Just got home from the protest in Topeka. Kathy and I went with four other friends from Cottonwood Falls. I want to capture my thoughts about the day. Hoping someday 20 years from now my grandkids will read this and know that their grandmother was among the millions across the USA that showed up today.
It was a brisk, windy day today but luckily no rain. The sun even broke through the clouds just before we were leaving. We got there around 11:20 and were able to find a close parking spot. People kept coming in after we got there. Crowd estimates range from 2,000 – 5,000. We were pretty spread out and people came and went so not sure how they do a count.
I was impressed with the creativity and variety of protest signs. I didn’t take my phone out and take pictures. Some of the others in the group did though so I will get copies of what they captured. People were complementing others on their signs. One of my favorites said “What Cory Said” and another was “Tariffs hurt Kansas farms and the Penguins”.
Age of attendees varied from Senior Citizens down to infants. I would guesstimate 60% to 70% were over 50 years of age. Whenever I saw a teen or 20 something I would thank them for being there and tell them they give me hope for the future. Some of them thanked me for doing the work for many years.
I didn’t see many minorities. 98% or more of the crowd were white. I would guess 80% women and 20% men.
Saw several people with disabilities and struggling to walk but they showed up anyways. Spoke to one woman who said she just had to come even though walking was a challenge for her.
The crowd was well behaved and it was a very peaceful day. Several mentioned how they felt great comfort in being with like-minded people in such big numbers. If there was any confrontations going on, I didn’t witness it.
The only downside I felt during the time I was there is when the crowd would react when the pickup with Trump flags on it drove around the big block the capitol sits. I wish the crowd would have ignored them as they gave energy to the truck and it brought down the group energy.
I struggled to do the negative chants. I could feel the energy of the group drop when they did that. I liked chanting Democracy for All and Peace for All better as well as Power to the People. The energy rose when positive chants were said.
Counts of the number of people attending around the US and even in Europe are still coming in but last I heard we are over 3.8 million people just in the US. We need to reach 3% of the population to reach a tipping point. Not sure we did that today but this was only the first of the protests that will happen. I have a feeling they will continue to grow in size as more and more people start to feel the impact of the decisions that are being made.
I will go to the next protest and the next and the next. It feels important to me that I show up. There is power in the people when we come together in a peaceful way to say Hands Off! I can’t sit this out. Still feels like it is a lesson in trust to think that my presence can help tip the scales but what else can a person do?
I ran into some people I knew while I was there. It was fun to see them. Some other friends of mine were going to go but I didn’t see them. In that big of a crowd it was easy to miss them.
We stopped at the Blind Tiger for lunch afterwards but it was going to be a two hour wait for a table. We went to some dive bar that was close by and had lunch. The waitress was fun and the food was good. I could tell it was a red neck bar but we encountered no issues.
I am sitting in my chair in front of my space heater warming my bones up. The energy of the day helped keep me mostly warm during the event. I kept walking around which helped too but now my bones are complaining about being out in the cold for a couple of hours. It was in the low 40’s today with a brisk wind.
Tomorrow I have to be in Emporia at 3:00 to work at the friends of the library book sale. I only have a two hour shift so that will be a quick event for me. I will go back to the sale after my tax shift Monday to buy books as I can get a bag full for only $10 Monday. Tomorrow the books are full price which is still a bargain compared to the price of a new book.
Monday and Tuesday I have tax shifts. Looking forward to Wednesday which is a stay at home day after six busy days. I think I can make it until then without having a melt down – we shall see.
It felt good to have a day of action and be with like-minded people. I had a fun drive to and from with my friends. The whole day makes me feel positive for the future of the country. I will be participating in the Walmart boycott from April 7 -14. That means I will have to buy my family day groceries somewhere else – I can do that.
I will continue to find ways to quietly boycott businesses that support the right. There is power to be gained in how I spend my money and I do my best to find places that support the values I cherish. Money seems to be one of the few things that get their attention. Not sure I spend enough to be noticed but I notice it and that helps keep my energy elevated.
Grateful for the right to peacefully protest, grateful for like minded friends that joined me today, and grateful the rain went around us today.
