I've been wrestling with the idea of physically joining protests for quite a while. We are all far beyond the time for just hunkering down and pounding the keys as I'm doing right now. Like many of us older folks, I did some marching, singing songs, and carrying signs, back in the day.
In spite of being distracted by the pleasures and tiny challenges of being a middle class suburbanite for forty years, I managed to vote every two years. This past year, running up to November, was exciting and very discouraging. I exhorted remaining family and friends; those whom I knew seldom if ever voted, to get out and get involved. I bothered anyone who looked conscious, and over eighteen. I'm sure I waited an extra long time for my Starbucks at least a couple times as a penalty for my badgering (I should have just used the drive-up).
Since the election I've been having the occasional pipe of hashish and trying to tamp down obsessing about direct action. If I'm going to feel the whip of fascism again, It will be with great purpose.
Fyi, the April 5 Hands Off protests were estimated by organizers at 5.3 million across the country, and much lower estimates by police. This seems common. My location (Boston) was estimated by police at 30,000, and organizers at 100,000 -- my guess was in the middle, 45-50,000 ("way more than Fenway Park holds"). I took in ~30 data points from posters on social media, and estimated 2 to 3 million nationally at a minimum, albeit probably less than 5.3 million. In any case, it was certainly more than half a million nationally.
Holy shit, thank you -- I'll correct it. that's what I get for grabbing a statistic from a national publication, I am for some reason continuing to forget that they are failing to report on this in any meaningful way. I'll change it
Thank you Laura.
I've been wrestling with the idea of physically joining protests for quite a while. We are all far beyond the time for just hunkering down and pounding the keys as I'm doing right now. Like many of us older folks, I did some marching, singing songs, and carrying signs, back in the day.
In spite of being distracted by the pleasures and tiny challenges of being a middle class suburbanite for forty years, I managed to vote every two years. This past year, running up to November, was exciting and very discouraging. I exhorted remaining family and friends; those whom I knew seldom if ever voted, to get out and get involved. I bothered anyone who looked conscious, and over eighteen. I'm sure I waited an extra long time for my Starbucks at least a couple times as a penalty for my badgering (I should have just used the drive-up).
Since the election I've been having the occasional pipe of hashish and trying to tamp down obsessing about direct action. If I'm going to feel the whip of fascism again, It will be with great purpose.
Fyi, the April 5 Hands Off protests were estimated by organizers at 5.3 million across the country, and much lower estimates by police. This seems common. My location (Boston) was estimated by police at 30,000, and organizers at 100,000 -- my guess was in the middle, 45-50,000 ("way more than Fenway Park holds"). I took in ~30 data points from posters on social media, and estimated 2 to 3 million nationally at a minimum, albeit probably less than 5.3 million. In any case, it was certainly more than half a million nationally.
And yes to more protests! Thank you Laura.
Holy shit, thank you -- I'll correct it. that's what I get for grabbing a statistic from a national publication, I am for some reason continuing to forget that they are failing to report on this in any meaningful way. I'll change it
Great! I've never seen anything like the one in Boston. But the next ones will be bigger. ;-)
Thank you, Laura.
I am. Doing a walk and talk with my counselor on the way and boom there.