First, to get this out of the way: I am not marching "against Trump".
Now, obviously I believe he holds odious notions. He thinks poorly of women and has likely assaulted more than he can count on his hands. His words make it clear he thinks all black people are a racist caricature from television. He is explicitly anti-Christian in his words against Muslims and immigrants. What would Jesus do? The one I studied in Bible school would insist I welcome Muslims and immigrants, not keep or kick them out. The list of his failures before he even takes office is long.
But Trump wasn't elected alone. The leadership of the Republican party sat by and said it was okay to vote for him. I understand party politics and representatives you like. When one of my senators — both of whom I like — say what they think, I don't dismiss it out of hand. So when Paul Ryan told his constituents vote Republican for president, of course they did. With few exceptions, the Republican party leadership went along with Trump because they hoped they could ride him to legislative success.
So I'm marching against Republican plans to take health care away from millions of Americans. I'm marching against Republican plans to deny help to more the poorest among us so that the wealthiest can contribute even less to running our society. I'm marching against Republican plans to force women to have babies while not taking care of those babies after birth.
I'm marching against their creeping fascism. The executive is already powerful and the Republicans may find that while they quietly try to pass their agenda, they have let the Republic fall.
I'm marching for the perfection of the union. I need to tell people that we are here. That we want to work to make America better. That we believe America is great but we still need to make it better. That we do not do enough to lift the poorest out of poverty. That immigrants are not a threat but the strength of the union. That when we work for the rights of those who have been treated worst then we work for the rights of all.
I'm marching to remind the country and the world that we exist. I'm marching to remind my friends and and fellow Americans that they too can show up and are not alone. That bluster and demonization are not what we are. That we are here and will stay here and will not be quiet.
Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season, we shall reap, if we do not lose heart.
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