Excerpts from Karen Crowley 10/18/25 No Kings speech
We are being tested today in deep and difficult ways. The ground we stand on seems to be shaking beneath our feet. I grew up in southern California and so I understand the deep fear that comes when the very earth you stand on is falling away.
And our democracy IS falling away. The League of Women Voters declared months ago that we are in a “constitutional crisis.” While the debate raged among pundits, the League spoke the truth. In every conceivable way, the founding principles of the United States are being challenged. In America, we do not have a king. In America, we have the voice and the power of the people.
I want to share with you a few of the principles of the League of Women Voters:
- The League of Women Voters believes in representative government and in the individual liberties established in the Constitution of the United States.
- The League of Women Voters believes that all powers of the US government should be exercised within the constitutional framework of a balance among the three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial.
- The League of Women Voters believes that democratic government depends upon informed and active participation in government and requires that governmental bodies protect the citizen’s right to know (by giving adequate notice of proposed actions, holding open meetings, and making public records accessible).
- The League of Women Voters believes every citizen should be protected in the right to vote…and no person or group should suffer legal, economic, or administrative discrimination.
- The League of Women Voters believes efficient and economical government requires competent personnel.
- The League of Women Voters believes responsible government should be responsive to the will of the people.
[Because we are here today] We are being told that we hate America. Do these beliefs sound like an organization that “hates America?” To me, these beliefs define America. I am here today to say that we stand by these principles and will defend them –loudly, resolutely, and unceasingly.
Many of us are asking the very practical question: What exactly can I do? Yes, we must show up and support each other at events like this. But, tell me what I can specifically do to effectively push back.
Well, the first answer is basic. We can vote. Local elections are the place that grassroots democracy is born and nurtured. Please make sure you vote by Nov. 4. But there is more you can do. I invite you to stop by the League of Women Voters (LWVWA.org) and learn about an effort here in Washington state that would limit our freedom to vote. Decline to Sign Initiative 1-126.
So—these are actions we can take after today—and in the days to come. But what we cannot do is give in to fear. If we live in fear, if we give in to hate, we give up our power. Do not give up your power. Choose hope. And here’s a radical suggestion. Choose joy. Choose belief in each other. I am so glad you are here. Thanks for letting me speak with you today.
Excerpts from “We Are Being Tested” speech by Karen Crowley, LWVWA president, presented Oct. 18, 2025 // “No Kings!” rally// Snohomish County Courthouse Plaza, Everett, Washington.