First, it is lovely to have this community celebrating my daughter’s wedding, and thank you all so much for the kind comments.
Second, and let me hasten to add the High WASP’s prophylactic apology for anything untoward, today I’m posting about next Saturday, October the 18th.
A nationwide “No Kings” protest is coming. Above is one of my signs.
Having demystified my culture and background here on this blog, courtesy of you fine people, I am no longer terribly impressed by my ancestry. We all get born from someone, usually a woman for that matter. Famous men gotta famous. But following the principle of offering up one’s privilege, my citizenship is reasonably well-established. Time to use it. I suppose I feel some responsibility. Here’s my second sign,
And here’s the image for the reverse of both,
These aren’t perfect. I am not a designer and my attention to detail is rudimentary. But they are mine.
I politely request that you sign up to attend a protest near you. If ‘protest” sounds frightening, maybe think of this as a rally. A rally for our right to fairly and freely choose elected officials, without fear of soldiers in the streets: our right to wear little “I Voted!” stickers, with pride and safety. Because in the end, that’s where this is going. We know.
Maybe our efforts won’t work. Maybe we’re in for a decade or two of totalitarian, authoritarian, whatever-we-call-this rule. We could eventually get through that, probably. Look at Brazil. But it would be better if we could change the course of things now. My apologies again for disrupting your Saturday, but people died in Brazil. Maybe we can trouble the powers-that-be just enough that they decide trying to shut us down isn’t worth it.
Besides, the prot–I mean RALLIES I’ve been to are fun. Encouraging. Not violent in the slightest. (If you haven’t followed what’s going on in Portland, OR, I urge you to google “Portland Frog.” Humor is a strong force.) If you cannot attend, if, for example, it’s just against your nature and I understand that, at the very least I hope you are encouraged we’re not giving up.
Meanwhile, it’s a beautiful fall weekend here in Northern California, with the bluest of all blue skies. Just looking up lights the heart. I wish you happiness. See you next week.
29 Responses
Hi, Lisa –
Please do not apologize. I am writing from the non-hellhole that is Portland, Oregon on a lovely partly cloudy fall day. There is no violence here, and so far no National Guard.
My husband and I will be attending the Protest (with a capital P) next week, and dragging along all the loved ones we can. It will be our 7th or 8th such appearance this year. I find these events to be invigorating and affirming. There will be many other oldsters who just can’t take this anymore. I hope your readers will speak out. Let our voices be heard. Now is not the time to remain silent.
If we can get 3.5% of the population to turn out to protest, we CAN make a difference. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190513-it-only-takes-35-of-people-to-change-the-world
Personally, I’d rather read about this than about your MOB dress selection, but perhaps that’s just me. :)
As a fellow Portlander, I agree with Julia about how we definitely are not war ravaged or burning to the ground or any of the other lies that have been told about us. But on my side of town (in the hills above the ICE building), we are fed up with the border patrol helicopters that have circled overhead every night for the last two weeks – to no purpose that I can discern other than trying to intimidate us, rather than actually protecting our borders. I am proud of how this city has handled the situation so far. No kings, indeed, and I love your signs.
Me too!
I’m near Portland and agree completely.
With you in spirit, and on the streets!
To all three of you in Portland, the way your city has dealt with this is inspiring. Thank you so much for turning out. I applaud you all. And I’m glad you’re OK with my sharing these thoughts and actions. We contain multitudes, as they say.
I love your signs! Of course I’ll be out there in a week doing what I can do to fight this would-be tyrant and his co-conspirators. I’m bringing our American flag as my sign—I feel the right wing has co-opted our flag and it’s time for us resisters to wave it proudly.
Stay safe, sisters.
Re(sisters). I love that!
And after all, “No Kings” was the original message carried by our flag.
Go you! I agree about the flag. It is our symbol as much as theirs, and we can reclaim it. My sister and I have a t-shirt that says, “Re-sisters;)). Sisterhood is powerful.
I (too) LOVE those signs! Thank you for the solidarity and encouragement. Showing up offers others hope, and you never disrupt anyone’s Saturdays — you make them better and braver, always.
“Just looking up lights the heart.” What beautiful words.
Much happiness and a wonderful weekend to you! xoxox
Thank you, Jess xox
Beautiful signs! I am looking into options to attend a local RALLY at our City Hall. I’m not too steady on my pins these day, but I want to be there.
I applaud your fortitude. I hope others can support you if you find you need to sit down. My sister and I have found seats on several lawns so far;).
Great signs! Thank you for adding the import of your personal history to help correct our course.
However this plays out, we win by doing. We’re building and strengthening community, laying the foundation for whatever next efforts we’ll need to make.
“See” you out there. Love and unity —
See you out there! And all our personal histories, if we are Americans, are the history of America, right? I just hope mine can be a little useful in these times. I love what you say. We win by doing. These connections, this strengthening of understanding and ethics, is good.
I’ll be at the No Kings protest in Kansas City!
Kansas City! I imagine the people of that beautiful city being encouraged and supported by each and every person who shows up in the streets that day. You are a hero!
Love your clever signs. That is one of my favorite parts, reading all the great signs. It is so weird to read about all the Portland hellscape scenarios… It is so calm here right now. I think the humorous approach is the best for Portland right now now. I hope it continues!
Thank you! And Portland has really done itself and America proud. I too hope you can keep your well-wrought peace.
I’m with you!
And I love these signs.
Power to the People!
Thank you! We have power indeed.
Brava, Lisa! Even well-bred descendants of the signers may resist!
Aw:). Thank you. I like to belief it’s what we need to do, if we have the privilege of so many generations reaping benefits.
Please do not apologize Lisa! I appreciate your post. We all need to talk about this and resist. Some people do not realize (yet) the danger we are in.
Thank you, Susan. I wish I knew how to better reach those who don’t yet see what’s happening. I guess we all just talk to the people we can find, and hope they will talk to the people we cannot.
Great Signs!!
I know that word is over used by the sitting idiot but yours are GGGRRRREAT AS TONY THE TIGER USED TO SAY!
I remember Tony the Tiger. Thank you so much!
Fantastic signs! Hope you have many co-resisters turning out for the rally. Wishing you the best, from Canada.
PS a fellow resister against tyranny (from Venezuela) won the Nobel Peace Prize a few days ago.
Thank you. And yes she did!
Thank you right back to Canada:)
The Portland Frog humour utterly demolishes the intended threat of ICE or uniforms – they look utterly ridiculous up against great cartoon figures – who ever got the frog costume together is brilliant! Humour as a response is the perfect antidote! May the streets be filled with happy, funny costumes!
Dropped in for wedding photos! Congratulations to the Newlyweds! Hope your gang had a blast :))
But the sign is so good! Top two are personal of course, but oh Lisa… may I steal the bottom sign for a rally in Denver? Get out there Re(sisters) !!!