Recently, I was riding the train out of downtown to meet up with my friend. There was an unusual of amount of riders on the train when I first boarded. It took me a couple stops to realize exactly what was going on.
As the train stopped at the Crenshaw station, a few women boarded the train with picket signs. My memory flooded back to the inauguration of President Trump yesterday, and I finally put together that today was the Women’s March. As I continued riding the train, I was blown away by just how many people were taking part in the march. I had never before seen the train so crowded. I mean the number of people waiting to purchase fares, the number of people waiting on the terminal, and the number of people in the train was mind blowing. Even the opening day ridership of the Santa Monica station had no comparison to the amount of people on the train today. And the most beautiful thing was that everyone was here for one reason.
Yesterday my apartment building hosted a breakfast event to view the inauguration speech of President Trump. I was very curious to see what Trump would actually relay about his office intentions. Fueled by curiosity and the desire for free food, I found myself among my peers watching the inauguration speech. As Trump said his last words, the lady who organized the event started asking us what we thought about the speech. The air was cold, and silence crept through the room. We were all in fact disillusioned about what Trump had just said. I still sit here pondering what his words meant. His speech lacked both substance and integrity. Unlike the inauguration speeches of our previous presidents, Trump did not mention what policies he would enact, or how he would help the economy; Trump rambled on about the distraught state of our nation, and pieced together many different ways of saying that he was going to make America great again—whatever that actually means. I walked home is pouring rain very perplexed by the whole showcase. The speech was frankly a stream of glittering generalities, a speech with little direction, but a radical message. Trump’s speech seemed to me like a wave to his supporters saying “we did it, we secured the office.” The lack of substance in his speech makes me wonder what exactly to expect from a Trump presidency.
Today I woke and boarded the train amiss from the speech the morning before. But as I rode the train, my spirit was rekindled. Trump’s election says more to me about the state of the American people than anything else. Trump certainly frightens me, but what frightens me more is his fervent supporters who were able to secure his office. For me this is an acknowledgment that there is still a large population who opposes all the progress that has been made to see every man and women, regardless of race and gender, as equal human beings. As I watched all the protesters scurrying into battle, armed with platoons of signs, I found myself at peace. The string of events the past couple months has left me distraught and dissatisfied with the heart and the intentions of the American people. But now I have hope that things can change. The rally of millions across the states, and the support of protesters from all around the world exemplifies that people are joining together to correct the injustice of this world. As I scrolled through twitter this evening, I came across an article that showed pictures of marchers all over the seven continents. Even people in Antarctica are joining in on the marches.
This was a truly powerful day, and I hope that people will continue to use their wit and stand for what is truly just.
Throughout the sea of signs, one sign in particular caught my attention—“Make America Think Again.”
It is time that we all start thinking and using our heads to come together as one and to acknowledge the injustices that face us today. As one people, one heart, and one mind, the evils of this world do not stand a chance.
