Reverend Kathy Schmitz of First Unitarian Church of Orlando was speaking when I walked onto the back parking lot of Organize Florida with a friend of mine. She spoke of a need to change routine for a constant change, a fight against any administration that promotes terror.
"We show up and say 'we will not normalize this!'"
Following her was House District 48 Representative Amy Mercado. Representative Mercado, despite her political position, spoke to us almost maternally. She told us that this was our home and we (Orange County) didn't want Trump as the President of the United States. In fact, according to Representative Mercado (and the Orlando Sentinel), Trump lost Orange County by just about 130,000 votes. There was a protective anger about her, when she complained about buses from Volusia County that brought the Trump Supporters that Orange County apparently lacked, saying;
"People that live here, work here, they are who makes this community great. We don't need buses of people from another county to make this community great, it's already great."
"Orlando Isn't Trump Country" was the event that was planned on March 4th by local activist, Sarah Wissig, in response to the Spirit of America's "March 4 Trump," that was in carried out via Volusia County Republican Party. Members of the V.C.R.P paid $22 to buy a bus ticket to Lake Eola and rally in the center of the City Beautiful. Orlando activists responded by marching against them from Organize Florida's headquarters to directly across the street from the Trump supporters.
Truth be told, I was on a timeframe, so my friend and I drove to the location. Police lined the side of the road that held the V.C.R.P, and we caught up with the rest of the counter-protesters (who somehow beat us?).
Both sides were chanting their own mantras and protest songs. Trump supporters repeated "U.S.A" over and over again, punctuated with things like; "I used to be a Democrat, then I grew up! Grow up!" or "Shave your arms, your hairy b*stards!"
The counter-protesters responded with phrases such as; "No Trump! No K.K.K! No fascist U.S.A!" and "No ban, no wall, justice for all!" or "Show me what Orlando looks like!" which was responded with "This is what Orlando looks like."
Toting signs and waving flags, the respective sides shouted at each other. East Colonial Road had turned into a veritable "No-Man's Land" strictly enforced by police officers. Cars passed by, not directing any attention to the Trump supporters. Pro-Trump drivers flicked off the counter-protesters or shouted obscenities while waving "Make America Great Again" red caps. Anti-Trump drivers shouted on the counter-protesters and encouraged them.
The culmination of tension, however, came when two counter-protesters made their way across the street and started debating with Trump supporters. Two women started shouting at each other and getting very close. Another Trump supporter told us she would shoot the three of us if she had her "automatic." Another gentleman, wearing a "Make America Great Again" cap, told me I deserved to be shot for being a journalist. The tension was building, police surrounded the group that circled the two counter-protesters and myself.
Eventually, the arguments became overly circular and most people became fed up with the lack of progress being made. Most of the Trump supporters went back to Volusia County and the counter-protesters became aware of the redundancy of a prolonged stay. It was my time to go.
As political tension gathers around the country, Orlando can expect to see more of these events. Passivity isn't the stance of Orlando and one way or another, we will hear more shouts of rebellion.
