On February 4th 2017 I had the pleasure of standing with my fellow freedom fighters at Stonewall National Monument for the LGBT Solidarity Rally. Stonewall National Monument is known for being the first US National Monument dedicated to LGBT rights. Receiving its National Monument designation on June 24, 2016. New York City council member Corey Johnson put together the rally, inviting speakers like Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio. Throughout the entire rally love and respect was flowing with passion for the refugees who were held at national airports. Support for all LGBT rights. Support for women's rights. All of which are under attack by President elect Donald Trump. However, I will not call be calling him that throughout the entirety of this article. You can not, and will not be called a president because in order to be the president of the FREE WORLD, you need to believe in the free world.
In Donald Trump's first weeks in office he has done more harm than good. Playing off the fear of millions who live in this country. Playing off the fear of the millions of racists, and sexists, and homophobes. In Trump's first weeks of presidency he has taken away basic rights such as: attacking obama care, refusing to let refugees and legal immigrants into the country, stating that his lying in fact was not lying it was just “alternative facts”, banning government money from going to abortion clinics and planned parenthood, retracting the united states from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade deal, Moving forward with Dakota Access Pipeline and making moves for the wall on the border of the United States and Mexico.
In June of 2016 I traveled to New York City and walked with my LGBTQ friends, family, strangers, Idols, and coworkers to celebrate our victory of all the basic human rights we fought so hard for. We celebrated that same sex marriage was legal in all 50 states. We celebrated that transgender rights were being taken seriously. However, I traveled to New York City in February 2017 to fight to keep these rights that we were just “rewarded”. The white house website had taken down its LGBTQ rights page leaving the country to believe that with this, they are going to take away our rights. It’s amazing what a difference 8 months, and one president can make on an entire community.
While leaving this rally, I saw people being arrested. For what I did not know. I knew that some were at the rally and others were not. “In the name of humanity, we refuse to accept a fascist America.” Were the words being chanted. While they were being put into squad cars and being taken away from the peaceful rally, one of the men that was obviously not there in support of anything the rally was fighting for said this, “You can’t arrest me. I did not do anything. I voted for Trump. I voted for trump. You can’t do this.” and was forced into the squad car. With this mentality, that if you voted for Trump no one can touch you, no one can do anything against you, the country will fall apart.
While at work one day I was joking about the snow with my boss, I had taken down the last of the snow decorations from winter and said “We don’t need anymore snowflakes.” referring to the massive snowstorm that was headed our way over the weekend. A customer turned to me and said “Tell me about it. Get them out of here.” I couldn’t say anything to this woman because I was at work, however I went to the bathroom and had to sit for a moment and think about what a hateful world this is. I have friends, family, and coworkers who voted for trump. And while I do not agree with them or support them, I do not go around calling them names, or saying that their opinion is false or does not matter.
This will not keep us from our fighting. This will not keep us for speaking up for those who can’t fight for themselves. This will not make us quiet. This will not make us weak. This will not break us. This is OUR country. We might all be “snowflakes” as Tomi puts it, however, with all of us snowflakes we become something more. We become a blizzard.
Below are a couple of pictures from the rally:
Sheetal Tadiparty
Flickr Creative Commons
