[Note: we’re still figuring out the best way to offer email subscriptions, as CatSynth is self-hosted. We’ll get that up and running soon. In the meantime, if you’re on Substack, you can subscribe to this newsletter there.]

Like millions of others, we at CatSynth attended our local No Kings protest. It was a beautiful day in San Francisco, and people were in a joyous and defiant mood. I made a short video with highlights from the march up Market Street.

In the midst of the march itself, it’s hard to get a sense of its magnitude – 50,000 people by most estimates.

And this was, of course, repeated in cities and towns across the country, and even in other parts of the world. It gives one a bit of hope in this very challenging and sometimes demoralizing time.

As happens every time I cover one of these protests for CatSynth TV, I get at least one person complaining about my “getting political” and unsubscribing/unfollowing in a huff. I always politely say that I’m sorry to see them go, and remind them that the channel (and the blog) have always delved into political and social causes when I think it’s important to do so. And in this moment, it’s really important that people with platforms that “aren’t political” participate. For every person who complains or leaves, I’ve received multiple positive and encouraging remarks. For example, someone who appreciated seeing a “synthfluencer” that wasn’t just bopping along like everything was OK, and taking the time and effort to bear witness and push back against the regime.

It’s also worth noting that so many people get their information on politics and shape their opinions through channels that aren’t overtly political. I think a lot of us on the liberal-to-leftist side lost track of that in the last few years. In particular, a lot of young men seem to be influenced by channels ostensibly about fitness, men’s health, sports, and the general “manosphere” world, which mixed in a bit of right-wing populism with their sports banter and promos for health supplements. I think a channel about cats, synthesizers, culture, etc., can potentially reach some people who aren’t enmeshed in politics more positively and progressively. Even if we don’t change anyone’s mind, it might get someone who shares our opinion off the sidelines and involved in a way that suits them. There is no one right way or right medium to stand up to this increasingly fascist regime.

Did you attend a No Kings event yesterday, or have you been involved in other actions or events? Please do let us know in the comments.