There were No Labels in National Public Radio’s coverage of the “No Kings” rallies held on Saturday around the country: “No Kings draws crowds with focus on early voting,” by Ava Berger was posted to NPR Saturday, with text interspersed with many apparently fun (and perhaps filtered?) photos of the wacky anti-Trump hijinks, with no Communist flags or radical signs to be seen.
At the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on Saturday, a large inflatable donkey bounced around next to a paper-mache replica of Donald Trump's head. Next to both of them: a sign reading "VOTE EARLY."
The donkey, the floating head and the voting sign were all part of the "No Kings: Vote Early" day of action. Thousands of gatherings across the country drew protestors, voters and grassroots organizers to the streets and to voting centers.
After opening with two paragraphs about the donkey (an unsubtle reference to the Democratic Party symbol?), Berger nonetheless let the organizers inaccurately label the left-wing anti-Trump and anti-GOP effort “nonpartisan.” That’s despite the story’s first image, with a line of papier-mache heads on pikes, representing various Trump Administration members. In fact the story applied no party identification or ideological labels like left-wing, liberal, or progressive to the rallies.
Organizers said the events were a nonpartisan effort to promote early voting in the midterm elections. The nationwide push to vote marks a pivot for the No Kings coalition, which comprises hundreds of partner organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union and Black Voters Matter.
"The first three No Kings were designed to send a message," said Ezra Levin, the co-founder of Indivisible — one of the major organizations within the No Kings network. "We're done sending a message."
Now, he said, they want people to vote.
Nonpartisan? Please see the home page of Indivisible, which pounds the table about retaking power from a democracy struggling under the "corrupt Republican trifecta"!
Using the word "nonpartisan" is so blatantly inaccurate, you might want to send a note to NPR's Public Editor Kelly McBride.
Berger clearly emphasized the "Just plain folks" aspect of the rallies -- nothing like the way NPR or its executives think of "racist" Tea Party rallies.
The events looked different across the country. Some were larger marches or rallies, but many were smaller community gatherings such as block parties and cookouts. While some protests, like the one on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, were reminiscent of the first three No Kings rallies — with signs blasting Trump and his administration's actions — other events focused on spreading information to community members on how to vote.
….
In Golden, Colo., a "Paws to the Polls" event invited people to bring their dogs on a march. Organizers in Everett, Wash., planned a "concert for democracy," featuring an environmental troubadour.
Superhero capes and masks were the staple of Cammy Dunford's event in Frisco, Texas. Dunford, a co-leader of Indivisible Frisco, planned a "voting is your superpower" gathering.
It was all about the fun, flattering anecdotes.
Members of the grassroots community group Free DC, which advocates for statehood in the nation's capital, organized Saturday's gathering, flanked by fluffy dogs and giggling young kids. The group cheered as each person slid their ballot into the early voting box.
….
"I'm here because I want to make my voice heard and do something about this because I'm too young to vote," [Ceila] Zanni said. Still, she pre-registered to vote two years early out of excitement.
Nearby, wearing the inflatable donkey costume, Athena Haresign, a horse trainer from Maryland, said she was voting in the midterm elections for the first time.
The front of her costume read: "Donkeys against Tyranny."
"Donkeys," not Democrats?
Even some photo captions were favorably slanted toward the hijinks: “A No Kings rally at the State Capitol in Baton Rouge, La. Despite the colder weather, windy conditions and the Capitol grounds sprinklers at full blast, approximately 200 people attended the event.” Wow, 200 people. Massive turnout.
