It was a big turnout for our little town. All the more so because a full foot of snow on Durango’s streets and sidewalks likely kept some folks at home.
The determined put on their boots and made their way downtown on foot, swelling the crowd gathering at the train station for Saturday’s “Standing on the Side of Love March” into the hundreds.
It was impressive as well because so many turned out to support such a wide variety of causes: womens’ rights, the concerns of the LGBT community, of immigrants and minorities and all facets of environmental concerns. They were allied over one common concern, however: The future of the country and community.
The Durango march, and its accompanying presentations and workshops at the Smiley Building, took place against the dramatic backdrop of the Women’s March on Washington, an event that blossomed from one that hoped to bring 200,000 women to the nation’s capital as a counterpoint to Trump’s inauguration on Friday, into a social media-fueled phenomenon of worldwide dimensions.
How big was the event? Organizers have counted more than 600 marches around the globe, from Iceland to India – and even Antarctica, where 30-odd people marched at Paradise Bay to highlight climate concerns they feel are exacerbated by the stated policies of the incoming administration.
In the United States, the events gathered so many protesters that “marching” became impossible in Chicago and in Washington D.C. itself. Downtown Denver hosted at least 100,000 marchers. In fact, “march” is now a misnomer for what reporters called a “breathtaking” display of unity and expression, a tsunami, if you will, wearing a knitted pink cap.
Regardless of where they gathered, the women did so remarkably well. They did it patiently and peacefully. And while bitterness and anger may have sparked the initial idea, these women (and the men who marched with them) carried it out with hope and exuberance. And even a sense of humor, best illustrated by some of the signs carried in Washington: “Sorry World, We’ll Fix This,” “Super Callous Fragile Ego, Trump You Are Atrocious” and, in an irreverent play on the gospel song that became a seminal theme of civil rights protests during the 1960s, “We Shall Overcomb.”
Online comments following news stories covering the marches expressed confusion as to the motive for the events, as well as many snide, sexist remarks that, before the internet, would have been left in the locker room.
Perhaps the best explanation was provided by Jane Addams, who said, “Action is indeed the sole medium of expression for ethics.” A social justice pioneer, she did not take place in any marching in person, but likely in spirit. Addams died 81 years ago, not long after she became the first American woman awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Because for the marchers, in all their multitudes, ethics is the heart of the matter. They don’t believe President Trump understands the meaning of the word.
By midafternoon, Buckley Park rang only with the happy shouts of children on sleds and saucers. But there was something left from the gathering, something palpable in the air.
Fundamentally, there has been a shift in our political atmosphere brought about by the marches.
Presidents, politicians and online pundits confident in any obsolete perceptions of our country will be wise to take note.
