Our group, 38 strong, mounted a tour bus, donning our golden hats sporting our group name–The Progressive Senior Patriots, men and women from Jojoba Hills in southern California. We arrived in San Diego well before the start of the Women’s Walk on Washington (and incredibly throughout the free world). We anticipated the walk in the San Diego, CA which surpassed the expectations to about 40,000 strong.
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| Hat and flag |
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| YELLOW HAT with group name |
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| Arrival in San Diego |
We named our group The Progressive Senior Patriots to truly reflect who we are, all over 55 and experienced through the decades at protesting with purpose, with calm and without violence. Why do some protest groups spoil the efforts by engaging in bad language, breaking glass or further damaging property. Why revert to violence? It does not solve a thing.
There was not a hint of violence or of dissent in San Diego or world wide for that matter. We are united to retain our rights, to protect our national integrity and very democracy of our nation, to stop bigotry and torture and making certain this earthly home will last a long time to come. But, we need to keep up the spirit. We cannot stop with one protest. Long held American Values must survive.
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| signs galore |
Our pleas for justice, for sanity and well thought out policies need to be nurtured and supported by constantly writing letters to congress and senate members, governors, local politicians and to policy makers, employers, governing agencies to keep the ball in the air for a future of hope.
The pre walk speeches were strong, heart felt, deeply motivated and encouraging. As we started the actual march, the sun gave way to a gentle rain.
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| BIG W FOR WOMEN |
But we were all prepared, just as we are prepared to stand up for a future of sanity and good choices, for our rights and to maintain a belief that our country can overcome adversity, dictatorship, demagoguery, despotism, false promises and lies. Hand written on our hats was the word SENIORS.
The yellow hats, the name of our group and our appearance showing experience and purpose must have shown as brightly as the golden sunshine that smiled upon us as we neared the end of the march route(s). There were so many more marchers than anticipated that several routes were added to the end point at the wharf lined with cruise ships and yells and cheers of joy at the travelers on board watched us fulfill our purpose and expressing their joy at being there as witnesses.
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| PINK HATS |
So many marchers of all ages, sizes, colors and with great warmth greeted us the whole morning long. They alluded to our “senior status” with applause and wonder. Startling to many of us because inside we think we are 40 or 50 somethings, when indeed we are 60-70-or 80 something. Healthy and active because of the good medical care we thrive on and have enjoyed for 8 years. We know there are flaws in every policy that rules our lives, but sensible changes need to be just that, sensible but to a good end for us and our children and grandchildren.
Another pleasure was our interaction with the youngsters we spoke to or spoke to us first, some being in their 30′ and 40’s and asking why we still march. The common answer is we have been protesting for DECADES and know how and what works. We are teachers for you. They thanked us for that. We also responded to youngsters–be they 3 years old, 6, 10, 12, 16, 18 or in their twenties, boys and girls alike. Many thanked us for being role models for teaching them the way and nurturing their participation.
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| Cruise ship interaction |
In response to the march, supporters of the new regime emphasis that on inauguration day, 1/20/2017, Gas was priced at an average of $2.86 more or less per gallon, The dow was at 19,819, NasDaq at 5560.7, Unemployment 4.7. These remain good numbers riding on the shoulders of the obama regime and not the new regime at all. presently reservoirs are filling in drought ridden California, The average salary to date for U. S. median class households averaged from about $42,000 and more. Health care has helped many folks obtain coverage where they have had no coverage for years before Obama’s plan. Many of these are Trump supporters. I have hopes for national enlightenment, for unity, for bipartisanship, for sensible and good policy changes, addressing a positive future for America reflecting our deeply seated values that have stood us in great stead for centuries. Let’s continue to KEEP AMERICA GREAT.