Astroturfing and Authenticity – Anti-Trump Protests Falling Flat

As America braces for the next round of ‘grassroots’ activism, messaging gets muddled.

On Thursday, July 17, Americans will once again be granted a slew of anti-Trump protests courtesy of the political left and its affiliate organizations. The Good Trouble Lives On events are slated to occur in more than 400 locations coast to coast and will be – according to the founders – “a national day of action to respond to the attacks on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration.” The big question, however, is: Does anyone really care about these clearly astroturfed “spontaneous” outpourings?

Named after a phrase coined by the late Georgia congressman John Lewis, the group partners with just about every left-leaning activist organization one could name, from MoveOn to Rock the Vote. In the early 2010s, the thought of hundreds of coordinated protests would send shivers down the spine of even the most stalwart politico, and now it seems most people have become inured – or enlightened – to what these activities really are.

Congrats on the Protests

Attentive Americans may have been aware of the No Kings series of protests that took place on June 14. Hundreds of thousands of angry folks gathered in locations spanning the nation to declare loudly that the United States will not put up with having a king in charge. Well, congratulations. Either the protests paid off, or the country didn’t have a king in the first place.

In fact, the much-hyped event was just political theater. The United States has a president (or an autopen, depending on the year), so calls for “no kings” were little more than media-friendly fairy dust. By June 15, what had changed in America? And what about the so-called 50501 (50 states, 50 protests, one day) movement born – allegedly “without any budget, centralized structure, or official backing” – on Feb. 5?

That group has had numerous successive “days of action” – seven at last count – all billed as “a decentralized rapid response to the anti-democratic and illegal actions of the Trump administration and its plutocratic allies.” How has that worked out? Did anyone really notice?

And finally, what of the upcoming Good Trouble Lives On day of action? The webpage claims that Trump is in the process of attacking civil rights – but fails to provide specific details.

In fact, the stated goals of these groups and protests are so nebulous that it would be impossible to tell if they had succeeded in their aims or not. And perhaps that’s the whole idea. Concrete action is hard; protesting at well-funded demonstrations complete with ready-made placards and slogans, all provided free of charge, is not. These events appear to be increasingly narcissistic collaborations, allowing the indolent to congratulate themselves on being “good people” without having to expend the effort to develop well-thought-out rationales or beliefs.

And as the old saying goes, the fish rots from the head.

Adrift in a Sea of Resentment

These are not grassroots protests, sparked by a painful restriction of rights. They are publicity campaigns for a political party to encourage donations and generate media soundbites. It is a rare “protest” nowadays that does not provide “tools” for social media amplification.

Consider the Good Trouble movement, which has automated X posts to click on to spread a carefully curated message that requires zero thought. For example, “Trump is trying to divide us, but we know the power of coming together,” or “We are facing the most brazen rollback of civil rights in generations.” It sounds as if one really cares or is engaged in creative thought – but without the necessity for either.

As author Neil Gaiman once wisely noted:

“It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes. But a half-wit remains a half-wit, and the emperor remains an emperor.”