I am 75 years old. On March 21, I turned into a frog to save my country.
I was joined by a group of patriots on the Claymont pedestrian bridge over Interstate 95. We were one of dozens of bridge brigades stationed up and down I-95, from Maine to Florida, advertising the nonviolent No Kings events happening across the nation and around the world March 28.
The inflatable frog has become a whimsical symbol of the growing resistance against authoritarianism. By dressing as frogs and other cartoon characters, we protesters use humor to de-escalate confrontations with police, ease tensions and challenge political narratives that refer to us as “domestic terrorists” and our cities as “war zones.”
Why is it so important to attend the No Kings events? They are dramatic, visual ways to remind each other and all wannabe kings, as well as the entire world, that power in America belongs to the people, not a king, and we stand for democracy, the Constitution and the rule of law.
We are expecting this to be the largest nonviolent protest in American history, with millions of our citizens filling the streets in large cities, small towns and remote areas. Will this bring an instant end to the growing authoritarianism in our country? No, of course not. But these No Kings demonstrations, each one larger than the last, remind us that the resistance is growing and that, working together, we can — and will — reclaim our democracy.
You don’t have to turn into a frog to save our country. Just come join us March 28!
Judith A. Butler
Wilmington
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
