Special to IFN
Residents of the Catawba Valley area will join with millions of Americans across the country on Saturday, October 18, in a nationwide day of nonviolent protest at the second No Kings Day of Action.
The protest in Newton, organized by the Indivisible Citizens of Catawba Valley (ICCV), is one of thousands of No Kings events scheduled across the country for that date.
The ICCV protest will be held at 10:30 a.m. at the Catawba County Justice Center in Newton.
“While President Trump continues to act like a dictator, we are standing up again to push back against his administration’s hateful, harmful, and authoritarian actions,” said ICCV Chair Deb Johnson. “Our peaceful day of action will bring together people from all walks of life who share a simple message: No kings in America.”
The program will be kicked off by Rev. Joel Simpson of Taylorsville’s First United Methodist Church and Rev. Darryl Dayson of Charlotte’s South Tryon United Methodist Church.
Both pastors help lead Moral Mondays in NC and are active with the NC Poor People’s Campaign. Simpson was one of five people arrested in early May for praying in the U.S. Capitol as part of a Moral Mondays demonstration against the proposed federal budget.
The opening speakers will be followed by remarks from two area high school seniors who will give the youth perspective on what is happening and how current events affect their plans for the future. Next, retired WFAE education reporter Ann Doss Helms will speak about the First Amendment and the vital importance of a free press.
“We’ll cap our program with an activity that will demonstrate how the Trump administration’s harsh authoritarian practices and policies are affecting so many of us and our families,” Johnson said. “Our program will conclude with a call to action from the dynamic Rev. Gavin Gabriel.”
Rev. Gabriel is pastor of Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church in Mooresville.
ICCV shares with other No Kings organizers a commitment to nonviolent protest and community safety. Organizers, trained in de-escalation, work closely with local partners, notably law enforcement, to ensure peaceful and powerful actions.
ICCV is also committed to mutual aid and helping neighbors in need. At each event, attendees are encouraged to donate items needed in the community. For the October 18 protest, ICCV encourages attendees to bring new men’s, women’s, and/or children’s socks.
Will the speakers point out that the previous administration spied on 8 Republican Senators? That would also be representative of a king’s actions…agree? If you disagree, then don’t complain when Trump does it.
You really ought to find a news source other than FOX news or, heaven forbid, do a little research and extra reading for yourself. Libraries are excellent places for research.
To do what? Read nothing but liberal minded, socialist books? Please cancel me Mark.
Gee, I guess shutting down schools, kicking people out of the military along with firing medical workers for not getting a vaccine wouldn’t be a thing a king or dictator would do??
I think you people at the no kings protest need to quit watching the socialist propaganda news.
This is a joke.
What did Obama or Biden do the true American people? Nothing but give our country away to illegals and foreign government. At least President Trump is trying to clean up the illegal drug problem and illegals that poured into our country thru the past administrations. And cutting the draining of our systems, welfare, free medical, SNAP, SSCI payments. All these programs are set up for TRUE AMERICANS — those that have paid into these programs their whole working lives. Stop foreign aid. Period. We’re not the NURSE MAIDS of the world.
Charles, how do you feel about President Trump’s proposal to give twenty billion dollars to bail out the government of Argentina? This is being done while he is asking to “find” the funds to pay our military and thousands of government employees are being fired or furloughed. So much for America First.
Some of y’all sure are letting these rallies get under your skin. Everyone doesn’t have to think the same way you do. That used to be a good thing about being an American.
Jim, here is the problem with what you said. Most of us never use to let these “rallies” get under our skin. For me, they all started to get under my skin when the “rallies” turned in to the destruction of property, burning down buildings, lawlessness, throwing bricks and any object the radical left could find to throw at police. Open your eyes Jim, look most recently, like last night at Chicago and Portland. I guess those “rallies” somehow got out of hand. Cancel me please!
Thank you, Jim – excellent observation. Peaceful protest has a long history in our country and is protected First Amendment speech.
Classic deflecting in the comments. Two wrongs don’t make a right. I care about what is happening now not about what a past administration did. We ARE losing our Democracy. Congress and the Supreme Court voluntarily gave up their power to one man. No more checks and balances.
What could you do 3 years ago that you can’t do now. Nothing, so what is the threat to democracy. You need to quit drinking the democrats kool aid. Just because the democrats say it and the socialist news says it doesn’t make it so. You want to talk about anti democracy, how about the democrats putting up a presidential nominee without a vote. That isn’t democracy.
Donna, cancel me please.
What are you talking about Donna? What democracy are you losing, what can’t you do today that you could do 3 years ago? This is the problem people drinking the kool aid of the left instead of thinking on your own. Just because the democrats say it and the socialist news says it don’t mean it’s so. No one can say what democracy we are losing. I remind you it was the democrat party that put a presidential candidate on the ballot without a vote. That losing democracy .