Why I Marched

I marched not in protest, but in support.

I marched to support those that are vulnerable to the whims and orchestrations of the new administration in Washington DC.

I marched to support women's health and the agencies that provide essential care to those who are most at risk of losing that care. 

I marched to support the Affordable Care Act.

I marched to support the freedom to be who you are, especially as it pertains to the LGBT community. 

I marched to support the needs of women and children, families who require our help to make it through hard times.

I marched to support those who came to our country as immigrants.

I marched to support freedom to live as equals no matter your race, ethnicity, or religious beliefs. 

I marched to support educators who are constantly under a barrage of blame by a society that wants a quick fix, when it is that very society that needs fixing. 

I marched in defense of our Earth, clean air and water, renewable resources,  and environmental protections.

I marched in support of strong women everywhere, and one in particular, one who for 50 years has worked for the causes of women and children, one so strong that she scared men of power shitless, so that they felt the need to bring her down by character assassination and lies. 

I did march in protest of those who chose to believe those lies, and I marched in the hope that I could begin to forgive those close to me who promoted those lies. 

I marched because I need to have truth respected, facts verified and acknowledged. 

I marched to support science. 

I marched because I needed to be in the company of other like minded people.

I marched because I was angry, and I needed to let that go. I needed to feel the joy of being surrounded by smiling, laughing, supportive people who all want to be heard and will not be silenced. 

I marched for me.

And I marched for Hillary.

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And now I want to show you the experience we had participating in the Womxn's March in Seattle. But when you are finished enjoying (or not) the photos, come back to why I was there. 

We left home for the Link light rail station before 9:00 to ensure that we would get parking at the station. We got off the Link near Pioneer Square, because we knew that the March would come west on Jackson Street, from the gathering place in Judkin's Park about a mile east of there. We spent an hour at the Starbucks on Jackson, reading our phones and the newspaper, while having coffee and sweets and waiting to join the march in progress. 

After walking around a bit, we walked over the the intersection of Jackson and 4th Ave, where the March would swing north. 

 Many others had the same plan.

 We blended into the waiting crowd until the police escort cleared the path for the approaching marchers. 

 We stood there for nearly an hour, watching the participants slowly walk by, and enjoying all the signs. 

 It takes a very secure man to wear a "pussy hat" and carry a sign like this, "Men of quality support gender equality". 

 Old and young, men and women and families all shared in the experience.

 Not all signs were polite. There were anti-Trump signs, of course. We don't like him and we don't respect him, because he has shown that he doesn't respect us. 

 We connected early on with Pat, a retired physician from Whidbey Island. We stayed together for the rest of the day's activities. 

 Finally, as the marchers thinned a bit, we blended in and began to proceed, very slowly through the city. At this point there were marchers along the whole 3.6 miles of the route. The estimated size of the crowd was 130,000!

 We cheered the window washer high up as he saluted us. Talk about going high when they go low!

 And finally, about 2:30, we reached the Seattle Center Grounds. 

People were milling about everywhere, but we were tired, and after perching on the edge of a pond to rest a bit, we found a rest room, and then waited in line for the monorail to get back downtown and back on to the Link to come home. 

Did I find what I was seeking in participating in the Womxn's March? Yes. The smiles and the laughter around me were joyous. People were happy and celebrating their freedom. I heard no anger, no profanity, no mocking from the sidelines, nothing negative. We were blessed by the weather gods with blue sky overhead and sun to warm us. 

Tom and I are so glad that we were there. It was a  healing experience, an experience that we needed in order to move on.