Dueling vigils, dueling political concerns in the dog days of summer

Perhaps it was the blistering heat and humidity, or maybe the Fireman’s Parade lining up nearby in conjunction with the week-long Fireman’s Carnival – but whatever it was, attendance was down at both anti and pro-Trump rallies at 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 19.  Royal Examiner counted eight pro and 10 anti-Trump demonstrators by the time we left at 5:40 p.m.

Photos/Roger Bianchini

It was the first Vigil for Democracy and pro-Trump counter-demonstration since a torrent of revelations about a previously undisclosed Trump confidants’ (son Donald Jr., son-in-law Jared Kushner and then campaign manager Paul Manafort) 2016 campaign meeting with Russians.  That June 9, 2016, meeting was set to discuss – depending on which day of the previous week it was – a Russian-American adoption program (“adoption program” has been described as a Russian catch phrase for U.S. economic sanctions against Russia enacted during the Obama presidency); damaging information on Hillary Clinton; or perhaps even the international movement of billions of dollars by Russian oligarchs or their front men, one of the latter it turns out who was at that meeting.  It is financial movement generally done clandestinely – regulators believe illegally in some cases – under shadow names and shadow corporations.

So, among Vigil for Democracy signs were:

• Say NYET to Russia
• GOP – Government Of Putin
• Why ALL the LIES?
• Stop enabling Trump

The ongoing, if thus far failed Trump-Republican assault on the Affordable Care Act remained another major concern, as illustrated by this trio of signs:

• PRAY for our SENIORS who will lose MEDICAID
• Healthcare not Wealthcare
• Save Medicaid and Medicare

However, there were no concerns expressed by the faith-based pro-Trump contingent about either affordable health care for Americans or the week of revelations about previously-undisclosed Trump-Russia meetings.  Those revelations included a second, reportedly hour-long G-20 dinner meeting between Trump, Putin and Putin’s interpreter.  Eyebrows were raised about that meeting because it came out of earshot of other national leaders, or for that matter of any other American.  Trump later dismissed it as a 20-minute social visit at which “adoptions” were discussed.

In addition to “Pray for our President” and “God Bless President Trump” signs, the Catholic Trump supporters displayed signs reading:

• Liberal ABC’s: Abortion, Bigotry, Censorship
• SOCIAL ENGINEERS PROFIT FROM AMERICA’S DESTRUCTION
• Soros, Alinsky – ACTIVISTS FOR HIRE

We had intended to ask the pro-Trump contingent about their stated concerns, as well as their perception of the week of revelations about Trump-Russia meetings old and new after photographing both sides.  However, by the time this reporter returned to their side the group had begun its rosary prayers flanking a cardboard cutout of the president.

And as this reporter has said before, during nine years in Catholic school he was educated NOT to interrupt people in prayer or meditation.

And an attempt to elicit comment from the cardboard president, who did not appear to be participating in the prayers, was met with stony silence and an icy stare of executive dismissal, albeit with two tiny little thumbs up.