Have Any Of You Participated In A Peaceful March Or Demonstration

Pecos

Pecos

Well-known Member
Location
Washington State
Please refrain from going political on this thread. I know it may be hard to do, but most of you know how to avoid that pitfall.

My wife is working on her poster for the local Black Lives Matter March coming up this Saturday.
I believe that it will read: INJUSTICE DESTROYS

This will be her third March/Demonstration. I have only been to two of them but will be sitting this one out because the heat index will be around 100F and my cancer therapy does not take kindly to that kind of heat.

Our first was in New Your City where we were joined by my daughter and grandson in a march against racism, violence and for women's rights. There must have been over 150 thousand people marching on that cold day. The crowd was very peaceful and the NYC Police were extremely professional and well organized. I froze my buns off, but to me it was worth it.

Our second was a peaceful demonstration in Augusta Ga. against the separation of children from their parents at the border. We stayed on church property and waved our posters at passing vehicles. The vast majority gave us a thumbs up, others didn't even look at us as if they didn't even want to know what was taking place. A few gave us the middle finger. The weather was extremely hot and we were exposed to the direct sun with a heat index around 110F. It did not take me more than a couple of hours to retreat.

We were out of the area and unable to get to Charleston to express our disgust following the shooting at the Historic Black Church by that racist young white man.

My wife really wanted to fly up to Washington and participate in the Woman's March, but there were no hotel room left, and I was at a bad point in my cancer treatment.

So have any of you actually stood out on a sidewalk with a poster or marched to express your frustration or disapproval?
 

Not since I was in junior high school.

I've been thinking about this very topic over the last several days.

I'm probably a very bad example of a good American but I do believe that I'm part of a vast silent majority in this country.

I've never understood the value of protesting or walking/running to raise money for various charities, etc...

I've always taken the time to inform myself to vote in a thoughtful way and make donations to various causes but that's really about it.

Peaceful people of any race or background have nothing to fear from me.

I believe that all Americans deserve to enjoy the same rights and have an obligation to take seriously the same responsibilities that help to ensure those rights continue for future generations.

I hope that you and Mrs. Pecos stay safe and make a difference with your participation in a peaceful protest but protesting isn't for me.
 

peramangkelder said:
No but I watched with great sadness when our ANZACs returned from Viet Nam and were treated so atrociously
They had paint thrown at them and they were heckled and jeered and they were spat on
A disgusting spectacle by the supposedly 'peaceful protesters' that I still remember 50 years later 😥
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That was truly disgusting. I was in the Navy during this timeframe and remember it well.
 
Once I joined in a mass rally with other teachers over pay and conditions and we marched down to parliament house in Sydney. Our sheer numbers filmed from overhead helicopters ensured that we made it to the evening news, which was the whole point because no-one from the then government ventured outside to speak to us. Our claims were taken more seriously after that.

Another time I joined in a street march and rally in Hyde Park to protest a government plan to send East Timor refugees back to Dili while the Indonesians were still on control and oppressing the local people. This one was organised by the Sisters of St Joseph and they told the government that unless this plan was dropped they would hide the refugees in safe houses to prevent the deportations. The government reconsidered, no doubt not wanting to have to send the nuns to gaol, not to mention a large number of otherwise law abiding members of society.

No guns or baseball bats to be seen at either and the police presence was only concerned about traffic flow in the city.
 
Warrigal said:
Once I joined in a mass rally with other teachers over pay and conditions and we marched down to parliament house in Sydney. Our sheer numbers filmed from overhead helicopters ensured that we made it to the evening news, which was the whole point because no-one from the then government ventured outside to speak to us. Our claims were taken more seriously after that.

Another time I joined in a street march and rally in Hyde Park to protest a government plan to send East Timor refugees back to Dili while the Indonesians were still on control and oppressing the local people. This one was organised by the Sisters of St Joseph and they told the government that unless this plan was dropped they would hide the refugees in safe houses to prevent the deportations. The government reconsidered, no doubt not wanting to have to send the nuns to gaol, not to mention a large number of otherwise law abiding members of society.

No guns or baseball bats to be seen at either and the police presence was only concerned about traffic flow in the city.
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For what it is worth, I am proud of you. Those are very worthy objectives, and politicians do pay attention when large crowds take the time to show up and express an opinion. That always means that the vote is going to follow.
 
It wasn't a march but a couple of decades ago, my husband and I went to D.C. to take part in the demonstration due mostly to the brutal, horrific murder of Amadou Diallo by New York City police. But other senseless murders by police were brought to our attention as well. There was a poster with several names and photos of the victims.
 
Yes, about a year or two ago, I attended a march for gun control. It was organized by those kids from Parkland in memory of their classmates who were killed in the mass shooting, and they held rallies all over the country. We held signs saying things like, "My grandchildren's lives are more valuable than your guns!" Most of the cars, trucks, and buses that drove past honked in approval, and we waved back.
 
Yes, I joined a group of friends back in the 80s to protest against Marcos dictatorship. At the time, we had a do or die attitude. Must be the invincibility of youth, we dared to stop military tanks rolling in the streets. My dad was fuming when he found out but he knew he couldn't stop me if I set my mind on something. He threatened to disown me but knew deep inside it won't work with a daughter who's courageously feisty.

We succeeded in ousting the dictator in the EDSA bloodless revolution in Feb 1986.
 
hellomimi said:
Yes, I joined a group of friends back in the 80s to protest against Marcos dictatorship. At the time, we had a do or die attitude. Must be the invincibility of youth, we dared to stop military tanks rolling in the streets. My dad was fuming when he found out but he knew he couldn't stop me if I set my mind on something. He threatened to disown me but knew deep inside it won't work with a daughter who's courageously feisty.

We succeeded in ousting the dictator in the EDSA bloodless revolution in Feb 1986.
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I remember those events. We watched from Australia and I admired the way the people stood between the Marcos forces and the military that refused to carry out his bloody orders. Lives were saved by people like yourself.
 
hellomimi said:
Yes, I joined a group of friends back in the 80s to protest against Marcos dictatorship. At the time, we had a do or die attitude. Must be the invincibility of youth, we dared to stop military tanks rolling in the streets. My dad was fuming when he found out but he knew he couldn't stop me if I set my mind on something. He threatened to disown me but knew deep inside it won't work with a daughter who's courageously feisty.

We succeeded in ousting the dictator in the EDSA bloodless revolution in Feb 1986.
Click to expand...
Good for you and might I add that: "You are seriously bold and brave."
 
At seven, I protested open air A-bomb testing. Still have a pic from the newspaper, somewhere. I marched around the Chicago Federal Building protesting the trial of the Chicago 8/7. I organized my high school's walkout, to protest the Kent State shootings. The Chicago Riot Squad stayed two blocks from our campus, watching. We stayed peaceful. I protested the Viet Nam war, alongside Jesse Jackson, at UC. I've done various protests involving animal rights issues, as well.
 
Warrigal said:
I remember those events. We watched from Australia and I admired the way the people stood between the Marcos forces and the military that refused to carry out his bloody orders. Lives were saved by people like yourself.
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For us then, we were oblivious of danger of getting shot or that we will be hauled to military camps charged with rebellion. But the die was cast, we had to do our part to regain democracy.

Pecos said:
Good for you and might I add that: "You are seriously bold and brave."
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Thank you.

When I became a parent, I fully understood how they felt and the challenges they faced having a daughter like me.
 

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