Y'know, when the world gets me down, nothing cheers me up like a good protest rally.
I received an URGENT! URGENT! URGENT! e-mail from our local United Way yesterday, infoming me that UW is planning a rally/media event in the Utah capitol rotunda to protest the eleven short-sighted and bigoted anti-immigration bills that have been proposed (again) this year. This is exciting! This is not a fringe group that can be ignored. This is United Way, the most corporate, Wonder Bread, vanilla-flavored, mass-appeal charity organization in the galaxy. I was stoked! A protest! And under the auspices of an organization so reputable that even my boss was thinking of attending. True, the idea of a bunch of stuffed suits from United Way shouting, "Si se puede!" lies beyond the vista of even my imagination; but maybe they would encourage us to yell. Good enough!
[Cue sound of rapidly deflating balloon] Then, it was over. Rally canceled. What?!? Well, they decided that perhaps the right people to address these issues with our legislators are leaders of the local Chamber of Commerce. You kow, discuss the impact on business and all. There is wisdom in this. Our legislature here in Utah is well known for hating the tuneless screech of the vox populii. (If necessary, please pardon my spelling, there. One "i" or two in "populii"?) They like lobbyists better. Preferably lobbyists with Jazz tickets. I have even heard several of our legislators say that they intentionally oppose any measure that protesters and ralliers are advocating; this is to teach the rabble important lessons about "appropriate" ways to be heard. So, yes, the power of the purse will no doubt be more successful that the voice of the people in this instance.
By the way, thank God that the Utah legislature only meets for a couple of months every year. Every MLK Day when the session starts, a mantle of gloom descends upon me and follows me around like a personal rain cloud until it is over.
Now, I am glum. Moping. I stir my finger through my earring box, looking for the pair I want to wear tomorrow; but I keep forgetting what I'm after and idly watch them sparkle under my finger. I make a big mug of chai and carry it here to the office, but then realize it needs stirring. I stir it with a pencil because I am too gloomy to leap up and go get a spoon. Then my chai tastes like pencil shavings.
I needed that protest.
A jolt, to break through the bizarre force field ("Captain! Plexiglass shield engaged!") that sometimes develops between me and the rest of the world. I wonder if this is a common feeling: as if I am invisible; as if all my conversations are taking place under water, slowing my humor and reactions; as if my tongue is three times its normal size, and making conversation with my friends is just so much f***ing effort. Maybe this is because Simon has been sick and hasn't been able to talk to me for a week and a half. Not that he finds me all that engaging, but he is my contractually-bound conversation partner. Lucky devil.
I've become disengaged. Slipped my social moorings. I need something to shout about.
7 comments:
WTF?
Who cancelled the rally?
The democratic voice of the people silenced by some coward in a suit?
That truly sucks.
The only possible reason for cancelling an anti-racist protest march is sympathy for the racist policies being protested about.
Name and shame the guilty parties, Kate. Get shouty.
It is February. Everything feels sucky in February. But, this...is just yucky sucky. Utah is similar to Nebraska in that we don't get the good stuff to protest over since there are only a handful of us who would attend. The rest of the state just wants to make sure that "those sneaky people who jump over our borders" (my sister speaks!) keep their distance and just come in once a week to clean out toilets and not talk to us.
Obama is speaking in Omaha today. It is the first time a Democratic candidate has spoken in Nebraska in years. We usually have to go to Iowa to hear them. I am taking Liv out of school early to hear him. She is excited to leave school early. I am just excited because I get to stand in a crowd of my peers for once.
Seems those proposals are being put forward all over the nation...Danbury, CT had some awful clashes this week, and the measures passed. I think they wanted to train local police to deal with immigration issues. It boils down to racial profiling. Every tan/brown person stopped and carded. One legislator that voted against the measure called it economic suicide. ARHG.
I think you should play "Shout" (remember that old tune by Tears for Fears?) at top volume in your living room and sing, no, YELL it at the top of your lungs. It might not change public opinion, but it might make you feel better, and a little more ready to go out there and change the world. One immigrant at a time. Quietly. The way most change really happens.
I have a room full of immigrants awaiting me tomorrow morning. One just became a citizen on Monday. She can't wait to vote in her first election. She wants to vote for Hillary, but will vote for Obama if he gets the nomination. Just a case in point.
This reminds me of that scene from Monty Python's "Holy Grail" involving the exchange between King Arthur & the peasant named Dennis....
(King Arthur)
Shut up!
(Dennis)
"Come and see the violence inherent in the system! Help! Help! I'm being repressed!"
(King Arthur)
"Bloody peasant!!!"
It's just not the same effect without actually watching the movie. :))
Anonymously, John
I can use a good shout, too, as a matter of fact, I did just that in my car on the way home from Wednesday classes... I just yelled! Must make a note to stop by Tuesday or Thursday, but heck that won't work - we can't yell at school. Tell that husband of yours to get better so I can come over and we can scream.
Oh, yes, the plexiglass shield - don't know how common it is generally but it's certainly common to me.
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