1) When country-wide protests are scheduled from 12:00 to 1:00PM on Saturday, June 14, read the papers and find out the biggest protest in the country will be at LOVE Park in Philadelphia. Ask your family and friends if they’re going to that one.
If the replies are “No, we’re too busy” and, “It can get dangerous – Look at LA,” and (more than once), “you’re over 80,” ignore them. But gently. Project, the 80 year old motto: “Been there, done all of that.”
2) Look up SEPTA trains. I mean, who wants to drive, right? Your car might be vandalized or towed, never to be seen again.
3) Look on the internet and learn that you might be arrested and have your phone taken away, or worse, have ICE track your every move…
…And don’t take your wallet, and if you do, don’t take your credit cards or Medicare cards or cash. Why? See above.
…And take a bottle of water to use in case you get pepper sprayed by police.
…And be alert. You never know when a Trumper might attack.
…And get a lot of sleep the night before, and eat a big breakfast that morning, because if you get arrested, you get thrown into cramped jails where they don’t feed you or let you sleep.
…And give your kids a time-line, so they’ll know when to send lawyers to look for you, assuming Habeas Corpus still works.
4) Look for an alternative protest site, say West Chester, PA, and go there. (Actually, you might make this number 1 or 2.)
5) Get there early, and luck into a parking lot a few blocks from the Courthouse and right next to a Farmer’s Market and… doesn’t charge a fee on Saturdays!
6) Leave your phone in the glove compartment, take your wallet with just your license, along with the water bottle, and a face mask in case you get pepper sprayed –
Oops! Forgot the mask. Oh sh…! Oh well…
7) Walk three blocks, past blocked off streets in which kids are playing and restaurants are serving brunch, to the courthouse, where early birds have gathered and are chit-chatting, signs by their sides. Thank the woman who hands you and others tiny American flags, as other wear and wave them.
(Hey! Does this mean MAGA no longer owns the American flag?)
When a Big Black Pickup roars by, horn blaring, Trump flag flapping above the cab, follow the crowd: a friendly wave, no middle fingers.
(Wait! I thought these protests were going to be dangerous!)
8) Watch as the crowd builds. Parents with kids, mostly white, some black and brown people, and lots of gray hairs.
(Wow! Other old people! Cool!)
9) Count the number of times the horn blaring Big Black Pickup roars by. Three, maybe four, before it gives up and disappears.
10) Mingle in the crowd as it fills the sidewalks and flows all the way up the steps of the Greek Revival Courthouse, built fourteen years before the Civil War. Chat with police who are keeping people on the sidewalks and off of the street.
Me to officer: “How’s it going?”
Officer: “Good, thanks. And you?”
Me: “Yep. Me too.”
Officer: “Have a good time”.
11) Go back and get your phone.
12) Ask a tall guy with a white beard where he got his t-shirt that says “Presidents are not Kings!”
“Amazon.”
Of course.
Chat with him and his wife…“It’s unbelievable.” “Marines on the streets of LA, squaring off against fellow citizens.” “How could a Marine grab that guy!?”
13) Look around and notice how many people are older, some wearing Army fatigues, some with crutches, one lady in a wheel chair. Commiserate with them about never- ever- imagining this country could fall so far.
14) Start taking pictures. Then notice all those signs. Not just “No Kings” but funny ones, sharp ones, emotional ones.
An elementary school boy carrying a sign as tall as he is: “I pledge allegiance to the flag, not a dictator”
A gray hair’s t-shirt: “Vets Against Trump”
A middle aged woman’s hand-written: ”Ice is best when crushed”
A gray hair’s: “Jail to the Chief”
A mom-type: “are we great yet? I’m just embarrassed”
A 20-something: “So much wrong, so little cardboard”
Indeed.
“No Faux King”
“Alexa, Change the President”
“Do Not Reign on us”
“86-47 No Kings No Nazis”
“No Dick Tator”
“Orange Lies Matter”
”Keep the immigrants, Deport the fascists!”
“I don’t usually carry a sign but WTF!”
“If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention”
“Is he dead yet?”
15) Just before 1:00PM struggle through the dense throng. “Excuse me. Just trying to beat the crowd.” People smile and squeeze aside to make room. Back to the car. Drive home, stopping for Mexican food.
16) Enjoy feeling energetic, charged, hopeful.