If you teach people how to communicate for a living and also live less than a mile away from the National Mall, you can’t not show up for a protest. Needless to say, I’ve been busy since President Trump became President Trump.
I am thankful for the First Amendment and the freedom it allows, but the last 10 days have made me question the effectiveness of protests in general as I’ve weathered multiple interruptions to my daily routine. Are they merely a pat on the back for the participants, or do they accomplish meaningful change?
Inconvenience makes you ask the big questions.
While the entertainment value at some of these protests reached an all-time high, here’s what I learned along the way:
Animal Control on Aisle 5
Day 1: Two llamas and an alpaca walked into a protest…
Shay, Thaddeus, and Tragically Cute were brought to the big city to protest the inauguration this month. Yes, you read that correctly.
Why? Their owner says, “It’s time to take back our farms, our families, our food, and our freedom.”
If watching farm animals roam the streets during a Black Lives Matter protest isn’t the crazy story you were hoping for, I also had the privilege to witness the owner shove all three into the back of a mini van.
“I just saw…” I texted my sister. She responded: “haha…your autocorrect just changed that word to llamas.” Nope. That’s what’s happening in downtown DC today.
Body Parts You’ll Have to Explain to Your Kids (Sooner Than Expected)
Day 2: The Women’s March confirmed that ladies love a (re)productive craft night. There were knitted p***y hats in all shades of pink and handmade signs with colorful diagrams of a woman’s reproductive system.
While the cat-ear flare did little to break the stereotype that women like to stay home and knit, the hats were tame in comparison to the vagina costumes. Let’s just be clear – nothing screams “stop objectifying me!” like wearing reproductive organs on your head.
Your Daily Run Turns into Pac Man
Day 3: After two days of protests, I set out on a run to de-stress and get back to my normal routine. The protesters had all left town (or were brunching to refuel), so DC was quiet and empty except for the hundreds of volunteers picking up trash and discarded signs.
I understand that the trash cans were probably at max capacity, but the amount of waste (read: the number of people who didn’t pick up after themselves) was really surprising. Moreover, one of the eight Unity Principles of the Women’s March was Environmental Justice. I guess the implementation of that principle starts at the next protest?
Regardless, I was thankful for these men and women, my neighbors, who volunteered their time to clean up our city. Other runners expressed their gratitude as well. Us DC residents have to stick together.
Forget Ever Being On Time
Day 10: The afternoon before Inauguration, I had to get from downtown DC to Capitol Hill. Thinking I was playing it safe, I allowed myself 90 minutes to make the journey. No dice.
I miscalculated how early they were closing the roads, so I promptly ditched my car en route and hopped onto the Metro. A few stops away from my destination, I heard over the not-so-loud speaker:
“We are having technical difficulties. You can wait for the car to be fixed or exit.”
Yes, I exited. And yes, I ran (heels in hand).
But the traffic and road closures haven’t stopped post-inauguration. Pennsylvania Ave. has been shut down three times since then, which has led me (on more than one occasion) to say to an Uber driver, “Just get me as close as you can.”
My work, and the work of many other DC residents, doesn’t stop because protesters decide to fill the streets. We now have the added challenge of determining how fast we can get from point A to point B in this new Trump era.
As the world watches America protest the leader of its country, big question arise like: “How divided is America?” “Is the divide repairable?” and “What’s with all the executive orders?”
DC residents have to stick to the basics: “Do you think I should stay inside today?”
