In 1998, a year after I had moved to DC, I finally had a day off. Working two retail jobs did not leave a lot of free time to check out my new hometown and all extra energy was being put into firing it up with the Lesbian Avengers. Being a bookworm the Library of Congress was at the top of my list of places to visit. As I rounded the corner I saw a huge protest marching down the street toward the Supreme Court waving anti-abortion banners. Civics nerd on high alert! I got closer to the action and saw three or four people standing to one side holding "Keep Abortion Legal" signs. I went to join them and that's how I met my friend Polly.
Polly has held this vigil at the Supreme Court every Roe v. Wade anniversary for the past 17 years, an impressive commitment. Yesterday she called me out on Facebook so I felt compelled to go join her on the steps. When I arrived there were just a few counter-protesters in a crowd of Rock for Life attendees and the March for Life was going to show up at any moment. When they did there were only five of us standing there, Polly & her partner Lisa, a sweet guy named Gus and a woman from Sarasota who was in town for the Inaugural, head about the March on the news and made a "My Body My Choice poster in her hotel room to bring down to the action. The NOW rally was not scheduled until 5 pm, at which point the March would have been long dissipated. So the five of us stood there with our signs, backs to the Court, looking out at the sea of pro-life demonstrators.
It was not anywhere near as rowdy as it was in the years of Operation Rescue. Mostly we were besieged by photographers who needed a counter-balancing shot for the day (the photo above went out on the AP wire - hello America!). The next row of people in front of us were teenage girls wanting to question us about our baby-killing ways. I personally prefer to silently hold my sign because it does not strike me as a productive dialogue - is either person standing there likely to persuade the other side of anything? But I really enjoy listening to Polly take on all comers, be greeted by the protesters who see here every year and generally heckle back. my favorite moment was when a young mother shoved her 18 year old baby into our faces yelling "Look at her, she's a child, not a choice." Polly responded "Well, she's not a prop!"
The best part of the day was the tourists, caught up unexpectedly in this rambunctious display of democracy in action, who came up to us and quietly said "thanks for being here." Some got their photos taken with us (one girl asked to hold my sign!). A few even joined in and stood with us for a while, telling us their stories of activism & personal history. On top of the Inaugural Obama-fest it really renewed my faith in my country & in Democratic freedom of speech. I enjoyed talking with people I met about Whole (there was an offer by a NOW intern to pose nude for the drawing classes) and celebrating the right of free speech and peaceful disagreement. Bearing witness is powerful, using your voice (even in silence) is powerful, apathy is soul-killing and participation brings unexpected rewards. Today I feel charged up, reminded of how fragile our rights to control our own bodies can be, and ready to look for more ways to keep showing up. Thanks Polly.
