Minneapolis Marches - Beauty, Unity, Peace, and Terror: Sunday

Sunday morning dawned a stunningly beautiful day in Minneapolis. A beautiful day for a peaceful protest march. There were several planned, and after seeing how much unity and community there had been in the city on Saturday at the clean up, I felt comfortable and compelled to take part in the march organized for downtown Minneapolis Sunday afternoon. I'd been pacing our floors wanting to stand up for my people, and a little constricted due to my current role as caregiver to my Mom and brother. Daytime has meant peacetime every day of this ordeal we've been living since last Monday, so I was going.

I quickly drew up a "No Bail" sign to bring with me to U.S. Bank Stadium, where the "No Bail March" was going to go down. These are marches for justice for George Floyd, and the demand is that all four murderer police officers are arrested, without bail. This STILL has not been done, even though to not do so continues the unrest worldwide (THANK YOU, LA!) - and the MPD knows this full well. I parked on the outskirts of downtown, as in case things got crazy, I could get out of there easier. I walked the few blocks to the stadium, along with a stream of others dressed in the asked-for black, and carrying their own signs demanding justice.

There was a huge crowd gathered in the shadows of our Vikings stadium, and I was too far away to hear what the speakers were saying, but clapped and chanted along when it arose. Once again, helpers were everywhere, passing out waters, masks, hand sanitizer, buckets to pick up trash along the march route, and even pizzas. All for free, all for each other.

There was a moment of silence for Floyd, where everyone took a knee, and raised their fists in complete silence. Peace. Once the speakers were done, the march began through the streets of downtown Minneapolis. Honestly, it was like a giant, moving Bernie Sanders rally. All for one, and one for all. Every color, every age (babies in strollers to grannies in wheelchairs), all wanting to show that they stand up for justice together. Most everyone was wearing a mask so you couldn't tell that much what they looked like, but the eyes showed their good souls. Everyone was beyond polite, and all were in a great mood to inspire on a beautiful, summery Minnesota day.

The march was organized, and there was a specific route that journalists, officials, police and the National Guard all knew about. The roads had already been cleared (this is going to be very important later). We marched past City Hall, shouting George Floyd's name the entire way.

People on bikes and taking their Sunday strolls lined the streets, all shouting and raising their fists in solidarity (if not joining in themselves. Why?). The huge group turned on to Hennepin Avenue, heading for the Hennepin Bridge, this time shouting, "I CAN'T BREATHE!" - the last words spoken by Mr. Floyd. It was emotional. It was inspiring. It was beautiful to see.

Once on the bridge, there was another taking of the knee and total silence.

Like, you could hear a boat's engine going by on the Mississippi River below. Peace and unity and like minds together in the name of justice was one of the very most solemnly beautiful moments of my life, and I bet I can speak for just about everyone there.

Guys in a pickup truck were going through to give people icy cold water on this very hot day, and thanking everyone for being there, as they thanked them for the cool drink. Unity. Support. One Love.

The group then marched on down off the bridge, with honks from cars on adjacent streets honking along to show their support. Some girls were waving sage over the whole thing as we passed by (I hate that smell, but appreciate the cleansing sentiment). Others had the backs of their cars open, handing out snacks and drinks to anyone who wanted it. We turned on to University Avenue, heading for the 35W Bridge (the one that was rebuilt after the old one there collapsed). The freeway was cleared, as city officials knew this march was happening, and exactly what route it would take.

Marchers scrambled down the embankments on to the freeway, and it was pretty surreal to be surrounded by thousands of people on a major thoroughfare, all holding signs and unified in our mission. The bridge was the way back to the football stadium where the march had began. The idea was to cross the bridge, exit at Washington, and head back to the Skol ship to gather again to wrap up the day before curfew. It was SO beautiful to look across the water at our Minneapolis skyline, then turn around to see so many people of every make and style marching along together, chanting for justice - and more than determined to actually get it THIS time. Because THIS time, we have the whole world on our side.

There was another moment of silence there in the sunshine. A speaker far away from me was talking, and all I could make out from her speech, was "Isn't this BEAUTIFUL!?" Because it really was. We took another knee, we raised our fists, and we heard the silence of peace and reflection. And then, in the distance, we heard a horn. In an instant, people leaped to their feet and began running toward the edges of the bridge. No one knew what was happening at first because there were so many people. Then we saw it - a giant gas tanker coming down the freeway at full speed! I'm actually crying again as I type this, because it was so terrifying to think that people were about to be mowed down in this moment of peace, it was unreal!

I moved to the edge of the bridge, where so many people were crushing into that I felt my body being nearly pressed over the side, looking down at the water below. Everyone was trapped on a bridge over a river, and there was instant panic. I started yelling, "STAY CALM!" like a chant, and a few people near me joined in, and it kind of helped. We began to walk single file straight ahead, with the only goal being to get the hell off of the bridge. At this point, we all thought there must be tens of people killed and/or maimed, and people were sobbing openly. A woman with her baby in a stroller had a man in front of her yelling, "Let this baby through!" We just kept walking as calmly as possible, total strangers suddenly caring even more deeply about the person right next to them than they already had.

A fence had been flattened out so people could get over it and off the freeway faster, and that grassy area soon became full of the traumatized marchers from the bridge. We knew that the driver of the semi had been pulled out of the cab of his truck by the horrified marchers, but didn't know what had become of him then (we later heard that good people had surrounded Bogdan Vechirko and fully saved his life, so that he can be tried by the police - whatever good that will do. ), and that was scary too. No one wanted another death, especially at the hands of people who were out there trying so hard to do good, to demand justice, and to do so extremely peacefully. *I filmed none of this, as survival was more important.

Once gathered off of the freeway, people were shaking and crying and calling their loved ones, and so deeply sad that some psycho (He was. Don't argue with me. They're now saying he "panicked". Really? With thousands of people directly in front of you, you barrel straight at them?! The only panic was from the people fleeing from him. And maybe from him when he realized he was about to get the beating of a lifetime) had come along to wreck the vibe of what had been an absolutely perfect day of our city standing together in solidarity. I have questions. How did the truck get through to a designated march location? Why did the police you can see in the video do nothing to stop him? And REALLY WHY did the police than indiscriminately spray mace over people merely walking up the ramp away from the commotion? Peaceful, scared people were even more traumatized by jerk police who just can't stop being jerks! Mace? It was an organized march. We hadn't seen a single officer the whole day of PEACE, and the peace only stopped when they showed up. Again, BECAUSE OF THEM. THEY are WHY we were marching, and then they come along to totally wreck that too? There is such a disconnect in that operation, it's simply baffling. (Then, as we walked back to our cars, the cop choppers showed up with big, orange things of water to dump on the shaken people. Because they're so compassionate, and serve and protect so well). I'll say this. Yes, I know that there are some good cops. I have good friends who are cops - but I've even heard them say things that definitely let you know they treat Black people differently. I've been encouraged by the very few videos of police captains deciding to march with the People - like in Flint. But that is a rarity, and far too few good police make themselves known, and far too few of them stand up when their colleague has done something unthinkable ... as we're dealing with now. So, I'll just say this. If you are a good one - be better. SHOW us that you're better. Because after this last week, you don't have a lot of fans. Worldwide. You can and should do better because you took an oath to protect and serve, not murder and escalate the aftermath. Show us you ARE better this time by arresting the four who have so sullied your name, and by never allowing things like this - murder - to happen ever again. PLEASE.

Whatever. We won't be deterred. We WILL get justice. I would be right back out there again yesterday, even knowing how it ended up. Because I feel we MUST be. Lots of people I know don't feel that way (which is why I was there alone), but I will do even more work to make up for them, and hope that they will be enlightened by all of this too. George Floyd will not have died in vain, that much I know for sure. I KNOW that things will get better for people of all walks of life, simply because they must if we are ever to have peace again. No one is giving up. So racists are going to have to get over themselves, once and for all. The whole world agrees, and that's why you're seeing unrest across the globe, pandemic or not. Because citizens of the world all realize that we cannot continue how we have been. It's not working. Very clearly.

Some will say to "Vote" or call reps or do whatever stuff like that, and that's great. But it has historically not changed a thing. The only way we've ever seen change is by people standing up together against what is fundamentally wrong. That's what we're seeing now, and we're going to be so much better for it. Growth isn't easy, and it hurts a lot of the time ... but you learn. And you improve. And you maybe change the whole world.

This can end now. Arrest and convict all four murderers of George Floyd. Show that justice CAN be served in this nation. I've heard people say they're embarrassed that this is happening in Minnesota. I couldn't disagree more. How proud are we going to be when we know that racial inequality began its slow death march HERE in our beautiful, progressive, caring state? That WE made this better history! (People didn't like the people marching with MLK, Jr. at the time either, but I bet they wish they had now. History will very clearly show which was the right side to be on). That will be a wonderful legacy, one that we can all be an important part of. If you can find it in yourself to join the struggle for change. I'll be there, ready to stand side by side with you for a better world for us all.

Thanks and so much love to all the beautiful, wonderful, caring, empathic people I met and marched with yesterday. We are all better people for being there together, and we WILL overcome.

#JUSTICEFORGEORGEFLOYD #BLACKLIVESMATTER

Minneapolis Rising From The Ashes - Saturday

I woke up Saturday morning with the feeling that I absolutely had to help. All of last week was raging in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder by the police a week ago today. Minneapolis was burning. Everyone felt helpless and scared. I had to go down there to see if I could be of any help. And boy, was I not alone. Lake Street looked like a Chimney Sweep convention, with people of all colors and ages were walking down both sides of the boarded up street carrying their brooms over their shoulders. I started to cry and had chills the instant I walked up the to the street, because I knew right then that Minnesota was going to get through this - and be better for it.

Businesses were boarded up all the way to Richfield, as I drove north to Lake Street down Cedar Avenue. The beautiful thing was that on every single boarded up window were also signs that SUPPORTED the protest, and have joined the struggle for justice and equal rights that is so sorely in need of allies.

I parked the car, grabbed my broom, and set off down the street. The first thing I saw were the women from the Panaderia San Miguel on the corner of Lake and 17th handing out free pastries that they had bagged up. While their own business struggles, they were out there handing out their wares to anyone who wanted it. Beautiful.

All the stores were boarded up, and one that really hit home for me was our beloved Norwegian (OK, all Scandanavia) store, Ingebretsen's. Their windows had been broken out and were now boarded, but they had a sign saying ONE HUMAN FAMILY, and their total support of justice for Floyd. That is grace itself. And understanding.

Understanding has been in fairly low supply from many that I've seen on social media (which I should totally avoid, because the trolls have been so bad, and I've been so triggered, but you have to stay on top of things too). Calling peaceful protesters "Rioters" and "Looters", not understanding that people have been driven to this. After hundreds of years of terrible oppression. Voting, calling your government officials, blah blah blah ... nothing has ever produced real change other than the People standing UP, and loudly, for what is right. And that's what we see now happening around the entire GLOBE over this. That's why this time feels different, and that's why it must continue until there IS justice. For EVERYONE.

Yes, there have been rioters and looters, but we now know many of them have infiltrated the peaceful process from out of town, and from organized terror groups. Yes, there were also local hoodlums getting in their licks - but I hope you saw how many of those were young white jackasses, looting just because they wanted stuff. That's always going to happen in the way of peaceful protests, but they are still necessary - or nothing changes.

I'm white. I'm blonde, like really white. I think it's very important for people who look like me to be out there too, side by side with our community, showing others - and the media - that it isn't just all angry Black people - it's everyone. If I had been in front of Cup Foods last Monday, I'd like to think I would have tackled murdering Officer Chauvin (no shock that his name is short for chauvinistic. I mean, Central Casting white supremacist pig name!), and forced him to try to do something to the blonde lady on camera. I'm sad that I even have to think like that, but that's truly the way our society has always been. I read an article about how white women should get all snazzed up when we go out to march, and if anyone gets in trouble with the police, to put ourselves between them and the police to make sure everyone sees that. I'm totally down. Systemic racism and murder hurts us all as is now very clear to see.

One of the best signs I saw all day was Cops = Virus, I Can't Breathe! Because unchecked police brutality/murder has been going on for far too long, and it really is a global pandemic also. Not that anyone really seemed to care about the pandemic this weekend. Most everyone was wearing masks and gloves, but there were an awful lot of people in close proximity too. We'll have to see. It's pretty impressive that so many came out to help, virus or not. That means something.

It appeared that everything had already been cleaned up where I was on Lake Street, and was a very upbeat atmosphere, amid some tears too. Live music was going down in the parking lot of The Salvation Army, and a cute little man was there handing out sandwiches to anyone who was hungry.

That's the thing. Everywhere you looked, people were helping others. Ladies were in the street, handing out bottles of water to people on their way to help. I asked them where help was still needed, and they told me to keep walking ... I'd see it real easy for myself.

Wheelbarrows full of cleaning supplies from peoples' own homes were making their way down the sidewalks among all the chimney sweeps. Chimney sweeps is accurate too, because a lot of the clean up was ashes.

Like at the totally destroyed MPD Third Precinct. Kids were inside the building getting souvenirs as it was still smoldering. They would come out with handcuffs, live rounds of ammo (! - great planning, cops), whatever they could get their hands on. It's not often police abandon their own building and leave it to the people to destroy in their anger. Rightfully, if you ask me. Today, a week later, there are three officers that remain free, and the main murderer is only charged with third degree murder. That's not nearly enough for what we have all seen ad nauseum on our televisions. It's VERY telling that the police had now arrested over 4,000 protesters (I prefer activists), and cities worldwide are being destroyed, and it could all end if they would simply charge all four murderers. But nope. The "Blue Brotherhood" sticks together. As was evidenced by the army of police protecting Chauvin's house the night of the worst rioting, and not caring at all about their own city. It's disgusting.

The Auto Zone was completely gone, and we know that was started by a white man, rumored to be a St. Paul police officer. The media skews everything so badly, that people who don't dig deeper don't get all of that. They just knee-jerk react "Oh, more angry black people messing up my commute", and that makes me SO sad. They're just not getting it - because they've never had to. Their privilege allows them to say those kinds of thing with zero empathy, but you KNOW if it was their relative with a knee choking the life out of them, there would be an outrage like you've never seen yet.

And that's why there IS one now ... because people are finally beginning to understand that we can't live like this anymore as an entire world. At least I sure hope they are. The WHOLE world has never collectively stood up against something like this together before, and that is WONDERFUL to see - whether white commuters see that yet or not.

Arby's was gone.

Walgreen's was gone.

The Hexagon Bar was gone.

There were huge crowds of helpers, like nothing I've ever seen. I made my way over to the destroyed Target, where the biggest crowds seemed to be. People were sweeping debris and water out of the building and into the parking lot, where more people would sweep that up. A little boy, no more than five, was out there with his gloves on, totally meaning business with his sweeping. It made my heart fully swell.

There were organizers letting ten people at a time into Target to help. I didn't go in because it was dark and sad and creepy, but I was happy to be on outside duty. The mood generally seemed pretty high, as I think it meant a lot to everyone there that, well, everyone was there! Helping!

It was one of the most inspiring things I've ever seen, and really did make me feel like not only will this time be different, but better. Now we all KNOW how much most of us really do care, about all of us. That's the only way we're going to be able to go forward, actually, if we all can once and for all realize that everything that happens affects ALL OF US. The Covid-19 virus showed us that first, that one little market in China can - and will - spread around the whole world. And now, one man's murder at the hands of the very people who are meant to protect and serve EVERYONE, has also shown us that the racism pandemic has also spread worldwide, and everyone is fighting against that too. (In fact, it's great that we're already wearing masks - no facial recognition to bust peaceful people with).

I made my way back home feeling way better about everything. I passed by neighbors meeting in their yards to discuss the strategy for the night ahead (no burning happened, yet police still shot paint bullets at people on their own porches, not realizing still that they are the problem and who we are marching against.) Still, the unity and support I saw was overwhelming, even from people who had their businesses destroyed. They were helping as much if not more than everyone else. They get that material things can be replaced, but human lives cannot. They get that to get to justice, we all might have to sacrifice ... but in the end, it will be so very worth it.

I wasn't made to sit by and watch when I think something is very wrong. I'm not afraid to say something. I'm not afraid to do something. I'm not afraid to show my absolute solidarity with people that have been hurting for their whole lives by how our society treats them, and it's very important to me to show them that I am an ally, a friend, and that I will be there for them - whatever they need.

The Ingebretsen's sign really was all anyone needs to know. We are ONE HUMAN FAMILY, honestly, whether you like it or not. Whether you think pale skin makes you better or not (It doesn't, fyi, and stop going sunbathing then, you hypocrites). Whether you're scared or not. Whether you're mad or not. Whether you're sad or not. Whether you're tired or not. Whether you really don't care or not. Whether this directly affects your family or not (It does. You're on curfew and your streets and businesses are most likely closed). Whether you love the police or not. Whether your commute is disrupted or not. Whether you like hippie idealists like me or not. It just doesn't matter. We're all in this together, period.

Thank you to everyone who I saw out there helping, supporting, and caring. I encourage those of you who haven't been to give it a try. Being among your fellow citizens side by side in a noble effort to better the world is one of the most beautiful experience you will ever have. You're not supporting "rioters" by doing it. You're showing the whole world that everyone here cares about justice. And we'll get it by standing up to injustice together, united in these states, finally once and for all.

There is no other choice if we are to ever have harmony. One Love!

*There are SO many ways to help. Donate to We Love Lake Street.  Donate food. Help clean up. March. Show your white face caring! You can do it. TRY EMPATHY. Thank you. Deeply.

**Please stay tuned for the story of Sunday. Whoa.