A picture of an alternate timeline
Especially since the crowd spilled back at least as far as the Museum of Natural History, my godchild and I got much closer than we had expected to the head of the Mall surrounded by signs themed from penguins to the Constitution, accompanied by intermittently organized political chants and a noise which turned out to be one dude processing through the crowd playing the Wii home theme on a shofar, which is honestly the kind of weirdness I want at my protests, along with the vocal defense of trans rights and science. ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
selkie witnessed a bagpiper in parade dress blasting the "Battle Hymn of the Republic." We were near a marble bench when my godchild needed to sit down, after which he acted as a sort of gateman helping protesters and their signs and their backpacks over or under the thigh-high chain of the fencing. We saw a lot of veterans, a lot of people who looked as though they had protested on this same mall in the 1960's. A lot of kids. A lot of rainbow flags. We had no signs, but our queer/trans/disabled selves. We were tired and counted.
selkie witnessed a bagpiper in parade dress blasting the "Battle Hymn of the Republic." We were near a marble bench when my godchild needed to sit down, after which he acted as a sort of gateman helping protesters and their signs and their backpacks over or under the thigh-high chain of the fencing. We saw a lot of veterans, a lot of people who looked as though they had protested on this same mall in the 1960's. A lot of kids. A lot of rainbow flags. We had no signs, but our queer/trans/disabled selves. We were tired and counted.
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You most definitely do! <3 <3 <3 *strength and fist bumps*
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Thank you!
*hugs*
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(And thank you.)
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*hugs*
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Speaking of protest weirdness, someone was wearing a giant dinosaur suit in Glendale today. The only part of the person I could see was sandals and painted toenails.
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The last time I was on the National Mall for anything political, it was Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert's Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in 2010, which was rather different. But people seemed so exuberantly energized. "No Kings, No Nazis." "They're eating the checks, they're eating the balances." "Remember Polio? I don't—let's keep it that way!"
Speaking of protest weirdness, someone was wearing a giant dinosaur suit in Glendale today. The only part of the person I could see was sandals and painted toenails.
Godspeed that person! And no heat stroke!
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I saw that one today too!
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It shows up in pictures from the Boston protest! I like that the memetic quality of the signs includes variations on a theme and also people just coming with their own things.
Let's emancipate collectively
Re: Let's emancipate collectively
Yes! Far more than it sounds was estimated. My parents made signs and went to their local protest. I've been seeing the pictures from friends all around the country and the news of protests even in European cities. May it start to shift.
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You and your godchild are adorable together.
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It was for me in D.C.! My favorite signs were "Penguins Against Tariffs," "Science! Because it's better than making shit up," a gorgeously photorealistic set of caricatures in pastels illustrating the slogan "They're eating the cats—we're eating the DOGE," and a sign like a Roman standard which announced 200+ reasons that the man in the White House was a corrupt and tyrannical liar, the receipts in three printed streamers fluttering more than six feet underneath. People were courteous, supportive, friendly, furious. It felt like some actual collective action.
You and your godchild are adorable together.
He is an extremely adorable person, although being fifteen he would resist the description strenuously.
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*hugs*
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<3<3<3
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*hugs*
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It does! And makes me think of this skeet. I read about the Dropkick Murphys and was delighted, especially the part where they explained that no one who listened to their music should actually have been surprised. (I too would listen to their Woody Guthrie albums and had actually no idea he had provided the lyrics for "Shipping Up to Boston.")
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*hugs*
It felt like fighting. I want it to be.
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The piper was SO stirring. I didn’t even start up with my favorite lyrics to “Battle Hymn,” my brain supplied the real ones.
[The alternate hymn is “Mine eyes have seen the Teletubby and his little purse…”, so going back to the real words is a stretch.]
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I incline toward hugs in person, but I recognize the existence of fistbumps! I loved the shofar.
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Solidarity forever!
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Amen!
That's a hell of a trip!
Congrats on making it all the way and back. (I appreciate the significant effort required! Thanks.)
Our march was more young than old, but old were well-represented.
I was indeed on the mall in 1969 for the Moratorium anti-Vietnam–war rally, though I can't remember whether it was October or November.
Re: That's a hell of a trip!
You're welcome! I should be clear that I am not yet back: I am still in the D.C. metro area. We had planned originally to visit the Smithsonian this afternoon, but the weather and people's bodies did not accommodate. It's been a quiet afternoon instead which after a protest is just fine.
Our march was more young than old, but old were well-represented.
I am glad to hear it.
I was indeed on the mall in 1969 for the Moratorium anti-Vietnam–war rally, though I can't remember whether it was October or November.
And this I am not surprised to hear.
*hugs*
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*hugs*
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I was glad to be able to.