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If you are one of the millions of patriotic Americans participating in a “No Kings” rally on Saturday, then you should be aware of a couple of things: First of all, because mass demonstrations are the kryptonite of authoritarian regimes, Republicans are terrified of you. That is why they have spent all week claiming that regular folks like you, i.e., ordinary people concerned about Donald Trump’s dictatorial ambitions, are all a bunch of terrorist sympathizers who hate America.

More importantly, while you will only be one among many, how you conduct yourself on Saturday matters more than in an ordinary protest.

That’s because Republicans and their allies in the media will go to great lengths to portray the demonstrations as something that fits their narrative.

Let’s say that five million people show up to voice their opposition to the Trump regime, and that 99.9 percent of them are perfectly peaceful. That still leaves 5,000 participants who are not.

And while these troublemakers constitute a tiny minority, we can virtually guarantee that the “axis of disinformation,” which includes odious figures like JD Vance, Mike Johnson, Stephen Miller, Pam Bondi, Kristi Noem, Sean Hannity, Steve Bannon, and Elon Musk, will use their behavior to claim that they were right to call the demonstrations a “Hate America” rally.

All of the above are hoping for unrest and would be pleased beyond belief if law enforcement personnel were accosted in any way.

In fact, it seems quite possible that Miller and Noem will send ICE to some of those demonstrations to make arrests and harass participants in order to escalate the situation and elicit an angry response.

And it’s not just violence.

Fox News is just itching to show footage of broken glass and things on fire, even if it’s only some trash cans. They hope that you show up with a Hamas flag (but will settle for broadcasting images of Palestinian or Venezuelan flags).

It doesn’t matter if almost all protesters are flying Old Glory. They will find the ones who aren’t.

And they will find any slogan that reinforces their narrative that anybody who shows up at these rallies is just some far-left kook who supports political violence, backs domestic and foreign terrorists, wants men in women’s locker rooms, and only has bad things to say about America.

So, don’t be that person!

Therefore, if you plan on attending one of the events, please be conscious of your responsibility.

To help you, here are some tips on what to do.

• Don’t engage in any violence, including destruction of property.
• If you see someone who participates in that kind of behavior, get them to stop.
• Be respectful to law enforcement personnel.
• Do not allow yourself to be provoked.
• If you bring a flag, make sure it’s the Stars and Stripes.
• You may have your own agenda, but “No Kings” isn’t about that. There is a time and place for everything, and this is the time and place for peacefully protesting the authoritarian excesses of this administration.
• Don’t talk to the right-wing “news” media. Anything intelligent you managed to say would end up on the cutting room floor.
• Be patriotic. America isn’t perfect, and it’s fine to point that out. But its founding ideals are worth fighting for, and that’s what you are doing. And whatever America is today is a heck of a lot better than what Trump wants to turn it into.
• Have fun! Sing, dance, make music, wear costumes, and laugh. Nothing will blow up the GOP narrative more than non-violent protests involving millions of Americans who come together to stand up for their country and have a good time doing so.
• While we aren’t fans of social media, share your experience online.

There you have it. If the millions of people who show up on Saturday do those things, then “No Kings” will be an overwhelming success.

If not, you are just making it easier for Trump to become a despot. And if that’s your goal, just stay home.