posted by Etta Worthington
What I do this morning? Why, I hung out on a pedestrian bridge over an expressway for two hours with a bunch of friends. But it really started yesterday.
Sign-making. So there I was, hovering over some tables outdoor, plastering red duct tape on mesh garden fencing . . .
Well, it really starts a few days earlier when I heard that Wednesday July 24th was going to be a national day of action calling attention the the Robert Mueller testimony to Congress. And the need to start an impeachment inquiry. I was all ears.
"Make a banner and hang it over a major highway," instructed the group ByThePeople. Sounded good to me. Fortunately they provided instructions on possible approaches to banner making.
So I scouted out a location and set out making a banner. Since it had to be read from the highway, the letters had to be big. Thirty six inches high, I decided. And red. This was by no means going to be a singular project, so I called out to friends. And so people dropped by to help. Some for an hour or two. Some for all day (and evening). But finally we had two fully constructed signs, mounted on PVC pipes ready to unleash on the world.
This morning, bright and early, I rolled up to the pedestrian overpass selected. Already Karin, and Deb, and Jan were there. We unrolled the banners, and stood with them over the I-290 Expressway. One for each direction. And by that time others had appeared: Douglas, Blair.
It was 7 AM and we were giving drivers, going into the city or out, something to look at.
Immediately there was response. A weak honk here. A stronger one a moment later. Then another. At first it seemed like only the traffic flowing east, into Chicago, was responding. But that in time started to change.
Fun to watch and listen to responses. Some people waved to us. Some clapped. Not all positive reactions.
Some people had to leave. More showed up, including Chris, Phyllis, Fanny, Jackie, and Terry. We always had enough to keep the banners up.
And then photographer Paul Goyette showed up. He helped us see what the traffic was observing. And yes, you can see those three foot letters from quite a distance.
The responses continued and grew. "A few finger salutes," claims Deb Jensen, "but mostly supportive honks!!"
Jan Pena-Davis noted that most of the "fingers" were from males in pickup trucks or males in big Mercedes.
Chris Martin observed that the reactions (visual and auditory) were 50 to 1 positive. Although this wasn't a scientific poll, Chris said, "I was really encouraged at how much positive response we got from motorists. It made me feel much more positive about things."
Does this make any difference? I'm not sure. But maybe, just as Chris was encouraged by the response of drivers, maybe a whole lot of drivers on the 290 this morning felt encouraged. Hopeful.
Thanks to all my friends and fellow activists who worked with me on this action. Thanks to everyone who tooted their horns in support. And now, for me it's Mueller time, thanks to my DVR.
And you! Have you called you Representative today and told him/her that you want to see an #ImpeachmentInquiryNow? Just pick up your phone and . . .
What I do this morning? Why, I hung out on a pedestrian bridge over an expressway for two hours with a bunch of friends. But it really started yesterday.
Well, it really starts a few days earlier when I heard that Wednesday July 24th was going to be a national day of action calling attention the the Robert Mueller testimony to Congress. And the need to start an impeachment inquiry. I was all ears.
"Make a banner and hang it over a major highway," instructed the group ByThePeople. Sounded good to me. Fortunately they provided instructions on possible approaches to banner making.
So I scouted out a location and set out making a banner. Since it had to be read from the highway, the letters had to be big. Thirty six inches high, I decided. And red. This was by no means going to be a singular project, so I called out to friends. And so people dropped by to help. Some for an hour or two. Some for all day (and evening). But finally we had two fully constructed signs, mounted on PVC pipes ready to unleash on the world.
 | |
| Yes, it was that late when we finished. |
It was 7 AM and we were giving drivers, going into the city or out, something to look at.
Immediately there was response. A weak honk here. A stronger one a moment later. Then another. At first it seemed like only the traffic flowing east, into Chicago, was responding. But that in time started to change.
Fun to watch and listen to responses. Some people waved to us. Some clapped. Not all positive reactions.
Some people had to leave. More showed up, including Chris, Phyllis, Fanny, Jackie, and Terry. We always had enough to keep the banners up.
And then photographer Paul Goyette showed up. He helped us see what the traffic was observing. And yes, you can see those three foot letters from quite a distance.
 |
| Photo by Paul Goyette |
Jan Pena-Davis noted that most of the "fingers" were from males in pickup trucks or males in big Mercedes.
Chris Martin observed that the reactions (visual and auditory) were 50 to 1 positive. Although this wasn't a scientific poll, Chris said, "I was really encouraged at how much positive response we got from motorists. It made me feel much more positive about things."
Does this make any difference? I'm not sure. But maybe, just as Chris was encouraged by the response of drivers, maybe a whole lot of drivers on the 290 this morning felt encouraged. Hopeful.
 |
| Photo by Paul Goyette |
And you! Have you called you Representative today and told him/her that you want to see an #ImpeachmentInquiryNow? Just pick up your phone and . . .
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