Are You Going to a 'No Kings' Protest? And The Benefits of a 'Best' Friend

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KQED

News, Politics, News Commentary

4.2 • 726 Ratings

🗓️ 16 October 2025

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Millions of people are expected to take part in "No Kings" protests this Saturday in over 2000 cities across the country. The demonstrations are being coordinated as frustration mounts over the president’s military crackdown in cities and federal funding cuts. We talk about what to expect and how this movement compares to previous mass demonstrations in American history. Later in the hour, we talk about the value of having a best friend in adulthood. Vox correspondent Allie Volpe has taken a close look at how best friends stave off not just social alienation but also emotional loneliness and why ranking our friendships on a scale of acquaintance can help us conserve social energy. Guests: Omar Wasow, assistant professor of political science, UC Berkeley Allie Volpe, correspondent, Vox Jaimie Arona Krems, associate professor of psychology, UCLA; director, UCLA Center for Friendship Research Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:41.1	From KQED.
0:43.9	Welcome to Forum. I'm Mina Kim.
0:46.6	Organizers of the No Kings protests on October 18th are predicting even bigger crowds
0:52.3	than the millions who gathered peacefully across the country last June.
0:56.0	They say they're hearing from more first-timers feeling compelled to act,
0:59.9	with immigration raids, troops and cities, and threats to the First Amendment animating people.
1:05.9	Is this you? Are you going? Tell us why. Or why not?
1:09.7	And this is a short segment, so tell us now at 866733-6786.
1:15.2	You can also email your questions and comments to forum at kQED.org or post them on Discord,
1:20.7	Blue Sky, Facebook, Instagram, or threads at KQED Forum. Joining me, Omar Wasso, Assistant Professor
1:26.7	of Political Science at UC Berkeley.
1:29.3	Omar, welcome to forum. Thank you for having me. So what do you think? Do you think this is
1:34.2	wishful thinking on the part of organizers? Or are you also sensing an increase in anger or worry,
1:40.9	motivating maybe more people to come out this weekend?
1:47.0	I suspect that there will be a larger turnout.
1:54.1	There has been social movements often work as a kind of cascade through a society.
	...

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