No Kings, Just the 3.5%
When the throne gets too heavy, the people push back.
Reflective MVS
June 15, 2025By Michael Smith | Reflective MVS
No Kings, Just the 3.5%
When the throne gets too heavy, the people push back.
They say it only takes 3.5% of a population to create real, lasting political change—not with bombs or ballots alone, but with persistent, peaceful resistance. That number isn’t wishful thinking—it’s research. It comes from Erica Chenoweth, a Harvard scholar who studied hundreds of movements and found that no nonviolent protest reaching 3.5% of a country’s population has ever failed.
This Saturday, I saw that power in action right here in Georgia.
After getting off my day job, I made a stop at a “No Kings” protest in Marietta. People were already gathered, voices loud, signs held high, each phrase a statement: We reject crown and sway. Then, heading home through Atlanta, I found the bridge takeover at 17th Street near Atlantic Station. Horns blared, fists rose, and for a moment, the Bronx-born beats of hope mixed with civic urgency felt sacred.
It wasn’t a revolution sized for a stadium—because it didn’t have to be. Every chant, every clap, every conviction-stoked sign carried the same message: even small numbers can alter the arc of history.
What’s the 3.5% Rule—and Why Should You Matter?
Dr. Chenoweth’s research across 1900–2006 protest movements revealed a powerful truth: when 3.5% of people get active, nonviolent campaigns always shift power. In today’s America, that’s roughly 11.5 million voices—not a majority, but more than enough when organized, vocal, and visible.
This weekend’s protests—from Atlanta’s bridge to Atlanta’s suburbs—hinted we’re inching closer. And history tells us: once we hit that mark, the status quo slips.
Authoritarianism Is a Parade With No Glam
This gathering wasn’t spontaneous backlash—it was a direct response to Trump’s authoritarian parade. From sending troops to Los Angeles to issuing threats against protesters, he’s not hiding his disdain for democracy. Instead, he’s staging a spectacle—military flair over civic substance.
But here's the thing: not buying tickets isn’t enough. We showed up.
Independent Media: Our Real Airwaves
That evening, I tuned in to the show hosted by Joy Reid, Don Lemon, and Jim Acosta—an oasis of clarity. They were joined by guests Clay Cane, Elie Mystal, Reecie Colbert, Jolly Ginger, and Dolce Salon among others —each delivering truth, context, and accountability.
Watching them felt like flipping on the lights in a dark room—each one illuminating systems of power, each one holding the line for truth. No whispering. No echoing. Just independent media pushing back, reminding us what journalism can still be.
Final Reflection: We Just Might Be the 3.5%
I didn’t plan to protest or tweet at midnight. I planned to cross today off the list. But that’s the paradox of these times: normal life and urgent resistance collide in silent ways, like a bridge full of voices.
Maybe the 3.5% isn’t a future goal—it’s happening now. On sidewalks, inside chatrooms, throughout the arteries of our neighborhoods. Maybe it’s you, me, thousands in Marietta, and bridges lined with signs in Atlanta.
No kings. Just people with power nobody told us we had.
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