by Rob Lyons
I fly into Chicago Saturday afternoon, July 13. I’ll rent a car and then drive up to Milwaukee. I’ll be staying at the Milwaukee Zen Center, thanks to a generous invitation from Reirin Gumble, the abiding priest at MZC. Sunday morning July 14 I’ll be driving to Madison to visit with my friend Susan O’Leary and a number of her dharma friends from various local sanghas, to talk about opportunities to combine Buddhist practice with electoral work – at this convention; at the August Democratic Convention in Chicago; at online postcard-writing retreats over the Summer and Fall; and at election retreats in October and November to Get Out the Vote.
Then Sunday afternoon there will be a large interfaith gathering back in Milwaukee organized by MICAH (Milwaukee Inner City Congregations Allied for Hope), with various speakers, including Al Sharpton.
Monday the convention begins. On Monday evening July 15, there will be a “family friendly” All Out March, organized by the Coalition to March on the RNC. This group has endorsements from moderate groups such as Code Pink, the Sierra Club, and Milwaukee Labor Council (AFL-CIO), as well as several dozen left leaning grassroots groups. The stated goal of the protest is to “fight the racist and reactionary agenda of the Republican Party; defend women’s, LGBTQ, and reproductive rights; defend and expand immigrant rights; peace, justice, and equity for all; and to stand with Palestine.” There will undoubtedly be counter-protestors.
During the remainder of the week there will be several predictable events that occur inside the Convention Center: the adoption of a party platform; nomination of a Vice Presidential candidate; and ultimately the nomination of Donald Trump for President, who will give his acceptance speech. (In 2016 we heard his “I alone can fix it” speech, and in 2020 during the height of COVID he accepted the nomination remotely.)
But the vast expanse of the week is unknown, a blank not unlike those blanks on early maps that show terra incognita as a big bubble with borders only guessed at, and adorned with images of sea monsters and chupacabras and jackelopes. I have no clue what I’ll be doing, who I’ll be with, what the weather will be like. I don’t know if I’ll be called upon to say anything or merely observe. I don’t know how I’ll feel. I’ve been attending marches and rallies for decades, but I’ve never been to one where there was the menacing presence of MAGA supporters and counter protestors. These young gladiators may seek each other out to stomp on one other and worse. Trash containers and cars may be set on fire, and windows smashed. There may be shooting. I may experience intense emotion and I may be sorely challenged. I may embarrass myself. I may be a bystander. Will I be able to maintain equanimity and balance as all hell is breaking loose around me, if that’s what ends up happening? Sometimes just being present and compassionate may be enough to steer things in the right direction.
