The great ‘No Kings’ irony

OPINION:

The “No Kings” protests brought back some memories for me. Like the time 100,000 protesters occupied the Wisconsin Capitol grounds for nearly a month during my first term as governor. They held up signs about me that read “Down with Dictators!” “Occupy Walker’s Street,” “Scott Walker Gov of Wisconsin 2011-2012” and “EGYPT = 18 Days WISCONSIN = ???”

Others included photos of me on posters alongside pictures of former Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak. Several read, “ONE DOWN, ONE TO GO. DICTATORS,” while another had pictures of Mubarak and former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi with the caption, “TWO DICTATORS DOWN, ONE DICTATOR TO GO.” One sign read, “Hosni and Hitler = Dictator Scott Walker.” That one included pictures of Mubarak, Hitler and me, complete with a drawn-on mustache on my photo to make me look like the Nazi leader. There was even a sign showing me in the sights of a gun.

Protesters took over the state Capitol, blocked state lawmakers, and targeted me and my family at the Capitol, the executive residence, and our personal home. Their battle cry was, “This is what democracy looks like.”

Aided by big government union bosses and national leftist groups, the protesters eventually called for a recall election less than two years into my first term. Instead of lobbying state lawmakers or waiting until the next election, they sought to undo the people’s votes in the first election.

The following year, I became the first governor in American history to survive a recall election. In fact, we not only survived but also thrived. We won the recall with more votes and a higher percentage of the vote than we did in the original election.

Last weekend, we saw mobs of protesters show up at sites across the country for their “No Kings” events. A true king or dictator would not tolerate protests against themselves or their rule. Just look at places like China, North Korea or Russia to see what happens to people who protest. Thankfully, that is not the case in America.

We are free to express our views. The U.S. Constitution protects it. Sadly, the one place where this is under attack is the very place where it should be revered: college campuses. These days, conservatives, Christians and even Jews are attacked for their views. Increasingly, students and the speakers they try to bring on campus are met with barriers and often face physical threats, with little to no support from administrators. This must stop.

Young America’s Foundation collaborates with students nationwide. Too often, we have to take legal action to protect the rights of students to speak out, form clubs and bring conservative speakers onto campus. Thankfully, young people are not backing down.

The cruel irony is that many of the “No Kings” protesters have no problem silencing conservative voices on college campuses. They use vague threats of “safe zones” and “misinformation” to try to block views they disagree with, overlooking the irony that monarchs and dictators have used these tools for centuries.

So many of the “No Kings” protesters are entirely comfortable with educational institutions indoctrinating young people with just one point of view or school officials keeping information from parents about their sons and daughters seeking to “transition” genders. That’s what monarchs and dictators do: target the youth with their propaganda.

Photos from “No Kings” events increasingly show images of protesters dressed like people from the Revolutionary War era. It is ironic to see so many claim to uphold the principles of our Founders after years of many of the same individuals disparaging them.

Last November, voters elected Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States. They also elected a majority of Republicans to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. Now, these elected officials are fulfilling their duties in office.

In 2021, many of those now attending “No Kings” protests denounced people who challenged the outcome of the 2020 elections. Some even went so far as to claim that anyone who raised concerns was an “election denier.” How ironic it is that now so many of these alarmists are trying to undermine the will of the people in the last election.

Americans have a right to engage in peaceful protests. At the same time, Mr. Trump and the members of the majority in the House and Senate have a right to move forward with the agendas they ran on during the last election. This is what a republic looks like.

• Scott Walker is a columnist for The Washington Times. He was the 45th governor of Wisconsin and launched a bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. He lives in Milwaukee and is the proud owner of a 2003 Harley-Davidson Road King. He can be reached at swalker@washingtontimes.com.