My one-man rally

Our CopsNW group had announced a pro-police rally in the City of Scappoose. It’s almost a half-hour drive from where I live, but since I didn’t have anything else important to do today, I figured I’d attend.

I brought a sign that I made yesterday:

antifa backs the blue

It might be confusing for some, but others do get the point:

Since we’re consistently told that Antifa simply means “people who oppose fascism,” then there’s nothing stopping pro-whites, conservatives or Trump-supporters from identifying as “Antifa.” I don’t normally identify as Antifa, but I thought it would be fun to do so this time. After all, I do actually oppose fascism – even though I have friends who are fascists.

As I arrived at the designated location (the local police station), a group of senior citizens began to congregate. There were about ten in all, some wearing Back the Blue shirts, and a couple with small blue flags. A pickup truck, sporting a large blue flag and an American flag, was parked near the entrance to the police station. It provided a nice backdrop.

However, it soon became apparent that these senior citizens had no idea why they were there, or perhaps they did have an idea why they were there, but it had nothing to do with the reason I was there. I had come to wave my sign, engage passersby, and promote our message. My sign was designed to spark thought and conversation.

But these senior citizens ended up clustered by the entrance, out of public sight, drinking coffee and socializing. Not a single one of them joined me on the sidewalk. After a while, I reasoned that since I’m the only one actually doing anything, I might as well make myself more visible, so I moved to the busy intersection nearby.

My sign did provoke conversation. I was interviewed by one woman, and got a few laughs and thumbs up. Some people, indeed, got it. Making it more interesting was the fact that I was wearing a MAGA hat.

Now it’s time to vent:

If you’re going to attend a rally, socializing is fine, but please stay focused on why you’re there. I was able to make the most out of today’s situation, but many others would have felt betrayed. People sometimes come from far away to participate in such rallies – and they expect to be supported by others. Not everybody is capable of making a one-man stand. By failing to fulfill your commitment, you may be wasting the time of other people.

If you’re going to attend a rally, it’s a good idea to come prepared. Sometimes, the organizers will have flags or signs that others can use, but this is not always the case. I got the supplies for my signs (I make them in twos) from the Dollar Tree for a total of $2.

In my previous “Defund the Media” rally, which was held next to the KOIN television station in Portland, a lady took to yelling “Jesus loves you!” at passing cars. She is, of course, within her rights to do so – but it makes our entire group look like some sort of Born-Again Christian group. It can be awkward for the rest of us. When I started yelling “Trump loves you!” she stopped.

Also at the KOIN rally, one individual performed a long monologue on the loudspeaker he had brought. He said some worthy things, but after a while, I got the impression that he had come primarily to broadcast his own voice and to be the center of attention. If you’re going to say so many things over a loudspeaker, there’s a good chance that some of the other attendees will disagree with some of what you’re saying. The fact that you’re using a loudspeaker may imply, to the public, that you speak for everybody. In my opinion, the best practice would be to keep it short, use slogans that everybody in the group is likely to agree with, and don’t try to grab all the attention for yourself. It’s not about you; it’s about the message.

Tomorrow, we have another rally, and it will be in downtown Portland. I’ll keep y’all posted.

 

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