Do What You Can

With what you have

I’ve got somewhere to be this morning, so excuse the Friday night reflection in lieu of commentary on breaking news.

I posted for Facebook friends on Sunday:

I’m a behind-the-scenes guy. But extraordinary times, y’know? I’ve held signs on streetcorners and an overpass during rush hours 4-5 days a week since August. I see neighbors, anxious and frightened, thankful to see people standing up to the authoritarian turn of our country. Twice, women turning off Merrimon Ave. stopped mid-turn. “That is so sweet,” said a college-age woman out her passenger window, replying to the top [sign] and feeling seen. A 30-ish woman last week stopped, looked out her window and said, “Thank you! Thank you for what you’re doing” in reply to the second [sign]. To supporters, I offer a talking point. To the undecided, a thought for the drive home. To opponents, something to piss them off. The smiles, honks, and thumbs-up make this feel like public service.

(The photos above are from weekly street protests with 30-40 others.)

On the overpass I use larger one-sided signs (lit after dark with a 160-LED video light on a tripod). Last night I went with this on.e The 400 pt, 4-inch type is readable from 75-100 ft away.

MAGAs know what they were promised, what they voted for, and what they didn’t get. They really don’t like being reminded. I got a frantic thumbs down from a woman in a red Lexus and a stiff middle finger from a guy in a pickup. Gotcha!

Timothy Snyder is on TV live right now with Rachel Maddow and saying there will always be people who say there is no point to what you are doing in terms of resistance. Hold that thought.

I had a good session on the overpass tonight. Atmospheric conditions cooperated. There was enough cloud cover that I was not backlit (and thus visible to westbound traffic on my downtown overpass or else drivers would be squinting into the setting sun). It was cold but not too cold. Traffic was heavy. Two more women stopped on the bridge to photograph the sign. The neighborhood pedestrian traffic is youth-heavy, so I play a 30+ song, 21st-century-only playlist on a pair of Bluetooth speakers to keep me pumped. Yes, I am the idiot dancing with a sign on the overpass on Fridays at rush hour. This is an attention economy. Get some or go home.

Who knew I’d be teaching a workshop this morning?

The groceries message speaks to most everyone. Last night I got not just lots of honks, smiles, and thumbs up, but vigorous two-handed waves from lots of cars passing below. (I’m a familar presence by now.) They get it. They feel it. For the first time in four months, I realized that when traffic temporarily comes to a halt, I have a captive audience and time to spin the sign around to display the backside:

How d’you like that double tap. OMG, the honks exploded.

Some grisled older guy walking by asked what I was up to.

“I don’t own a television station,” I said. “But I can send a message to 4,700 pairs of eyes an hour here for free.”

“That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard,” he said and walked off.

One of my regular pedestrians, Christina, laughed it off. She gets it.

I’m a trusted messenger now because I’m there every week. I’m not knocking their doors. The “doors” are coming to me. Asking them to vote comes later. For now, don’t tell them what policies and party to support. Make them feel seen.

Happy Hollandaise everyone!!