Protest and Hope

On a weekend visit to Asheville, North Carolina, just to get away, my wife, Terrie, and I ran into a protest rally Saturday directly across the street from our hotel. The hour we spent among the protesters and even following along for a part of their march was one of the most uplifting moments we’ve had in the past two months. The diversity of the crowd of a couple of thousand, the exuberance, and the spirit of protest offered something to counter the disarray and authoritarianism we have watched since Jan. 20.

What was that something? Hope.

Our country was founded on the principle of freedom of speech. Our rich history of protest tells us that, not by burying our heads in the sand, but by speaking out against injustice, we can effect change.

The best way to fight bullying, lying, racism, misogyny and fascism is to make our voices strong and persistent.

Here are more images and a short, pointed video.