verushka70

If you're undecided about going to the protest in your city/area Saturday 1/21, read this.

This is not political, it is personal.

I've been to several protests in my adult life: more than many people; way, way less than some.

I'm pushing 50 and I still go to protests sometimes. This is one of those times.

From past experience, I know when I attend a protest, I will:

1) feel BETTER!
2) SEE that I AM NOT ALONE!
3) take ACTION/avoid passivity (and the hopelessness that goes with it)!
4) feel HOPE!
5) be with a lot of like-minded people!
6) feel COMFORTED by the SHEER NUMBERS of like-minded people!
7) be INSPIRED and AWESTRUCK at the COLLECTIVE ACTION!
8) COUNT AS ONLY ONE AMONG MANY (hundreds, thousands, maybe tens of thousands)!
9) BE HEARD and IN THEIR FACE and MAKE THEM DEAL WITH ME/US!
10) EXERCISE my damn CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS TO ASSEMBLE AND TO FREE SPEECH!

There is nothing like the awesome, hopeful, energized, and (perhaps unexpectedly/oddly) patriotic emotions you feel when you and tons of other like-minded people take over the streets of your city or your capitol.

It's one thing to know abstractly you're not alone; SEEING you are not alone is UPLIFTING!

HEARING hundreds or thousands of people chanting, throwing your voice in with theirs, is GALVANIZING!

It is almost tribal in a way and it is AWESOME! You feel a kind of "social high" from collective activity with other people.

Everyone agrees on the protest issue, so everyone is friendly, supportive, and nice to each other!

You'll see and meet a ton of cool people, maybe make new friends and/or run into old ones!

So if you're undecided, do the thing that will make you feel better: MARCH. PROTEST. Make your voice HEARD.

You will literally feel better, psychologically and physically.

You really will.

And you'll know you aren't alone.

This did not happen today.

(doorbell rings) (I answer door)

Me: Can I help you?

Her: Oh, we were just spreading the word--

Me (firmly): No, thank you.

Her: Well, we're going door to door to invite people to our church--

Me (even more firmly): I said, NO, thank you.

Her: Well--

Me: How would you like it if I went door to door, spreading the word of atheism? And I rang your doorbell and said, "Hello, here's a newspaper about how God doesn't exist, and you're all alone in the Universe, and everything you've ever been told about a kind and forgiving deity is brainwashing bullshit designed to separate you from your money, so that organized religions that protect and provide sanctuary to pedophiles and rapists can fill their coffers?"

Her: (speechless)( I continue to go off )