I was burned out. It had been a rough week work-wise, I wasn't feeling physically or mentally great when I got out of bed, and had I given in to my initial vibe of the day, I would have blown off the demonstration that we'd signed up for. But we're at a point where every single opportunity to stand up in the face of fascism is crucial. If we don't do it now, we may not have the option in the near future.
So I dragged my ass out of bed on Saturday morning, got ready, prepped my signs, and headed a few blocks down the street to where our section of "California Strong: Hold the Line" was being held. This action event was different than many of the others in which we'd previously participated. Instead of everyone gathered in one spot, the point of the protest was to form a "line in the sand" that extended along the entire coastline of California. The spot that Kat and I were assigned was here in Redondo Beach, along Pacific Coast Highway.
Yes on 50
The main message for this protest was our support of Proposition 50, the statewide ballot initiative that California voters will be deciding in a special election on November 4. Known as the "Election Rigging Response Act," the proposition is a legislative constitutional amendment that would temporarily replace the state's congressional district maps for the 2026, 2028, and 2030 elections. A "yes" vote is a vote to approve these new maps, drawn by the state legislature.
California is holding this vote in response to the Trump administration's efforts to gerrymander congressional districts in other states, including Texas and Missouri. Those states, I should add, didn't give their own citizens an opportunity to be part of the decision as we are here. And it's said that Trump isn't stopping there; he's demanding similar gerrymandering tactics in places like Indiana and Florida as well.
Also note that the California measure is temporary. The independent Citizens Redistricting Commission would be responsible for drawing new maps again after the 2030 U.S. Census. The proponents of Prop 50 — including our beloved California Governor Gavin Newsom and prominent state and national Democrats — argue that a "yes" vote is a necessary and temporary response to partisan redistricting efforts in other states.
A Worthwhile Day of Action
Despite my bitching and moaning about having to go — especially on the same day that I had a concert to attend that night — as soon as I pulled up and saw groups of resistance fighters on each corner, I was suddenly very glad to be involved. The event went fine. It was held from 10am to noon, and hundreds of cars passed by while we waved our signs.
Redondo isn't considered a super politically-active town, but despite that, a huge ratio of passers by indicated their support. Horn honking, thumbs-up, and friendly waves were very typical. Less typical — but still present, thankfully in much smaller numbers — were the negative responses. A few middle fingers raised, some unkind words, and one guy who tried to throw a beverage in my direction as he hurried by. He mostly missed; MAGAs have poor athletic ability or physical coordination.
Showing Support
After we'd been out at our assigned location for nearly two hours, Kat and I hopped back in the Jeep and took a little tour of the area. Starting around the Torrance/Palos Verdes border and looping back north toward our home, we became the cheerleaders, blaring our horn as we drove by with my fist raised in defiance out the driver's side window. Note: don't try this yourself. I am an expert.
We didn't take many pics during the event; we were too busy being participants to document it at the same time. But I've grabbed some shots via social media of people up and down the California coast who were actively engaged. See some of those below.
But the next huge event I want you to keep in mind: Saturday October 18, when the next "No Kings" day of action is scheduled. Over 1,000 events are being planned nationwide for that day. Please plan on participating. It's now or never.
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