Foggy Ridge Dispatch: November 18, 2024
Counter-protesting. Leftists with guns. Cognitive dissonance. Wendell Berry. Philosophical podcasting.
What. A gahtdamn. Week. [sigh]
Last week was one of those periods where you simultaneously feel like nothing happened and like so much happened. It’s hard to recall the details but dang, I’m tired.
On Saturday, my husband and I went down to our local athenaeum to be part of a “rainbow wall”. This wall was a wall made of humans - specifically, queer humans and our allies. The purpose? Protecting a Drag Story Hour against a group of Bible-thumping protesters hell-bent on ruining a safe, fun, educational time for all.
I’m sure this MAGAChristian group - all 10 or so of them - had envisioned themselves as righteous emissaries of their god, ready to triumphantly pump their fists in the air alongside their fellow bearers of pitiful last-minute poster board signs.
That’s not how things turned out for them.
Around 180 people turned out to attend the Drag Story Hour - a huge turnout for a town of our size. That was no surprise - our community very much wanted this event and it was planned months in advance. How many of us were outside counter-protesting, I can’t say. A hundred, at least? The sheer size of the rainbow-clad crowd all but drowned out the fact that the MAGAChristian protesters were even there…which, of course, was exactly the point. We were there to make things welcoming and protective for the kids attending Drag Story Hour. (Welcoming and protective…a vibe those other folks claim to champion but never seem to actually pursue. Hhmph).
Thankfully, things remained peaceful - even when a member of the rainbow wall started reading what sounded like erotic Bible fan fiction to one of the protesters.
It turns out, there IS a peaceful way to get them to vacate the area.
While at the Athenaeum, I saw someone wearing this incredible shirt and they were kind enough to let me take their photo.
At first, from a distance, I thought this person was one of the Bible-thumpers; all I could make out were the silhouettes of guns. But as I got closer, I saw what color the guns were and could finally make out the message. To folks in other U.S. states, this might seem like a strange thing…but leftists with guns are about as common in Vermont as a Subaru with bumper stickers - we’re pretty much everywhere. There’s even been talk on the Vermont subreddit lately of queer folks across the state wanting to start groups to go to local ranges together. Apparently we’re sharing a wavelength: the day after the election, my husband and I went to buy ammo. While we were in the shop, I half-jokingly said, “I feel like there needs to be a left-leaning firearms club. Maybe someone will start it. If I saw a post saying ‘Join the Super Gay Gun Club’, I’d be signed up in a heartbeat”. I know folks on the left have varying views on firearms - mostly not very supportive views. I have a lot of thoughts about that…but that’s a whooooole treatise - for another time.
Cognitive dissonance was on full display at this protest/counter-protest. Again, this is a whole treatise for another time, but I do want to briefly point out four instances of this.
First, these two: “pray to end abortion” and “protect our children”.
I have two questions for these two (well…way more…but two will have to do):
You do know that you don’t have to pray to end abortion…right? You can prevent the vast majority of folks from ever needing an abortion by making contraceptives free for AFAB (Assigned Female at Birth) folks. But I get the feeling that you want to stick with prayer because it makes you feel like you have a cause to righteously crusade against…and actually addressing the issue would take that away.
Protect our children? From what? Literacy? Being confident to be themselves, no matter who they are? Joyfully gathering with members of their community?
C’mon. We all know that protecting children isn’t your real concern. If it were, you’d be standing outside the NRA headquarters with this sign instead of protesting at a Drag Story Hour overwhelmingly supported by the parents in our community.
The other two instances of cognitive dissonance were this:
A resident of St. J (that shall remain unnamed by me) was quoted by a news outlet as saying, “Young children can’t speak for themselves. Adults need to speak for them when they’re being shown things that are opposed to them growing up.” Now, I’m not sure what he means by ‘things that are opposed to them growing up’…truly a confusing statement.
But what I do want to call out here is the act of protesting a Drag Story Hour because children can’t speak for themselves and adults need to speak for them. Sir…these children are being brought to Drag Story Hour by their parents, or by a known adult and with parental permission. Are you saying that you need to speak for these children, despite the fact that their parents are already doing so? If so, why do you feel that these parents aren’t justified in speaking for their children…but parents who demand that entire schools ban books that they don’t want their child to see are justified? Why is one parental voice valid and the other isn’t?Finally, the tired assertion that America is a Christian nation. Just…no.
There were signs and exchanged words to this effect… “we need to bring god back to this nation”, etc. etc. Ummm…no.
The Constitution of the United States of America - a secular document - is our governing document. The original Constitution (sans the 27 Amendments) contains 4,543 words (including the signatures). Exactly zero of those words is god, Jesus, Bible, or Christian(ity). In fact, the only reference to religion in the original Constitution comes in Article VI, which states that "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States." This establishes a separation of church and state. It also establishes that any fantasy of the U.S. being founded as a Christian nation is just that - fantasy. YOUR fantasy.
And only explicit mention of religion in any of the 27 Amendments is in the 1st Amendment, which expressly prohibits Congress from establishing a religion ("Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion") and protects the free exercise of religion - any religion. Not just yours.
Folks…if you have a tacky vinyl appliqué of the Constitution on the back window of your coal-rolling pickup truck, at least have the decency to read the actual Constitution. Maybe try rectifying that before spending your Saturday protesting community, literacy, freedom of expression, and things that literally do not affect you. Go on. Read it. Actually read it.
Then, when you’re done, maybe sit and think on it for a while. Let the breakdown of that cognitive dissonance start. Get your ass on the healing path back to being a decent American…for all our sakes.
To lighten the mood a bit, I’ll end on these two notes.
First, I’ve been reading from Wendell Berry’s In the Country of Marriage, and stumbled on this bit last week:
If you’re feeling out of sorts in these times, don’t be so hard on yourself. These times are hard on the brains and hearts of sane folks. If we keep clear eyes, we can still hold fast to the essential goodness of the world. Lean on each other to find it.
Finally, I recorded an incredible conversation with my dear friend and fellow trying-to-be-good-Vermonter Lucas Weiss last night. We sipped hot toddies as we spoke - a very fine way to share tea on a cold Sunday night. You’ll be hearing more about that very soon - so keep your ears peeled!
Until tomorrow, friends - stay good, warm, and well.
Yours,
Jack