Trump Protest

I am not a typical protester. I am not close with anyone who is. I am not informed of when protests are happening. I don't go out of my way to protest.

But there I was found myself in the middle of a protest against Donald Trump.

I believe protests are important. I believe that they do not hinder free speech, but that they are free speech.

On the outside of the UIC Pavilion, along Harrison between Morgan and Racine, there was chanting and shouting and percussion and people sitting in trees and waving posters and unity and old people and young people and families and people of all colors and nationalities. It was the great post-race revolutionaries wet dream. Every type of person was there.

When was the last time Trump visited the UIC campus?  Over half the student body is Asian, Latino, or African-American. According to UIC: "Foreign students comprise about 6% of the campus enrollment with the more than 1,600 visa students coming from over 80 different countries." That was in 1999 even and I wouldn't be surprised if that number has increased.
It was not violent. There were instances of violence and it seemed especially worse inside the arena. From what I've seen these spats only happened because he cancelled. Would there have been this violence without him cancelling? Without the chance for his supporters to scapegoat the protesters, to get in their faces, to scream awful things?

I am not naive. I know many of the protesters were saying just as nasty things. But I was also hearing questions from protesters yelled at Trump supports: "Why are you supporting a racist?" "Don't you have compassion?" Protesters pleading with supporters to think about how their actions affect others, and Trump supporters returning a deaf ear.

Trump's campaign is not about asking questions. It is a campaign built on stubbornness. Trump is stubborn. He is always right (in his mind). He will never back down (he says). He is the best and his rallies are the best and his supporters are the best.

Being the best is the best, innit?

Stray observations:

• At least one water bottle was thrown from Trump supporters in our direction.
• A black man chanted "asshole" to a white man in a red "Make America Great Again" hat.
• These were all Bernie supports. I didn't see one Clinton shirt or hat or button or sticker. Where were the Clinton supporters? Do they have less to lose if Trump becomes president? Or are they less passionate than the Bernie supporters?
• Much more White Sox gear than Cubs at the protest. 
• I need to up my Spanish slang game.

Anyway, there are far more eloquent people to discuss the events. DNAInfo has a good roundup going, especially with photos and videos from the protest and the rally (Warning: some graphic video).

Don't let anyone tell you this was a riot or it was pandemonium or it was chaos. It was a protest. It's what Chicago does.

This was not a protest against free speech or Trump's right to assembly. If Cruz or Rubio had speeches in Chicago, I doubt this would have happened to the extent that it did. If Trump held this in the suburbs (like Cruz did), he wouldn't be dominating the national news cycle. 

Don't let anyone tell you this tramples on Trump's free speech. Again: protests are free speech.

Now that I've named he who shall not be named more times than I care to type, here is the final takeaway: Protesting and shutting down the rally is one thing. But it doesn't mean a damn thing if you don't vote.

Check out Ballot Ready for polling places. If it's not obvious, I support Bernie. But look more into the other races too. State's Attorney, state senators and representatives...everyone starts somewhere and you have to find progressive candidates at even the smaller levels to begin to make real difference.