Forum: Notes and observations from the protest line

Published 1:30 am Saturday, June 20, 2026

My wife and I have been participating in the “No Kings” protests since their inception: both here locally and in Arizona.

I have a few observations from my time on the protest lines, which makes me wonder what it all says about our society today.

In the beginning there were just a handful of people, who regularly showed up to express their displeasure with the direction our country was going. Most of us were my age: as one expressed it, “we know how to protest from our experience of the Vietnam war era”. It was also apparent that the majority of participants were older, my age. After some consideration I realize that most younger people are just trying to make ends meet for their families; also unlike the Vietnam era there is no “military draft” to oppose.

A few passersby would wave or honk in solidarity with our protest efforts. A larger number would express their displeasure, while the vast majority would just ignore our presence.

As time went on and the insatiable corruption, bigotry, violence, warmongering and overall meanness of the current administration became apparent to more citizens, the numbers on the protest lines began to swell.

At the same time the number of drivers who shared the concerns of the protesters became evident as more and more drivers began honking or waving in solidarity with the protesters.

As those numbers have increased, it seems that those who disagree with the protests seem to have gotten more demonstrative and aggressive. One can only surmise that they approve of the unbridled corruption, bigotry, violence and warmongering at their expense and in their name.

There is one phenomenon that I am still trying to wrap my brain around. While some of those who disagree with the protests give the “thumbs down”, there appears to be a considerable number who feel the need to give the protesters the middle “finger”.

My observation from my time on the protest lines both here locally and in Arizona, is that that demographic is made up of “white males” between the ages of 20-40 years old.

In these days of increasing gas prices, they mainly drive large pickup trucks, equipped with large tires and have the need to rev up their engines and speed around the corner or down the street to express their displeasure, accompanied by squealing tires and a large plum of exhaust smoke.

At one protest I attended, one group had to drive slowly through the protest gathering, revving their engine continuously sending up plumes of dust and exhaust, all the while blasting their music out of their truck.

Rarely do I witness a younger woman behaving this way; they usually give us the thumbs down treatment, for that I am thankful and encouraged.

So, I find myself left with this lingering question: what does this behavior say about our current situation and the future of our country?

Phil O’Loane lives in Arlington.