Hands-Off Protests Nationwide
Colorado rallies alone took place in Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, Loveland, Longmont, Greeley, and Highlands Ranch. Nationwide protests happened today against the atrocities being committed by that guy in office. Many of my friends went to the one in Boulder and Denver and I give them a thumbs up. They were brave enough to step up for what they believe. For more information on what is happening go to: https://www.yahoo.com/news/protesters-tee-off-against-trump-191321348.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall

Comments from the White House are abhorrent. Shakespeare was right in his statement, “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” When you have the press secretary parroting the words about fraud and abuse when programs are cut, you wonder why she is the representative for the highest office. She should be ashamed of herself and resign. No one wants to hear that. We know what is going on. The highest elected official doesn’t have a conscience.

In 2020, after the George Floyd incident, the president strode across Washington with his military minions, in order to be photographed holding a bible in front of St. John’s church. He had recently ordered  As he held up an upside-down bible he stated that “this is a great country” and turned and left without speaking. This was his statement, as though this explained his order to remove protesters by force. Bishop Budde spoke out against this man. She told reporters, “President Trump does not speak for St. John’s.” She also stated, “Let me be clear: the president just used a Bible, the most sacred text of the Judeo-Christian tradition, and one of the churches in my diocese, without permission, as a backdrop for a message antithetical to the teachings of Jesus [Emphasis mine)]. Everything he has said and done is to inflame violence. We need moral leadership, and he’s done everything to divide us.”—How We Learn to Be Brave by Mariann Edgar Budde, Episcopal Bishop of Washington

When President Trump was elected once again, Biship Budde spoke out. Trump attended church services in her church after the inauguration. In her sermon, she pleaded with him to embrace compassion and strive for unity. She stated there were three foundations for unity:

1. “Honoring the inherent dignity of every human being. In public discourse, honoring each other’s dignity means refusing to mock, discount, or demonize those with whom we differ, choosing instead to respectfully debate across our differences, and whenever possible, to seek common ground. If common ground is not possible, dignity demands that we remain true to our convictions without contempt for those who hold convictions of their own.”  
2. “Honesty in both private conversation and public discourse. If we aren’t willing to be honest, there is no use in praying for unity, because our actions work against the prayers themselves.”
3. “Humility, which we all need, because we are all fallible human beings. We make mistakes. We say and do things that we regret. We have our blind spots and biases, and we are perhaps the most dangerous to ourselves and others when we are persuaded, without a doubt, that we are absolutely right and someone else is absolutely wrong. Because then we are just a few steps away from labeling ourselves as the good people, versus the bad people.” 

In her final plea to him, she stated: “Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. Millions have put their trust in you. As you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.”
Bishop Budde’s Sermon

I hope that all of this activism will make changes in awareness and help people see the light. However, I don’t believe it has helped in those in the states where contentious people, mostly republicans, are still being voted into office (recently, Florida). The only way to make a change is to keep challenging the people who continue to believe in all of their politician’s nonsensical rhetoric. Keep challenging these folks about the way they vote. Continue to question them by asking them why they believe that their representatives who keep spouting misinformation and not showing up to town halls are representing them, the people. Continue to ask them why they believe it is all right to dismiss people in need or who are not like them.

But let’s take a moment to divest from this seriousness. In 1974, I was in college at the University of Georgia. This was an era of Watergate and Vietnam. Militants had kidnapped newspaper heiress Patty Hearst in February. Gas was short and pump lines long. Streaking (running naked on campus) became a phenomena on all college campuses and events everywhere. It became a competition. Media touted it as simply being springtime college antics and youthful hormones. Some organizers stated that they were just determined to set a record that had gotten away. The University set the record with a culminating event where over 1500 students gathered and streaking on campus.

While I was on my way to becoming a police officer, I saw these actions in a different light. My life choices have colored my experiences with protests. I saw it as a challenge to let things happen in a peaceful manner, while controlling the civil disobedience in a kinder way than the way it was handled in the 1960s. I believe all have the right to protest and not be beaten half to death. I believe both sides can keep it peaceful. We don’t have to exercise extreme force on either side. And, for crying out loud, keep the guns at home. When has that ever solved anything? Think about it. If you are naked, where would you put a gun? Huh? Huh?

Gotta love the 70s! Have fun tonight checking out these hindsight articles regarding the streaking craze!

The Big Streak
https://www.americanheritage.com/streaking-fad
https://jimnicar.com/2013/04/11/the-bare-facts-of-streaking/
https://oxfordeagle.com/2016/12/03/ole-miss-streaking-in-the-1970s/
https://magazine.washington.edu/streaking-fad-of-the-70s-once-ran-through-uw/
https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a27305183/history-of-streaking/

I love you all and I hope for a better world and loving people everywhere!