A lot of people honked their horns and waved, or gave us a “thumbs up” as they drove past. But I saw three “thumbs down” signals, and a handful—no pun intended—of middle fingers. One elderly man shouted “F*** you!” several times while waiting for the traffic light to change, and another rolled down his window to yell out, “Are y’all getting paid?” Most of the responses, however, were positive and supportive.

My husband and I did something on Saturday that I can’t remember us ever doing before: we took part in a political protest, joining about 150 other people standing near a busy intersection, carrying signs in support of the “No Kings” rallies taking place at locations around the country.

The protest remained peaceful for the entire two hours of the event, and did not disrupt traffic or any businesses in the area. This is how peaceful protests are supposed to work, and I was proud to be a part of it.

Ironically, it was while we were driving to the rally that we heard the news on the radio about two lawmakers, and their spouses, who were shot in Minnesota in what was described as a politically motivated, targeted shooting. One couple died, and the other couple, both of whom had been shot multiple times, were in surgery. We were horrified by the news, and even more so when we realized that the killings took place just a few streets away from friends of ours. Suddenly, the protest we were about to take part in seemed even more relevant and important than before.

Rarely do I write about anything political, and that’s been my policy since long before our country became as divided as it is today. It’s not that I shy away from controversial topics, it’s just that I prefer to write about subjects that all people can relate to, and that focus on things we have in common, rather than the ones that put us on opposite sides of issues, sometimes violently so.

I’m reminded now of two famous quotes. One is a warning of the danger of complacency: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” The other shines a spotlight on the First Amendment of our Constitution, although it was a French philosopher who first said: “I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

One of these quotes relates to why I took part in the “No Kings” protest on Saturday, and the other to why I am writing about it now.

June 17, 2025
©Betty Liedtke, 2025

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