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There was a guy with a Trump flag standing on the promenade. It was a black flag where the stars and stripes were faded. It says Trump MAGA 45 and 47. And around the 1776, where the 50 stars should be, there were 13 stars. It's a whole jumble of symbolism. In fact, made even funnier by the fact that he was carrying a Captain America shield, the kind the little kids carry around on Halloween. And I'm not going to ding that because this was the Portland no Kings rally. I mean, the number of adults wearing inflatable costumes and their children was pretty impressive, but they at least usually tended to get the symbolism right. If you're going to carry a Captain America shield, you should know that he was an anti fascist, so that contradicts what's going on in your right hand. He was joined by an older lady who I believe was his mother. She was seated the whole time. She had a sign and no one really engaged with them. As I stood there for a little while off in the distance, just watching because I was interested, because of the poof. Who knows how many thousands of people. I don't know if an official count is out when I'm recording this yet. The last no Kings rally said to get 10,000 people. I would imagine there were more this time, especially given what's going on in Portland right now. But a couple people said remarks as they walked by, and I did catch his replies. He was always saying, you're the fascist. You won't stop and have a conversation with me. So I don't think he was a paid agitator. He just seemed like a lonely young boy in his 20s and his mother who just wanted to start some. They didn't seem paid, but they seemed like they wanted to fight some people, not physically. Neither of these people were in that sort of shape. They weren't decked out in all the military gear as the actual agitators like to do when they come around the ice facility. This was a couple miles from ice, and overall it was a joyous day. It was a day where everyone was saying hello to each other. And when you're walking and streaming through, you say, excuse me. And people were stopping for photos all over the place. And the speakers, for the most part, really had some good messages. I'm going to play one in a few moments. And the music, you know, at one point before the march started, one of the speakers said, portland is the number one music city in the. In the country. I had to laugh at that. I mean, there's there's fantastic music here, but I think being honest with what you can offer, like if she were to say Portland is the number one food city in the country, there's an argument for that. Like you can stop and have an actual credible debate with people. But the music that followed just proved as much as I love this city, you know, tone it down a notch. But what wasn't toned down is the responses, which is what I want to talk about today. There are two questions I'm going to handle on the other side of the break here, and one of them has to do with many of the much of the chatter that I saw online leading up to the no Kings protest, the concept of it, what it functions as and what place it has in our society. And this isn't limited to Portland by any means. I'm going to talk about being in Portland because that's where I was, but not going to. It's not only limited to there. And then I want to entertain a question on one of the comments that I saw about Nazism, because why not? We're here, right? I'm Derek Barris and you're listening to a Conspirituality bonus episode. Portland has not fallen for it.
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Host: Derek Beres
Episode Date: October 20, 2025
In this bonus episode, Derek Beres shares first-hand observations and reflections from Portland’s “No Kings” rally—a response to the narrative that Portland is in civil decline, beset by chaos and extremist infiltration. The episode examines the ground reality versus the disinformation often amplified by conspiritualist and alt-right influencers. Beres discusses symbolic acts at the protest, the mood of the gathering, online discourse surrounding the event, and constructs broader questions about the role of protest movements in both Portland and nationwide.
Symbolism and Irony:
“If you're going to carry a Captain America shield, you should know that he was an anti-fascist, so that contradicts what's going on in your right hand.” – Derek Beres (01:03)
Characterization of Counter-Protesters:
“He was always saying, ‘you're the fascist. You won't stop and have a conversation with me.’” – Derek Beres (02:27)
The spirit of the protest contradicts outsider narratives of chaos:
Comment on Civic Pride and Exaggerations:
“One of the speakers said, ‘Portland is the number one music city in the country.’ I had to laugh at that… if she were to say Portland is the number one food city, there's an argument for that.” (03:24)
“Tone it down a notch.” (03:47)
“I'm going to handle… much of the chatter that I saw online leading up to the no Kings protest… And then I want to entertain a question on one of the comments that I saw about Nazism, because why not? We're here, right?” (04:09)
“I'm Derek Barris and you're listening to a Conspirituality bonus episode. Portland has not fallen for it.” (04:15)
On Protest Symbolism:
“If you're going to carry a Captain America shield, you should know he was an anti-fascist.” – Derek Beres (01:03)
Counter-Protester Behavior:
“He was always saying, ‘you're the fascist. You won't stop and have a conversation with me.’” – Derek Beres (02:27)
Reality vs. Perception:
“It was a joyous day… people were stopping for photos all over the place.” – Derek Beres (03:00)
“Tone it down a notch.” – Derek Beres (03:47)
Setting up Broader Questions:
“There are two questions I'm going to handle… what place it has in our society… And then… about Nazism, because why not?” – Derek Beres (04:09)
This episode of Conspirituality, through Derek Beres’s direct narrative and wry commentary, offers a grounded perspective on the realities of civic protest in Portland. It exposes the disconnect between national narratives of disorder and the actual, human-scale events on the ground, invites further reflection on the function of public demonstrations, and signals future engagement with the broader cultural and conspiratorial motifs that dominate online spaces.
Listeners are left with a challenge: to move beyond sensationalism and see these events—and the people who attend them—for their complexity and human texture, not as mere pawns or caricatures in an ideological battle.