I went to the Missoula event, my third. Because you said the right thing to do is "show up in service to humanity." I showed up. Imperfect and staid as these gatherings are to me, if one more person had the personal courage to attend for the first time, it was worth it to me to support that. We need to create a new system, not feel relief if the democrats win congress in November. Whites will still get to define the game. The "revolution" still needs to happen.
I like your "stream of consciousness" post; it feels as if you're just talking with us - close, unedited, casual. I'm glad Helena invited you, and glad you went. They needed to hear your honest voice, cutting through performative bs. Maybe these events will become the inclusive nationwide movement necessary for making real change. We can hope, anyway. Thanks for doing your part, Chris.
Good for you to stand up in those trying circumstances.
I did attend the NKs rally in Boise. I, too, was mighty impressed by the bravery of many who came out in the little rural communities that dot Idaho’s map.
There’s a lot I don’t agree with at these things. And chants are absolutely not my thing. But I think it is important to set aside some of our personal misgivings for the sake of unity. And—if we can come together to resist the current chaos that thinks of itself as an administration, perhaps we can later hear each other on the other issues as well.
I remember that the Vietnam War seemed slated to go on forever until the masses came out to join the hippies and college kids in protest. Or that’s how I remember it anyway. I’m sure there were other things going on. But unified public pressure surely helped turn the tide.
Miigwech, Chris! You have a way of putting things and I am so grateful I get to hear it. Appreciate your dissent and support. Your pictures and captions are epic! Thanks for sharing this experience with us.
My daughter Hazel and I did go to a small protest in Nederland, CO. Not sure if it was No kings or not. I did get to talk to another mom about "Plant, baby, plant!" That was my favorite part!
"too often they seem a performance toward real change rather than the real thing. Except for when they haven’t been, and there are plenty of examples of that too." This encapsulated all my feelings.
I went to the large march in Portland. If nothing else, it was a lovely walk with thousands of my neighbors on a beautiful spring day.
I also speak out for the indigenous people as they are being targeted also. Because of their skin color.
I have to think deeply sometimes of if I have indigenous friends because to me they are just friends.
I appreciate where you are coming from, with heartfelt empathy.
I appreciate your voice.
I definitely don’t think of myself as a socialist leftist. Just as a concerned citizen who knows that the direction that this regime os going is horrible
No there were not a lot of , if any indigenous people that I saw at the protest.
Looking forward to your San Diego visit. Very interesting remarks about the No Kings in Montana. Inspired to hear that there was something going on in Miles City. I went to the No Kings in San Diego and was mostly inspired and a tiny bit concerned. Unity amongst so many disparate groups will be absolutely critical to turning the corner on the situation we are in. I like how you include footnotes in the writing. Here is one to add to the mix. The “under God” part of the Pledge of Allegiance was added as part of Cold War religiosity in the 1950s. It is not in the original.
Yeah, Kim and I went to the Whitefish event. I wish we could just get to protesting daily, that might bring this admin around. And you’re right. We need real change, not “going back to normal.”
Hi Chris - I was in Berkeley at Bioneers conference - 150 different tribes present there and welcome and a huge part of not the center of the conference. Check it out - you would be an amazing addition.
I especially don't like the god part of the pledge, but I am grateful for people coming together and I'm glad you were there. I became ill and could not attend, but my husband went.
A movement without demonstrations, rallies, protests (call them what you will) isn't a movement, it's a secret. What's important is that your neighbor sees you (the one you thought was a XXumper), and we receive assurances that we're not alone. And it's good to have data feedback that the solidarity is building, peacefully. I appreciate you offered your insight. Thanks for reporting on your impressions.
The difficult part is, in being a part of a community whose travails historically have not inspired the dominant culture to care, is still feeling invisible in these movements. The goal in all this equally is to change that too.
Absolutely enjoyed the quote from Dan Pocha; that he was there with sweetgrass was an inspiring moment. Glad you participated in the event, even though it contained quite a bit of dross (for want of a better word.) Thanks for your perspective, viewing these things with honest candor and saying so because some things just need to be said.
I share your sentiments on protesting for this or that flag, or to be under it. I hope my American friends can be gentle to me for what I’m writing, but I’ve been to protests in many parts of the world, and to me, the American protests are basically people singing and laughing, and you see people doing many silly things or wear costumes etc, and that to me diminishes the real reason one should protest, which is to show dissatisfaction (in various forms), not to go to a parade…
I get the “you can still protest and have fun” but the severity of the situation to many countries around the world is not a funny moment, it’s an existential threat..
Bad as things are here in the USA, I don't know how many of us fully grasp the "existential threat" nature of all the conflict, particularly what we inflict on the rest of the world that our citizenry has largely shrugged off. I appreciate your thoughts here. ✊🏽
Thank you for the sentiments brother Chris. I am part of that world that is afflicted by this lunacy they call American foreign policy. In fact I was supposed to fly and see my family for Ramadhan and Eid, but America decided to drag the region where I’m from into a “new” ethno-Zionist war..
I always tell my American friends, I care a lot about your politics because foreign policy manifests itself in different degrees of violence against my region of the world..
I went to the Missoula event, my third. Because you said the right thing to do is "show up in service to humanity." I showed up. Imperfect and staid as these gatherings are to me, if one more person had the personal courage to attend for the first time, it was worth it to me to support that. We need to create a new system, not feel relief if the democrats win congress in November. Whites will still get to define the game. The "revolution" still needs to happen.
I'm actually quite disappointed I didn't get to do the Missoula event.
I like your "stream of consciousness" post; it feels as if you're just talking with us - close, unedited, casual. I'm glad Helena invited you, and glad you went. They needed to hear your honest voice, cutting through performative bs. Maybe these events will become the inclusive nationwide movement necessary for making real change. We can hope, anyway. Thanks for doing your part, Chris.
Good for you to stand up in those trying circumstances.
I did attend the NKs rally in Boise. I, too, was mighty impressed by the bravery of many who came out in the little rural communities that dot Idaho’s map.
There’s a lot I don’t agree with at these things. And chants are absolutely not my thing. But I think it is important to set aside some of our personal misgivings for the sake of unity. And—if we can come together to resist the current chaos that thinks of itself as an administration, perhaps we can later hear each other on the other issues as well.
I remember that the Vietnam War seemed slated to go on forever until the masses came out to join the hippies and college kids in protest. Or that’s how I remember it anyway. I’m sure there were other things going on. But unified public pressure surely helped turn the tide.
You remember the Vietnam era well. It was--finally--the masses coming out to join the hippies that turned the tide. In the meantime, we persevere.
Miigwech, Chris! You have a way of putting things and I am so grateful I get to hear it. Appreciate your dissent and support. Your pictures and captions are epic! Thanks for sharing this experience with us.
My daughter Hazel and I did go to a small protest in Nederland, CO. Not sure if it was No kings or not. I did get to talk to another mom about "Plant, baby, plant!" That was my favorite part!
💚
"too often they seem a performance toward real change rather than the real thing. Except for when they haven’t been, and there are plenty of examples of that too." This encapsulated all my feelings.
I went to the large march in Portland. If nothing else, it was a lovely walk with thousands of my neighbors on a beautiful spring day.
Not a bad way to spend such a day, no matter the outcome!
"... It’s a tiny little braid of sweetgrass, because he understood I would probably need a smudge. And I did."
Here's Jewell James from Lummi Nation who was the keynote speaker at the No Kings event in Bellingham, WA:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq6eFy1aYoo
My first protest ever.
I also do other rebellious things.
I also speak out for the indigenous people as they are being targeted also. Because of their skin color.
I have to think deeply sometimes of if I have indigenous friends because to me they are just friends.
I appreciate where you are coming from, with heartfelt empathy.
I appreciate your voice.
I definitely don’t think of myself as a socialist leftist. Just as a concerned citizen who knows that the direction that this regime os going is horrible
No there were not a lot of , if any indigenous people that I saw at the protest.
Looking forward to your San Diego visit. Very interesting remarks about the No Kings in Montana. Inspired to hear that there was something going on in Miles City. I went to the No Kings in San Diego and was mostly inspired and a tiny bit concerned. Unity amongst so many disparate groups will be absolutely critical to turning the corner on the situation we are in. I like how you include footnotes in the writing. Here is one to add to the mix. The “under God” part of the Pledge of Allegiance was added as part of Cold War religiosity in the 1950s. It is not in the original.
Yeah, Kim and I went to the Whitefish event. I wish we could just get to protesting daily, that might bring this admin around. And you’re right. We need real change, not “going back to normal.”
Agreed, or weekly. You know, like football games and the like!
Hi Chris - I was in Berkeley at Bioneers conference - 150 different tribes present there and welcome and a huge part of not the center of the conference. Check it out - you would be an amazing addition.
I've heard of Bioneers but never attended.
I especially don't like the god part of the pledge, but I am grateful for people coming together and I'm glad you were there. I became ill and could not attend, but my husband went.
A movement without demonstrations, rallies, protests (call them what you will) isn't a movement, it's a secret. What's important is that your neighbor sees you (the one you thought was a XXumper), and we receive assurances that we're not alone. And it's good to have data feedback that the solidarity is building, peacefully. I appreciate you offered your insight. Thanks for reporting on your impressions.
The difficult part is, in being a part of a community whose travails historically have not inspired the dominant culture to care, is still feeling invisible in these movements. The goal in all this equally is to change that too.
I remember in my teaching days, I used to sit down silently for the pledge. It was awesome when the high schoolers realized they could too.
It was only within the last couple years that I realized people even still do the pledge. It's really weird to me.
Nice job burying the lede. We all need a smudge.
I've never learned what "burying the lede" actually means. 😂
Which is probably why my freelance career never crawled up out of the 🚽.
Absolutely enjoyed the quote from Dan Pocha; that he was there with sweetgrass was an inspiring moment. Glad you participated in the event, even though it contained quite a bit of dross (for want of a better word.) Thanks for your perspective, viewing these things with honest candor and saying so because some things just need to be said.
I share your sentiments on protesting for this or that flag, or to be under it. I hope my American friends can be gentle to me for what I’m writing, but I’ve been to protests in many parts of the world, and to me, the American protests are basically people singing and laughing, and you see people doing many silly things or wear costumes etc, and that to me diminishes the real reason one should protest, which is to show dissatisfaction (in various forms), not to go to a parade…
I get the “you can still protest and have fun” but the severity of the situation to many countries around the world is not a funny moment, it’s an existential threat..
Many of us wear costumes so as not to be scannable by facial recognition software
I don't question that.
Bad as things are here in the USA, I don't know how many of us fully grasp the "existential threat" nature of all the conflict, particularly what we inflict on the rest of the world that our citizenry has largely shrugged off. I appreciate your thoughts here. ✊🏽
Thank you for the sentiments brother Chris. I am part of that world that is afflicted by this lunacy they call American foreign policy. In fact I was supposed to fly and see my family for Ramadhan and Eid, but America decided to drag the region where I’m from into a “new” ethno-Zionist war..
I always tell my American friends, I care a lot about your politics because foreign policy manifests itself in different degrees of violence against my region of the world..