Living in the COVID World ... and Beyond #62: United We Stand

Since the election of Donald Trump as our 47th President, I have been upset, shocked, angry, and sad about the numerous policy decisions that his administration has announced and implemented.   In addition to processing those feelings, I have been more active in writing my Senators and Congressman advocating for resistance.   Although my elected officials are all Democrats who share my frustration, they have been largely ineffective at curtailing any of the Trump administration’s destructive actions.

This past Saturday, April 5th, numerous organizations across the United States organized actions to protest the Trump administration’s initiatives.   The actions were organized under the banner of Hands Off!   Hands Off our schools, hands off our immigrants, hands off our social security, etc.

One of these protests was scheduled to happen here in Stamford, CT.   I decided that I wanted to attend and was pleased to see that the meeting location for the rally and march was only a few blocks from home.

I decided rather than just show up at the rally myself, I would see if I could organize friends to go together.   I wrote local Stamford friends:

“I am planning to attend the march/rally on April 5th here in Stamford entitled: Hands Off! Stamford Fights Back.  It is a march/rally in opposition to the policies being instituted by the Trump/Musk administration….

I’m looking for people to go with to this event.  Please let me know if you plan to attend and we can figure out how to find each other in the crowd.”

Several people responded, some to find each other at the rally and others decided to meet at my building so we could walk together to the rally.

In the final days before the protest, we got notified that the rally location had moved because so many people had signed up, they needed a bigger venue …. Very encouraging!

I also saw that the sponsoring organizations were holding a sign-making party on Friday evening before the rally.  I decided to attend, meet people and mingle, and make a sign.  In advance, I decided that my sign would read: “United We Stand.”    I think the most important thing is that people stay united in pushing against Trump’s initiatives and not let ourselves be divided.   I showed my sign to people that were making their signs and got favorable comments.   One person said I needed to put something on the other side of the sign, so I added: “Democracy Together.  Hands Off.”

It was reported that over 1200 separate rallies happened across the United States, in big cities and smaller towns.   I estimated that about 2,000 people were at the Stamford rally which I thought was impressive given the cold rainy weather.   The local newspaper report said 5,000 people but I think that must be a misprint … it did not seem like that many people to me. 

I was one of the 2,000 or more people rallying and marching with 4 other friends.  I saw a handful of other people that I knew, and many more people that I had never seen before.  It was a diverse group including babies in strollers.  

I can imagine that someday today’s grandchildren and great grandchildren will ask: What did you do to oppose Trump’s destruction of the economy, democracy, and so much more?

I was just one person in the crowd on April 5th.  And it was a crowd that I was glad to be in.