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Abstract

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    </figure></iframe></div></div></figure><p id="81c8">What better place to get out of the house than at a historic demonstration? Mike thought he’d be able to tell his grandkids a great story one of these days. Maybe Ashley would be their grandmother? The quarantine had left him dateless for a long time. The bars had all been shut down and the people who wanted to hook up online scared him. He didn’t want to catch <i>something</i>.</p><p id="e8e7">Maybe protesting would lead to a better life as well. Mike was feeling a mixture of excitement, hope, and a little fear of what might happen. He knew changes needed to be made. America couldn’t keep going the way it was going where people were getting killed in the street over nonsense.</p><p id="818b">The early summer had hit a boiling point across the country as other brutal incidents and the leader’s threats to <i>dominate</i> everyone like a dystopian movie villain. People had to do something. Especially since the leader kept talking about cracking heads, shutting down voting, and other threats to take power away from the people.</p><p id="58a7">The leader’s camouflaged gangs had been roaming around earlier during the quarantine yelling at public health-minded officials and grocery clerks wearing masks. They were the opposite of the crowds gathered here. They carried long guns and waved campaign flags. Sometimes, they charged into public offices to threaten politicians who they were told to harass by their favorite talk-radio hosts. They screamed about freedom but wanted white supremacy.</p><figure id="f7b9"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*VJNQUjZH3S6lWCT-"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@thevoncomplex?utm_source=medium&amp;utm_medium=referral">Mike Von</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&amp;utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><p id="97c1">Mike was looking at the river. If there wasn’t a squad of police on the other side, it would almost be like a summer festival or block party. People were having fun, smiling, and talking. People waved signs and sang protest songs.</p><p id="36de">The city should think about closing down the streets downtown when things get back to normal for some sort of street festival, Mike thought to himself. It’s is pretty nice being around people after a brutal winter of gray days, a spring locked down to stop the spread of a deadly virus, and the daily ravings of a lunatic wanna-be king in charge of the nation.</p>
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Options

ttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D7ISvMBUsTd8&image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2F7ISvMBUsTd8%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=a19fcc184b9711e1b4764040d3dc5c07&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" width="854"> </div> </div> </figure></iframe></div></div></figure><p id="5190">People need something fun for once, Mike said to himself. I’m glad people came out to show their support for their fellow human beings. We are all one.</p><p id="69e4"><i>Maybe we will be at peace one of these days.</i></p><p id="406b">A flash caught Mike’s attention.</p><p id="aacc">Someone threw a Molotov cocktail into a parked car. Mike caught a glimpse of the bottle flying over his head and smashing into the police cruiser sitting at the curb. A camouflaged guy wearing a ski-mask ran away from the crowd.</p><figure id="3edf"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*XruPADj_jpYCSm5g"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@flaviewxvx?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Flavio Gasperini</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><p id="f85f">Everyone looked around to see what was happening. What had been peaceful and almost joyful instantly turned into chaos and fright. It changed that fast when the camouflaged man threw his flaming evil spirits into the car.</p><p id="b138">Mike ran toward Ashley.</p><p id="8e87">He sensed fear sweep over the crowd and anger on the other side of the bridge where the police were gathered.</p><p id="0fc8">Mike didn’t want Ashley to get hurt, caught, or trampled.</p><p id="af6b">The police officers on the other side of the bridge started running. They raised their shields and batons. Some fired canisters of tear gas at the crowd of protesters.</p><p id="2983">Mike made it to Ashley just as a riot of police swinging at everyone in sight burst from the bridge onto the road where protesters were running in every direction. Someone threw a brick through a shop window. Someone else was screaming at the police. Mike saw a horse charging. It was pure chaos. He grabbed Ashley’s arm and pulled her to an alleyway. Someone poked their head out of a kitchen door and motioned for the two to run into the business for safety. Mike and Ashley made it inside and took shelter while the police and crowds battled outside.</p><figure id="39a8"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*KKE4LDGz5_4kpoBK"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@mylestan?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Myles Tan</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><p id="8744">Ten years later, Little Anna asked her mom how she met daddy while friends and family had gathered for a BBQ cookout.</p><p id="8af0">Ashley told Anna to take a seat and proceeded to tell her the story of the times before things in America changed for the better.</p><p id="0285"><a href="undefined">Chris Hedges</a> is a photographer and writer, as well as an editor at <a href="https://medium.com/illumination">ILLUMINATION</a>, <a href="https://medium.com/the-bad-influence">The Bad Influence</a>, and <a href="https://medium.com/red-curtain-erotica">Red Curtain Erotica</a>. More about me at <a href="https://x29.co">x29.co</a>.</p></article></body>

Mike & Ashley Meet at a Police Riot

Love always prevails, even during the worst of times, to create something new and wonderful.

Love is natural and part of the energy circulating through the universe. Hate is a disordered view of the world. It takes a lot of energy and effort to keep hate stocked. Most people burn out after a while. History shows civilizations caught in an epidemic of hate usually face a cleansing fever that results in peace after much heat and suffering.

The riots had closed down the center of the city. Draw bridges were raised to make it hard to get to the gleaming towers on the other side of the river. Police were on one side with riot shields, flashing lights, and dogs. The protesters were on the other side waiting for leadership. Were they going to charge or just hang out?

Mike locked eyes with Ashley across the crowd. They had come down separately to show solidarity with the police brutality protesters. But, Mike had also come down because nothing else was going on. He had been bored during the quarantine. Now, the “great” leader had declared America reopened and the pandemic declared miraculously over despite no vaccine or cure, he wanted to get out. He wanted to do something, as well as fight the power.

This was before the leader had ordered his secret police — they didn’t wear credentials, badges, or other identification — to fire tear gas at a gathering in front of the White House. Things would get worse before they started to get better. But, they did get better. Always hold out hope for the future because love is easier to maintain than hate.

Maybe protesting would lead to a better life as well. Mike was feeling a mixture of excitement, hope, and a little fear of what might happen. He knew changes needed to be made. America couldn’t keep going the way it was going where people were getting killed in the street over nonsense.

What better place to get out of the house than at a historic demonstration? Mike thought he’d be able to tell his grandkids a great story one of these days. Maybe Ashley would be their grandmother? The quarantine had left him dateless for a long time. The bars had all been shut down and the people who wanted to hook up online scared him. He didn’t want to catch something.

The early summer had hit a boiling point across the country as other brutal incidents and the leader’s threats to dominate everyone like a dystopian movie villain. People had to do something. Especially since the leader kept talking about cracking heads, shutting down voting, and other threats to take power away from the people.

The leader’s camouflaged gangs had been roaming around earlier during the quarantine yelling at public health-minded officials and grocery clerks wearing masks. They were the opposite of the crowds gathered here. They carried long guns and waved campaign flags. Sometimes, they charged into public offices to threaten politicians who they were told to harass by their favorite talk-radio hosts. They screamed about freedom but wanted white supremacy.

Mike was looking at the river. If there wasn’t a squad of police on the other side, it would almost be like a summer festival or block party. People were having fun, smiling, and talking. People waved signs and sang protest songs.

The city should think about closing down the streets downtown when things get back to normal for some sort of street festival, Mike thought to himself. It’s is pretty nice being around people after a brutal winter of gray days, a spring locked down to stop the spread of a deadly virus, and the daily ravings of a lunatic wanna-be king in charge of the nation.

People need something fun for once, Mike said to himself. I’m glad people came out to show their support for their fellow human beings. We are all one.

Maybe we will be at peace one of these days.

A flash caught Mike’s attention.

Someone threw a Molotov cocktail into a parked car. Mike caught a glimpse of the bottle flying over his head and smashing into the police cruiser sitting at the curb. A camouflaged guy wearing a ski-mask ran away from the crowd.

Everyone looked around to see what was happening. What had been peaceful and almost joyful instantly turned into chaos and fright. It changed that fast when the camouflaged man threw his flaming evil spirits into the car.

Mike ran toward Ashley.

He sensed fear sweep over the crowd and anger on the other side of the bridge where the police were gathered.

Mike didn’t want Ashley to get hurt, caught, or trampled.

The police officers on the other side of the bridge started running. They raised their shields and batons. Some fired canisters of tear gas at the crowd of protesters.

Mike made it to Ashley just as a riot of police swinging at everyone in sight burst from the bridge onto the road where protesters were running in every direction. Someone threw a brick through a shop window. Someone else was screaming at the police. Mike saw a horse charging. It was pure chaos. He grabbed Ashley’s arm and pulled her to an alleyway. Someone poked their head out of a kitchen door and motioned for the two to run into the business for safety. Mike and Ashley made it inside and took shelter while the police and crowds battled outside.

Ten years later, Little Anna asked her mom how she met daddy while friends and family had gathered for a BBQ cookout.

Ashley told Anna to take a seat and proceeded to tell her the story of the times before things in America changed for the better.

Chris Hedges is a photographer and writer, as well as an editor at ILLUMINATION, The Bad Influence, and Red Curtain Erotica. More about me at x29.co.