To the editor:

Recently, on the Army’s 250th anniversary, the White House and Pentagon threw an expensive military parade at the request of fellow-birthday-boy Donald Trump. Around the same time, in more than 2,000 American cities, millions gathered under the shared banner of No Kings. Afterward, administration spokesperson Steven Cheung called the protests an “utter failure.” But were they?

Let’s compare and contrast.

Start with TV ratings. During the parade, Fox News averaged 5 million viewers, making it the highest-rated program in its time slot. However, that doesn’t mean everyone watching TV watched the parade — just that no other show topped it. Still, 5 million isn’t that impressive, especially for the cost. For context, 19 million people watched the 2019 “Game of Thrones” finale — an episode widely regarded as a disappointment. Say what you will about Bran-the-Broken, at least he stayed awake for the whole thing, also the dragons weren’t creaky, and the Dothraki marched in step.

Then there’s live attendance. The administration claimed 250,000, but that’s clearly inflated. There were almost as many feet on the ground marching as there were butts in the bleachers. The National Park Service estimated around 10,000 people, with some reports suggesting closer to 8,000. Even if we accept the more generous figure, that’s only about 200 attendees per state.

More troubling is the cost. The parade ran taxpayers between $25 million to $35 million — about $3,500 per attendee; a steep price to watch tanks squeak, horses clomp and a lone service dog shuffle down Pennsylvania Avenue.

Another way to measure success is by asking, “Did the event accomplish its goal?” Presumably, the parade aimed to stir patriotism or inspire pride, but even Trump seemed disengaged. Crowd reactions were muted. The emotional spark wasn’t there. In fact, many are saying Trump was so disappointed in his parade, he started World War III just to prove his relevance.

Contrast that with the No Kings rallies. Organizers likely hoped for large crowds, peaceful demonstrations and strong messaging, succeeding on all three fronts. Attendance? About 5 million people chose to show up in person despite weather and traffic. Peaceful? Absolutely. The only disturbances came from outside right-wing agitators. The demonstrators themselves remained composed.

And publicity? The White House noticed. Cheung felt compelled to comment — proof the protests hit a nerve. He’ll likely be commenting again on July 17, when Good Trouble Lives On rallies take place nationwide (including right here in Jefferson County) on John Lewis’ birthday. If you’re going, be prepared for whatever they toss your way. For Good Trouble in Little Steubenville, take a lesson from Big Trouble in Little China; it’s all in the reflexes.

So what defines success?

Is it spending millions on a lifeless parade that drew modest numbers and tepid reactions? Or is it mobilizing millions peacefully, with a unifying message that resonates beyond a single day?

By every measure — cost, energy, turnout, message — the No Kings movement has already won; and it’s not done yet.

Here’s to our continued success.

J. David Core

Toronto