Woke up this Saturday (April 19th) morning and got dressed to head to Casa Grande for a trump protest rally. It seemed like something worthwhile doing on Holy Saturday. The rally was to be held at the corner of Florence and Colorado streets. It was slated to start at 9:30 AM and continue until 11:AM or whenever. I arrived early at 8:15 AM and was the first one there. Fortunately, there was a Dunkin Donuts near the same corner. I went in and ordered an extra-large pistachio iced coffee and my favorite Old-Fashioned Donut. Coffee and donut came to $7 dollars and about 800 calories. This would have made Dr. Petra my PA very unhappy. She said that I needed to cut down on my sugar carbs since my LDL levels were very elevated.
Ate my donut while watching the street outside. I could finally see that people were coming to the corner. Many had signs and some had chairs. People were taking up positions on both sides of the street. I grabbed my coffee and went out to join the other protesters. I regret that I did not have a sign, but I had worn my USAF hat and a protest shirt that you can see from the picture below. I soon met several people that I knew from Karen’s church. This finding pleasantly surprised me. I jokingly said that we had a church contingency there from First Presbyterian.
Over the course of the next two hours, the protestors grew almost in pace with the street traffic. Florence is the main drag in Casa Grande and there are four lanes of traffic going down the street. Many people waved at us. Many honked. We wanted to believe that their honking was a form of approval. Some threw the finger. Others gunned their cars and roared by us. These later two efforts were clearly not signs of approval. I walked up and down the street talking to other protestors and taking pictures of the signs that many people were carrying. I have included pictures of these signs below. They tell the story better than words ever could.
We are going to continue massive protests in this country. It was heartwarming to see so many other people out there willing to give up a part of their day to signal their distaste for the immoral and unethical individual that now claims to be POTUS. Some people have asked if we are going to make a difference. My response is that I do not know. I think the odds are against us. However, when you buy a lottery ticket, the odds are also against you. You do not know whether or not you are going to win. Only one thing is certain; if you do not buy a ticket you have absolutely NO chance to win. I am buying a ticket every chance I get to unseat or at least prevent trump from getting away with destroying the country that I was born in and that I fought for. America is not exceptional to me. Neither is it the greatest country in the world. America has always offered me a chance and a promise to try to be better. I have not always taken her up on this. As Martin Luther King so famously said,
“In a sense we have come to our Nation’s Capital to cash a check. When the architects of our great republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir.
This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given its colored people a bad check, a check that has come back marked “insufficient funds.”
But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and security of justice.”
Those of us who are marching or walking or writing are not coming to make “America Great Again.” We are coming to help restore the promise of a check to immigrants, minorities, women, disabled, LGBTQ+, Veterans, poor people, lonely people, hungry people, middle class people and even rich people. We are coming to restore the ideas of the Founders of this country. To restore their dreams and hopes that they laid out 250 years ago. To restore an America that all of us believed it could and should be. To make an America that is always getting better and better. The dreams of a democracy which prides itself upon uplifting people and not destroying people. We have had too many battles in this world where no one wins. We need to foster a belief in WIN-WIN where both sides come out ahead and there are no losers. We need an America that walks hand in hand with other people across the globe to make “The World Great” and not just America great.
Aging Capriciously 
Apr 20, 2025 @ 05:53:32
Very well said, John. Every sane and compassionate person in the U.S. needs to keep protesting and doing whatever else they can, like finding good people to run for office and then voting. This nightmare just keeps growing and growing.
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Apr 20, 2025 @ 07:20:14
Thanks Jane, Hope you have a Happy Easter.
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Apr 20, 2025 @ 23:46:18
Good on you, Doc, for your participation!!! I love the signs, love seeing how many people are standing up for human rights, for democracy! Let us hope we are sending a message, loud and clear, to the cowards in Congress!!!
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Apr 22, 2025 @ 19:55:12
Thanks Jill, I sure hope so. John
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Apr 21, 2025 @ 09:55:03
Thank you for sharing such a raw, personal, and powerful reflection. Your words resonate deeply, especially the call to keep showing up, even when the odds seem slim. The connection to MLK’s message added incredible depth. I’m curious—what advice would you give to younger generations who want to protest but don’t know where to start?
https://www.epoddar.com/
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Apr 22, 2025 @ 19:03:24
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. I have to admit, I am somewhat intimidated by your question as to where young people should start. I confess I was very apolitical when I was young. I did not know or even care at the time where I was when JFK was assassinated. Politics meant nothing to me until about my mid twenties when I became very involved in the anti-Vietnam war movement. I am not sure why it started meaning more to me. I wanted to see the world become a better place. This can be a motive for heroes or despots. It is very egotistical to think my vision of the world is the right or best vision. However, I think we all must make a choice and while trying to keep an open mind, we must decide if and how we want to make the world a better place for future generations. I somehow believe we owe it to the world and other people. As John Donne said “No man is an island.” Giving back becomes more and more a priority the older I get. Perhaps, the best way to engage young people is around dialog about what kind of a world they want to live in and how they think this world will come about. I have seen so many people that want things but they want other people to do the work to get them. I think we all must be involved if we really care. I hope this helps somewhat. I wish I could give you better advice. John
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Apr 23, 2025 @ 07:24:37
Thank you for this heartfelt and courageous piece. Your blend of personal reflection and civic conviction is deeply moving. It’s inspiring to see someone show up with such honesty and purpose. I’m curious—what keeps you hopeful and motivated to continue speaking out, even when the odds feel stacked against change?
https://www.advocareaora.com/rheumatologic-diseases
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Apr 25, 2025 @ 17:53:08
I sent a reply. Did you receive it?
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Apr 25, 2025 @ 17:59:07
I am sorry. I realize it was someone else i replied to.
My response to your comment is as follows. First, people like you who respond so positively to my writings help to keep me going. I want to say if I can make a difference with only one person, it is worth trying. Like the story of throwing the starfish back into the ocean. I am under no illusions I will change the world but perhaps I can make a small difference. The option of giving up or quitting does not seem tenable to me. If i die soon, I would like it said that I never quit trying even if and when I knew the odds were against me. John
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Apr 24, 2025 @ 16:08:05
Well done you! 🙌🏽
An inspiring post John and I was so happy to see evidence of all the protests occurring in the USA on Bluesky. It made my Easter! I do the little I can over here in the UK by sharing and calling out the daily atrocities. It certainly isn’t the time for navel contemplation. We need to get rid of these amoral, immoral, corrupt people. 🤞🏼
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Apr 25, 2025 @ 17:51:31
Thanks Margaret, I really appreciate your thoughtful comment. I think it would be too egotistical to give up trying and bending into hopelessness. I am no raving optimist though but I will do what I can to try to right the ship. The news about that asshole in New York who got convicted today was very inspiring. I keep trying to remind myself of MLK’s quote that “The moral arc of the universe is long but it bends towards justice.” I just hope I live long enough to see our POTUS get what he deserves.
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Apr 25, 2025 @ 12:41:36
I enjoyed your blog! I applaud you on a great way to celebrate Easter! Jesus rallied for the hungry, tired, poor and loved everyone regardless of race, creed or color. Why not, He made them!
Loved it!
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Apr 25, 2025 @ 17:47:55
Thanks Jeanine, I appreciate your comment.
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