On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
KrackenJack
I was in Portland for a weekend in early October for a social event. We drove by the protest on the way to dinner and then stopped by on foot afterward. The only thing burning was the cannabis.
It was drizzling and the costumes were hot and sweaty. One of them was a mom putting in a few hours before her six year old’s bedtime. We thanked everyone we met and chipped in for the water bottles and snacks.
They are there 24 X 7 showing us how it is done.
Made me proud to be an American.
One of several pics from the car on the way to dinner. There were often multiples of each costume: sharks, bananas, frogs, and chickens.
Given South Park’s relentless mockery of the Mango Mussolini, a Cartman costume is appropriate.
Protesting in costume is hard work.
Earlier in the day one of the frogs was pepper-sprayed for literally crossing the line – there is a black line painted across the entrance to the ICE property.
A little bit of Alice in Wonderland going on here.
There were many pink salamanders, but I’m not hip, so I don’t know why.
Squirrel!
A reminder that this isn’t all fun and games…
Baud
Nice set of shots. The contrast at the end is epic.
eclare
Thanks, good to see!
eclare
@Baud:
Yeah, the smiling squirrel walking by the masked ICE/CBP/whatever.
MagdaInBlack
Thank you for venturing to the front lines and showing us the truth.
p.s. That’s not just any old salamander, that’s an axolotl. No idea why I know that.
nationalgeographic.com/animals/amphibians/facts/axolotl
lowtechcyclist
What gets me about that last photo is that the ICE thugs (if they dress like thugs, I’m gonna call ’em thugs) are up on the roof or balcony or whatever it is, at a safe remove from being assaulted by people in inflatable costumes, and they’re still masked up and dressed like they’re prepped for hand-to-hand combat. They’re such wusses.
lowtechcyclist
@MagdaInBlack:
MAD Magazine used to drop the word ‘axolotl’ into random places every now and then, just because it was such an obscure but weird-looking word. So it brought back memories of all those issues of MAD when I saw a live axolotl for the first time a couple years ago. For some reason, Annmarie Gardens in southern Calvert County had one, and we saw it when we went there to see their annual Christmas light display. Weird-looking little creature.
MagdaInBlack
@lowtechcyclist: I guess they’re kind of a trendy pet in the reptile pet world.
MagdaInBlack
I have to confess the banana costumes are somewhat disturbing, especially in profile.
eclare
@MagdaInBlack:
The real thing in the photo even looks like it’s smiling!
BellyCat
The first time I saw armed personnel in public was in Italy in the late ‘80’s. A porn star was running for election.
We’ve come a long way, right?
Kabecoo
@MagdaInBlack:
I wandered lonely as a clod,
Just picking up old rags and bottles,
When onward on my way I plod,
I saw a host of axolotls;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
A sight to make a man’s blood freeze.
very important axolotl poem from Mad Magazine
dc
Are there groups identifying these ICE nazis? I mean by following them when they leave their work (concentration camp processing center) enough to figure out who they are. They can’t always have masks on.
StringOnAStick
Since the ICE thugs all like to wear neck gaiters and balaclava’s, something I’ve worn for winter sports many times, I will say that they are not that comfortable and will raise your body temperature in no small amount. The “cape” of your neck has a huge amount of blood flow, so it’s an easy place to offload excess heat, or to save heat in order to feel warmer (neck scarves on a cold day anyone?).
long digression is to point out that on hot days, they are getting way hotter than they want to be, and wearing that stuff all the time gets uncomfortable pretty quickly. May they all sweat excessively and chaff uncontrollably, with a side order of abrasion related acne.
And fuck these fuckers, “just following orders” isn’t going to be an adequate defense.
Steve Paradis