First Women’s Rally
By Mary C Rowan
I attended my first Women’s March/ Rally on Saturday January 21st in Des Moines at the Capitol. I have always wanted to be a part of change. It was amazing to attend a peaceful Rally for Women’s Rights, Equal Rights, Human Rights and Civil Rights. These are things I hold in high regard.
I was very thankful there was no violence that was a fear I had after I agreed to attend the rally. Love drives out hate. Violence does not drive out hate, it will just cause more hate.
Over the last year I had become bogged down with all the hate I was seeing in this country and the world. By attending the rally it renewed my faith in that the majority of people are good and that seeing 26,000 people gather to show that we want our rights to stay protected. I did not feel alone in my belief in human rights anymore.
This country has fought long and hard for these rights since America was formed. Some people felt that this rally should not of been held and some untrue facts statements were made about the people who chose to protest. That the protesters were unproductive members of society “For example one person had posted on my social media that the protesters should get a job.” The protesters should accept everything that the New Administration wants to put into effect. Our forefathers believed in our rights to protest and hold rallies. This is part democratic process.
There have been reports that the White House has already removed items from their site concerning Equal Rights, Climate Change and LGBTQ.
If the new administration decides to take these rights away from it’s citizen I am hoping the House and Senate can stop these events. I remain hopeful that my fears will not come to pass.
The rally was held in the square at the Capitol where the Statues are. It was a huge turn out men and women of all ages and children. I spoke to a few older protesters about the human rights and equal rights and I quote one of them he said “I can’t believe will still have to fight for this shit.”
When they started the Rally with the National Anthem my heart just melted and felt over whelmed with the love I have inside for my country my America the one who defends the rights of its people. The last line of the anthem “The Home of The Free and The brave” holds the most value we are the home of the free and the brave because our country has always fought for these rights for our country and other countries. This is what our country used to be about this is a good value to have.
I felt such a connection on that day with my fellow marchers it filled my mind, heart and soul with thankfulness, gratitude, and love.
One last thought on that day the one thing that made me smile was on the street running past the Capitol You could hear a truck driver laying on his horn the whole way down the road. It is held a loving moment because my dad was a truck driver.