Paul Revere by Cyrus Dallin, North End, Boston

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Saturday, January 21, 2017

Boston (And Other Cities) Women's March


Millions of Americans here and abroad marched today, not only for women's rights, but also to show solidarity AGAINST the man who was inaugurated yesterday and who now lives in the White House. This is "unpresidented," as Trump once famously tweeted, for so many Americans to demonstrate their disapproval of a brand new president and his plans to trample on not just women's rights but the rights of other Americans. Knowing Trump's insatiable vanity and need for adulation, this worldwide march of millions against him must really burn his prodigious arse. Let's hope he gets the message.


The estimated crowd size by Boston police was 125,000 to 150,000. I was there, and those numbers are accurate. The Boston Common was a sea of women, men, children, signs, and pink hats. What I found interesting was that there were very few posters or signs denigrating Trump, but the ones that did were quite clever. Most of the sentiments expressed on posters were about women's rights, human rights, "Love Trumps Hate," "Kindness Matters," "Hands Off My Reproductive Rights," etc.

The crowds were friendly, funny, and happier than the crowds I saw at a Tea Party demonstration in 2009 on the Common. There were lots of young couples with their children, and, of course, because this is Boston, thousands of students as well. The older generations were well represented, too. One white-haired gentleman held a sign that read "It Must Be Bad Because Even I'm Marching!"




Photos courtesy of Dan W., blogging friend, Boston Common:


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Blogging friend, Stephen B. in Atlanta:




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Niece from central Massachusetts:





Nieces marching in Portsmouth, New Hampshire:







Boston Common:


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16 comments:

Ahab said...

I followed the D.C. march via the ABC News livestream and Twitter, and it took my breath away. When photos started coming in from sister marches in other cities, my jaw hit the floor when I saw the massive gatherings of people.

I'm proud of my fellow Americans (and our friends around the world at sister marches). Today, millions of people sent an undeniable message to those who would endanger women's rights. Trump can't ignore this.

I'm petsitting for two friends today and tomorrow so that they can be at the D.C. march, so I couldn't attend myself. It must have been electric there.

Ducky's here said...

I'm not much of a crowd estimator but there must have been 10,000 minimum at the march to the commons today.

It even got the attention of the mothership:
"I AM SO PROUD NOT TO BE A WOMAN WHO’D MARCH IN THOSE MARCHES TODAY. SO PROUD."

Well, it wasn't only women. I got a kick out of the crowd in D.C. being larger than the crowd at the coronation.
So it begins.

Shaw Kenawe said...

Ahab, the march here in Boston was amazing. As I said in my post, there were very few personal attacks on Trump and the majority of the posters and signs was about protecting women's rights. It was a peaceful celebration, but with an undercurrent of fear and uncertainty about the man who is now the leader of the country. I, too, was proud of my fellow Bostonians and their decorum and good manners.

We've sent the right message. It's up to Trump to determine how to respond.

Anonymous said...

A disgusting racist on the right wrote this:

Juan Williams mentioned how the crowd wasn’t quite as big as Obama’s, never mentioning that that was mostly BLACK AMERICANS, of course! And NEVER MENTIONED IT’s RAINING!

They have no self-awareness of what that statement says about them, do they?

"...mostly BLACK AMERICANS..." The racist who wrote that seems to think Black Americans are not the same as white Americans, so their presence at Mr. Obama's inauguration doesn't really count because they're not white. That is the very definition of racism. And this racist thinks she's a good Christian. No wonder they support the assh*le Trump. He's their perfect representative.

These people make me sick.

Shaw Kenawe said...

Anonymous,

The size and scale of today's demonstrations cannot be denied. The marches were not just for women's right but they were also AGAINST the maniac Trump. Those who voted for him don't want to face how hated he is.

As for that racist. She's to be pitied for her ignorance and folly. There's nothing more to say about anyone who's as stupid as that.

Shaw Kenawe said...

Ducky,

It even got the attention of the mothership:
"I AM SO PROUD NOT TO BE A WOMAN WHO’D MARCH IN THOSE MARCHES TODAY. SO PROUD."


This is what people who know their guy is universally detested say. President 37% is down from 41% approval a few weeks ago, and it appears it's only going to get worse. The mothership will have to do some creative lying to themselves to change that reality.

D.K.J. said...


Fantastic!

Jerry Critter said...

Upwards of 750,000 people show d up in Los Angeles today.

Massive women's march in downtown L.A. said to be largest in over a decade
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-womens-march-los-angeles-20170121-story.html

Shaw Kenawe said...


Jerry, it was a fantastic demonstration of solidarity for women's issues and of anti-Trumpism.

It was a countrywide and worldwide middle finger to what happened on Friday, Jan. 20.

Papa Wheelie said...

Trumpty Dumpty's gonna build a great wall?
No, Trumpty Dumpty's gonna have a great fall.
All the pig's flunkies, not even Putin
Will be able to put Trumpty together again.

Les Carpenter said...

Unfortunately it doesn't change the reality tRump is pResident.

His response that 'they should have voted' indicates he is and will remain unaffected by public opinion and pressure.

It is going to be a dismal four years. Focus now needs to turn to both tactical and strategic planning on how to defeat THE MENANCE within and gain back at least one of legislative branches of government.

Anonymous said...

I would say he is totally affected by public opinion, which is why he needs to Tweet his attacks; he has to stroke his ego with twisted reality. These women DID vote.

Shaw Kenawe said...

Rollin M, thanks for coming by and posting your verse.

Shaw Kenawe said...

RN and Anon,

All Trump thinks about is public opinion -- well just the opinion of his base. His performance at the CIA on Saturday was horrific. He'll never, never, never be president. Oh he got in electorally, but he's no more a POTUS than a circus performer. At least a circus performer is honest about what he or she is.

tree ocean said...

We had 10-15,000 in Augusta Maine- have a few pics on my blog treeslifeintoomuchdetail.blogspot.com. Early estimates of 3 million in US seem very low. As for "they should have voted"-maybe we're the 3 million that didnt count thanks to the electoral system.

Shaw Kenawe said...

Thanks for stopping by tree ocean. Saturday was an amazing day for everyone!

There are more of us than there are of them.