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January 21, 2018

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Photography, Poetry

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Change Magic

IMG_7882

women can stand together
voices raised
our magic circles the globe

the Second Women’s March
on every continent
yes, even Antarctica 

signs in every language
people of every color
men and women

smiling

anger passes
but marching in joy and determination
now that is change magic

Copyright 2018 Brenda Davis Harsham

Notes: Saturday, a flat tire derailed my plans. I didn’t make the march this year, but I hold up their signs as my own. I hear you. I echo you. I support you!

Hear Our Voices!
ROAR
Stronger Together
Women’s Right are Human Rights
Fight Like A Girl
Make America Think Again
Real Men of Quality Don’t Fear Equality
Our Rights Are Not Up For Grabs
Make America Kind Again
No Longer The Silent Majority
No President is Above the Law
Hate Is Not Great
Women Are Perfect
A Woman’s Place is in the Resistance
Together We Have Power
Healthcare for Everyone
Respeta a los Migrantes
Women United in Diversity
Hasta la vista, Sociedad Machista
Justice for Indigenous Women
Let’s Change History Not Repeat it
Indivisible
Silence is Violence, Resist Racism
No Hate, No Fear, Everyone is Welcome Here
Droits Pour Les Femmes Américaines
Nasty Woman
You May Not Be A Racist, But You Elected One
My Body, My Choice
Save Science
Save the Planet
Trust Women
We Will Not Be Silent

These signs are waves crashing on the beach, and the water is rising. Now I can believe in unicorns.

31 thoughts on “Change Magic”

  1. I support free speech by anyone and hope that equality can one day reign supreme upon this earth …My fears surface at points in history lead some to fight not for solidarity for all but for oneself as a voter …votes for themselves and what’s in it for me … My fear is that if women push too hard for what they want and not what they need they could lose what they have already gained …I 🙏 it will not be so …..but history of events like this have shown it to be the latter not the former God bless Brenda …Ian 😊👍🌟

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    • I like that you are engaging in a dialogue, Ian, but I’m not sure what you mean. Are you saying that women are in danger of losing their ability to work, own property and vote because they are pushing for workplace safety and equal pay for equal work? That is a dark view, indeed.

      I do worry that men view the #metoo movement as a threat that necessarily will end up with male victims. Yet, our culture has already made victims of women. Should we allow our culture to continue buying the safety of men with the coin of female suffering?

      At least we are having a dialogue, instead of insisting that the victims must be silent. Silence is a heavy burden.

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      • I believe in equality for all but there is a danger in any movement to look towards what one person will gain and not the real reason for the movement as a whole … EG It’s being used in the shadows as a political tool to bring women into politics and not for the rights of equality of pay and conditions for all women who do the same job and in so doing they are becoming unknowingly a pawn of the elite which are mainly men …. The danger is not pushing for rights but pushing too hard too soon to gain it all … Building a future should and l believe needs to not be men against women or vis’e verse but working together as l can see that this or any other movement may gain intrinsic rule but lose sight of the overall reason why it began in the first place. I hope Brenda that explains what l mean … Ian

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        • I get the sense that you are worried that men are manipulating women, through their other “elite” allies, presumably other women. Men are certainly trying to manipulate the dialogue about this movement. They are trying to contain it, to make it have only one goal. I’d say it’s more like water that’s broken the dam. It will go in many directions and touch many things. I also think some people are aware that for the movement to genuinely change culture, then the rule of law must change also. For that to happen, laws must be written and passed. Men cannot be trusted to pass laws that sufficiently protect the rights of women. Women must see to it themselves. How far will the movement go? I can’t see that. Any master-manipulating men will have trouble stopping it as well. Women disagree on how to fix things. But we do have a few unifying themes. I don’t see how more women in politics will benefit male elites, so I’m not sure I follow your argument that far. As for this being women versus men, I don’t agree. We are all connected. When women are unhappy and feel abused, that affects men, too. I don’t believe men want their sisters, daughters and mothers to be abused and underpaid. Human rights should be rights for all, not just one color or sex. I hope that’s the direction the movement heads, and I don’t see that as a problem for most men.

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          • Well said we may disagree on many issues but l have hope for the future to be better than the past … But one main theme runs through all this that the human race needs to address and thats equality for all and any imbalance in this will soon or later bring any ideals down … And hidden agendas by anyone male or female will sooner or later imbalance society … I just hope the few do not in the end dictate to the many who suffered as the result of the last societal imbalance of men’s control or its just full circle but with a different gender in so called charge … Personally l put my faith in God and free speech and in my life his commandments are simple and l follow those to the letter of his law, not anyone anyone else’s …. As l believe these are the transepts of all foundations of creation of his image in which he made us male or female, right or wrong and forgiveness paramount in the end …Amen 🙏

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      • As regards the safety of women men have for so long ruled with fist and abuse and women have taken it and laws have been written by men to uphold it …. I believe no man should abuse any woman or use violence in any form as men should not suffer at the hands of a woman ….I believe in balance of all things and equality needs to be of mind, body, heart and soul … Laws must change to encompass these things and our nations must be protected from Dark forces that pervade our lives … But l do and will always provide a word of caution on this or anything like change … No one person, movement or nation can have it all ….There is always a price to pay …EG I wholeheartedly support struggle against oppression but accept the casualties of war ..Be it words or action …Ian

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        • Here is the crux: “women have taken it”. Women haven’t just taken it, it was forced on us by the disbelief of others. If any of us told our truth, we were ridiculed, disbelieved or revictimized. The perps are still using the same cultural tools. A denying president. Wynn who says a lack of consent is “preposterous” and Aziz Ansari who says, “I had a good time.” Women pay the price either way. That has to be acknowledged and the culture changed so that women aren’t always at the bottom of the heap of abuse. I never thought to see a movement like this in my lifetime. I have hope for my daughter. And my sons.

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