A Glimmer of Hope?

Or am I delusional?

My silly protest sign

My arms broke out in goosebumps as the crowd started singing “God Bless America.” Tears began to fill my eyes. The feeling of belonging to something bigger than myself was overwhelming. It was also long overdue and I’m beginning to feel a glimmer of hope after so much despair.

I’m also feeling cautious. Who thought we’d have to experience another four years of horrible behavior?

Everyone felt helpless and scared during Covid. The isolation was so hard. In my neighborhood we’d all come out to our porches at 6:00 to wave at each other. Soon we brought chairs to front yards making sure we were 6 feet apart. We shared tales of washing groceries and baking bread. And people who were sick or dying.

We also balked at the absurdity of the 45^th president’s ideas. When he lost the 2020 election there was a collective sigh of relief.

Then January 6^th happened. I was driving when I got a call from a very upset friend. “They’re storming the capital,” she screamed.

I pulled off on the side of the road and looked for the news on my phone. My stomach lurched.

In the aftermath, I believed justice would be served and the world would see how dangerous the orange man was. He wasn’t fit to serve a meal at a fast-food restaurant, let alone be the leader of the free world.

Free world? Does that even exist anymore?

The network news no longer reflects the truth about what’s really going on. I thought the massive protests would be the lead story on every channel. But they’re all afraid.

Or paid to be silent.

I don’t want to write about politics. I don’t want to write about the clowns running our country into the ground. I don’t want to write about how revolted I am by their lack of common decency.

I don’t want to write about this constitutional crisis.

But here I am, doing just that because I can’t be silent. I don’t care if people are offended, or stop following me on Facebook. Good riddance. I don’t want to surround myself with anyone who believes that man and his posse are honorable.

They are deplorable.

Protest signs on Saturday tell the story:

· Impeach Trump-Deport Musk

· Childless Cat Lady Seeks President With A Brain

· Hate Won’t Make Us Great

· Democracy Not Oligarchy

· Make America Think Again

· I Now Use Fuck like a Comma

· No Kings in America

There are hundreds more I could share because there is so much wrong about this administration. People are losing freedoms, lively hoods, retirement investments, dignity and, in some cases, their lives. The ineptitude of these so-called leaders is mindboggling.

Meanwhile, the orange man is on his golf course claiming victory every time. It’s like playing cards with my four-year-old grandson. They must be letting him win so he doesn’t cry.

The shame I feel for our country is painful. I hope the world has seen footage of the protests so they know we’re not all bowing down to this insanity.

I hope that people who voted for him are waking up as they lose their jobs, or watch their 401(k)s evaporate, or their friends are being deported, or they lose more personal freedoms. I also hope they see safety in numbers and join the side of democracy. I’ll try to forgive their misguided loyalty once they reject him and his antics. But it’s going to be hard.

This glimmer of hope I feel is because I joined a protest in a small, rural (and mostly red) town. I saw others who were also angry and defiant.

Will our voices be heard?

And this is just regarding the budget- Slide created by for a presentation at the Mathews Democratic Committee meeting. BTW the population of Mathews County is approximately 8,600 people.