I comment as Williamrd (or sometimes William D — I comment infrequently and forget what name I use).
I wanted to attach some photos from the San Diego hands off protest to perhaps share with the Balloon Juice community. The dog’s name is Almond Joy!
I shared some pictures of Trump protest during his first term, too.
Scout211
Thanks for all of these posts, WaterGirl.
This one’s a winner:
tokyocali (formerly tokyo ex-pat)
Thanks, William D.. San Diego is my hometown when I’m in the US. How many people showed up? There are a lot of government contracts in that town that are bound to be affected if they aren’t already. Then there’s immigration, education, healthcare…plenty for San Diegans to worry about. And Almond Joy rocks the hat and the sign!
ETA: Thank you WaterGirl for this post and all the work you do!
WaterGirl
I love the sign on the dog, but I can’t quite make out what’s on the hat.
WaterGirl
@tokyocali (formerly tokyo ex-pat): i’ll be interested to hear about the turnout In San Diego too.
tokyocali (formerly tokyo ex-pat)
@WaterGirl: It looks kind of like a fried egg!
WaterGirl
@tokyocali (formerly tokyo ex-pat): is definitely riding, but I can’t make it out and then there are some things that maybe are kind of like the tops of a palm tree???
WaterGirl
@Scout211: I think there’s a different version of that same sign in somebody else’s collection, too, that was sent in this week.
Kristine
@WaterGirl: I saw it at the rally in Gurnee, too.
Hungry Joe
I was a Peace/Safety monitor at the San Diego march. (I volunteer because I look so good in a yellow vest.) At Eighth & B I was helping direct the flow of the march when I realized that Sarah Jacobs, my very own representative in the House, was standing about 10 feet away, greeting people and cheering them on. I sidled over to tell her what a great job she’s been doing, and that if she ramps up the anti-Trump stuff we’ll have her back.
My estimate for the turnout: 15,000-20,000.
Jackie
@Scout211: Agree!
BC in Illinois
From a St. Louis Biden rally of 2020:
DOGS AGAINST TRUMP
tokyocali (formerly tokyo ex-pat)
@Hungry Joe: Awesome! I hope the turnout got notice in the local media. I envy you your rep. I got car salesman, Issa–another one whose hiding from his constituents.
Almost80
Here are two protests in small towns in Texas on April 5. These are both very Trump towns….about 100 attendees each. The second one involved some local resistance.
https://www.bigcountryhomepage.com/news/abilenians-join-nationwide-protests-against-trump-admin-policies/
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIKBgDXRJnR/?igsh=ZGUzMzM3NWJiOQ%3D%3D
WaterGirl
@BC in Illinois: I still have my pussies against Trump (with 3 gorgeous kitties on it) car magnet from 2016.
I have still been getting compliments on it for all these years, even before he started running again.
Sadly, my dogs against Romney car magnet faded to nothingness years ago
@Hungry Joe:
That’s a great turnout!
munira
Here’s an article about the protests in my area – https://www.cascadiadaily.com/2025/apr/05/hands-off-protests-in-whatcom-skagit-counties-bring-in-thousands/
Hungry Joe
@tokyocali (formerly tokyo ex-pat): San Diego media did a pretty good job, especially the Union-Tribune (I was a reporter there before retirement) and KPBS.
As for Issa, he’s actually worse than his predecessors, Duncan Hunter and his worthless son, Duncan Very Jr. Once you get about 10 miles inland San Diego County goes from blue to red FAST.
Belafon
@Almost80: Abilene is my home town, though I haven’t lived there in over 30 years.
zhena gogolia
@Almost80: Brave people.
WaterGirl
@Almost80:
Thanks for the small town update.
So does 100 people feel like a great turnout for those areas? Or okay or disappointing? Surprising?
Belafon
@WaterGirl: Abilene is about 125K, but definitely very red. Those are brave people.
WaterGirl
@munira: I am happy every time I see “thousands”.
Your photo is in one of the ones I have queued up, or maybe yours was in one I posted yesterday? (losing track of which ones have posted!)
WaterGirl
@Belafon: The folks who showed up should be proud.
Hoping for not-terrible repercussions for them.
Ruckus
WaterGirl
I am a veteran – USN, Vietnam era, although I was sent the other side of the world from there. I use the VA for my healthcare. It is pretty damn good, especially for those that went to the actual shooting war and have some serious issues – some even this many decades later. I use the VA because it is pretty good healthcare – and I earned it. shitforbrains has about a minus 1000% concept of humanity, public service, really anything to do with any other human. I have zero idea what anyone sees in this POS, why they would vote for his dumb ass, or what they think about this country or actual governing. The only possibility I see is that they think his money makes him smart. Money can buy a decent education but it does not buy a functioning brain. That actually takes a bit of awareness of humanity, the costs, the limitations. He has none of that. Capitalism can be a good concept of a country, it can also be a bad concept, if abused and misused. Two things that power shitforbrains – abuse and misuse.
I hope we can survive and prosper once again, I’d like to live out my few remaining years being able to once again believe in our country and it’s good and in it’s limitations.
Hoodie
My favorite from the rally here was “I’d call Trump a c**t, but that would require warmth and depth.”
jonas
Nothing. That’s what they know. Absofuckinglutely nothing. Sportsball and maybe a video game. And the price of eggs. And tariffs something something jobs or whatever.
The Audacity of Krope
I must say I am happy about all the corporate wealth Donald Trump is destroying, though I still can’t support him because he is doing this in the name of coercing other countries into (still more) exploitative trade arrangements on our behalf.
This is why, in the unlikely event this redounds to America’s benefit, I will not be taking my part of the pillaged spoils. The first and most egregious case of strong-arming being the mineral deal with Ukraine. It’s gonna suck never buying new electronics for the rest of my life. I feel I can learn phone repair, but I’m screwed once the physical components start going.
Almost80
@WaterGirl: A pretty good turnout. I was surprised at both places having that many people show up. Both areas are very MAGA. Abilene TX has 130,000, while Granbury has only 11,000. The latter is very close to the Fort Worth-Dallas area, but I doubt anyone traveled from there for it. Anyway, not bad. That in both towns they were able to do this at all is very encouraging.
munira
@WaterGirl: You did post it yesterday. Thanks. I love these photos and accounts from around the country. Very encouraging.
WaterGirl
@Ruckus:
So say we all.
WaterGirl
@Almost80: I appreciate the context. Good news!
brantl
Dumb Old Stump, our first troll president. (except that Nixon probably counts as our first troll president. )
Enhanced Voting Techniques
I would argue it’s because Mushroom dick opens and closes his hands as he speaks so it makes him look confident. Bit like Musk steepleing his hands when he speaks so he must be thoughtful.
eclare
Beautiful photo today, WaterGirl.
They Call Me Noni
@Enhanced Voting Techniques: It’s their “tell”. That’s how you know they’re lying. That, and well, their lips are moving.