There were four April 5th Hands Off Protests organized within an hours drive from the farm yesterday.
My friend Kat, who I bellydance with, was going to the one on the four corners in Bennington Vermont, so I met her there.
When I got there at noon the four corners were already lined with people. The cold and rain didn’t stop us from showing up with homemade signs. Many of the them were written on the backs of cardboard boxes wrapped in plastic wrap or plastic bags.
The signs were so varied and very personal.
This is a busy corner in Bennington, the traffic continually flowing. Many people honked their horns in support as they drove by. The ones in opposition were mostly people in trucks, some flying Trump flags, who revved their engines, one big truck blowing black exhaust at us as it drove by.
There was a lot of feeling, people wanted to be there, wanted to voice their concerns and fears, wanted to be heard.
It felt good for me to be there too. Like it was something I could do, and be a part of. It’s certainly impressive when people can all gather together in large numbers in one place like Washington DC. But, especially these days with social media, these kinds of protests in small towns as well as big cities can have as much impact.
So many of us can’t make the trip to Washington DC or even a big city, but we can get together on a locals street corner, and we will be seen and heard.
I knew when I was standing on that corner in Bennington yesterday, that I was among not only the people standing around me, but of all the people in every town and city all over the country who were protesting too.
Yes, that feeling even if you are only one or 10 or thousands.
We are part of the energy of the whole.
There were all of those here where I am, and surrounding cities and towns.
It is indeed personal for every person.
This is touching and affecting millions
Yes, yes, DawnMarie, part of the whole! There is such unity and hope in that.
Thank you and all the people that care and love our country!
I also attended a rally, to my pleasant surprise, in my Ohio hometown of about 19,500. It’s surrounded by a large agricultural community. There were many places listed in Ohio, in all size towns and cities. Like you said, it felt good to be there–people of all ages, holding our signs expressing concerns. I was DOING something! I read some articles about the large rallies, and enjoyed the creativity of some signs. I’m sure this movement will only grow! I’m keeping my sign for the next one!
That’s great Linda, I’m sure there will be more. And the organizers are very good at communicating. I’m thinking up a sign for the next one, I didn’t have one this time.
Good for you!
I had many of the same thoughts and feelings as I joined a Hands Off protest in a midsize college town. Most of the people who drove by were in agreement. It felt good to see so much passion and creativity from people of all ages and physical ability.
Yes, and I should say also that most of the people who drove by in bennington didn’t respond one way or the other. Which is just as good in my opinion, they are allowing the people protesting to exercise their rights whether they believe the same or not.
I’m afraid our town of about 12,000 did not have one as I had hoped they would. At least I did not see anything in the news about it afterwards. The nearest city of about 75,000, Saint Joseph, Missouri, did have a number of people show up there. And in the… Really large city, Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas, I have seen lots of pictures that show they had a very large number of people show up there. I , sadly, I am not well enough to go even if there is one here. But it was wonderful to see so many people, I think over 5 million, get out and do something in opposition that day. Hooray for everyone who did show up and voice their opinions.
We all do what we can when we can Melissa. :)