By Colleen O’Connor
Every day this past week, there were wild, unbelievable, sometimes fascinating and often horrific news stories. Wars. Assassinations. Random violence. Politically motivated murders.
Yet, San Diego was different. It exuded a life of meaning, purpose, and even goodness.
The week started with the 110-year-old Festa celebration in the Portuguese community of Point Loma.
It is a grand neighborhood tradition. Celebration with a Mass. A parade. Lots of music, food, cheers, colorful gowns and crowns from the participants. Photos below
The week ended with Saturday’s peaceful, amazing “No King” Day march.
Wonder of wonder. Miracle of miracles. Who could have imagined the San Diego crowd size? Estimates of over 60,000 participants jammed into the front of the County Building.
[To view more of Colleen’s and others photos from No Kings Day, go here.]
A spontaneous celebration took hold. A positive “shock and awe.” With each new wave of participants, the energy rose. It was electric. Disbelief and apprehensions turned to relief, excitement and a new contagion that all present mattered. Not alone. Not shamed, but part of a groundswell of faith. Fearless.
They poured in from trolley stations, buses and bicycles, on walkers, wheelchairs, with canes, often hugging friends, holding hands, huge numbers carrying their homemade signs and smiling. Yes, the positive energy was contagious.
In short, a neighborhood of “times-gone-by” came together. Big Time. A genuine affection for others. The strangers became communicants. Not “aliens, invaders, insurrectionists, etc.” to be condemned, deported or jailed. Just people.
A contagious spirit of joy infused the multi-lingual, multi-racial, multi-motivated champions of grace and civility. And yes, even democracy. Young and old, infants and toddlers alike. Speeches, cheers, some music (often inaudible at the back of the immense assemblage) galvanized those assembled. The loudest roar of approval came when the San Diego Fire Truck that drove by and honked.
Kudos to the San Diego and Harbor Police who cordoned off the streets to allow for the peaceful parade; jumped out of their car to direct traffic jammed near the airport, (so the drivers could access Pacific Highway successfully); and acted as responsible guardians of the peaceful protestors.
If you missed that gathering and parade, you missed a great moment. An indelible moment. One that brought back San Diego’s decade’s lost nickname, “Camelot by the Bay.” Literally. That light peaked through San Diego on Saturday.
Finishing the week, Pope Francis XIV’s newly revealed own complex family tree of “Noblemen, enslaved people, freedom fighters, slaveholders,” lent authentic empathy in his address to the next generation (via video from Vatican to Chicago baseball field).
As the Boston Globe headlined, “Take me out to the Popes’ ballgame.” Where the Pope ended his sermon to the young, “And may God bless all of you, so that you might always be beacons of hope, a sign of hope and peace throughout our world”.
As was evident in San Diego’s Protest March on Saturday.
San Diego Police praised San Diego for being “classy” at NO Kings rally.