Feb 13

Feb 13 Back to School

Demonstrations, Donald J. Trump, Parades, Performance, Public Declarations, Street

“I’m doin’ all right
Gettin’ good grades
The future’s so bright
I gotta wear shades
I gotta wear shades”

— The Future's So Bright (I Gotta Wear Shades), Timbuk 3, from Greetings from Timbuk 3 (1986)

I debated whether to attend today’s rally calling for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) to cease its amped-up enforcement operations in various locales throughout the country. After all, White House Border Czar Tom Homan announced earlier this week that the U.S. Border Patrol would end its heavy-handed operations in Minneapolis. While Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz was glad to see Donald J. Trump’s “militia” vacate Minneapolis, Waltz believes Trump’s forces will leave Minneapolis “with deep damage, generational trauma.” The Trump Administration recently ended its surges in Chicago and Portland.

Despite my reluctance, I headed to Federal Plaza for the 2:00 PM rally. The draw: Today, high school students were walking out of school at noon, signifying their disgust with Trump’s anti-migrant policies. In Chicago, those playing “hooky” were headed to the Loop. When I arrived, there were already 150 kids gathered in front of Alexander Calder’s Flamingo. Best described as pumped, the kids were loud and proud.

With his iPhone mounted to his trademark tripod, seasoned organizer Andy Thayer was on hand ready to capture the proceedings. Approaching him, I said, “You need to bottle this energy for your next demonstration.” Smiling, he concurred in my assessment.

Yes, the adults could take a few lesson from the youngsters. All too often, the adults at Chicago-area demonstrations resemble cows grazing in an open field. Today, was marked by spontaneous cheers and whoops, with the kids jumping up and down as they held colorful and often clever homemade signage.

As usual, there was no shortage of speakers, but unlike their elders, the kids kept their remarks short. While some annoyingly read their speeches as they gazed down at their screens, more than a few spoke extemporaneously. Commendably, the freestylers—yes I have been watching the Winter Olympics—spoke fluidly without “ahs” and “ums.” I was particularly struck by one young woman when she referenced family members who had been adversely affected by the U.S. Border Patrol operations in Chicago. One had been taken into custody. Despite fighting back tears, she never wavered as she delivered her fiery, but thoughtful remarks.

As became apparent over the course of the afternoon, the slogan “ICE Out” is synonymous with the phrase “Trump Out.” The kids despise Donald J. Trump. Unfortunately, many also outwardly despise America, as became increasingly evident as speaker after speaker shouted, “Fuck the United States.” To a certain extent, I understand why. As the high schoolers have come of age, they have undoubtedly taken civics classes, encountering the American idealism embedded in the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, and the U.S. Constitution. During the last year—a lifetime for a teenager—the Trump Administration has repeatedly undermined the American Experiment, substituting autocratic norms for democratic ones. Even world-weary adults are both disturbed and fearful of what Trump’s populism has in store for the country’s future.

Following the speeches, the students marched to Daley Plaza for several more speeches. Here the kids could take a lesson from their adult counterparts. Normally, demonstration organizers have the marchers line up in formation behind the lead banner, permitting the TV crews and photographers to capture the imagery that typically leads the 10:00 PM news and that sits under the newspaper’s headline. Not today. While they didn’t run, the students made a beeline to Daley Plaza.

For adults who have seen it all, today was a welcome antidote to the Trump administration’s never-ending chaos. The future looked much brighter as I left Daley Plaza. I was glad I had my shades with me.

[Click on an Image to Enlarge It. The Images Are Not Necessarily in Exact Chronological Order]