Feb 17

Feb 17 Presidents' Day

Chicago, Demonstrations, Protest, Performance, Public Declarations, Donald J. Trump

“Ice has covered up my parents’ hands
Don’t have any dreams, don’t have any plans
Growing up in some strange storm
Nobody’s cold, nobody’s warm
I went out into the night
I went out to find some light
Kids are dying out in the snow
Look at them go, look at them go!

And the power’s out in the heart of man
Take it from your heart, put it in your hand, hand
What’s the plan?
What’s the plan?”

— Neighborhood #3 (Power Out), Arcade Fire (2005)

“Hey, now it’s time for you and me
Got a revolution, got to revolution
Come on now, we’re marching to the sea
Got a revolution, got to revolution
Who will take it from you, we will and who are we?

We are volunteers of America”

— Volunteers, Jefferson Airplane (1969)

The temperature at ‘Game Time’ was 7° F, or as one speaker quipped while standing in front of Cloud Gate (the ‘Bean’) in Millennium Park, “Elon Musk has more children than we have degrees.” When I was speaking with one of CPD’s finest following yesterday’s demonstration commemorating Alexei Navalny’s murder, we both agreed that today’s Presidents’ Day demonstration in opposition to Donald Trump and Elon Musk would only draw a few diehards given the plunging temperatures. We were wrong, very wrong. While attendance was not in the thousands, following the march to Upper Wacker Drive from Millennium Park, somewhere between 500 and 600 demonstrators lined the sidewalk, directing their DIY signs and chants toward Trump Tower, directly across the Chicago River.

The Millennium Park demonstration was one of two scheduled for today. The other—Stop Trump’s MAGA Fascism—was staged in Chicago’s Federal Plaza, just blocks from Millennium Park. Some critics—including myself—thought staging two rallies, particularly given the chill, was counterproductive. The organizers of each wanted to direct their ire at the Trump Administration and Elon Musk, but by staging two rallies rather than uniting together for a large one, the organizers undercut the visuals.

Going forward, those organizing the opposition to the Trump Administration should stop focusing on their individual fiefdoms. Last Saturday, Chicago didn’t need three separate rallies against Trump’s immigration policies. That’s a divide strategy, permitting Trump to conquer.

But after witnessing the Millennium Park rally, I have changed my tune, at least for today. Eventually, the two groups converged on the plaza above the River Walk. When I saw the group that had first assembled in Federal Plaza crossing Upper Wacker Drive, some of the banners were familiar, as were some of the marchers. Those who demonstrated in Federal Plaza are among the cadre of demonstrators who regularly attend rallies in Chicago’s Loop—at least that was my impression. Many are left of Progressive on the political spectrum. Had the two demonstrations been combined, the Federal Plaza demonstrators would have likely been the dominant voice, quashing what was an organic rally for people who do not regularly take to the streets.

The otherwise “Silent Majority” are the ones who must turnout in mass before Trump’s stupidity can be reversed. Congress will listen to them, but not to the hardcore demonstrators, who have become background noise—they should nevertheless keep expressing themselves.

The Millennium Park rally was part of the nationwide #50501 Presidents’ Day effort. The people behind the #50501 movement hoped for 50 grassroots demonstrations in 50 cities, united as one with a common goal—putting an end to the Trump Administration, or at least in the short term, encouraging Congress to curb the Trump Administration’s excesses. Standing in Millennium Park, I didn’t recognize a single person (except for fellow photographers), nor a single sign.

Josh, the lead organizer, claimed that he had no prior experience organizing demonstrations. Nor is he affiliated with any group—he just needed to engage. Given Josh’s inexperience, the demonstration lacked structure, which is an observation rather than a criticism. Following brief remarks by Josh and another organizer, they invited anyone who wanted to speak to simply step forward. Commendably, the other organizer emphasized that this was a peaceful gathering.

One teenager stepped forward, first acknowledging that she never expected to be speaking in public. She then told the assembly that she needed to speak out because some of her friends return home each day from high school, wondering whether their parents were detained by ICE agents while the students were away.

A much older women also stepped forward, identifying herself as a gynecologist. During her impromptu remarks, she noted how the Trump Administration’s policies were already adversely affecting women’s medical care. She sees those effects daily in her practice.

One highly-animated man grabbed the bullhorn, pacing from one side to the other, while jabbing the air with his finger as he expressed a litany of concerns. If only the Resistance could bottle his energy.

As noted, had the hardcore activists who gathered in Federal Plaza instead joined the demonstrators in Millennium Park, I suspect the activists would have dominated the rally, demanding revolutionary change, a demand that they were making long before Donald Trump entered the political realm.

Several other people stepped up, also taking the bullhorn, making what appeared to be impromptu remarks. To his credit, one organizer put a halt to the speeches after 20 minutes. Had the speakers droned on, the demonstrators would have scattered, seeking a reprieve from the cold in a coffee shop or nearby restaurant. There was still the planned march to Trump Tower, so warmth needed to be deferred for a few more minutes.

On cue, everyone snapped into formation for the short hike up Michigan Avenue to the Upper Wacker Drive terminus. Shortly after the Millennium Park demonstrators were in position, the Federal Plaza demonstrators arrived at the intersection of Wabash and Upper Wacker Drive, where they joined those already gathered above the River Walk.

At 1:00 PM, I headed to the gym and its warmth. I suspect most of the demonstrators didn’t hang around much longer.

In terms of substance, there was one noteworthy takeaway. As divisive as Donald Trump is, Elon Musk is even more so, which does not bode well for Tesla sales. The signage and chants drove this point home. I saw more references to Musk on the DIY signage than to Trump. I also heard Musk’s name chanted more frequently than Trump’s. After discovering that Musk serves as a highly effective lightning rod—absorbing much of the animus—Trump may be more reluctant to jettison Musk than people assume.

Overall, today’s Millennium Park demonstration was a smashing success, overcoming the obstacle posed by the winter chill. Even though the rally was short and unstructured, it will likely serve as a catalyst. Lots of people were signing up for notices about future events. Imagine how many people might take to Chicago’s streets on a Saturday morning in June.

[Click on an Image to Enlarge It. The Images Are Not Necessarily in Exact Chronological Order]