The core premise that the “No Kings” movement is an apolitical expression of community spirit is fatally undermined by the artist’s visual “reality” in the published cartoon. If the cartoon truly reflects what its creator, Nhiache Xiong, sees as “reality,” then the prominently displayed Palestinian flag transforms the scene. That image—placed among otherwise civic-minded and patriotic signs—corrupts a local, unifying theme into a global, divisive political statement endorsing one side in a brutal and deeply complex far-away conflict.
Let’s be clear: raising a Palestinian flag in this context, as depicted by the artist, is not an innocent act of solidarity—it’s an implicit endorsement of a cause that includes the explicit call to dismantle the Jewish state of Israel. A “Palestine from the river to the sea” would mean a Palestine without Jews, just as the Hamas terrorists tragically demonstrated when they wiped out civilian villages, and committed indiscriminate murder, rape, torture, and kidnapping on October 7, 2023.
That’s not peace. That’s not freedom. And it’s certainly not what the “No Kings” movement was meant to represent. If this graphic truly captures the “reality” of No Kings, then the movement’s apolitical nature has been hijacked. The organizers should have taken extra care to protect it from any hint of ideological capture. Like a virulent parasite, extremist pro-Palestinian activism attaches itself to any good cause that it can exploit—from campus protests to community rallies—corrupting their original intent.
The question is not whether the rally “got it right.” The question is: why did the artist’s imagination of “reality” include a Palestinian flag at all? What does that choice reveal about the creeping normalization of political extremism under the guise of peace, art, and activism? And what does that choice reveal about the Minnesota Daily’s editorial policy?
KG
Nov 13, 2025 at 10:29 am
The core premise that the “No Kings” movement is an apolitical expression of community spirit is fatally undermined by the artist’s visual “reality” in the published cartoon. If the cartoon truly reflects what its creator, Nhiache Xiong, sees as “reality,” then the prominently displayed Palestinian flag transforms the scene. That image—placed among otherwise civic-minded and patriotic signs—corrupts a local, unifying theme into a global, divisive political statement endorsing one side in a brutal and deeply complex far-away conflict.
Let’s be clear: raising a Palestinian flag in this context, as depicted by the artist, is not an innocent act of solidarity—it’s an implicit endorsement of a cause that includes the explicit call to dismantle the Jewish state of Israel. A “Palestine from the river to the sea” would mean a Palestine without Jews, just as the Hamas terrorists tragically demonstrated when they wiped out civilian villages, and committed indiscriminate murder, rape, torture, and kidnapping on October 7, 2023.
That’s not peace. That’s not freedom. And it’s certainly not what the “No Kings” movement was meant to represent. If this graphic truly captures the “reality” of No Kings, then the movement’s apolitical nature has been hijacked. The organizers should have taken extra care to protect it from any hint of ideological capture. Like a virulent parasite, extremist pro-Palestinian activism attaches itself to any good cause that it can exploit—from campus protests to community rallies—corrupting their original intent.
The question is not whether the rally “got it right.” The question is: why did the artist’s imagination of “reality” include a Palestinian flag at all? What does that choice reveal about the creeping normalization of political extremism under the guise of peace, art, and activism? And what does that choice reveal about the Minnesota Daily’s editorial policy?
Greg
Nov 3, 2025 at 11:58 am
This comic is wonderful. I attended one of the “No Kings” rallys and found it to be peaceful, friendly and welcoming.