Yesterday I took a walk to a local park where a Hands Off! Rally was being held. 

Local politicians, including the now nationally famous filibusterer (that’s not really a word) Senator Corey Booker were scheduled to speak. Reportedly, over 5000 people were gathered there.

As we were walking into the park a pickup truck drove by. A woman was waving a large Trump 2024 flag out of the passenger side window. I made eye contact and smiled/smirked at her, and she smiled back at me and waved her hand. 

A while later, I was standing far from the dais, at the back edge of a crowd of people who were responding ‘Hands Off!’ in unison. That woman showed up with her Trump flag. 

She showed up, and she stood off to the side. Facing the crowd, and waving her flag over her head. 

I could hear people talking about her amongst themselves. Calling her all kinds of names. Occasionally, someone would yell in her direction. One woman walked up to her and began debating with a pointed finger. 

And I thought to myself, THIS is what democracy looks like. The freedom to protest and to counter protest. The freedom to express our opposing beliefs in a public place. THIS is one of the freedoms we are rallying to protect. 

My friend, who was carrying a large trans flag, to protect her daughter’s freedoms, walked over and stood in front of the woman with the Trump flag. She stood there proudly. Defiantly. Quietly. Armed with the confidence of a Mama Lioness, ready for anything which might occur. 

And I thought, how brave she is. How brave my strong and beautiful friend is. To walk toward a possible confrontation because of what she believes with her whole entire heart. How brave she is to move toward the discomfort, rather than away from it. How very brave she is. 

I want to be as brave as she is. Everywhere I go. 

And I looked at the woman with the Trump flag and I thought, how brave she is. How brave she is to come here. To stand all alone with her flag in a crowd of 5000 people who obviously disagree with her, some of whom have such anger and contempt for her beliefs. How brave she is to move toward the discomfort, rather than away from it. 

I want to be as brave as she is. Everywhere I go. 

This is what democracy looks like. And I want to be brave enough to protect it. Everywhere I go.