A RESISTANCE WITH LAUGHS IS IRRESISTIBLE
| January 23, 2017
This was not MY sign, but it got many laughs.
I went to the Women’s March in Washington on Saturday. It was glorious, I’m still high from the experience. Two thoughts:
1. The question is sometimes raised, “what good do demonstrations do?” Especially one’s like this, that cover a whole range of issues; i.e. broad target and focus. I’d respond based on Saturday (and past experiences) that these kinds of demonstrations are sometimes not as much about one specific issue but about solidarity and affirmation. They allow participants to actually see one another–very different than online–and to confirm common hopes and concerns: we are here, there are a LOT of us, we are not going away. We vote!
(I fully expect that resistance around specific issues will follow, and will be re-watching "Eyes on The Prize" for tactical lessons!)
2. There was a LOT of humor in this march. I don’t know if this was because there was less testosterone, but it’s a super effective tactic. Comedians and comics can say things that break the ice and are acceptable where blunt angry statements hit walls. There were so many hilarious signs- a huge part of the experience was laughter and smiles. A resistance with laughs is irresistible.
Here are some of the best signs I saw:
That is a knitted uterus (not an elephant).
Panoramic photo at top by Joe Ward, courtesy of the New York Times.
