With Ohio University’s Homecoming on this weekend's horizon, many Bobcats may be too distracted to attend the second “No Kings” protest despite adamantly supporting the cause. However, by attending the event, change becomes possible.
Thousands of OU alumni are finding their way back to Athens this upcoming weekend to celebrate. The six-day event Oct. 13 to Oct. 18 features various events ranging from an archival display in Alden Library to the annual Saturday morning parade.
The “No Kings” protest is in support of democracy and criticizes some of the actions taken by the Trump administration. On June 14, millions of protestors gathered in cities and towns across the U.S., showing their support for the “No Kings” movement.
The campaign was structured as an organized effort specifically targeted at the Trump administration to peacefully take to the streets demanding democracy and emphasizing the power of the people.
The majority of protests remained amicable, but some led to police involvement in places such as Los Angeles, after the approved duration of the protest expired. Overall, the protests created both controversy and awareness for those in open disagreement with President Trump’s policies and actions, helping provide supporters with ample amounts of desired traction for their cause.
Athens County was no exception to the rest of the country; protestors gathered in June along East State Street in their own demonstration against the Trump administration, directing their focus to issues such as Medicare and Medicaid funding, unfair utilization of presidential authority and LGBTQIA+ rights. Now, months later, a second “No Kings” protest is in the making.
Based on the presidential election results from 2024, 54.4% of residents in Athens County voted for Kamala Harris, showcasing disapproval of the Trump administration before he even took office. It’s fair to assume there is a large presence of students at OU who disagree with the current actions of the president, but it may not be enough for them to skip out of homecoming festivities in the name of fighting for what they believe in.
In modern times, our society is already struggling with the inconvenience of connection, mainly due to the negative aspects of frequent technology use. Examples of harmful repercussions from technology include the lack of in-person engagement, the monopolization of our attention and a reduction in the quality of our interactions. We can observe this in our everyday lives with a decrease in the usage of third spaces, social settings separate from home and work that are designed to foster social connection, due to the inconvenience compared to staying at home.
While a cozy night in certainly has its place, humans have been proven to need social connection to thrive and fulfill their highest potential for happiness. To achieve this, we should be willing to sacrifice our convenience in the name of connection, and there’s no better time to start than now by coming together with other like-minded people to fight for something you believe in.
While this weekend presents a high level of inconvenience for the students at OU, those who are passionate about the “No Kings” movement will feel more content with themselves if they decide to sacrifice a small fraction of their time and celebration in the name of standing up for what they believe in. It’s only by doing this they will have the ability to be the change they wish to see in the world.
Layla Vinson is a junior studying journalism and English - creative writing at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Layla Vinson about their column? Email them at lv861322@ohio.edu
