It was a different experience this time. I wasn’t nervous. I was there calmly, without anger. I was there to show my children what it means to live in a country where free speech is protected. We are allowed to march in protest. Why do we march? What does it accomplish? Well, it’s weird. This is hard to talk about. This is what I am struggling to explain to my daughter.
The future is not a set place that we are racing to get to. There are many events happening all over the place and no one has any idea where it is all headed. If you don’t like the looks of where things are going, make some noise. Change things. People making their wishes known is the only thing that has ever made things change. People have power.
This time I was not amongst the first 200 people to the port. I was moving at the speed of three and a half. It’s a very different march at that speed. You see the range of emotions so much differently. At the General Strike I was in the front. I was determined. This time I watched the masses of people leave me behind. It was an interesting perspective on how I feel a lot of the time. I don’t belong with any of the groups. I’m not part of them. I used to just be alone, and always feeling like I was more and more out of touch. Now I get to look down and squeeze Shanna’s hand and say, “I am so glad you are here with me.”
I think about why I am teaching my daughters to Occupy. What am I doing, precisely? I want them to feel like they get to take up space. But it’s more than just that. The only way you can change the world is if you go forth with absolute conviction and get other people to agree with you. There is no room for wishy washy.
I have all these intense feelings about shutting down the port the second time. I’ll be honest and say that I went because Boots Riley told me to. If you haven’t listened to him speak, you should. He’s going to change the world. Passion like that is compelling. He is more than just passionate though. He is honest. Honesty is pretty hard to come by in most places.