Continuing the fight, in NYC

NEW YORK CITY — We had a wonderful day in New York. The crowd was enthusiastic and friendly. I was pleased to see people of all races and ages, including many men and young children. 

Our car on the train was filled with women going to the march, which created a nice opportunity to chat with friends and meet new people. 

If everyone stays engaged, it makes me feel optimistic about getting through the next four years.

I think Jo Loi described it well: “The whole experience today was magical and so uplifting. I met so many nice, kind people and so polite since we were packed like sardines in some instances and just ‘carried’ along. 

“It was affirming to me that the people I met are the real Americans. When you consider how peaceful it was in New York City, with more than 500,000 people and lots of smiles and great posters, stopping traffic, having the garbage truck driver toot his horn to buoy us up …well, it was an experience I will long remember.”

I went with people organized by Democracy First, which is the name of a local group organized to inform each other of what issues are coming up and what actions we might be able to take, such as when to call our representatives in Congress to voice opinions about an issue, what organizations to support that are already working on an issue, who to call to voice support for some action. 

One thing to do now: Speaker of the House Paul Ryan’s office is conducting a phone poll, hoping to hear opinions on the Affordable Care Act (ACA). To participate, call 202-225-0600. Apparently it’s extremely difficult if not impossible to get through by phone. Instead, there is a movement to send postcards to his residence. Information can be found on Facebook.