It’s not good to piss off old folks
A Letter From Iowan John Hale
Letters From Iowans is a part of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. We encourage you, our subscribers, to share your perspective in this column. To make your voice heard, use this form to send us your essay:
So here we were, my amazing wife Terri and I, part of the recent Hands-Off protest in Surprise, Arizona (what a great name for a city!).
We were there along with an estimated 2,000 other folks, carrying signs, chanting slogans (along with a friend of ours who protested by playing the trombone) capturing the attention of cars – and lots and lots of pickup trucks — on a very busy thoroughfare, proudly being part of a protest with well-intended, like-minded people.
Key takeaways:
The vast majority of the participants fell into the “senior” category, those 60-plus. This wasn’t a surprise in Surprise as it’s home to Sun City Grand, an “age-restricted” (meaning a place for retirees who want to live with other retirees and do what retirees do) development that’s been around since the 1990s.
Probably 75 percent were women — passionate, fed-up women.
All were there because they were deeply concerned, angry and/or pissed about the direction of the nation under the Trump administration, the blindly obedient Congress, and the mischief of and damage caused by Elon Musk and his acolytes.
They and their signs expressed outrage about a wide range of specific issues like Social Security and Medicare, education, the environment, human rights, Medicaid, tax cuts for the wealthy, the gutting of federal agencies and programs, immigration, reproductive rights … As one sign said: “Too many issues to put on a sign.”
There were some memorable messages being shared:
“I’ve seen better cabinets at Walmart”
“We shall overcomb”
“We knew it would be bad, but what the f__k?
“MAGA: Morons Are Governing America”
“Honk if you’ve ever drunk-texted war plans”
“A woman’s place is in the revolution”
The messaging cake-taker for us was a T-shirt proudly worn by a woman who declared: “This pussy grabs back.”
A lasting impression from the event – there’s a big difference between the outrage displayed by this group of aging protestors and the anger displayed by the MAGA hat-wearers and flag-wavers who did their best to harass them.
The big difference? The Hands-Off protestors felt strongly about their views and seemed to genuinely enjoy the opportunity to express them. While their messages were pointed, their approach was peaceful.
In contrast, the small MAGA crowd was, in a word, mean. They shouted obscenities, flipped people off with abandon, and did their best to make the protestors a little uneasy if not fearful.
Their tactics didn’t work. Most protestors were embarrassed by the antics of the MAGA folks. Many shook their heads and wondered aloud “What is it with these people? What makes them so mad, so unhinged?”
For more than a few, it was the ’60s all over again. In their youth, protests were about Vietnam, women’s rights, civil rights. Now in their later years, it’s about the world their kids and grandkids will inherit.
They want now what they wanted then — for the world to be a better place. And they continue to show up and speak out to get it.
John Hale
Ankeny, Iowa
Letters From Iowans is a part of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. We encourage you, our subscribers, to share your perspective in this column. To make your voice heard, use this form to send us your essay:
Iowa Writers Collaborative Roundup homepage and writer listing
Amen
My experience in Redbank NJ was similar. Young people were there for immigrant rights and LGBTQ rights. No counter protest. Some horn honking. Best sign… an X-ray depicting ovaries uterus and falopian tubes giving a middle finger. The crowd was friendly and singleminded in its right to protest. We needed a barge with a sign sink trump. Next time.
John's observations highlight concerns. The presence of MAGA protesters does not surprise. There were online instructions about dealing with MAGA people. Please access them if you attend a protest.Be pleasant, do not engage in arguments, talk low and slow, ignore craziness, if so inclined calmly tell them that difference in opinion is the American way. Lastly talk to other protesters to validate concerns. Attending a rally is good for your soul and respect for democracy.