IT TAKES A TEAM

Just as it took three of us to write 300 postcards for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford, it took all three of us working together to participate in Eugene, Oregon’s HANDS OFF rally on Saturday, April 5^th. 

One person drove us to the site and paid attention to our health - women in their 80s can’t stand in the hot sun for too long.

Attendees appreciated the humor that was on full display! 'We Cannot Be Silent' was a major theme.

With all generations present, the earnestness of this young man's commitment to workers rights touched me deeply.

"Grandma does this!" a two-year-old told his mama when he saw all the signs.

While one attendee focused on our current economic peril another highlighted the necessity of saving the planet for our children.

Our second team member planned our logistics, using her years as a jogger to successfully get us to and from this crowded and now historic site; all while carrying our sign. 

Meanwhile another team effort was international. At least a dozen unique organizations coordinated The HANDS OFF day of nonviolent action, with events in the UK, France, Portugal, and several cities in Germany. There was even a surprise locally generated ‘HANDS OFF’ rally in a ruby red small town in Massachusetts. 

I identified with this red-headed photographer's struggle to figure out what to document. As the third person on our post-carding team, I made the team sign and took photos of this historic event. 

A different kind of teamwork took place in the Chili red state of Louisiana - home of GOP house leader Mike Johnson. Expecting a 12% turnout for a special election on draconian changes to the state constitution, the GOP was surprised when 18% showed up to defeat their efforts to sink democracy. 36% of those voters were wide-awake Black residents who refused to be bamboozled.

To keep us from cooking to a crisp, our blue and white shirted driver and health monitor told us when it was time to get out of the sun.

Meanwhile, weaving like a caterpillar through the crowds, a dozen intrepid environmentalists used butterfly signs to emphasize the transformation our society is going through.

 

Moving from the heat into shady streets, we were struck by how the crowd had already taken up space on a nearby bridge to give motorists a way to participate.

I am grateful to have been part of this team effort in practicing democracy.