Our nation stands at a perilous crossroads.
ROBERT EMERY
Contributing Columnist
Under this presidential administration, the United States is experiencing a level of instability, corruption and democratic backsliding unseen in modern history. Institutions once trusted to safeguard our freedoms are being bent toward personal loyalty. Long-standing norms are being shredded.
The country is more divided, more volatile, and more vulnerable than at any time in recent memory. What was once unthinkable — such as open attacks on the rule of law, on truth itself, and on the peaceful transfer of power — has become routine.
The danger is no longer abstract or theoretical. It is here; it is accelerating, and it demands a response from every citizen who cares about the future of our republic. Our disapproval is no longer partisan. The condemnation is universal. Across the country, ordinary Americans are growing more powerful, more vocal, and more united than ever before. We are proving to our neighbors, and ourselves, that when we come together peacefully, we are unstoppable.
The Dallas NO KINGS event happens Saturday, March 28, noon-3 p.m. Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
In June last year, our public protests were 3 million strong. In October, we grew to 7 million.
This March, we have one clear goal: Exceed 11.1 million.
And we can do it, with one simple plan: If each patriot who attended the June or October NO KINGS events brings just one additional person with them on March 28, we will surpass 11.1 million protesters: One Patriot + One Additional Friend = 11.1 Million Peaceful Protesters. 1 + 1 = 11.1 M.
11.1 million citizens is 3.5 percent of the U.S. population. History shows that when 3.5 percent of a nation participates in sustained, nonviolent civil resistance, authoritarian regimes cannot withstand it.
The “3.5 percent rule” comes from research in political science by Erica Chenoweth and Maria J. Stephan, on how civil resistance movements succeed. It doesn’t claim that 3.5 percent automatically topples a dictator but rather that, historically, every major nonviolent movement that mobilized at least 3.5 percent of the population in sustained action has succeeded.
This isn’t a theory. It isn’t wishful thinking. It is the documented pattern of historical data. Such a small percentage matters because a dictator relies on security forces, bureaucracy, business elites and general population compliance. A movement that reaches 3.5 percent participation is so large and visible that it triggers “pillars of support” to crack. Congress will act more confidently and assertively, after they witness their constituents’ consistent public resistance.
The power of the 3.5 percent is not brute force, it’s the withdrawal of cooperation.
Nonviolent movements outperform violent ones because:
More people can participate (children, elderly, disabled, risk-averse).
Nonviolent movements build broader coalitions.
Violence by the regime against peaceful crowds delegitimizes the regime.
The result: nonviolent mass movements scale more rapidly.
The 3.5 percent rule is not a magic number. It doesn’t guarantee success. But it is historically correlated with success. Research proves we don’t need 51 percent to challenge a regime, just a highly engaged minority that can’t be ignored.
Passive support doesn’t count. 3.5 percent refers to active participation (marching, striking, etc.). That’s why March 28 matters. That’s why you matter. And that’s why bringing just one more person with you will change everything.
The key is nonviolent protest. Giving up is unforgivable.
In addition to our Dallas City Hall event, you may attend a NO KINGS event in your neighborhood of Carrollton, Garland, Flower Mound, Arlington, Plano, Denton or Southlake.
Visit NoKings.org for more information.
We are told that protests such as NO KINGS don’t matter. That they’re too small. Too quiet. Too symbolic. But history tells us something different. Every democracy that failed didn’t collapse all at once. It eroded when people stopped standing up. When power went unchecked. When silence became easier than resistance.
When we gather in peace, even in small numbers, we remind this nation to whom it belongs. We remind each other that democracy is not inherited, it is maintained. And it is maintained by ordinary people who refuse to surrender their voice.
If you are uneasy with the label of “protester,” then think of yourself as a “protector.”
Peaceful public resistance is not naïve, and it is not futile. It is the oldest and most reliable defense against authoritarianism. Each act of participation, no matter how small it feels, strengthens the fabric of democracy by refusing to let fear set the limits of civic life.
Authoritarian regimes depend on isolation, exhaustion and silence. Peaceful resistance breaks all three.
Participation does not require perfection or heroism. It requires presence. It requires the simple, powerful decision to be seen, to stand, to speak, to bear witness.
A core principle behind all NO KINGS events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events.
Audre Lorde reminds us: “Your silence will not protect you.”
Democracy survives because people choose it, again and again, even when it is difficult. Especially then!
Power listens when people show up. Fear retreats when courage is seen. And democracy survives when patriotic citizens gather in peace. We will meet our challenges head-on with one of the greatest tools we have: Joy!
We’re not watching history happen; we’re making history. Join us.
Robert Emery is a longtime community activist and a local NO KINGS organizer.
No Kings events in North Texas
Southlake
10 a.m.-noon
Rustin & Family Park
1400 E. Southlake Blvd.
Arlington
10 a.m.-noon
700 E. Abram St.
Flower Mound
2-4 p.m.
Cross Timbers Road at Long Prairie Road
Plano
noon-2 p.m.
Northeast corner of Parker and Preston
3308 Preston Road, Ste. 350-232
Garland
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
This event’s address is private.
Carrollton
10 a.m.-noon
1901 E. Belt Line Road
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