Nearly nine million people were estimated as participants in one of, if not, the largest demonstration against an attempt to govern by fiat rather than consensus based on the rule of law and actual democracy voted on by the people or their representatives. Millions of citizens were inspired to take to the streets for a third time to express their disapproval.
There was even a relatively small gathering of American patriots in Tavira, who wanted to add their voices. My lovely wife and I are proud that we were able to join our fellow expat Americans in Tavira and emphatically proclaim “No Kings!”
It was a beautiful day by the banks overlooking the Gilão River. Sunny and warm but not hot. As shown on the news, there were gigantic marches of many thousands of loyal, law-abiding, freedom-loving, peaceful Americans in cities across the country from New York to Los Angeles and on to Honolulu.
A crucial point to be made, however, is that there were also hundreds of demonstrations in smaller cities, towns and villages across the country in all 50 states adding their voices to the grand total. There were also sizable crowds gathered in a number of European cities including London, Paris, Lisbon and Porto.
Admittedly, the demonstration in Tavira may well have been one of the smallest, including, as it did, no more than a hundred souls, but I have to tell you that it felt great to stand up and be counted. The atmosphere was at the same time serious and happy. I was glad to see that my fellow expats still cared about the welfare of women, children, immigrants and minorities in a country that some of us felt we’ve escaped.
My lovely wife and I did not flee our home in “the free state” of Maryland because of politics. When we retired in 2006, we moved to Panama (as my loyal reader might recall), mainly for the adventure of living in a very different part of the world, but also because of the cost of living.
In Panama, we were able to buy a small apartment in the old historic district of Panama City; a very pleasant four-bedroom house in the mountains with a sea view and furnish both; as well as purchase a late-model used Toyota Rav-4 by using the equity from the house we sold in Mount Airy, Maryland. (Remember equity?) Established as we were, we were able to live comfortably on our pensions and social security. Few Americans today face anything like our situation as the cost of living soars.
So yeah, eventually, we moved to Portugal (which is another story my loyal reader might remember). Again, the reasons weren’t political in 2016.
By then Panama was on a par with the States in most financial matters, while Portugal was much cheaper at the grocery and wine store, much safer crime wise and a beautiful, scenic, historic place with good weather and with easy access to travel in Europe and the Mediterranean.
But then, as a surprise to many, a well-known playboy and reality TV personality rode down a notorious escalator. He immediately, while announcing his candidacy, defiled people of Mexican heritage and has never turned back from making derogatory comments about people of color all over the world. I was not alone when I was shocked he was elected over an extremely competent, very qualified woman candidate.
So, who are these people who voted for him and are now known as MAGAs?
Admittedly, this tendency to try to behave in a lawful, caring and respectful way sometimes puts honest people at a disadvantage when opposing those who are willing to lie, cheat and misrepresent in an effort to “win” rather than do the right thing. It has become a culture war, with one side apparently hating the other.
I watched it develop during the 20 years I was an associate professor at a community college in Frederick, a large rural county in western Maryland. The boys in Frederick, who drove pickup trucks with rifle racks that actually held rifles and shotguns, liked to call themselves “Frednecks.”
Well anyway, there always seemed to be a contingent of pupils sitting in the back of every class that resented the “good” students, who actually raised their hands and asked and answered questions. “They’re making us look bad.”
There were also times when the professor (I taught English, Composition, Public Speaking and yes, even Journalism) and some of the students in the front were engaged in a discussion or even, sometimes, shared a joke. “What in the hell are they talking about? They must have read the book!”
I look back at those times now and realize that I was being somewhat condescending when I put a C- on their papers thinking I was giving them a break, when everybody still knew that the grade meant “not good.” I believe that most of the bitter people in the back row are now the so-called “educated elite”.
What I do know is that we need an educational system that does not give a significant percentage of its clients an inferiority complex that inspires them to vote for a salesman who promotes policies that don’t actually benefit their concerns.
Since his election, particularly the second time, his disdain for women, for free speech and an independent press, for equality, for fair play and respect has grown to the point where he thinks he knows better than anybody and everybody and believes he should be able to rule, you know, like a king.
That’s why we were in Tavira on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Our message was simple. Probably some of us didn’t agree on every point, but we all agreed that there should be “No Kings”.
In a recent article in The Resident, it was reported that almost 50% of “Americans who are either considering, actively planning or already living in Portugal are open to renouncing their U.S. citizenship once they become Portuguese nationals.” A fellow named James Cave, the founder of Portugalist.com, noted that “many American expats are planning to sever ties with the U.S. in one way or another.”
When you consider that there are now over 20,000 American citizens currently residing in Portugal, half of that is an impressively high number of immigrants.
My lovely wife and I don’t plan on giving up our American passports. However, we also have no plans to return to the States, which has become a rather toxic place with neighbors and family severely divided into either “pro” or “anti” camps.
I do believe that protesting is a valid effort that at some point needs to be made. While it doesn’t always change things immediately, finding out that you’re not alone, that many people, maybe even millions across the world, agree with you is eventually encouraging. When folks take the time to rally and demonstrate, it encourages people to vote with their hearts without fear and with a certainty that their stand against tyranny is righteous.
My lovely wife and I have not been on a march in decades. We’re old and the last time we did was way back during the Nixon years, when we demonstrated our opposition to the Vietnam War. Richard Nixon had buses parked all around the White House grounds when we paraded by. The war did not end right away and those out on the streets were labeled traitors and un-American.
Eventually, however, the sentiment changed and people realized that war is an evil, with no winner and plenty of losers.
We also supported Civil Rights and heard Martin Luther King speak at huge rallies — more than one at New York’s Central Park and on the Ellipse by the Washington Monument in D.C.
It is ironic and disappointing that we now have to take to the streets again to try to stop another man from waging a hurtful war, but also to fault his hateful discrimination against people who are a different race, color or nationality. You should hear the main MAGA man sneer the word “Democrat”, a party representing about 50% of the citizenry that he’s supposed to govern.
As I implied before, my lovely wife and I did not move to Portugal to escape anything but escape we did.
I do firmly believe that America is great and could be even greater. When you feel strongly that the country you cherish is not doing the right thing, sometimes you need to hold up a sign and stress that, in a democracy, there are “No Kings.”
Read Pat The Expat‘s last months article: Pat, the expat, wonders if 2026 will get any better
