Global warming is certainly making it more comfortable to protest during the winter months. Yesterday, it was a balmy 60 degrees and Washington Square Park in NYC was full of sunshine and solidarity. A friend of mine asked me why I bother to go to protests and rallies given that nothing really happens as a result. I told him that I am not naive enough to expect sweeping changes overnight, but that I go because I don't want to feel alone. I want to know that there are other people like me standing up and speaking out. One sign, which I posted in the gallery, says, "Thanks Hilary for lighting my fire," and that's exactly how I feel. The current state of affairs have inspired me to become more active, and recently I've begun to volunteer at a school that works with immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers.
So, no I don't think one protest is going to heal the gaping wound or be a balm for our festering fears, but it's a way to come together, network and, as another sign said, "Make America nice again." Doing nothing is simply not an option for me.
