Baltimore defends democracy again

No Kings here

In September 1814 the people of Baltimore turned out on Hampstead Hill to defend against the Kings Army which had burned the White House and routed Congress. The people, black & white, free and enslaved dug trenches and set artillery in place. Over 10,000 manned that ridge in a successful defense of the city and our collective liberty.

Yesterday we turned out on that same ridge in Baltimore to join millions of other Americans across the country to protest what is happening in Washington at the White House with the capitulation of Congress in a massive No Kings protest.

We arrived early to Patterson Park and watched the crowd build from a few hundred to possibly 10,000…a similar number to the defenders of 1814 in that same area.

It was an historic day in an historic location that was important to freedom and democracy almost 200 years ago.

This was a peaceful “army” of citizens. No cannons or muskets were fired. Just voices chanting “this is what democracy looks like”

and singing the songs of Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie and Pete Seegar. They carried and waved handmade signs protesting a number of different issues.

It felt really good to be a part of this energy. People who care about immigrants, about education, health care and freedom. We want to continue to build and create…not tear down, divide and destroy. Concentrating power among a few wealthy people is not what we are about.

Making life harder for people is not what we are about, so that a few can have even more money and power.

The administration, the Congress needs to pay attention to “We the people”.

We created this “land of the free” in response to a King who thought he had all the cards. We are not going to give away our way of life to someone who believes he is the smartest, the greatest the most powerful…because we see the truth of it.

Millions of us did not come out yesterday and join together in our communities because we think everything is ok. We know it’s not…and we are not going to give up and go away.

This land is our land…made for YOU and ME…

This illustrates grassroots organization of the frustration and realities we are witnessing and living…no one paid us to be there..we came together because we had to…for ourselves and our neighbors. The same as the army that came together 250 years ago…to help free us from a clueless King.