Finding hope

A candlelit vigil on a Wisconsin winter night

Last night I learned a few things about candlelight vigils. One was that battery candles work well, and don’t require relighting, but they also won’t keep your hands warm. Another was that you can use a wax dixie cup as a shade for your candle, but a glass votive works best. Also, don’t wear your brand new handmade mittens because you’ll get wax on them.

I was expecting about twenty people at the candlelight vigil last night for the victims of ICE brutality. But when we pulled into the public parking lot, there was almost no place to park. We could see a cluster of people with lights gathering at the bike path up ahead. The line stretched a long way. By the time we started moving, there were about two hundred people gathered in 4(F) degree weather. My hand and foot warmers were very helpful, but also how I got wax on my mittens. We were visible to the busy rush hour traffic, gathering at a major intersection in town. It was a quiet, friendly crowd, and the event was well organized, with lots of American flags, volunteers to direct traffic when we crossed the street, and not a single cop.

When we reached our destination, gathered on a busy corner, there were some speeches, and then we sang “We Shall Not be Moved”. I didn’t know the words at first, but I realized it was from the sixties, before my time, and was reminded of the idea that history doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes. Here was I, not a progressive, not a rebel, but an old-school libertarian rule-of-law, constitutional order believer, admirer of John Adams and Patrick Henry for their outspoken defiance, singing a protest song in the public square. In other times I’d have said it was not my style, but now I know it is.

What surprised me was how deeply moving it was. As we started walking in silence, carrying our candles against a bitter wind, the American flags whipping wildly, I thought, this is truly American. This is who I thought we were. This is who we are. This is who we will continue to be. And I felt grateful to be with other Americans who know what is right, who will not stand by and do nothing. I was reminded that decency still prevails. And it gave me hope, and joy, and a kick in the ass. We have to call our congressmen and senators. Not once. But regularly. We have to send videos to people we know who are busy working and raising their families so they see what is happening, because they don’t have time to pay attention. We have to gather our networks. And we have to show up to give one another strength and hearten one another for the work we have to do.

I will admit, it wasn’t easy to go out into the cold on a winter night. But the effort was repaid. And marching with a candle is not in the same realm of those courageous and amazing people who are facing down the brute squads in person. But no matter where we are, we can all show up as witnesses, whether it’s in person, or with a shared video. It’s what we have to do. We’re Americans. It’s who we are.

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“All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” ~Julian of Norwich

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