COMMENTARY: We the protesters

Contributed by: Trey Blakely, alumnus

This isn’t about Donald Trump. This isn’t about what he said at Houston attorney Tony Buzbee’s home in the River Oaks area of Houston, spitting distance from the River Oaks Country Club, because I couldn’t afford a ticket to hear the same things he’s been saying for a year now. Besides, I’ve met Trump. We’ve all met Trump, in some form or fashion, during the race. This isn’t about Donald Trump. This is about the people that show up when Donald Trump comes to town.
Maybe it was the heat, or maybe it was Houston’s lackluster affection for protesting, but the crowd that gathered outside of Tony Buzbee’s house were relatively respectful to each other. Between the thumbs up, smiles, free water and calm chats with police, at times, it felt less like a protest and more like waiting for the band to finish setting up for a show. That did not mean those on the street were quiet by any means, especially those protesting against having Trump in town. Drums, saxophones, megaphones and portable speaker systems, alongside chants (some catchier than others), served as the bulk of the protest’s vehicle of sound.
The loudest and largest group that gathered was Familias Immigantes y Estuiantes en la Lucha (FIEL), a pro-family pro-immigrant organization based in Houston. They are active, organized, and often seen at the forefront of any issue regarding immigrants’ rights. Clearly, their presence in the River Oaks area comes as no surprise, given the company present across the street. FIEL brought the drums and trumpets to the block party, and announced all of their opinions and proclamations in both English and Spanish.

The next largest group were comprised of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). Comprised of students and teachers, this group lacked drums but made up for it with a piñata likeness of Trump, complete with devil horns. Their chants weren’t as memorable as FIEL’s, but their energy was on par and their speakers added an extra oomph. Both the SDS and FIEL offered us water as we walked up. Sometimes, the weather brings out the best in people.

At the end of the corner, the groups were markedly smaller and, depending on your political horoscope, more controversial. Three open members of the Brown Berets, a long and storied group worth looking into if you have any interest in the Black Panther’s era of social activism, and some folks happy to identify themselves as members of the EZLN (the Zapatista Army of National Liberation), a group best known for being at war with the government of Mexico and proponents of far-left attitudes. Their signs spoke of revolution, resistance, and an opposition to all things Trump. While both of these groups are normally found in larger numbers at the center of other Trump protests, they barely numbered more than ten in the River Oaks.

On the pro-Trump side of the street, the crowd was sparse. Supporters drifted about, happy to say what they could to those who would listen. They didn’t shout; they didn’t have megaphones. But their message was succinct. They were Team Trump; they didn’t feel the need to explain why. I overheard a few of the younger supporters, barely out of kid-sized shoes, say a few terribly racist things. Some of them, walking through the Anti-Trump crowd, seemed to have exchanged a few heated words. The police present were enough to move the situation along, and their quiet conversation away from the crowd silenced the issue for good.

The only group of people on par with or exceeding the numbers on either side of the rally were the police. They were everywhere, and I mean everywhere A cop for every protester, journalist, and rich glad hand inside the house it felt like. Every protest will be peaceful with enough police force, one could say, but Houston breeds peaceful protesters seemingly with or without the help of officers who are feeling the heat more than anyone else.

The press was there. They rushed in for the few skirmishes that almost happened, got their shots of Trump’s arrival and departure, and otherwise stuck to the shade. Can’t blame them for that. Their decision of where to set up their cameras, however.

Whether for angles, the lack of a big crowd or divine comedic effect, every single news broadcaster and camera were pointed at the protesters from the supporters’ side of the street. This view as my team walked up was, if nothing else, hilarious and poised. Logically, it made sense. Room to breathe, great shot of the newscasters when they weren’t in their SUV’s while the crowds were quiet, and the perfect backdrop to the image people expect when Trump rolls into town. Hilarious and poised.

We’ve read what the world thinks of Trump. We’ve only just begun to see what the people around him are capable of.