Signage of the times

April 6, 2025April 6, 2025 / Tracy Abell / 7 Comments

Here are images from my community’s HANDS OFF! protest yesterday. Apologies for the poor quality as many were photographed from across the street plus I cropped them to remove all identifying features as I do NOT want to further fuel the surveillance state. It was a beautiful day and people were simultaneously upbeat and pissed. There were 1200 of us there, the majority in their 60s and 70s, which is why when the first speaker was introduced, I anticipated the white-haired woman would speak about the assault on Social Security. She did not. I missed much of what she said because I was across the street, straining to separate her words from the sounds of traffic, solidarity honking, and nearby conversations, but I did hear PALESTINE. I also heard GENOCIDE and STUDENT PROTESTERS. While I would’ve welcomed a story about how Trump and Musk’s greed and cruelty are affecting senior citizens, I was so very glad this speaker centered the U.S.-sponsored genocide and the ensuing attack on the brave students leading the moral fight. When I got home and uploaded my photos, I noticed someone behind the speaker with a sign: PROJECT ESTHER IS THE NEW RED SCARE.

These photos are presented in the order in which I photographed them and it feels like the story comes full circle, beginning with a reference to three immigrants recently abducted by ICE and currently incarcerated in Louisiana, and ending with NO TO FASCISM. NO TO FEAR. RESIST.

If you were able to attend a protest near you (and I fully understand it’s much more risky for some than others), please share in the comments.

Solidarity with the millions in the streets yesterday, April 5, 2025!

Sunday Confessional: tired of making signs

October 27, 2024 / Tracy Abell / 9 Comments

There’s a collection of signage in my home. Signs that family members and I carried at marches against G.W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq. The non-mobile Iraq death toll sign we created on a piece of countertop, the one chained around the honey locust tree in our front yard for years and years following the invasion and occupation. Signs urging my so-called representatives to go big on climate policy. Signs against fracking. Signs in support of a Green New Deal. Lest you think I’m incapable of throwing anything away, I no longer have my sign from the May 1987 march in San Francisco that shouted U.S. OUT OF EL SALVADOR or the signs protesting Bush Sr.’s bombing of Iraq in the early 90s. I do, however, have a bag filled with clean, blank cardboard just waiting to be made into other signs.

Why? After all, none of those things I marched in opposition to were stopped. None of those policies I marched in support of have been enacted. So why do I continue to make signs and take to the streets? Because it helps me feel less alone. Because chanting in unison with others helps release anger and frustration. Because silence feels like complicity.

Today I made another sign for my front yard: ARMS EMBARGO NOW. I’ve been meaning to do so for months and finally summoned the energy today.

The CEASEFIRE sign has been in the yard for over a year now. There are layers of packing tape holding the vinyl letters in place and today I added more to extend the sign’s life since the two major candidates share the same goal to not only continue the onslaught on Gaza, but to extend it to the surrounding region. When I made that sign a year ago, I had no idea this nightmare would continue as long as it has. Silly me. I’m old enough to remember Joe Biden’s four decades of war-mongering. The man has never not chosen violence and destruction. And Kamala Harris, booed yesterday at a rally in Michigan (a swing state) for her unwavering support for genocide, cares more about enabling Israel than winning the election.

We’ll see if the liberals who got mad about missing brunch after Clinton lost in 2016 will return to the streets this time around. No matter what happens on November 5, I know where I’ll be. Holding a handmade sign and shouting my outrage.

Denver in solidarity with Palestine

November 5, 2023November 6, 2023 / Tracy Abell / 2 Comments

Today, Zippy and I attended the Denver rally and march in solidarity with Palestine. We masked up and rode the light rail and then a bus to the capitol building at Colfax and Broadway. Here’s the sign I hung around my neck via a shoelace to keep my hands free and to reduce the neck and shoulder pain I suffer when holding up a sign for hours.

The speakers were varied but all shared their appreciation for the millions and millions of people around the globe who understand what is happening in apartheid Israel and who stand in solidarity with the occupied Palestinian people. I wept as I listened, feeling an incredible connection to both the oppressed and those fighting for them. And then it was time to line up for the march. I stood to one side as people came down off the capitol lawn to the street, and offered N95 masks. I started with a bag of fifty and came home with only three, which was very gratifying (as was the sight of the many who were already masked).

I haven’t seen any official estimates of attendance, but there were thousands of people there. I took this photo upon arrival and by the time the march began, lots more people had joined us. I’d say this crowd at least doubled, if not tripled in size.

I usually take a camera to rallies and marches, but today only had my phone. But I was still able to capture some signs I especially appreciated.

This one resonated because of the number of imprisoned Palestinians. From Aljazeera: Since 1967, when Israel occupied East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, it has arrested an estimated one million Palestinians, the United Nations reported last summer. One in every five Palestinians has been arrested and charged under the 1,600 military orders that control every aspect of the lives of Palestinians living under the Israeli military occupation. That incarceration rate doubles for Palestinian men — two in every five have been arrested.

I was unable to get photos of two other signs I appreciated, but here are the words:

IT IS NOT A WAR IF ONLY ONE SIDE HAS AN ARMY

IT IS NOT A CONFLICT IF ONE SIDE HAS THE GUNS & THE OTHER SIDE IS PRAYING

And finally, this sign:

Again, there’s a handy-dandy one-stop site with info on contacting your congressional representatives to demand a ceasefire AND to find a protest near you because it’s never too late to speak up: ceasefiretoday.com

Solidarity! ✊🏽

Twofer Tuesday: Green New Deal edition

February 26, 2019February 26, 2019 / Tracy Abell / 5 Comments

I’m getting ready to head out to one of my senator’s offices to urge his support for a Green New Deal. I had a conversation with one of his D.C. staffers yesterday when I called (again) to ask that he co-sponsor the Green New Deal. I was told Senator Bennet doesn’t support it because he wants legislation that’s bi-partisan so that whatever is passed won’t be subject to political winds depending on who is in power.

Classic establishment Dem thinking. Water down the policy in hopes the soulless ghouls across the aisle will approve. This senator also thinks he might run for president. *insert hysterical laughter* If Senator Bennet thinks he’ll get anywhere without the support of the young people out there fighting for their futures, he’s incredibly out of touch. Which is what I told that staffer.

Here are my signs for this afternoon’s meeting:

I don’t have high hopes for Senator Bennet who voted to approve the Keystone Pipeline and said at the time he thought Keystone should be part of a bigger solution to climate change. (?!) BUT, I can’t not make the effort when so much is at stake.

Please, even if you’ve already done so, put in calls today to your two senators and one representative to ask them to co-sponsor the resolution for a Green New Deal. We’ve gotta go bold before it’s too late.

Families Belong Together

June 30, 2018July 14, 2025 / Tracy Abell

I went to the Families Belong Together rally today at Civic Center Park in Denver. Turnout was high and I was grateful to be surrounded by so many outraged and engaged people. We heard music and the stories of immigrants from different parts of the globe. I cried. When the emotions felt too overwhelming, I focused on the signage.

Skee Ball Omen

November 26, 2017 / Tracy Abell

Last night while on my birthday adventure in Manitou Springs, Zippy and I discovered an old arcade with Skee Ball machines. I love me some Skee Ball. We each played two games (25 cents per game!), and rolled the nine balls. My first game, I only scored 130 points out of a possible 450. But the second game . . .

330 points, yo.

She’s a Skee Ball wizard
There has got to be a twist
A Skee Ball wizard
She’s got such a supple wrist.

How do you think she does it? I don’t know!
What makes her so good?

I’ve decided that my perfectly-respectable-but-not-at-all-astounding score is a sign of good things to come. It’s a Skee Ball Omen.

(Note: That ball on top of the net is from another, less-wizardly Skee Baller.)

Wordless Wednesday

August 16, 2017August 16, 2017 / Tracy Abell

Public Service Announcement

July 29, 2017 / Tracy Abell

Unless, of course, you’re one of those overachievers who can walk and chew gum at the same time.

Wordless Wednesday: feline rights edition

May 17, 2017 / Tracy Abell / 1 Comment

Crosswalk sign in Uppsala, Sweden

Twofer Tuesday: The Signage Edition

March 14, 2017March 14, 2017 / Tracy Abell

A while back I blogged about discovering the perfect sign for the times. I went ahead and ordered two (in case one got stolen OR someone was keen to add a sign to their own yard).

The bright and welcoming little sign has been out front for a while.

Yesterday, as Zippy and I walked across the yard while heading out for Emma’s daily jaunt, he spotted something:

A scribble of thanks from another human being sharing the planet.

Every time I read those words, my heart swells with gratitude and a renewed sense of connection. Thank you, Helga M., for taking the time to reach out.

Thankful Thursday: The Serendipity Edition

February 16, 2017 / Tracy Abell / 1 Comment

Today I took a different route while out running, and I ended up passing a yard that had one of these signs:

This is exactly what I wanted. And now I can order one for our yard.

Different route.
Perfect sign.
Serendipity.

Solidarity

January 28, 2017 / Tracy Abell / 6 Comments

Just stuck this sign in our front yard.

A small gesture on this dark day but an important one, I believe. There’s a Muslim family up the street and my stomach hurts thinking about how they’re feeling right now.

Denver represents!

January 21, 2017January 23, 2017 / Tracy Abell / 6 Comments

Marched this morning with a couple hundred thousand other people. The day started out cold and overcast (really appreciated the ride downtown on the packed-to-the-gills light rail because all that body heat warmed me up again) before turning sunny and warmer. It was a good morning, and I’m glad my neighbor friend, Kim, invited me to march with her. I brought my camera and captured some of the wit and wisdom of the very large gathering. (Click to enlarge)