Eat first, the better to talk later
Not a blow-up hot tub or bouncy castle in sight. Just thousands and thousands of people, all marching for women’s lives . That was the scene on April 25, 2004 in Washington, DC. It was a glorious sight and an inspiring event to be part of. I was there, among the million or so others, and I still remember the feeling of community, camaraderie and conviction that filled the air and fuelled our chants. Collectively, we sent a message to politicians and individually we re-upped our commitment to the cause. A number of my friends from across the country had met up in Washington to be part of the historic gathering of protesters against George W. Bush and his regressive policies on abortion. We made a long weekend of it, enjoying the city’s museums and restaurants before the march on Sunday. We mixed fun and politics. We did not break the law: We came. We protested by marching. We returned home. The point is that protesting is an essential form of democratic action. It’s a way to, literall...