In the midst of the masses of vocal boomers at Saturday’s “No Kings” March in New York City, it was a child’s voice that stayed with me. Chanting with clarity, strength and determination, were the words I have shouted for decades: “This is what democracy looks like.”

This child on the edges of the crowd was not following, he was leading the chant.

For those of a certain age, that familiar call and response has been uttered at marches against Vietnam, at rallies for the right to choose and the right to choose who to love. I repeated those words wearing a pink pussy hat and once again marching when they repealed Roe v Wade.

Hearing that child’s voice gave me hope.

Because we are marching for them.

In the subway station headed to March in Times Square, NYC Photo John Martin

Marching remains a right.

For now

New York City March

We march so that our children can grow up with due process, civil rights, and breath clean air; be secure in the knowledge that science, and medical research will thrive and benefit them. We march so they can choose who to love and to have agency over their bodies.  We march so that they can enjoy the promises of democracy they were born into and are entitled to as Americans. We march so they don’t have to in the future.

We march and we use our voices so they do not lose theirs.

This is Not What Democracy Looks Like

Meanwhile another child, an infantile school bully named Donald Trump made his own statement literally carpet bombing America with excrement in an AI generated video posted by the President of the United States on Truth Social.

Literally shitting on Democracy

It was Trump distilled to a metaphor; a gasbag cruising over the wreckage of a country he has conned, a democracy he has disgraced and destroyed

He has declared a virtual civil war on anyone who opposes him

At the same time Vice President JD Vance made his debut post on the BlueSky platform sharing an AI-generated video depicting Donald Trump as a king, with members of Democrat leadership dramatically kneeling before him.

If, as the Bible say,s “A child shall lead them,  I pray it will be like the child at the march.

Not the child in the White House.

© Sally Edelstein and Envisioning The American Dream, 2025. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Sally Edelstein and Envisioning The American Dream