Yesterday afternoon, my husband and I took the subway downtown with some friends, to join thousands of our fellow Bostonians in Copley Square. We were protesting the recent executive order banning travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries, which (as you know if you’ve been reading the news) has resulted in people being detained at airports and denied entry to the U.S.
This was my second protest in as many weeks – my second protest ever, to be honest. I have a feeling it will not be my last.
I’m deeply afraid, on many levels, that this is only the beginning of the terror and injustice we’ll see under Trump’s administration. I am furious, heartbroken, fearful, and determined not to simply stand by in silence. So I’m learning – as are so many others – to protest. (It makes my bookish heart glad that both protests I’ve attended so far have happened on the steps of public libraries.)
Protesting, as you might have guessed, doesn’t come easily to me. I’m not inclined, by temperament or by cultural training, to rock the boat. And what I really want to do, in light of every single horrifying headline we’ve seen lately, is to gather up the people I love and hug them until we all feel a little less afraid. But that’s not physically possible – my loved ones are scattered far and wide – and it won’t stop the evil coming out of Washington. So I am listening, reading, asking questions, writing postcards. And protesting.
I know these marches are only a beginning: there are many ways to use our voices, and we also need our elected officials to step up and use theirs. (I’m proud of my Massachusetts senators for doing just that.) I welcome ideas and advice from folks who have been doing this longer than I have. This bigotry and injustice didn’t start with this election, and it won’t end here. But we can – and must – speak out against it.
WONDERFUL post. Stay the course, my friend in beliefs!
Thank you, Cindy!
Thank you again, for speaking up. Protests and political activism doesn’t come easily to me either but I realize how very important it is. I was at the Women’s March here in Portland, Or. but hadn’t signed up for the 10 actions in 10 days until I read your post. Now I have and I wanted you to know so that you realize you are making a difference. If we can all influence even just one or two others, it will add up and hopefully our voices will be heard and help stop the insanity.
Thank you, Sydney. I’m glad the post was helpful – and yes, I believe our voices will add up, too.
Well Done Katie the more the Better. Trump has sacked the Attorney General who refused to sign the order so it shows that Trump is unleashing an enormous amount of social Protest. People are not afraid of him they are just going to stand up to him. I live in Britain . His decision wont just affect Americans it will effect the Whole world Trump has misjudged badly and this might be his undoing I hope so. Laurence xx
I was a teenager in the 1960’s and early 1970’s, and I haven’t seen the people rise up in such numbers since those days. It seemed like we had a lot to protest them – civil rights, the war in Vietnam, and of course women’s rights – but those days pale in comparison to the huge issues facing us now.
Like you, I am stepping outside my box to make my voice heard here in the 21st century. I’m glad to have your company 🙂
Proud of you, friend!
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