We had a perfect summer evening in Santa Fe for our vigil. Parking was terrible because it was the opening night for the International Folk Art Market, and their parking was in the same state lot. But it’s a big one and accommodated us all.
Credit must go to our own O. Felix Culpa and the county Democratic Party. O. Felix and others planned it, and the Democratic Party provided the organizational structure. The program was just right – a mix of music, poetry, and speeches, just over an hour. Some interpretation between English and Spanish, and Sign for all of it. Well done, all.
I estimate there were at least 300 people there, possibly as many as 500, a pretty diverse mix. Quite a few older white folks, but they’re a big part of Santa Fe, and I think many of them have demonstrated before. I ran into a woman who was in my consciousness-raising group back in the 1970s. We looked at each other like yes, again.
But I’m happy to say that some of the younger folks are taking up the torch. Allegra Good Love (third photo) is a firebrand, and the last rabbi on the program was something else. One of the Jewish groups in town was one of the sponsors.
Santa Fe, New Mexico #Lights4Liberty pic.twitter.com/v2lxFedIFt
— Cheryl Rofer (@CherylRofer) July 13, 2019
Photos from O. Felix:
Matt, from Austin (nym?): Three pics of the main event. We heard from an immigrant who’d been imprisoned right here in Texas, Representative Lloyd Doggett, and other local politicians, among others. Because it’s Austin, there was lots of live music. The 4th pic, selfie-style, was a related protest-slash-Shabbat service by Austin Jews For Justice earlier in the evening.




Sandia Blanca
We were at the Austin event, too! Thanks for the pics, Matt, they are better than anything I took. It was a nice mix of us old hippies and young activists, and the signs were all heartfelt and good (“Make America Humane Again” was a favorite of mine).
O. Felix Culpa
Thank you for posting, Cheryl! We had never put an event like this together before and were thrilled (and relieved) with the results. I estimate at least 500 in attendance, since we garnered over 420 signatures at the petition table. And the firebrand’s name is Allegra Love. She’s a lawyer who started the Santa Fe Dreamers Project and she’s awesome. So glad you could join us on what turned out to be a beautiful and meaningful evening.
Cheryl Rofer
@O. Felix Culpa: Thanks. Corrected in the post.
O. Felix Culpa
Since FYWP won’t let me edit, I’ll also add that Rabbi Neil Amswych of Temple Beth Shalom provided the perfect ending to the speeches part of the program, pointing out that the commandment to care for the stranger is mentioned more times than any other commandment in the Torah. And his explicit reference to the concentration camps with the refrain, “We will not stand idly by,” was powerful.
Going back to Allegra’s speech, I loved her summary of how we can oppose the brutalization of migrants and refugees: with our bodies, our voices, our money, and our votes. We are not helpless.
Karla
I failed to take pictures, but attended an event in Duluth, MN. There were about a hundred people there, I’m guessing, including the mayor and a city council member. We signed petitions that are going to be delivered this week by groups of volunteers to offices of Rep. Stueber and Senators Klobuchar and Smith.
debbie
Repeating from below.
I believe after reading Trump’s racist tweet, Hillary’s had just about enough of all this:
Mary G
@debbie: Hillary has no fucks left to give, and I am here for her.
O. Felix Culpa
@debbie: Great tweet. Once again HRC nails it.
Patricia Kayden
@debbie: The hatred and threats of violence directed at her for decades hasn’t forced Secretary Clinton into the shadows. Good to see her speaking out.
burnspbesq
In addition to the rally at the Capitol, there were rallies at the old Williamson County Courthouse in Georgetown and at Austin’s very own concentration camp, the T. Don Hutto Detention Center in Taylor.
I was in Taylor on Saturday morning, and if it weren’t for employee cars parked in front you could have concluded that it was not operating. No signs of life, at all. One imagines that ICE doesn’t want the female detainees to have any contact with the outside world, and the contractors who run the place are only too happy to oblige.
The place has a sordid history. Williamson County terminated its contract with the operators early due to liability concerns. See, e.g.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._Don_Hutto_Residential_Center
debbie
@Mary G:
@O. Felix Culpa:
@Patricia Kayden:
I haven’t seen every single tweet she’s tweeted, but I’d bet this one is the most direct.
rikyrah
Thanks for posting pictures from all the events??
Jay
SiubhanDuinne
@debbie:
Hillary ran out of fucks to give quite a little while ago. Can’t say as I blame her.
SiubhanDuinne
@rikyrah:
Yes, thank you so much, Cheryl. This is so important, to keep the issues and the protest and protesters front and centre. Very grateful to you for taking the time and effort to sort through and post the best of the best. Proud to be a jackal tonight.
Jay
Jay
Erik
Glad to see the pictures from Austin, and they caught me in the 3rd photo (sitting on the ground in a blue shirt)! Cynical that this will change any (republican) Texas legislator minds, but we have to keep on trying!
Matt Smith
Thanks, Cheryl, for posting all the photos people sent in! Loved seeing them, and happy to read comments from others who were at the Austin rally.