April 20, 2020 - Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

The following was sent to me in an email. It was written yesterday by a woman that lives on the Susquehanna River, within walking distance of the capitol building in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. I did very minor editing. The words are hers.

"I am finding it to be terribly upsetting watching the rally on Facebook and also the overflow in front of my apartment.

It is unclear how many people were involved. The estimated numbers range from 1000 to a few thousand.

The Capitol complex was pretty much surrounded. A few Republican congresspeople spoke to the crowds regarding their bravery in showing up. The Congresspeople all wore masks but no one in the crowds did and there was no social distancing. Later reports were of people urinating in the alleys and backyards because nothing was open.

Another crowd of protestors wandered around the streets with rifles. Still, more who couldn't find parking spaces, gridlocked Front St and the Forster St. bridge in their cars, directly in front of my apartment. The gridlock condition lasted at least 2 hours and was a mile long in two directions blocking ambulances going to the hospital as this is the main route to the hospital.

It was clear from the misspelled banners, with bad Trumpian English, that this had nothing to do with back to work issues. It was all about Jesus, abortion, and 2 nd amendment rights. Not to mention Trump 2020.

At this point, we are all concerned about the spread of the virus because of the lack of restraints and caution. The governor announced today that on May 8, Pennsylvania would begin opening up again. I doubt that will happen, we are all waiting for the second wave to hit.

I can't believe how this had affected me. It was just frightening to watch this display of idiotic and dangerous behavior. 

I almost wrote that I can't figure out how we got here as a country but that is not true. Too many years of pandering to the rich while destroying the middle class. Too many years of allowing inequality. Too many years of mouthing the words to The Pledge of Allegiance and not admitting that what we were mouthing was not true.

It was a pledge to falsehood."

The music is her choice. She clings to hope for the future. What else can we do?