May Day

The beginning of May resembles beginning of April in terms of the weather.  It's cool (40s) and rainy.  Happily there have been a few sun showers to contrast with the heavy rain showers so I suppose that's an improvement from last month!  Here's hoping for steady warming through the merry month of May!!

I must say that I am extremely happy to have moved out of downtown Seattle, today especially.  I love continuing news coverage of pretty much anything.  (Natural disasters are always more amusing when the local news is involved.)  Today has been no exception.  There should be a prize given for the decision to interview the elderly blind man about what he witnessed while in a bank when rioters broke the windows.  ("Tell us what you saw."  "Well, because of my disability I didn't see anything.")  You just can't make this stuff up.  It's endlessly amusing!
What is less amusing is the nonsense going on in downtown Seattle.  I'm all for a nice protest or even a gathering fo like minded people.  It gives the downtrodden a sense of community.  (I've been downtrodden and I liked to know was not alone.)  Sometimes even a point can be made when enough people gather and present a united front.  I think that's lovely and a true American right.  But when the gathering is marred by senseless violence it diminishes the message.

Anarchists broke windows, slashed car tires and vandalized cars and then ran off.  So the workers of the world may unite but the only thing that will be remembered is the random anarchy.  It's a shame.  The people immediately affected are the workers who are just trying to scrape by.  They're the ones who couldn't get the day off to attend a rally.  They're also the ones who were at work being hit by shattering glass and overcome by pepper spray while in their place of work while the perpetrators ran away.  Imagine parking your car on the street to go take care of business, whatever that may be, and returning to find your tires slashed and windows broken.  It just isn't right.
All of this is taking place where I used to live.  I spent 7 years living downtown and I know the smell of pepper spray.  I know how it lingers in the furniture for weeks.  I know how irritating it is to try to take the dog for a walk and be sidelined by unexpected riot police (always a good idea to make an abrupt about face and skeedaddle on home).  I am very glad to have made my escape.  I hope all my friends who are still  there can avoid trouble today.  Stay in the bar, everybody!  Have another round and wait it out!!