"ARE YOU GOING TO BELIEVE ME, OR YOUR OWN EYES?" - Chico Marx

President Trump continues to challenge the most obvious conclusion that photographic proof has revealed time and time again - that the Obama Inaugural, attended by an estimated 1.2 million people in January, 2009 by far exceeded the Trump Inaugural in January, 2017.  Photos of the National Mall taken at the same time and on the same day 8 years apart reveal the truth - that the Trump Inaugural was lightly attended (estimated at 300-600,000) compared to the Obama first term ceremony (1.1 to 1.8 million).  Further, President Trump has not dared to challenge the truth that the WOMEN'S MARCH - just 24 hours later - attracted THREE TIMES the participants marching against his agenda and for equal rights and justice for women and for all people.  Trump's election and ascendancy to the Oval Office has served as a wake-up call to progressives across the country, encouraging them to get busy.  And, there is no denying the numbers engaged on the day of the Women's March.  The question remains, however, will this movement become sustainable and effective or will it peter out and fade as happened in the past to the "Occupy" movement and several others in the past.  Only time will tell.  What I can say is what others observed - that this event - THE WOMEN'S MARCH - both in DC and throughout the USA became the LARGEST SOCIAL PROTEST MOVEMENT SINCE THE 1960s and 1970s.  Is it a flash in the pan?  Time will tell.  

Readers of this blog already know that I was heavily engaged in support of the WOMEN'S MARCH ON WASHINGTON that took place on January 21, 2017 - 24 hours after the 45th President of the United states, Donald J. Trump, was inaugurated into office. More than 1,000,000 + women and their supporters gathered in DC to voice their concerns and to advocate for Women's Rights and Equal Justice for all people against the Trump campaign of hatred, racial division, ethnic divisions, gender inequality, and environmental abandonment.  In addition, another 3 million women and their supporters marched in cities and towns across the nation - NYC - 500,000; LA - 750,000; Chicago - 400,000; Boston - 250,000 and in hundreds of other locations - in support of the DC Marchers.  And around the world, in major cities and small communities, women and their supporters also marched in solidarity with their sisters in DC and around the globe, for equal rights.  This article shares the signs carried and the sentiments expressed by the participants who chose to stand up and be counted.

Signs read:
WOMENS RIGHT ARE HUMAN RIGHTS/ RESIST!/ LOVE TRUMPS HATE/
CHOOSE HOPE-NOT FEAR/ TWEET WOMEN AS EQUALS/ THE FUTURE IS FEMALE/
YOU CAN'T COMB-OVER HATE/ GRAB HIM BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT/
HANDS OFF MY BODY/ MAKE AMERICA THINK AGAIN/ WOMEN ARE PEOPLE/
THOU SHALT NOT IGNORE OUR HEALTH CARE - Fallopians 20:17/ DONALD - YOU
IGNORANT SLUT!/ PRO-CHOICE USA/ REJECT, RESIST, RECLAIM/ ALT. RIGHT =
ALL WRONG/ MEDICARE FOR ALL/ LOVE ONE ANOTHER/ BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY/ LOVE ONE ANOTHER/  UNPRECEDENTED MORON/  WE ARE CREATED
EQUAL/  OUR VOICE MATTERS/ GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN - DAMENTAL RIGHTS!

In spite of the 1 million and more folks out in the streets of DC on January 21st, not one arrest was made that day, nor one incident reported.  Across the US, with 5 million on the move demonstrating FOR a set of policies, not one incident occurred and not one arrest took place. The "right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for the redress of grievances" was on vivid display that day and, no doubt, will be again and again in the days ahead.  Join in, speak out, march on.  Our future and the future of our nation is at stake.

Stay tuned......