Make America Kind Again: Women's March 2017
That was one of the many themes expressed on the posters held by hundreds of thousands of participants in the Women's March on Washington DC on Saturday, January 21, 2017. And if the behavior exhibited at the protest is any indication, we are well on our way to making that statement a reality.
By no means am I a veteran protester, but I have been to my fair share of marches and protest scenes. I can say without equivocation that the Women's March was one of the most civilized, polite, and--except for some trampling of greenery near buildings--respectful ones I've witnessed. Even the trash was neatly stacked next to trash cans that already were overflowing. When I became separated from my companion, all I needed to do was tell people between us and they gladly made room so I could catch up to her. When was the last time that happened in a crowd?
I wish I could articulate the sight of all those people in a way that captured its vastness, but the only word to describe it accurately is "humanity." Humanity showed up on Saturday, the first day of this new administration, and it had a lot to say. Young, old, male, female, people of all colors and races, and, based on the signs they held, representatives of all faiths, sexual persuasions and gender identifications. The mere fact that the event included no incidents of violence despite our vast diversity, and experiencing the respect and courtesy with which I was treated, proved that yes, we can all get along, and that xenophobia has no place in these United States of America. Yes, we can make America kind again.
"We the people" still means ALL people.
