Weekly Demonstrations

 Dennis and I participated in both No Kings Day rallies in Lake Forest Park.  The reported attendance for the October rally was over 2700.  Not bad for a small city just north of the Seattle city limits with a population (2020) of 13,360.

But this is another smaller rally.  Every Sunday, there's a rally for an hour at a busy intersection in Shoreline (right next to Lake Forest Park)  We have our signs and we wave and people wave to us and honk our horns.

There's not a lot of of people there.  This picture is from the Shoreline Area News (used without permission) from last Sunday.  About 50 people come.  Dennis and I are in this picture but we're kinda hard to pick out.  It was dark skies.  Anyway I'm the person seated (on my garden bench) with my new blue jacket on and Dennis is right next to him.  I don't remember the lady on the left being so close to us but she was.

There's usually people on 4 corners.  Corner of NE 205th St and Aurora Ave (Hwy 99).  The blue jacket was an impulse purchase from La Conner at a travel store.  Why did I need a new rain jacket?  Would I ever wear it?  Um, just all the time, I'm wearing that jacket.  It's really well made and, honey, you do not get wet.

But folks, I need help with my sign.  I made a sign months ago "No more extortion!" and it's still good.  But maybe a new one.  I want to word "Ballroom" in there.  Healthcare not Ballrooms?  Doesn't have a snap.  I would like a B word.  Suggestions welcome.

Please help!

Womyn's March 2018

Picture taken from Seattle Times video feed:  Now 2:45, Dennis texted me about 1/2 hour ago that he made it to Seattle Center, the end of the march.

Today is the day of the second Womyn's March.  I marched part of it last year; it was fun.  With my friend Mary Ann, her friend Claire and Dennis.  This time I'm having troubles with my knees and feet and ankles and I just didn't know if I could do it.  With a few treatments, some fancy topical stuff and reassurance that it wasn't cardio, I feel pretty good.  That march was considerably shorter; I almost felt I could do it.  Almost.  I decided not to do it.  Dennis is doing it solo wearing my pussy hat.  He met friend Peter Henry.  There "I see him every demonstration I go to" he texted me.

So I'm sad I'm not down there; it was fun last year.  Seattle is such a blue city, who could pass it up?

Ilana and her sign

Ilana took the day off to go to a legislative hearing about passing a hate crime bill in Indiana.  Apparently, Indiana is one of only a few states with no hate crime bill.  Yay Ilana!

I stole this image from some video posted by the Indy Star.  She posted on Facebook that her sign was in the picture.  But also her. 

The sign, maybe not a masterpiece, communicates the idea.  It's time to pass a hate crime bill!

Have to skip Women's March this year

The women's march is happening again this year.  I was fortunate to have this group for last year.  I think we started pretty near the end at Cherry Street so we walked a fair number of blocks but nothing like the people started at Judkins Park.

But I can't do it this year even though the march will be substantially shorter; starting at Cal Anderson park on Capital Hill.  So it will likely go down Pike then on 4th to Seattle Center.

But this year I've had trouble with my knees and, for the last few weeks with my ankles and feet.  Even more hobbled than usual!  Today I found out that the ankle swelling is NOT related to anything cardio, whew that's a relief.  I'm looking into some other treatments and upped the appt for my physical med doctor.  But I don't really feel that I can go out there and walk the route.

Once you start out with something like this, you have to keep going!  I just don't feel like I can do it right now.  Feeling kinda sad about it.

Protesting Betxy De Vos

Last night Dennis went with Naomi ( public school 1st grade teacher), her roommate Jackie (public school fifth grade teacher) and another teacher at Jackie's school to Bellevue to part of a protest against a speech made by Betsy De Vos, the education secretary (in case anybody didn't know).  She made a speech for a pro-business think tank.  She supports alternatives to the 'failing government schools.' Public schools are not failing and most of these 'alternatives' involve for profit organizations and Christian control.  Nope, nope, nope

Us protesting last week

Last week, Dennis and I went for a half-day protest in Olympia with NARAL about abortion rights.

Olympia, as usual, was sleepy.

The photo shows the group (somewhat diminished) towards the end of the day sitting on the steps of the rotunda in the the Capitol building.  You can see Dennis and me way up in the upper right.  Dennis in the red sweatshirt, the top of his head almost cut off.  I'm to the right with a pussy hat (thank you Colette!) on partially obscured.

We have just been standing in the rain for an hour or so.  Which explains our somwhat bedraggle demeanor.  That seems to be how it is  protesting and marching in the Northwest.  Now the Women's march was good weather; everything since involves standing in the rain.  Getting cold and wet.

NARAL rallly in Olympia

Dennis and I went down to Olympia to participate in the NARAL (supporting reproductive freedom) event and rally.  Most of it was inside but we did have a rally on the steps.  I took the picture which means I'm not in it.

It was cold; it was rainy.  I am so tired of cold and rainy; especially protesting outside in cold and rainy.  It's sunny right now this second, whatttt?

What struck me in our small group discussion prior was that almost all of the women first got medical care and birth control from Planned Parenthood.  And they appreciated those services mightily.

So much to protest, no much to do.

We've agreed that supporting the undocumented immigrant community is an important focus.  We were both affected by our participation in the modest monthly protested at the immigration prison.  All people living in the US are covered by the Bill of Rights, including due process and there is NO place for an invisible secret police.