March for the Middle Class

I was at this demonstration yesterday. Of late, I've been trying to strike that very careful balance between being effectively informed & involved in politics of the day without just seeking out those bits of sensationalism ("what did Michelle Bachman say today?!?!?") that serve to whip me up with no discernible return on the emotional investment.  But it seems to me that this whole "class warfare" thing, in which the Republican Party has effectively managed to direct public ire and legislative activity away from millionaires & billionaires and focus it on the working class, may end up being a tremendous overreach.  At least I'm hoping it will be. It should be, and right now it seems that it might be one singular issue on which the historically scatter-shot Democrats may be able to make a little political hay.  In an abstract sense, most people are for the little guy, aren't they?

ANYWAY, to this end, I attended yesterday's March for the Middle Class (which I really wish would have been called "March for the Working Class," but maybe they are really trying to cast this net of popular appeal as wide as they can - as almost everyone sees themselves as middle class).  But I wanted to do my part on helping this movement have a show of force, and I wanted Lucy to see, as I said on Facebook, that there are some things her daddy thinks are worth fighting for.

So, we went. Here is the Star Tribune write-up.

I kept going between getting a little caught up in the emotion of the event, and just simply being fascinated at the sociological exhibition on display.  Especially the chant leaders, and the expectation that the crowd would pick up the chant.  As near as I can tell, it is ESSENTIAL at a rally like this to have some sort of fervent chant going at all times, or you totally risk losing energy & focus; which could just kill an event of that size (couple thousand or so).  But, you only have 10-12 total chant lines that you can call upon, if you expect the crowd to know what to chant back.

“Who does the work?!”

“WE DO!!!”

Or

“No justice!”

“NO PEACE!!!”

Or

“Ne-go-ti-ate”

“DON’T LE-GIS-LATE!!!”

etc.

I find myself more comfortable with responding to some chants than others, but in order to help make the rally effective, I decided it's probably necessary for me to take part in them all, just at varying levels of volume & energy.

I've been to a couple of political rallies prior, but never an official "march" or "demonstration." It was very, very peaceful. No counter-protesters.  Some PA problems when the speech portion began (which also can really kill the energy). One guy tried to get me to donate to a Socialist newspaper.  I didn't want to get in an argument, but I did feel like that sort of presence is the last thing the demonstration needed.  Were Fox News to have been there, that would have undoubtedly been their first piece of video shot.  Other than that - nothing too surprising.  I will mention two particular highlights for me:

1. During the "assembly" before the march, Lucy & I were hanging out by the road.  Cars were driving by and gaping at this mass of demonstrators.  About a third of the cars were honking in support, and we'd always give them a raucous cheer in response.  At one point, a St. Paul Fire engine happened by, and as they did they just laid on the fucking horn for about twenty seconds, which resulted in a tremendous response from the assembled.  The chills that went up my neck were real and dynamite.

2. During the speech portion (after the march), one of the speakers was interrupted by an announcement that he relayed: the harbormasters' union of San Fransisco had just shut down the port of the city in support of the Minnesota protesters.  Solidarity, right?  Another electric moment for me.

That's all. Peace. Out.