It’s been a crazy week
Yesterday was Juneteenth. For the first time, I work at a place that takes a holiday on Juneteenth. Today marks the end of my second week with the new gig.
Last Saturday, I went to my first ever protest. I joined the No Kings protest in St. Pete over by Tyrone Mall. To be honest, I was scared to go, given the over-zealous response to the LA protests. I got there a little late. There were already thousands of people lining the very busy street corner, on all sides. Lots of American flags. I had an instinctive clench when I saw the flags. In recent history, flags and flag-based clothing have been a sign of, well, the other side. Voldemort fanatics. For the first time in a long while I saw the flags, and was able to feel good about it. Even a little proud. I pulled into the first parking lot I could find that had protesters nearby - between a McDonald’s and a Panera Bread. Someone with a walkie-talkie walked out the back door of the Panera, shaking his head. I waited for a moment to make sure he wasn’t calling tow trucks, and then headed across the parking lot to the sidewalk. Three people deep along the street, most people had signs and/or flags. Cars continually honked as they drove by. The location wasn’t like other cities, where all the people were together, so it was hard to get a feeling of mass. It felt a little scattered, like the busy street. But there was a unity that spanned the large intersection. It was hot. Someone came through offering water, and one of the organizers came by a couple of times to start chants with his megaphone. My fears were, as it happened, unfounded. There was a police presence, but just to keep traffic going smoothly. The protesters ranged from 20-yr-olds to 80s. it was peaceful, joyous, angry, loud. Necessary. On the day of Voldemort’s military parade in DC, millions of people took to the streets in protest. I read that it takes only 3.5% of the population to demonstrate regularly, to topple a tyrant. That’s 97 million, in the US. We didn’t get that number, but it’s a start.
There’s another protest day planned on July 17. I encourage you to join.
In the meantime, we may or may not be going to war with Iran. Voldemort says he’ll decide in 2 weeks. Of course, he says that about everything.