#Families Belong Together!

Several hundred Bellingham residents of all ages and ethnicities, including Phil and me, joined in with more than 700 "Families Belong Together" rallies throughout every state in the country to protest Trump's "zero tolerance" immigration policy, "which has split children from their parents and detained families crossing the southern U.S. border." (Washington Post, June 30, 2018). 

It was a cool, wet day here, but that didn't dampen the energy of the speakers or the folks who had gathered in front of Bellingham City Hall. Washington State 40th District Senator Kevin Ranker, seen in my blip today, gave an impassioned speech about this appalling situation, and the sign language interpreter mirrored his emotions. 

Among the other speakers were an eloquent local immigration lawyer; farm worker and rural justice leader Rosalinda Guillen, who is also executive director of Community to Community (C2C); and Father Scott Connolly, pastor of Church of the Assumption, who spoke in both Spanish and English. 

The event was organized by Indivisible Bellingham, which had a booth in which further information could be obtained, as did other community nonprofits, including our local chapter of Planned Parenthood, an organization I wholeheartedly support.

"Once more into the breach, dear friends..." (Henry V, William Shakespeare) came to mind today, as did "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not give up."  (Galatians 6:9, New King James Version)

The people, not our corrupt politicians, will prevail.
 
(I've included a couple of extra photos, and Phil's journal entry is here.)

Blip 1949