Saturday was the protest, as usual, and it was a beautiful day for it. 78°, sunny and a warm wind blowing. It was spring.
Tim carried the signs and I carried a little folding table and a plate of 'oatmeal resistance' cookies to share. (Come to the dark side! We have cookies!)
We are getting a lot more support from passersby. Lots of car horns. I also noticed that there are many people who don't toot, but as they sit at the light, they smile, doing the thumbs up, and if you are only waving one digit, that is the digit to wave!
One elderly couple had two large dogs in the back seat. They were sitting at the red light and the dogs stuck their heads out the window to say 'hey! How's it going!' Terry's dog, Carlos yapped back 'Pretty good! Join us, why doncha?' The poor owner looked embarrassed as she tried to stifle her two who were joyously barking their big barks, as Carlos happily yapped back. It made us all laugh, inside and outside of that car.
It used to be that business trucks didn't wave, but we are seeing more participation there, too, which is cool. They have big horns.
'Airhorn guy' comes through blasting his horns enthusiastically. You can pretty much set your watch by him, and we always wondered. Turns out that he drives by multiple protests to show his support. We are part of his route. When gas is $4.39 a gallon, that's commitment to, isn't it?
Of course, there is the flipside. A woman walked over to scream about abortion. Sally answered, 'if you don't believe in them, don't have one.' The woman shrieked that she hoped if Sally had grandchildren, they were aborted. A ripple of shocked murmuring followed. Ain't no hate stronger than Christian love, is there?
When it was cold, people often drove by. You could tell they were not fans, but you could not hear them. Now you can because the windows are down.
'How much are you getting paid?' (Answer: nothing...I hate this for free!)
'Why aren't you working??!!' (Same reason you aren't!)
One woman shouted,'if it weren't for trump, you would not even be here!!!' The guy next to me looked puzzled. 'What does that even mean?' he asked. 'Dunno,' I answered, 'but she's right. If it wasn't for him, we all wouldn't be standing here.' He let loose a laugh and passed the comment down the line.
I talked to the organizer. "We need a busker!"
Wonder what Jesse Welles is up to Saturday?
Gas went up 20 more cents today. It was $3.19 on March 1st. It is $4.39 as of April 5th.
When they think they have a gotcha and it is so stupid.
ReplyDeleteI know. They drive off so proud of themselves. There's us, told.😃
DeleteBoy are you ever right with this one: "Ain't no hate stronger than Christian love." What is wrong with that anti-abortion woman?
ReplyDeleteThis Christian Nationalist stuff is so angry and awful.
DeleteThanks for being on the right side of history. Yes, what did that even mean??
ReplyDeleteCrazy talk is what it was.
DeleteI suppose this is also community building, as protestors get to know each other.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad that now if someone proclaims they are a Christian, you are immediately cautious about what you say. On high alert, perhaps.
Absolutely. I am not cautious about what I say so much as I am listening very carefully to what they say. I am trying to discern whether they are an actual Christian or a MAGA Christian. And don't be misled. It is pretty easy to figure out.
DeleteI bought a speaker that plays music from my phone. I sprinkle my playlist with 1960's protest songs sandwiched between dance music like the Cupid Shuffle and Miley Cyrus Party in the USA. Our answer to the one finger salute is to blow kisses or say "We're #1".
ReplyDeleteWe have noticed a lot more support. As you said, more commercial vehicles honking and waving, especially the semi trucks. There is a lot of facebook chatter before a march, but they are very bold behind their fake names and don't show their faces.
We also bring a lot of flags. That really confuses them!
You both are heroes!
My strategy: one side of my sign says my thoughts. The other side will say simply 'bless your heart!' (Ala Mary Moon) If they flip me off, I can just flip my sign.
DeleteI love that!
DeleteI am hoping it catches on.
DeleteThat's great that you're getting more business truck support. Trump cultists do say the strangest (dumbest) things. It's difficult to know how to react.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is a good sign too. Their horns are louder too!
DeleteIt takes a few guts to get out and protest. Keep at it.
ReplyDeleteIt is a very public thing. Friends and family see you there. It has cost us, and every one else.
DeleteBless you for fighting the good fight
ReplyDeleteI don't think we have a choice at this point.
DeleteWell done all of you
ReplyDeleteWe have a nice, committed little group.
DeleteSuch a good sign that people are continuously protesting and also your sense of humour shines through. I have never known such a dark period of history in my life. To think it was brewing somewhere.
ReplyDeleteYou know, some people in my own family say, 'What does protesting change?' My response to that? What does watching silently change?
DeleteWe have had a few protests here but found out they were needing to bus in professional protesters to get the numbers built up. The bring in buses of people not even from Florida. I think it is just too hot when it is 90 to stand out in the sun, I have not heard why the crowds are so small. A lot of our people are old and retired, after 80 or so years old legs just do not like to stand or march.
ReplyDeleteSo...where are these buses coming from, do you think?
DeleteWell done for showing up, as ever. As for the abortion woman - I have to say, it doesn't sound like she could manage a balanced argument in a normal voice. I had to smile for the comment "if it wasn't for Trump, you wouldn't be here" . . . for a moment I thought, crikey his sex life must have been WAY better than he's admitted to!!! Shades of Ghenghis Khan in fact :)
ReplyDeleteVery first thing I thought BB! Most MAGA are short on facts. They rely on strong emotion, usually anger and disgust, to win the interaction.
DeleteHis latest expletive filled rant against Iran must give a lot of wavering MAGA supporters pause for thought.
ReplyDeleteWhat I hear, over and over, is this: 'He says what everybody is thinking but is afraid to say'. No. I have never thought the things he is saying. I sincerely don't think sane people do.
DeleteLatest I heard is he's fit to learn Spanish and go to Venezuela when he is done fecking up the rest of the world. Thank you for protesting.
ReplyDeleteNo. He would expect Venezuela to be speaking English before his arrival.
DeleteSounds like a great day! Thanks for keeping at it. Hard to believe there are women like that heckled. Geez, she defeats her own argument.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand her point. Not one sign about abortion. It amazes me that one point is so important to her that it eclipses everything else that is going on. Let's examine that. Do i believe in abortion? On a personal level, no. I would not do that. But i don't believe my opinion should determine someone else's decision. (I feel that way about a lot of stuff, actually.) So, let's just say that a political candidate is running on a prochoice platform but talks about bombing a country into oblivion. Or lies consistently. Who says things like, 'for the first time, a manned rocket is orbiting the moon'. Or talks about the airports during the Revolutionary War. he might be prochoice, but he would not get my vote.
DeleteThis woman indicates that nothing else matters. That is crazy.
I’ve got tickets for Jesse Wells in August. If the world survives until then.
ReplyDeleteI am envious. I need to look up and see if he is playing anywhere near here.
DeleteI do like Jesse.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite anti pro-choice argument is, "What if your mother had gotten an abortion with you?"
Well, I wouldn't be here and it sure wouldn't bother me, would it? I think the world would have survived.
If we want to argue 'what if?' Let's talk about 'what if a leader of a country threatened to kill you, your children, destroy your world?' What if?
DeleteWe had a great turnout in my city too. Started with speakers and then sang songs together before we marched through town. Lots of people in cars honking and waving. The protests have grown larger and larger each time so that's encouraging.
ReplyDeleteI can't say we had a huge turnout, but it is comforting to 'find my tribe'.
DeleteI don't want an abortion, but I sure as hell don't think I have the right to decide for any other woman. Not only is it a personal decision, it is also a situational decision that women have to make.
ReplyDeleteI love that singer. I've never heard of him but wow.
Today I am that ray of sunshine:)
Amen
DeleteAnd that is exactly my point. it takes all kinds of kinds. Live and let live. Your opinion does not/should not affect mine. So simple, teally.
DeleteSome people just cannot understand a different point of view and simply shout, as if that ever achieves anything.
ReplyDeletePeople are trying to do just that.
DeleteI am encouraged that the trucks are honking. More people need to vote correctly in this mid-term. Thank you for standing out there.
ReplyDeleteYou know, it just feels nice to be like minds.
DeleteI admire your resilience, just wish you didn’t have to put up with all the cranks that come along.
ReplyDeleteA life time of the experience of not being everyone's cup of tea has prepared me well for these days.
DeleteTales from the front lines! I'm glad you're still getting out there. It cracks me up how people think protesters are getting paid. So ridiculous. (If they are, I am owed some money!)
ReplyDeleteI honestly think most of them do believe it, actually. They just like to throw shit out there to impress the other MAGA in the car.
DeleteGasoline in Hawaii is now $5.60!!! I didn't get to protest yet. But I've made my sign now and am ready for the next one.
ReplyDelete