Hands Off Protest April 5, 2025

This is not a political post. Hands Off was meant to be a bipartisan day of protest for the policies being currently enacted by the American government. This post is only about my participation in the rally.

I missed the protests of the 1960’s, since I was only in junior high by the end of the decade. My parents weren’t activists, so I never had the experience of marching for the causes so vital in those times, like civil rights, and an end to the Vietnam War. I certainly remember those chaotic years, but only from the safety of my living room.

As I’ve watched the heinous dismantling of our government, I’ve commented on social media posts and launched memes and videos on my stories in Facebook and Instagram. I’m reposting the letters of Heather Cox Richardson, because Facebook seemed to be “disappearing” her posts. I never believed I’d have to give a thought to my freedom of speech, but sometimes I wonder if my posts will be used against me by this regime. Even as I stood, making Good Trouble at the protest, I fleetingly wondered if people filming us from their cars would use that footage against us in some way, later down the road. But my worry for people’s rights being trampled, their lives upended by cruel legislation and illegal maneuverings, the media being muzzled, and even holding my breath until I see The Husband’s and my social security funds posted in our bank accounts, has overridden my concerns about repercussions from social media.

I suppose, in the end, when all of this is said and done, I want to be able to say I didn’t stay on the sidelines. I didn’t sit behind a computer keyboard, or hide in the safety of my living room. I lived up to the challenge of speaking my little truth to power.

I had a choice of a big rally in Santa Ana, estimated to be 3000 strong, or a smaller one at the City Hall of Orange. We took a drive over to the Santa Ana venue last weekend. My concern was that the urban park looked too confining, surrounded by buildings in the center of a warren of streets. If there were any clashes with agitators, I felt like we’d possibly be caught in the crossfire. Watching a clip of the protest there on Sunday, I see it was very organized and had no issues. Still, I felt much more comfortable at the smaller venue, even though I knew it wouldn’t be as dynamic as a bigger rally. I’m happy with my choice.

I made our signs on Thursday and Friday. I’m not a visual artist but I drew pencil lines to at least attempt to keep the letters straight, and tried to use color for interest and emphasis. For someone who’s not a visual artist, I have lots of pens and other arts materials from a long-ago mixed-media phase – LOL. It was a fun challenge. If we do another protest (more are being planned, I understand), I may make different ones… Although, The Husband’s was very popular!

On Saturday morning, we went to our meeting of the California Writers Club, then headed out to Orange. Fortunately, we found free parking fast, which is nothing short of miraculous. Old Towne Orange is hoppin’ on weekends, filled with eateries and antique malls. We got there a half hour before the posted start time. I was happy to see there were already groups of people with signs gathered on the front lawn of City Hall.

We sat for a few minutes by the 75mm Cavalry gun, scoping out the scene, then realized that people closer to the street were drawing attention from passing cars. One of the organizers invited us all to get out there and get started, so, armed with our signs, our toes on the edge of the curb, we began waving. People and signs kept coming. Very quickly, they were three-deep behind us, and starting to fill in the other side of four lane Chapman Avenue.

Most people were on their feet but many held their signs in their laps, sitting in wheelchairs. Some crossed the street with the traffic lights, signs aloft. A couple walked a circuit, beating drums. Every so often, a chant of “Hey, hey! Ho, ho! Trump and Musk have got to go!” would sweep through the crowd. Cheers would ring out when passing cars honked and gave thumbs up or peace signs. Even passengers in cars displayed Hands Off posters.

A couple of my fave signs:

I have smarter cabinets in my kitchen

Morons

Are

Governing

America

And a graphic silhouette of Hitler’s hair above two X logos for eyes and the stylized Tesla T logo as the nose. Wish I’d gotten a good picture of it.

Yeah, there were a few thumbs down, and birds flipped, but I figure it was 25 positive reactions to every 1 negative. And those positive, energizing reactions buoyed us through an hour and a half in the sun.

Some people ask why we do this. Isn’t it a waste of time? It’s not like the perpetrators in DC will suddenly see the egregiousness of their ways and return the government to pre-47 norms.

I can only tell you why I did it, and will do it again if more of these are organized. Congress needs to know that we, the people, resist. That we will fight every transgression, despite fear and exhaustion. We will remember which of our reps fought for us, and which bent the knee to leave us grappling with the fall-out of Trump and Musk’s obscene havoc.

And, more than anything, we need to know that we are not resisting alone. Standing on that street, with hundreds of like-minded, spirited people, shouting and waving those signs, I felt a solidarity I’d seldom experienced before. Never underestimate the power of individuals that come together for a common cause, because they engender hope.

And hope is more powerful than any force known to man.

Photo of cannon: OC Independent/Matthew Cunningham