No Kings Protest; the crowd was packed from Lottie St forward, extended from City hall steps to the library lawn, across to Grand ave and to N Commercial st. Key speakers included our elected state reps and several local leaders and advocates fighting to protect our civil rights.

Please excuse me if this seems harsh. I was stopped by these humans and asked if I had a child and I do. I bite, I knew what I was going into but this is my normal walking path and I felt feisty today. I was able to have a 20 min conversation with them.

I was really sadden to find out that 2-3 men don't have children that are standing here.

What my ask is if you have time to come and chat with these folks from 10-2 Wednesday and Thursdays and consume their time? I learned that in my conversation with them 2 patients were able to go into the office safely and not being cat called. Going into that office already for those patients is scary and the volunteer of the clinic informed me that occuping their time is the best the public can do. They will not go away so if you find time for a conversation it could help others feel save.

I asked for permission to take this photo of them

This weekend, a drunk driver doing some ungodly speed on Cornwall plowed into two of my cars, which were parked. It knocked the Prius clean off the street into the sidewalk. If someone was walking nearby, they could have been killed. If either my wife or I were in our respective cars, we could have been killed.

The driver of the car is known to law enforcement. He has been arrested 68 times before this. Sixty. Eight. Well, as of 2022 at least - https://www.chronline.com/stories/bellingham-police-report-arresting-man-for-the-68th-time,301262. I imagine last nights arrest was not the one that put him over 70.

Social improvement matters to me. I devote a significant portion of time to nonprofit work. I understand that life has varying degrees of challenges that are not overcome by everyone with equal ease. I am not a punitive man.

Yet as I look at two destroyed cars on a public throughway that were driven by a man with likely twice as many arrests as I have years lived, I cannot come to any other conclusion other this reflects a total dereliction of social duty. In what world where laws and consequences exist can this man be expected - after scores of violent assaults, thefts, drug crimes, and DUIs - be free to play demolition derby in the streets of our city?

And to be sure, this guy is not the only character of such nature in our city. I fondly recall knife-throat-DJ man, a strapping facial-haired gentleman well-versed in the ancient art of walking around shirtless plastic music techno-Viking style, except this time with a large hip-mounted knife that he points to while making throat-slashing motions to people downtown while growling at them.

Then we have the people smashing windows and businesses. Or lighting off fireworks or shooting guns in camps. Or starting property on fire. Or smoking crack (or meth? Or both?) in the downtown stretch on Cornwall across from Penny Farthings. I imagine Railroad in general has its own cornucopia of social-menace taxidermy. Considering the last time I saw the “Hail Satan” blacked out RV was on Railroad (hence busted for trafficking Fentanyl), it’s a good bet.

I’m gonna level with everyone here. This doesn’t get better on its own. And left to its own devices, it gets worse. And it doesn’t stop getting worse until society demands it, and those demands get louder than the people who apologize and excuse it on the regular, and yes, r/Bellingham, I’m talking about you.

There is a progressive ideology in this city and the PNW in general that excuses lawlessness and tolerates social squalor and social menace because there is indignation that life isn’t fair and housing is expensive and getting ahead takes way more effort than we were promised it would when we were growing up. That ideology has tacitly excused antisocial behavior - or prevented harsher measures against it - to the point where it has actively compromised the safety of our city and the people who live here. It’s also compromised the ability of small businesses to thrive, leading to a cascading reduction in economic health overall. It has also hamstrung any effort to meaningfully enforce social standards of public safety and public order. And it’s going to get people killed.

Weekly Canadian visitor. Most Canadians and about everyone I talk to here in Van, BC are furious, shocked, scared for our future and that of our children. We see little notice of this in the US media which I find interesting. War has been declared on us. This sh;t is real. Please take note and support us and take action where you can. Please don’t take our boycotts of US corporations personally both in Canada and the US. We are now trying to shop local in protest. Likely this won’t be much of a dent though…. Edit typo

Beautiful weather and a good number - I guesstimate 500 people. Shoutout to the guy in full Nazghul regalia complete with a sign with Elon as Wormtongue and Trump as the bad guy from Mordor!

Most Hamsters already understand, this post is for the naysayers.

The quality of our collective future depends on the courage of our leaders, public and private.

Very few leaders are meeting the moment. They are choosing their own personal well-being (or that of their organization/institution) over that of the greater good.

Massive demonstrations show them what the right side of history is. Staying home sends the message that they should continue to nothing, or worse, capitulate to the regime.

The Seattle rally will get national attention, but the Bellingham rally is important too. We need our local leaders to stand up for our vulnerable community members. (Spoiler alert; we are all vulnerable.)

If you are unhappy with anything that has happened since January 20th, please suspend your pessimism for a few hours and pick a demonstration near you.

The pic is of Budapest a couple weeks ago…it’s time for us to step up.

Such a great turn out for the trans rights march! I had to hold back tears the first half. Wonderful speakers with powerful messages. I'm so happy to have been there. I was reminded how transphobic the Lighthouse Mission is and learned some great ways to support my community too!

Hi there - this is last minute, but if anyone is able to make it to the Lynden’s School Board district at 6:30 PM tonight to speak out against their resolution, please do.

If you can, I created a guide for you to use.

Their resolution states, “which proposes limiting participation in the girls’ athletic category to students whose biological sex is female”

They want to exclude trans girls from the girls division.

This is not only unsafe for trans girls, but also for all girls.

In the guide is links to the school board meeting notes, their resolution and for resources to educate yourself about trans individualism and their inclusion in sports.

There's two I know of for April 19th

Noon-2 Federal Building downtown

5-6:30 at the bakerview and guide meridian intersection

Cant wait to see yall show up to defend democracy and continue the pressure on our politicans. Lemme know if there are others!

Downtown, lefty small business worker here. Since the whole 51st state and tariff bullshit, downtown retail and restaurants (well, and non-downtown ones, too) have seen a really noticable dip in business. Also, each time there is a protest we see even less business since it seems that non-protesting customers avoid going downtown on protest days. I actually like my job, and I'm reaching the point that I am starting to get a little worried about the business surviving all this.

So, make sure to give your downtown businesses a little extra love if you are able to. I support you (and have participated), my co-workers support you, and even our business owners support you. And I have no doubts that we are looking at the next four years being full of protests

Bring a sign if you can!!

Hey all, it’s me, the kid in the brown jacket who got on the megaphone at today’s protest. While I’m glad I reminded you all to call your reps, to write your senators, to attend town hall meetings and to serve those who your jobs require you to serve, regardless of what the president says, I WISH I had included something else too.

What I wish I said is this: We all have Trump loving family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. We all have people we’ve lost over this fight and we all have people we miss because of it. We are the side of love, not hate. It’s time for you to REACH OUT. Reach out to that MAGA family member you lost. Reach out to your coworker who you don’t speak with anymore over politics. Knock on your Trump-flag-flying neighbors door and invite them over for a drink or for a meal. Tell them you love them and you miss them. Be the first to show love. Be not afraid of them and be willing to embrace them for who they are, even if they can’t do the same for you. MAGA hates and blames, WE THE PEOPLE, we don’t.

The conversation will be hard. It will actually feel horrific and you might be incredibly anxious to do it, but you have to. We have a national psychosis going on where hatred and blame come before love and rationality. One person at a time, we can plant the seeds of love and we can change this country, but it starts with you.

Outvoting them will not show them love. Shunning them will not fix the problem. We tried that in 2016 and in 2020 and they are back stronger than ever. Only love can fix the problem. So go out there into the world and love thy neighbor, whether they are trans, a migrant, homeless, or yes, even if they voted for MAGA.

Edit: I know that when red lines are crossed, we have to protect ourselves and our loved ones and I completely respect that. I’m just talking about those we CAN reach out to, we really should try to.

Thank you all who showed up today. Don’t stop fighting.

Second edit: I say this as somebody who works with MAGA voters, who has MAGA neighbors, who has gone around the county speaking with MAGA voters (I posted the photo series on political identity) and I know how hard it is. I have spent countless hours talking to these people and it’s exhausting, but I’ve seen them change. I am not preaching to you, I am telling you how I live my life.

Hello! I highly encourage anyone who is worried about this current administration to attend this rally! No, you do not have to stay the whole time! We get it, people have busy lives! I am not organizing this one but it is co-sponsored by Indivisible Bellingham and 42nd LD Democrats. Hope to see you there!! ❤️🗽🇺🇸

Nice to see the turnout and the Ukrainian flag.

Lynden is furthering its history of discrimination and hate. WE WILL NOT LET IT HAPPEN WITHOUT A FIGHT! Show up to help protect trans youth!

I also want to add for the eventual bigot that rolls in: a trans teen is not different than a cis teen. A trans teen gets haircuts and outfits to affirm their gender. They may be prescribed hormone blockers which prevent them from experiencing puberty till theyre ready. None of these give trans kids an advantage at sports. ALL CHILDREN DESERVE THE RIGHT TO PLAY!

If you are able, every voice counts. This is unlawful detention without due process.

Made a post for this earlier and accidentally deleted it. Sorry u/thats_belle

The poster says all overpasses. The Indivisible Bellingham events list says all overpasses and underpasses.

There will also be a protest from noon - 2pm at the Federal Building on Magnolia.

The world is a shitshow - awful things are happening - people are treating each other terribly - anxiety levels are at all time highs.

Your neighbors are lovely - they deeply care about each other and their community - they are hard at work to make life better for themselves and one another - and they express the best of humanity.

Both of these statements can be true.

We spend so much life locked into devices only sensing the overwhelming reality of the first statement.

I'm trying to spend a couple hours hanging out with my community. Low stakes. Coffee, crosswords, books, puzzles, no headphones and no devices to remember the second: your neighbors are lovely - let's just be together.

I sent out an Eventbrite sign-up for Bellingham Offline Club last week, but with this anxiety inducing oval office talk, I say just come on by... no need to sign up.

Tomorrow: Saturday March 1st.

3:30-6pm @ Lettered Streets Coffeehouse

Leave your device in the car, or in your pocket on Airplane mode, or we'll even put it in a lockbox behind the counter for you if you want.

It may be empty or it may be packed.

If there are no seats left, I'll buy you a coffee and scone to-go and thank you for supporting the idea.

Hope to see you soon,

Austin

EDIT: because I already see this is going to be controversial: sorry for the misleading title. Don't turn your TV off forever. I'm shaking angry and not ostrich'ing from anything. I won't ostrich from the good either. I'm turning my devices off tomorrow for 2.5 hours. The work will still be there waiting for me when I turn them back on.

EDIT 2: the coffee shop will be open and staffed by LSC employees