Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Moments from the Women's March

So many of the entries I’ve read over the last couple of days have defended or attacked women’s reasons for marching or focused on extreme demonstrators that cause the reader to disconnect. 
I honor and value each person’s call to speak his or her mind, and celebrate that we live in a country with that freedom. I simply want to share a few of the moments I experienced marching in Washington, D.C. and reflect on how we can move forward.


When I first learned about the march I felt compelled to go. In the past I may have supported at home or on social media. There were many reasons people traveled to D.C. Mine was to stand for women’s equality and human rights. This time I felt that I needed to take action to show my commitment.



Our group walked 2 miles from the stadium parking lot to the march because the Metro system was overloaded with people. We called it our march to the march. Along the way I noticed yard signs with different quotes by Martin Luther King Jr.  Later in the day I asked one of the local residents about the signs. He explained that one of the members of their neighborhood group offered the signs to neighbors via email. The woman had them printed and many put them in their yards for the inauguration. Most were about peace and love. One message I keep coming back to is “We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope.”


When we approached the rally area from the west it became apparent that we weren’t going to get anywhere close to the stage or even to hear the speeches. Moving further down toward the mall we realized that people were already spilling out of the areas that had been designated. What struck me was the volume of people and the congenial tone of the crowd. People were in good spirits, some chanting, pointing to and complimenting creative signs, talking to each other about where they had traveled from and why they were there, and being considerate in a jam-packed space. I’m not saying that none happened, but I didn’t witness any disrespectful interactions.



I saw several children with their families and applaud those parents who taught their children about our right to free speech. I don’t know these children’s names but they and their parents gave me permission to share their photos. Both messages resonated with me.



Because we couldn’t get close to the rally point, our group moved out onto the mall. We ended up next to a couple that had a radio and a bullhorn broadcasting the speeches. We followed them along and came to a point where people had created their own march route. I heard a policeman tell someone that this wasn’t the planned course but that we were welcome to walk there. I later learned that the masses had filled up the original march route to the point of immobility. We joined others to walk down Constitution Avenue moving at a snail’s pace.



Some activists atop a large truck were leading chants. “No more hate, no more fear, immigrants are welcome here!” “What does democracy look like? This is what democracy looks like!” gained large volumes from supporters. “Hey Ho Trump must go” brought less enthusiasm and some looks of frustration. There were some vulgar signs – there were some vulgar speeches – but overall the most powerful theme was taking a stand for what you believed in. My takeaway from this moment is that LOVE and HOPE are stronger than HATE and FEAR. Speaking out with a positive message invites others (and us) to listen so much more than attacking someone’s point of view. It’s OK to speak that positive message loudly – but let’s remember to listen too. We can be passionate and civil at the same time.


When rights are threatened, people wake up to what they took for granted. So what happens next?  Some will go home and be proud they did their part. It was a good first step.  For me it only affirmed my commitment to stay aware, to be an advocate when needed, and to take ACTION both in my community and the world.  I will strive to listen to different perspectives, seek collaboration, and work to make a difference where I can.




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