Congress against Republican incumbent Randy Fine, was gladhanding anyone who’d listen.
“Anybody that is not aware ain’t paying attention,” Lunsford said. “Anybody that would look down to their generals and their admirals, guys who have shed their blood for this country–” Lunsford stopped himself, saying he was “going to get dirty.” He was referring to the president’s summoning of the nation’s military brass to Washington on Sept. 30 for a televised lecture. “This is a guy that has never picked up a rifle or a sickle or a pitchfork and served for his country. Never.” He was protesting with his wife. His daughter had gone to a protest in England earlier in the day.
Down the rise, in the thick of the protest along 100, was long-time Palm Coast resident Tom Hanson, who’d seen his share of drivers flipping the finger at protesters (every time one did, one of the protesters blew a horn). “The administration just hasn’t affected them yet. Whether it affects them directly or a family member, it hasn’t struck them yet,” Hanson said. “I’m curious about, if it does, would they still hold that finger out.”
Hanson, who has a Bill Moyers air about him, was asked the question the protest’s energy begged: why then is the opposition still losing, why is it at such a loss to find its way?
“Well, Trump has done such a good job of chaos and disruption of the message. That tends to unify people,” he said. “His divide and conquer methods work, and it’s a matter of time before the Democrats find a message and a voice to rally behind that will be strong enough to counter what’s going on on the other side. Right now we’re all over the place. And when you blow something up, rhetorically, figuratively, and you have a lot of pieces, it takes time and effort and ingenuity, creativity, to put those pieces back together, and that’s kind of the stage where we’re at now. We’re scrambling because Republicans have been so effective at creating chaos and disruption–in our homes, in our workplace, in our bodies. In other words, so many levels of disruption that it’s very difficult to counter.”
BillR says
Well. These folks have freedom of speech— it can be intellectual or pure stupidity. That will play out well in NYC where a communist looks like the next mayor. The smart ones will be moving fast!
Karen says
😆😆😆
Thomas Hutson says
I personally found the protest a true beginning of what’s to come in 2026 ! It’s very hard to play the game when your opponent has all elements to down play what you do! Americans and residents of Flagler County and across this COUNTRY proved that today! Today’s protest is a wake up call to all those REDS to AFRAID to standup to this TACO WANNABE KING! They know what the REDS KNOW 2026 is coming at a dead run at this WANNABE KING AND HIS DIEHARD MINIONS. Things will change for AMERICA and the AMERICAN PEOPLE! If the votes go for our Democracy as expected, 66666000 60 votes and this wannabe KING IS GONE! No need to wait for 2028!
Like a river, it starts out with a trickle that grows into a raging river. This No Kings Protest is that trickle!
Brian says
HAHAHAHAHA when all of you people are finished with your day of making fools of yourselves, Trump is STILL your president!
Skibum says
Land of no turn signals says says
Millions across the country?Yea right probably 10,000 if your lucky what a joke.The woke still lives,who would of thought.
Just Saying says
Good article and I pretty much agree with your assessment of the day. I do question your assertion that we didn’t need counterprotestors in a country where two out of every three voters voted for Trump. There were 75,017,613 votes for Harris and 77,302,580 votes for Trump. That just doesn’t add up for me. I think there’s another reason for the lack of counterprotestors. I’m not sure what it is, but it’s not this imaginary mandate Trump thinks he has.
Sherry says
Well, hubby and I gleefully wave our signs in protest here in California today. There were many hundreds lining the main street of our small town. . . . with the vast majority of drivers honking loud and long in support! One of my favorite signs said “Thanks trump For All My New Friends”, another clever one said “Get Rid of Truth Decay”!
An entirely uplifting experience!
Jason says
“…While the local district requires homeschooling parents to submit a “portfolio” of work homeschool students accomplish…”
“…Martin was not exaggerating. While the local district requires homeschooling parents to submit a “portfolio” of work homeschool students accomplish, there are no standards, no required curricula, no required testing, and the submissions are annual…”
No, the district doesn’t require parents to submit anything. Florida State Law requires the district superintendent to accept it.
No, there is required testing. just read the state law the clearly defines what the requirements are…
Its bad enough that the protestors don’t understand the law, but its pretty much dereliction of duty for the author not to have looked up the law before claiming the same false statements to be factual and then spreading misinformation to the readers.
https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2021/1002.41
Here is the relevant portion from Florida Statute 1002.41:
(f) The parent shall provide for an annual educational evaluation in which is documented the student’s demonstration of educational progress at a level commensurate with her or his ability. The parent shall select the method of evaluation and shall file a copy of the evaluation annually with the district school superintendent’s office in the county in which the student resides. The annual educational evaluation shall consist of one of the following:
1. A teacher selected by the parent shall evaluate the student’s educational progress upon review of the portfolio and discussion with the student. Such teacher shall hold a valid regular Florida certificate to teach academic subjects at the elementary or secondary level;
2. The student shall take any nationally normed student achievement test administered by a certified teacher;
3. The student shall take a state student assessment test used by the school district and administered by a certified teacher, at a location and under testing conditions approved by the school district;
4. The student shall be evaluated by an individual holding a valid, active license pursuant to the provisions of s. 490.003(7) or (8); or
5. The student shall be evaluated with any other valid measurement tool as mutually agreed upon by the district school superintendent of the district in which the student resides and the student’s parent.
FlaglerLive says
@Jason The commenter is misleading, likely from failing to comprehend a key part of the law he nevertheless quoted. It is reproduced here for his benefit: “The annual educational evaluation shall consist of one of the following…” Most parents choose the “portfolio” approach, a cursory, largely meaningless overview with no serious accountability. Ms Martin, and the article’s analysis, are accurate.
Really annoyed says
Trump is pure democracy! These unintelligent liberals should be thankful for what we have than what we could of had! But on the best of things we still have Trump as our President not a king!
Jason says
“You’re walking away with eight grand per student, and these people are pocketing the money. They can go to Disney for free. That’s BS. That’s just garbage. That’s garbage.”
Well, Karen… That is the same feeling a lot of people have about Welfare benefits. People just abusing the system for personal gain. Be careful though, calling for fiscal responsibility is a conservative principle. I’d hate for someone to call you a Fascist or Nazi for wanting Tax payer money to be spent responsibly. But, we will accept you into our movement regardless of your past indiscretions.
NJ says
The Time for a “NO KINGS” Protest was when America had King Biden and Queen Harris! Wake Up FOOLS and watch a Trump Press and Cabinet Meetings, then compare them with Biden/Harris Complete Lack of Leadership (or was it really Obama in the cellar as Obama once said he wanted to do during a TV interview)! If you want FREE Health Care then STOP all Foreign Aid including to Israel! Wake UP, America is in a Deadly Cold War with the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) which is China. One of the supporters of the “NO KINGS” protest was the CPUSA (Communist Party United States America) which proves that America has FREEDOM of SPEECH ( which King Biden tried to Destroy during the China Virus Attack).
PaulT says
The No Kings protest rally I attended this morning on SR 100 near the Town Center was a good humored, cheerful and peaceful low key assembly in the true spirit of the 1st Amendment. There were gatherings like this all over this congressional district, all over this State of Florida. all over this our country.
It was disturbing to hear rumors of our congressional representative’s condemnation of our assembly but more concerning to actually hear them. Rep Randy Fine was on Fox News this morning characterizing those assembling as violent, radical left, aligned with Islamic terrorists and thus anti semitic. He expressed enthusiasm for the Florida Law which makes it legal to ‘run down’ protestors on Florida streets who get in the way of a vehicle and called all the protesters ‘morons’,
This is a complete michacterization of the Flagler County protests sp either Randy Fine does not know anything about or care about his constituents: or does not support the First Amendment right ‘for the People to Peaceably Assemble,’ even though he swore (or affirmed) “I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States.” and “that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter.”
Either way Rep Fine has failed to fulfil his oath.
Jeffrey says
A very uplifting day with citizens all over the country exercising their constitutional right to protest and demand a re-dress of grievances by the government. So many today have short memories and have forgotten those high ideals which many fought to defend and even die for. It’s a sad commentary to realize the current administration does not understand that diversity, equity and inclusion has always been the strength and soul of this great nation. We collectively suffer from a lack of empathy, consideration and respect for our fellow men and women. Too many wave around “religious props” claiming that their god loves them more than the rest of us. If only we could keep the Beatitudes first and foremost in our minds, we would have that “shining city on a hill” which is America. It was a great disappointment during the protests, to see the elderly grandmothers, (older and wiser), waving American flags, getting the middle finger from some drivers. Such is what we once knew as America.
John Stove says
Our Imbecile in Chief “Trumpo” sees the handwriting on the wall and knows what is coming as does Mike Johnson and this is why he wont swear in a duly elected Democrat. The Epstein files alone will sink them all for the coverup.
Trump and his cult followers will in effect be neutralized in 2026 when they lose their majority in the House and Senate and he will become a lame duck president who cant do anything (except sign executive orders which will be overturned in court).
We the People will return this country to what is truly was and not this constant con game run by morons formerly of Fox News.
We all cant wait to say “Bye Felicia”…….
Atwp says
Why protest? I don’t think protests hurt Trump. It is more free advertisement for him, in my opinion it was a great waste of time. Remember the women’s march and protest years ago did it prove anything? Had more people cast their vote for Kamala just perhaps there would be no protests. Just perhaps there would be no government shutdown. Just perhaps many federal workers will still be employed. Just perhaps the the farmers would not be crying for federal help. Just perhaps. more people would have health insurance. Just perhaps Sorjo would still be in prison. Just perhaps the capitol rioters would still be in prison. Did Donald steal the election, probably. If he didn’t steal the election, America is paying for voting for a lying crook. In my opinion protests don’t help people.
DaleL says
Just my opinion, but these protests are the result of frustration and a feeling that something must be done. Speaking just for myself, I am appalled that after January 6, 2021, so many people thought Mr. Trump would just slink away. Mr. Biden’s attorney general did not appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the main instigator of the January 6th attack on our democracy until 18 months later.
Joe Biden originally all but promised he was to be a one term president because of his age. Instead, when he ran for reelection, almost all of the Democratic leadership just rolled over as though it was all normal and fine. Biden participated in no debates during what should have been the primary period. The Democratic Party of Florida didn’t even hold a presidential primary. The comedian, Jon Stewart, early in 2024, pointed out what should have been obvious to any astute observer. Mr. Biden was no longer fit to be the president. Still the reelection campaign continued until the debate with Mr. Trump train wreck.
The Republican Party was as bad if not worse. Mr. Trump, although convicted of crimes and being prosecuted for others, refused to participate in any Republican primary debates. There was this sad debate charade and even though Trump didn’t participate, the party allowed him to be on the ballot.
Now we have a president who literally has gilded the White House like he was King Midas. Masked Ice agents, in unmarked vehicles, grab people off the street. Occasionally even US citizens. The president, who could not be bothered to call in the national guard on January 6th, now sends it into American cities with little or no pretext.
Meanwhile the ineffectual Democrats keep sending text and email spam fundraising spam.
The No Kings rallies represent a place for us to openly vent our frustration at our political leaders.
Tired of it says
Well, obviously some of the commenters didn’t see the massive turn out in most major cities. They were probably too busy celebrating trump’s pardon of convicted fraudster Santos.
Edith Campins says
“Millions of people turned out nationwide on Oct. 18 to protest actions by the Trump administration and celebrate their Constitutional rights to freedom of speech and assembly.
The crowds at an estimated 2,700 rallies across the country included older Americans who protested Vietnam or never protested anything before, veterans who said they didn’t fight for a country led by a dictator, and young people who are frustrated by the lack of opportunities available to them. Many said they were upset by the Trump administration’s treatment of immigrants and other vulnerable populations.”
WAY BIGGER THAN tRUMP RALLIES, EVER.
Samuel L. Bronkowitz says
Every single person I saw out flying a trump flag was a loser and I gotta say if you’re going to add in flying a 3%er flag because you’re a racist piece of dogshit then you’d better be the shining example of the superiority of the “white race” and not some no-chinned moron that clearly has a family vine instead of a family tree.
CJ says
Trump has changed the normal discourse among people. We now have to surreptitiously ferret out where people stand politically. Interestingly – and I’ve lived here almost 20 years – the people who became my friends before Trump was ever a “thing” feel the same about him as a I do. That has been a revelation…but not really surprising, when you think about it.
Deborah Coffey says
The protest here in Palm Coast was awesome! Anecdotally, we were joined by 3 of my Republican friends and even some MAGAs. Good to know that some folks have had enough of the Criminal-in-Chief , recognizing that he wants to own the entire country along with his oligarchs.
There are so many ways to rid a country of a dictator. Here they are and PROTESTS do work.
https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+the+main+way+dictators+have+been+defeated&rlz=1CAGXWE_enUS1181&oq=what+is+the+main+way+dictators+have+been+defeated&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRigAdIBCTE3NzYxajBqN6gCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Bob says
This “No Kings” shit is gay and embarassing. What idiot coined this?
Sherry says
I must say that I am so impressed by the creativity and crowd size in the Palm Coast, Flagler Beach area. The coverage and photographs in this article are wonderful! My very favorite poster is the one that says “Make 1984 Fiction Again”. . . my sentiments exactly! Well Done! Flagler County you have come a very long way in a very red area . . . keep it going!!!
PDE says
I attended the Route 100 / Bell Tierre protest and it (and the other protests across the nation) were nothing like what’s being portrayed by the Republicans and the right wing media.
It was a joyful yet serious gathering of folks from all walks of life and ages, and I felt proud to be a part of it.
There were at least 1,000 people there, and many of the cars passing by on Rt. 100 were honking their horns in support.
These people don’t ‘hate America’ – they love America!………..and THAT’S why they were protesting (I even saw people with signs that stated the same thing).
There’s one thing that dictators can’t stand, and that’s being ridiculed and mocked by the very people they want to rule. They want people to feel like there’s no hope or future for this resistance, but yesterday put that lie in it’s grave where it belongs.
Early reports are that over 7,000,000 people attend nationwide yesterday, which is FOURTEEN TIMES the amount of people that attended BOTH of trump’s inaugaration ceremonies combined.
Ed Danko, former Vice-Mayor PC says
Poor Democrats. Half a sandwich short of a lunch.
BillC says
Who says the Democrats don’t have a message? The message is “dethrone the parasitic Trump administration”. They suck the wealth from the poor and middle class to nourish the top 1%.
Laurel says
Trump supporters:
I’m trying to understand where you are coming from, as it makes no sense to me. So, bare with me while I make a few observations, then ask you a few questions at the end. That’s fair, I believe.
Observations:
Many of you are from NY or NJ, so you are long familiar with the knowledge that Trump was infamous for not paying workers, and you seem to be okay with that.
Many of you are from NY or NJ, so you are familiar with the full page newspaper ads Trump took out calling for the executions of the Central Park Five, though they were eventually found innocent, and he made no apology after they were released.
Many of you are acutely aware that Trump lied about real estate taxes to favor himself.
You know that he has fired thousands of American workers, and will continue to do so.
You know he has ordered the deaths of people by blowing up boats without any legal due process, and ignoring Maritime Law.
You know he has ordered masked people in uniform, and no uniforms, to whisk people off U.S. streets without legal due process.
You know he is selling trinkets, to enrich himself, while in the office of the President.
You know he is trying to ruin the lives of people who spoke out against him.
You know he is pitting red states and blues states against each other.
You know he has pushed our allies away from us.
You know he has pardoned over a thousand convicted people, simply because they are loyalists.
You know he is suppressing the Epstein files even though he ran for office promising to expose them.
You know he has given huge tax cuts to the rich, while cutting aid to the poor.
You know he has called half our country’s citizens “vermin.”
(Forgive my formatting, as things change here.)
These are just a few of the things he has done, that you are familiar with, and you still support him. So, please help me to understand why. I keep hearing how much he has done in such a short period of time, and “promises made; promises kept.” He must be having a dramatic influence on your lives, personally, in order for you to accept such actions.
To follow up, my questions to you are:
What exactly has Trump done for you, personally, to improve your life? Please don’t talk about immigrants, as this county could not get much whiter, unless, you received a job that a former immigrant held, and please keep the information accurate. Instead, I’m asking, precisely, personally, how your life has improved, directly, from Trump being President? Examples being: Has your rent, or mortgage, become more affordable, or has your homeowner’s insurance gone down? Has your healthcare insurance improved? Have your utilities and/or taxes significantly improved? Have your food costs gone down? Has your job situation improved? Has your retirement improved? Has you income gone up? Has he stopped drug addiction in your family?
To sum it up, please tell me exactly how your personal situation has significantly improved under Trump, with the issues that are most important to most Americans, in our daily lives.
Keep it personal; keep it direct. I would appreciate it.
Thank you!
Ray W. says
Meanwhile, WMBF reports that bond for a 59-year-old employed Surfside Beach resident was set at $100,000 on two counts of “pointing and presenting a firearm”, arising from her decision to point a gun at a Myrtle Beach “No Kings” protest as she drove by the crowd while wearing a Trump T-shirt.
At first appearances, Ms. Moriarty told the judge:
“I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on a very ignorant move. … It was an impulsive, very ignorant thing to do; something I totally regret, given the 18 hours I’ve had to reflect on it.” She also told the judge that her gun was unloaded.
Make of this what you will.
Me?
Reflection? She needed time to reflect? Why didn’t that happen before she displayed the gun? Just how long does it take to reflect that pointing a gun at people is the wrong thing to do?
We are giving ourselves permission to harm or threaten people, to lie to people, to launder lies to people. Virtue is being redefined.
Some among us, including Flagler County’s own formerly elected Republican leader, ask anyone who is listening just when will it be time for people to begin beheading Democrats or just how many minutes should pass after inauguration before people’s throats should be slashed, if only the Republican candidate for president were elected president, or whether some people need killing, or even just when will people start following Florida’s 2021 statute that offers limited civil protections, but not criminal immunity, to motorists who drive over protesters. As I recall, one of our Florida legislators described it as the “Thump, Thump” law.
There is a sickness upon the land.
Ray W. says
According to a story published by Raleigh’s News & Observer, North Carolina’s Supreme Court recently conducted oral argument on issues arising from the North Carolina legislature’s most recent attempt to gerrymander its federal house districts map.
Even though North Carolina’s most recent statewide elections went Democrat by several points, the federal congressional map adopted in 2021 has Republican control of 10 of its 14 federal house seats.
A recent redistricting plan would give Republicans potential control of 11 of 14 seats, mainly by “packing large numbers of Democrats into a small number of seats.”
At a recent trial, a bi-partisan panel of judges ruled that the gerrymandering doesn’t violate North Carolina’s constitution, even though the proposed maps are “pro-Republican gerrymanders.”
During the recent oral argument, the issue of the constitutionality of gerrymandering came up.
Republican Chief Justice Paul Newby told the lawyers challenging the maps that while North Carolina has a provision in its state constitution that requires “free” elections, North Carolina, unlike many other state constitutions, does not have a provision in its constitution calling for “fair” elections.
Make of this what you will.
Me?
I haven’t reread Florida’s constitution (Article VI, Suffrage and Elections), nor have I researched every clause of Florida’s elections statutes, so I cannot comment on whether Florida has any clause in its constitution or any clause in its elections statutes that require that elections be “fair.”
Ray W. says
A Miami Herald editorial by editorial board member Mary Anna Mancuso, focused on “rising hate” within the ranks of young republicans.
Ms. Mancuso, 10 years ago the president of the Palm Beach County Young Republicans, wrote of her experiences and observations of that movement:
“In my year in the role, I saw its platform begin to stray from the conservative principles of William F. Buckley and Ronald Reagan, but I thought one thing was nonnegotiable: Antisemitism and racism didn’t belong in the GOP.
“But that was before the bombshell Politico story this week revealing vile racist, antisemitic and homophobic comments — roughly 2900 pages of texts shared on Telegram between Young Republican leaders in New York, Kansas, Arizona and Vermont. Included were comments such as, “Great. Love Hitler,” and “everyone that votes not is going to the gas chamber.”
J.D. Vance argues this “is what kids do.” Ms. Mancuso asserts his is not the point. The point is the text messages are proof of “a culture within a portion of young Republican chapters where hate speech and cruelty have become normalized.”
She goes on to write that a White House spokesperson denied that President Trump’s rhetoric had anything to do with the language used by young Republicans, the question is whether Trump’s clearly inflammatory language and actions has created a “permission structure” in which it is OK to “excuse the chat as just words.”
She goes on to describe just how “unsettled” she has become by how freely these young Republicans express antisemitic and racist and violent themes, adding:
“When young conservatives effortlessly bounce from party gossip to cruel fantasies and glorifying fascism, it signals the erosion of the very conservative values they claim to defend. Respect for others isn’t political correctness; it’s a reflection of character. … Times change; I get it. But free speech is a sacred right that requires responsibility – not just in our actions but in our words.”
She closes:
“This moment is a wake-up call to all Republicans. We must remember who we are and who we are not: The GOP is not the party of hate or bigotry.”
Make of this what you will.
Sherry says
@ Laurel……Thank you for asking vital questions regarding trump’s administration and why people are still so loyal to him. I’ll look forward to the responses.
Ray W. says
This morning, New York Times’ columnist David French, according to an Alternet reporter, “argued that a recent scandal involving young Republicans is symptomatic of a deeper deterioration in American politics.”
Columnist French “recounted” the “shockingly vile language” exchanged between young Republican staffers and activists, such as referring to Black people as “monkeys” and “watermelon people”, or of their putting into words their fantasies of putting “political opponents in gas chambers or driving them to suicide”, as the Alternet reporter phrased the editorial column.
French then focused on a recent set of text messages from Jay Jones, a Virginia politician running for statewide office, messages in which Mr. Jones wished for the death of a Republican colleague.
Columnist French wrote:
“There’s a larger story here. When you combine all the elements — yet another Republican racism scandal, death wishes from a Democratic politician, Vance’s decision to excuse the inexcusable — you can see the ways in which 10 years of Trumpism has twisted the American soul.”
Columnist French then argued that where the highest profile politician of an era “embodies moral bankruptcy”, then is it likely that his party will become, in the Alternet reporter’s words, “structurally predisposed to reward those same vices. That dynamic, [French] wrote, pushes decent people out and pulls in those who mirror the dominant ethos. He warns that as radicals become mainstream and the previous mainstream drifts to the fringe, the stakes of politics escalate until victory becomes the only aim — accepting almost any lesser evil to avoid defeat.”
According to Columnist French:
“The result is a push-pull dynamic that pushes people of good character out of the party and pulls in new leaders and new people who share the leader’s ethos. Every year, this cultural trend reinforces itself. Decency becomes rarer, and decent people feel more isolated.”
Make of this what you will.
Me?
Since the earliest days of my commenting on the FlaglerLive site, I have consistently argued that the American ethos is trending towards more and more political violence and more and more moral decay. Fantasies of murder by political leaders has become more and more routine. Political leaders trend more and more towards lying for political gain as a modus operandi. Adherents more and more take the lying at face value and think it virtuous to launder the lies.
Charlie Kirk is dead. President Trump has suffered two attempts at assassination. Minnesota state representative Melissa Horman and her husband are dead from an assassin’s bullets. Fire nearly destroyed Pennsylvania’s governor’s mansion. A health care executive slain from behind. Representative Pelosi’s husband bludgeoned in his home by an intruder wielding a hammer.
There is a sickness upon the land.
Kennan says
It amazes me to see so many afraid of DIVERSITY, but not DICTATORSHIP.
Talking points and propaganda. Red meat to spark up the fear that manipulates the” Tribalism” in our most sheltered and ignorant.
As Tom Holman mumbles through hate filled rants, making up fake statistics like:70% of un documented or illegal aliens are violent criminals. In reality the opposite is true. About 82 % have NOT committed crimes. America doesn’t care about that though. Holman has no evidence to back up any of his ridiculous and hateful claims. For Holman those are just claims, for immigrants there is masks, handcuffs, beatings, broken windows, doors,children without their parents, oh and let’s not forget the thousands of American citizens arrested, many veterans.
America the beautiful! WOW! We are such an awesome place! I can barely stand the awesomeness!!!
CANCEL CULTURE…. That’s YOU!!!😊
Law and order? No due process is a FACIST PHENOMENON and it doesn’t care about you baby. This is a club of FAT CATS that you ain’t in.
Strap in America! Welcome to Chaos. The chaos you love so much! Chaos you voted for.
Perfect candidates for propaganda. You never met a fact you didn’t like, Put it on a bumper, sticker, wrap it in Red White and Blue…. Service the account with RED MEAT and a “Liars Stew.” NOW THEY WILL COME AFTER YOU.
Tired of it says
Over 100,000 protestors in NYC and not one arrest. What delusional people are saying protest were smaller than trump rallies? NNYC, Boston, Texas, 2700 protest in all.
Dennis C Rathsam says
What a bunch of crybaby losers! TRUMP had a great week! Peace! Thats right folks, it illuded Obama, forget Biden. Yet you sic fools have nothing better to do on a Sat. The democrats will face many trials in the coming months, from Lying ,Cheating, made up storys of TRUMP & RUSSIA! The paperwork continues to evolve Bondi & Patel are following the trail the Jackasses left behind. How many traitors will the GOP find? How many are gonna flip? Peloisi yell & screamed at a young girl reporter for telling the truth. She,s falling apart, her party’s falling apart….. TRUMP promised America 1st!!!! FEELS REAL GOOD!
Edith Campins says
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/heres-many-people-were-arrested-181805465.html
This is for the deluded Republicans …..
Sherry says
NO brian, trump will never ever be “MY” president! He is nothing but the cowardly, corrupt, criminal leader of a hate filled Maga Cult!!
Laurel says
Hello? Please respond to my questions. Thank you.
Jay Tomm says
PLEASE!!!!! You all KNOW if this was any other traditional republican president there wouldn’t be any of these morons protesting! They out there cause Trump be bad…Trump hurts feelings, Trump is against the norm……
These SAME people do nothing when inaction is the norm. Perfectly happy to sit on their bottoms & let the government take every advantage of them. Democrat and Republican!!!
Learn your American history, get out of the basements, get off social media & the news media & actually THINK FOR YOURSELVES.
If you truly believe Trump want to be a “king” or is out to get you cause your a democrat or you get government assistance, or he’s racist & hates other people……That’s a YOU problem. That defies normal basic America logic & common sense.
Ann Williams says
This was literally the Biggest Protest Against an American President in History.
This says it all:
Police report 22 arrests of MAGA Cult Members attacking peaceful protesters in 11 states.
While police report ‘0’ arrests of over 7 million No Kings Patriots across all 50 states.
Our love for America exposes their hate!
joe says
“Trump is STILL your president!”
And him posting the video of him shitting on America is probably the truest thing he’s “said” in years…but apparently not enough for the cult worship to stop. He despises you people, Brian – and yet you and millions of others are too stupid to see it.
Jason says
@ Laurel
“…What exactly has Trump done for you, personally, to improve your life?…”
I’m pretty confident that any anecdotal response(s) you receive will be used by you to claim that those benefits were somehow because of another (Democrat) Presidents actions. So what’s the point of even responding to you–especially when you have to read through a personal manifesto to even get to your obviously loaded questions?
If you legitimately want a constructive dialog with people that you disagree with politically, then might I suggest you actually do just that. Don’t paint half your countrymen as Nazi’s, Fascists, MAGA Cult Members, White Supremacists, etc… and then complain when nobody you openly accuse of evil doesn’t want to engage with you. Or, just continue to demonize everyone that doesn’t have your outlook, and use that lack of dialog from the other side as a continued justification for your entrenchment.
As long as the Federal Government is doing its job as defined in Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution then I’ll be happy. Everyone else can keep digging into Uncle Sam’s pockets until there’s nothing left.
“Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country,” — John F. Kennedy
Ed P says
Just an observation.
The role of the President of the United States has significantly evolved over the past 100 years. The internet, social media, globalization, expansion of federal power, and the chronic framing of everything as a constitutional crisis are some of the impetus for this evolution. The division between neighbors/ families has been occurring for several administrations. Division did not start with Trump. Policies are the culprit.
Every new manufactured crisis simply prompts Trump to consolidate more power, forcing his creative unconventional response. He’s a left handed, counter puncher with a non political unorthodox stance. He doesn’t think like a career politician, he’s a unicorn who continues to suck all of the oxygen from every room.
To date, the democrats haven’t been able to formulate a defense and certainly little if any offense. It’s long past believing demonizing Trump will prove effective and he’s not running next election cycle.
I’m amazed that the Democratic leaders don’t understand it.
Nephew Of Uncle Sam says
I see Jason above has absolutely ZERO to respond to Laurel. I do love the Kennedy (D) quote though.
Tony Lorenzo says
The sociopath that currently occupies the presidency of the USA is doing the best he can to destroy all safeguards to our nations democracy. People who worked in his first administration became aware of just how damaged an individual he is. Now surrounded by sycophants and other grifters he is damaging our nation in a way none of our enemies has been able to . If we fail to remove those that facilitate his ever changing crazy whims in Congress he will continue to try to become an authoritarian king .First test in November elections in Virginia and New Jersey . In Flager County if Fine makes it thru the primary next year, he looses in the general election and goes back to lobbyist’s for gambling industry with new connections in Washington.
TR says
FL silencing some commenters, so much for free speech.
odd one out says
I’d love to see an interview with George Washington about his views on the two party system – especially highlighting how it is performing in today’s times. AI maybe? Personally, I do not fully align with ideals of either party and I think both have some good, yet also some really bad views that I just do not get. To me, anyone who staunch supports either side is kinda an odd ball – we just need to do what is best for the people of our country.
Ron says
The only Kings are in Congress without term limits.
By the way. Who elected Harris as your candidate for President? Now that is not Democracy!!
No common sense.
Laurel says
Jason: I am glad you responded. Thank you.
However, you claimed I wrote a lot of things that I did not write, so please, try again.
I will ask again. How has Trump improved your life, personally?
I have another question. Republicans always championed free enterprise. Trump is sticking his nose into several private businesses. He now wants to consolidate banks. What happened to free enterprise?
I would like to hear from many more Trump supporters. I am sure they are capable. Just two questions this time.
Skibum says
Jason, what a hypocritical end to your comment! You might as well have espoused an affinity for cannibalism followed by a quote from the pope.
If you want a more relevant quote to what is going on in our nation under drumph, I give you this one:
“We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.” – Abraham Lincoln
David Schaefer says
Brian and Danko you both suck move out of Flagler County….
A Republic if you can keep it. says
Danko , All, forget king, that is a democión . Jesus or Trump? ,you decide :
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you “ Okay we will give that to Jesus, unless you differ.
“Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consists in an abundance of possessions “ Again tough but Jesus.
“ I did try an f#@k her. She was married…And I moved on her very heavily. In fact I took her out furniture shopping . She wanted to get some furniture. I said “I’ll show you where they always have some nice furniture. …. I moved on her like a bitch. But I couldn’t get there . And she was married.
Then all of a sudden I see her , she’s now got the big phony tits and everything , She’s totally changed her look” Jesus or Trump.
Trump of course , he’s the King of Kings as you all know had that’s why you follow him blindly.
T says
Bob is gay? Maga is disgraceful
Jason says
@ Laurel
President Trump (47) hasn’t done anything to help me personally. Neither did President Biden (46), President Trump (45), President Obama (44), President Bush (43), etc… If you are voting for POTUS based on how much that administration claims to be willing to give you then you already fell for the con game from both parties.
Truth of the matter is both Democrats and Republicans are essentially the same. The policies that Trump advocates now (secure border, deportation, strong military) are the same exact policies that Democrats had just a decade ago. Chances are you voted for a Democrat president that supported and signed into law policies that you likely find abhorrent today (Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, Defense of Marriage Act, etc). Chances are you voted for a Democrat president that deported more illegals than any other president in history (Obama). Chances are you voted for a Democrat president that used more drones and killed more “combatants” than any other president (Obama) and effectively wrote the guide on it. Chances are you voted for a Democrat president that (likely) used the IRS to target Conservatives (remember Lois Lerner). Chances are you voted for a Democrat president that weaponized the DOJ and FBI against his political opponents (Biden) with the help of the lovely Clinton’s.. So you’ll have to excuse me that I and others are tired of the hypocrisy and projection and we just don’t care anymore about the fake tears and gaslighting.
Endless dark money says
Awesome millions came out to protest the orange terror ! Let’s lock up the republican traitors! General strike is next let’s shut it all down!
Only people arrested on Saturday was maga pulling guns on protesters in several states! Reich wing media is the mainstream media!
Skibum says
Jason, cut the crap, dude. There are so many horrible, corrupt and despicable things the convicted felon occupier of the WH is doing to hurt our nation… with explicit support of the GOP members of Congress. Trying to decimate our country’s already overpriced healthcare system to allow private, corporate owned insurance companies even higher profit margins and incentives to help them push more and more unwitting, uneducated people out of traditional Medicare and onto restrictive Medicare Advantage plans because of president Obama’s name attached to the ACA is right up there at the top of the list.
However, nobody should forget that the current maga republi-con party is all about protecting those sexual predators and the very rich, entitled perverts and donors associated with Jeffrey Epstein who are in the Epstein files that admittedly are on Pam Bondi’s desk under wraps and being hidden by Bondi at drumph’s orders. We don’t have to wonder why. She already had reviewed those extensive files and informed her boss that his name is littered throughout the files. Whether or not drumph himself is an actual sexual predator of little girls is a matter of debate, but ANYONE who voices so much concern over sexual predators and ignores the pleas of all of the young female victims of that documented sexual abuse should be called out and labeled for what they are. That includes Mike Johnson, who, as a minister, is doubly responsible as both a “man of faith” and second in line to the presidency for doing the right thing, which he is NOT doing!
All of you maga sheeple must be so proud to be supporting the sexual predator protection party, huh? Kudos to your moral and ethical breakdown, your yellow streak for cowardice by not demanding your political party’s leaders reveal the predators, and for not having the collective spines and courage to condemn drumph, his AG, the Speaker of the House, and all other republi-con elected officials for continuing to hide the files and potential names of the sexual predators within them!
If you still support and vote for these despicable examples of pervert protectors, just think how your own daughters would feel if they confronted you and demanded that you explain to them why you are a supporter of people who prey on little girls! I dare you to try and contort yourself into a pretzel in abject, conspiratorial nonsense trying to make reason out of culpability for those who STILL are trying to hide the Epstein files from Americans and refusing to give those girls who are sexual victims the justice they deserve!
Laurel says
Jason: I agree that both parties are much the same today. Little light shines between them. I believe you to be correct about that.
When Barack Obama and John McCain were running against each other, we had two excellent candidates. Either one would make a good President. The deal breaker for me was Sarah Palin. I thought she was just awful, and ignorant to boot! To this day, I still see McCain as a hero. A man who truly served his country his whole life.
Then, a long came Trump, and started his lies about Obama’s birth place. He was just a joke, not to be taken seriously. He stated McCain was no hero because he got caught. McCain was shot down. Trump, a draft dodger, didn’t like POWs, people who risked, and gave their lives for our freedom.
Trump’s “grab ’em by the pussy,” and the mocking of a man with palsy, was the deal breaker for me. He is not Presidential material, and I would never vote for such. It’s been downhill from there. He has done little for the average American, but plenty for the billionaires. He puts out memes of shitting on American citizens. Are our children supposed to look up to that? Is that to be in our new history books?
By the way, I am not a Democrat, I’m an Independent. Should a good Republican candidate come along, I would consider him/her, but Trump tries to destroy them.
At this point, a Democrat looks really good to me, and that’s James Talarico. He is a devout Christian, though I am not, he looks to be someone who truly cares. That’s the kind of person we need. While Trump builds monuments to himself, Mr. Talarico builds relationships.
Bernie Sanders, an Independent, would have kicked Trump’s ass, but the Democrats would not back him. Big mistake! You should watch some of his rallies on YouTube. He is another person who really cares about us, but now he is too old to run. Democrats screwed us on that one.
We need to come together for the future, and for the younger generations. Trump is definitely not the answer.
Bob says
Read the observer today. Looked at the photos. Not a very diverse group. To all the never Trumpers. Has Trump done anything positive to make our lives better. Think about it.