South Bay (Torrance), California
12/17/19
Torrance Transit #8 got me from Artesia & Rindge to the rally at Hawthorne & Sepulveda in 30 minutes.
Used my seniors discount TAP card, round trip practically free.
Stood on the NE corner for the first hour 4:45 to 5:45 flashing my Defend Democracy sign.
Chanting with the others, yelling at motorists, thanking them for honking in sympathy.
Strongest impression was the sound of car horns in all directions showing solidarity.
Truckers especially, when they blasted their sympathy long and loud.
People drove by with their windows rolled down, waving, cheering, and photographing us.
There were Trump loyalists but way outnumbered.
2nd hour I strolled up to the other end, near the mall entrance, and bellowed from there.
Got into simpatico conversations with two couples around my age and a pair of middle-aged women.
The older women still aren't comfortable with the idea of Standing Up to the Beast.
Seem to think the Beast can be removed from our living rooms by offering it tea and scones.
But the men don't see any hope in being nice; they know we're in a civil war.
The younger women seemed full of fight, with their signs and their chants.
This was a MoveOn crowd, aging eccentrics like me
With the quaint idea that the time has come to speak up.
Plus younger women ready to take it to the abusive male-chauvinists.
I overhead "Bernie" once.
But this was not a Bernie crowd: no significant college student presence.
No significant male working age presence -- guys like my son and his friends.
No significant black or Latino presence.
Docile, like the rally at City Hall downtown over separating immigrants from their children.
But angrier, more resolute, more spirited.
I overheard a rumor that Trump supporters were on site but I only saw one.
Ridiculous woman holding an "Impeachment Hoax" sign.
Thugs flying Trump flags drove by in their SUV blaring their horn.
Looked like the same mercenaries who marched by the City Hall rally.
Had our crowd reached the level of a Bernie rally it would have attracted more Trump thugs.
But there weren't enough of us (I never got a look at the whole crowd) to pose a threat.
If our numbers do swell, Trump thugs will show up and we will be tested.
Fear that there might be violence could have kept our numbers down.
Anyone showing up a week before Christmas, plus passers-by support, was encouraging.
We know Trump's base has been rallied to do battle for years.
They haven't grown in numbers; they're just waiting for us to rally to our side of it.
Right now, we're rallying ourselves, because the impeachment rally was leaderless.
The folks I talked to had no better idea than I have who to turn to.
Which candidates look good on a horse -- Warren? Booker?
Certainly not Biden.
That's my main takeaway: troops are ready to take to the streets but have no one to lead them.
The Democratic Party has to do something about it.
If it doesn't, someone else will have to fill the void.
Anyway, the House impeached the bastard; t hey did their job.
What can the rest of us do?
The Beast isn't sitting still, that's for sure.
Dave Harrison