We come to the big city Denver, big protest rally.
Some of the protest signs are scruffy, last-minute scribblings on cardboard. A lot of NO FAUX KING WAY. One that stands out is NO DICK TATERS.
FAUX KING EARTH, WIND, & WE ARE ON FIRE BY BEN UMAYAM 34THPARALLEL MAGAZINE ISSUE ISSUE 133 PREVIEW
I am used to protests. I remember in the 70s pulling into a rest stop in Maryland, buses full of queer folk running in to pee. Act UP, Dignity, Dykes on Bikes attending a protest, gay bowling league after, drinks at The Boots and Saddle late.
At the Denver No Kings, the 70s people are a group of “Are You Experienced” folks, with their canes, walkers, ski poles. Friend Barb says the young ’uns find out from the oldies what to do at these things.
We come to the big city Denver, big protest rally. Other reason, we have tickets to Earth, Wind & Fire at Fiddler’s Green.
No Kings. It is organized. Yet disorganized. We approach the Colorado State Capitol, walking down 16th. It used to be the 16th Street Mall. After four years of renovation, torn-up streets, they now call it 16th Street. Just that. Even though it really is like a mall now. It is one big walkway.
We are fashionably late, you know gays. People are already walking away, signs pointing down.
There are no scheduled speakers, just some impromptu music under a tent. No Band. No Dylan. No Neil Young. A local bluegrass group sings about the mountains.
A big bear bearded guy wears a blue grass skirt, a long one, he sticks out in front of the audience. When he sways, his coconuts threaten to stick out as well. The gays, again, long experienced with this.
We catch this when we arrive. Aha, I conclude hence the early exodus of people.
The numbers are in and about 250 thousand. Like Arlo said, “That’s a quarter million people man. You guys have closed the NY Thruway.” Sixty years ago, in this case, the NY Thruway is the RTD, the Regional Transportation District. Downtown Denver closed due to the events happening today. So says the guy on the PA system. Sixty years ago, “such a long, strange trip it’s been”.
Some of the protest signs are scruffy, last-minute scribblings on cardboard. A lot of NO FAUX KING WAY. One that stands out is NO DICK TATERS.