There's Somethin' Happenin' Here

No Kings Report from Rural Iowa

Jun 15, 2025

The corner of Washington St. and 2^nd Ave. in Washington, Iowa, is the busiest intersection in that town of 7500 people. There on that corner sits the historic Blair House which was built in 1881. The old Victorian house which is on the National Register of Historic Places has always been a gathering point for residents.

On Saturday, nearly 200 people gathered on the corner in front of the Blair House to protest against Donald Trump and his wannabe Monarchical intentions. Washington participated in the No Kings Rally which was replicated around the United States by the thousands.

On the lawn and sidewalk spreading both directions for nearly a block (you can see a video I took of the event here) there were a diverse gathering of people.

There were old people who came from both senior homes in town, some with walkers or canes. But they brought signs too.

There were veterans who were there to protest Trump’s blatant misuse of the military for his self-aggrandizement.

There were government workers there protesting the indiscriminate cuts of personnel and programs that help people in rural Iowa directly.

There were young people there. I was so impressed by the young people who attended and a few who spoke. They spoke in favor of gender rights, gender identity, and the broader LGBTQ community in their school and community.

One young woman indicated when she left that she had to leave her sign at the site because her parents would be outraged that she participated in No Kings.

There were immigrant families there. One young man spoke about coming to his “sweet home in the United States.” He watched his children born here and expressed his love for this country. But in his voice you could sense the fear that at some point, ICE might come for him. But he was defiant, and the crowd cheered him on, and yelled, “You belong here,” and “We welcome you here.”

There were faith leaders there. Many were of the Mennonite faith and came from farms and other rural towns in the community. Washington County is home to many Amish and Mennonite communities. Their voices were needed and welcomed.

When Indivisible Washington held its first march a month prior to this event, there were about 75 participants. We thought that was a good start. However, the attendance at No Kings approached 200 people, and was well beyond expectations.

Something is happening. This is now a movement, not just a gaggle of people. It is a reaction to the obvious unconstitutional actions taken by Trump and others in his administration.

It was no coincidence that this event took place on June 14. This will be a day to remember. It was a convergence of energy and enthusiasm within the context of Flag Day, and the 250^th anniversary of the Army.

On June 14, 1775, the Continental Congress created the U.S. Army to stand up against a monarch who claimed absolute power. The Army’s birthday isn’t about parades or pageantry to honor a man — it marks the beginning of America’s rejection of kings.

Now, 250 years later, President Trump tried to twist that legacy into a personal celebration of himself. President Trump’s birthday celebration on Saturday cost millions of our tax dollars, all while Republicans claim there’s no money for Social Security, SNAP, or Medicaid. Trump has already indicated that he’s aiming for at least a third term, and then he held a self-aggrandizing military parade in D.C. or so I hear.

The day’s news about No Kings movement, and the unfortunate killing of two democratic state representatives in Minnesota overwhelmed the media coverage of Trump’s little military parade…almost to the point where you had to ask… “What parade?”

What most people saw on both local and national news reports were the slogans and signs of the “No Kings” rallies:

No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings.

We the People Say NO KINGS!

No More Tax Cuts for Billionaires!

Stand Up For Democracy

Proud American! Ashamed of Trump!

Rejecting Kings Since 1776

My Cat Hates the Doge

No Cruelty

Love Your Neighbor

Save Social Security – A Lifetime of Work, Not an Entitlement

No Kings sent a clear message that this country doesn’t belong to wannabe kings. It belongs to the people. Loyalty isn’t to a single “strongman” but to the Constitution, and to each other.

Donald Trump is known for one talent…distraction. Whenever something in the news goes badly for the Donald, he somehow has been able to distract the media and the public with some shiny object of irresistible attention, like, you know…bombing Iran.

As egregious as bombing Iran was, such was not the case across the country today. No one, not one media outlet could ignore the growing and huge anti-Trump and anti-fascist movement across the United States known as “No Kings” parade. Hundreds if not thousands of protests took place in large, small and medium-sized cities across this great land.

Washington, Iowa was part of the larger movement that is palpable with optimism, hope and energy. You could feel it in the atmosphere on the corner of Washington St. and 2^nd Ave.

Here is a map showing where these protests took place:

If you look at the map and see the red dot on Chicago and go west a little bit you will see a circle where the protest I attended took place in Washington, Iowa. While protests in the large cities will get most of the attention because of the size of the crowds, and sometimes the celebrity of the speakers, the significance of this day, June 14, will be the outpouring of protest and outcry against the fascist tendencies of the Trump administration in small-rural-red counties and towns.

Washington, Iowa, is about 30 minutes south of Iowa City, 50 minutes south of Cedar Rapids and 2 hours southeast of Des Moines. It is a ruby-red, rural town and county. The County Board of Supervisors in the county are all white guys over 50, maga-supporters all.

In Washington County, IA 38.8% of the people voted Democrat in the last presidential election, 59.3% voted for the Republican Party, and the remaining 2.0% voted Independent. Washington county has voted Republican in every Presidential election since 2000.

Yet, what I witnessed and saw Saturday was a gathering of people, diverse in nature, excited to come out to stand for Democracy, and committed to changing the trajectory of the country. For a town like Washington with around 7500 people, the turnout for the No Kings parade was close to 200.

A handful of MAGAmites tried to disrupt the event by driving by with huge TRUMP flags on their pickups. The crowd overwhelmed their revving of engines…they were no match for this group.

Another small (best count, 3) Republicans stood across the street and occasionally shouted something at the protesters on the other side. The Republicans in Washington were clearly agitated by our presence. They believe it is their town and their county…not any more. I suspect they understand the threat we pose to MAGA world.

The group I represent, Washington for Justice, was a supporting partner for the event which was sponsored by “Indivisible Iowa.” Indivisible is a non-partisan political action organization that is made up of not just Democrats, but Independents, and even a few Republicans. Anyone is welcome to join this movement.

The significance of this movement in rural Iowa, which historically has been home to many progressive movements and ideas, can’t be overstated. Iowa's rural progressivism was a significant movement focused on improving the lives of farmers and rural communities, particularly during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It included efforts to modernize agriculture, address social and economic inequalities, and create a more vibrant rural life. This movement was deeply intertwined with the broader national Progressive Era and shaped Iowa's social and political landscape.

Iowa has trended more conservative in recent years, but the events held across the state may portend a different future. People in rural towns and counties are fed up with the cruelty and inhumanity of Trump policies. Cutting Medicaid in Washington County will have devastating results for the one hospital in the county. Rural Iowans, many of whom live in poverty, will be impacted by cuts to SNAP and other assistance programs. The irony is that even though counties like Washington voted overwhelming for Trump, it is residents of those same counties who will be overwhelmingly hurt by his Big Ugly Budget Plan.

Something tells me No Kings is here to stay. Perhaps it is a turning point in the resistance that makes it more than just a protest, but a movement to restore decency, common sense, evidence-based policy making and leaders who have integrity. Stand by.

Here are some of my personal photos from the Washington, Iowa No Kings Rally: