This morning dawned with what Jennie aptly named “a winter sunrise”, the sky purple and pink along the horizon. Then came the wind, literally howling as it whipped and battered the trees. Then a period of calm, followed by showers, some of which were torrential, driven by the return of the fierce wind. Now the cold front appears to have passed through and the storm is winding down.
We spent the weekend in Belfast, Maine, one of our favourite places. We were able to visit with friends, get in a long walk beside the river, and try out a few new places to eat. We also returned to a Thai restaurant we have long adored. Its tiny, maybe three tables, the food is delicious, and the staff welcoming. Saturday, we had planned to have dinner at a marvellous tavern right on the water but discovered it had changed ownership and temporarily closed. Shockingly, it had been open for lunch!
Yesterday we had a delicious breakfast at a restaurant our friends had raved about. The place actually lived up to the billing! We had a comfortable booth to ourselves adjacent large plate-glass windows. Here’s the view through them!
One of the joys of Belfast is that people talk to one another. We were greeted wherever we went and got to enjoy several random, brief conversations with strangers. The ambiance was just lovely, warm, cosmopolitan small town charm, with the very occasional angry young man road rage.
On Saturday we attended a No Kings demonstration (I do wish they would change the name!) in the park adjacent the port. When we arrived, just on time, the MC announced that the headcount was 1750. Lots of other folk drifted in over time. The mood was playful, engaging, appropriately angry, and determined. The list of speakers who gave very brief comments ranged widely and included a local minister and the Maine Secretary of State. A number of people arrived in costume and there were a vast array of splendid signs of all temperaments.
The demonstration began promptly at two and lasted about two hours. We witnessed no harassment and much encouragement from walkers who passed by. At the end, as we all strolled away from the park, there was animated conversation, a host of smiling faces, and a general sense of accomplishment.
We were a small, peaceful, welcoming gathering in the midst of a country-wide maelstrom. (Actually, for a town of 7100, the crowd of some 2000 is downright impressive. Of course the event also drew people from nearby communities, but still.) There were a number of similar gatherings sprinkled throughout New England, some quite large.
The regime of the moment demonizes demonstrations and dissent; they are terrified of opposition for good reason. They are, sadly, likely to intensify their attacks on dissent as the protests slowly galvanize opposition to their demonic policies. Given that, I imagine many people shared my sense that with winter on the way, which will make demonstrations here difficult at best, it was crucial to gather in public one more time, keeping the pressure on and our morale as hight and healthy as possible.
If the weather holds we might get in one more round of large demonstrations. Of course we will continue to build community, and challenge the insanity in a multitude of ways throughout the winter. Still, there is something precious about gathering together for a shared cause. See you in the spring, if not before!
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