A picture of an alternate timeline

[sovay]

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. 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.

Comments

[a_reasonable_man]

The Boston crowd was huge, with signs each denoting a different outrage committed by the administration, from its attacks on Social Security to women’s rights to free speech to Canada, its tariff policies and its education policies. There were, of course, many signs attacking or mocking the President, Vice President, and the TeslaX guy. It was a crowd made up of both old and young. I think it was heartening for everyone to see one another.

You and your godchild are adorable together.

[sovay]

The Boston crowd was huge, with signs each denoting a different outrage committed by the administration, from its attacks on Social Security to women’s rights to free speech to Canada, its tariff policies and its education policies. There were, of course, many signs attacking or mocking the President, Vice President, and the TeslaX guy. It was a crowd made up of both old and young. I think it was heartening for everyone to see one another.

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.