Love Trumps Hate Rally Draws a Crowd from Both Sides | The Source Weekly - Bend, Oregon

Love Trumps Hate Rally Draws a Crowd from Both Sides

It was dubbed the "Love Trumps Hate" rally, but when it came to the people attending, not all were there to demonstrate against President-Elect Donald Trump. Residents from varying sides of the political aisle gathered in Bend's Drake Park on Nov. 12. 
click to enlarge Love Trumps Hate Rally Draws a Crowd from Both Sides
Danielle Meyers

Love Trumps Hate demonstrators in the hundreds gathered near the park stage.

“What we hope to accomplish is to gather the people of Bend together to stand up for our beliefs and let the world know we are not happy with the election results, we do not accept Donald Trump as our commander and chief, and will not back down to the hatred his campaign represented. We are here to make sure everyone gets their voice heard,” said Camille Sands, a rally coordinator.

click to enlarge Love Trumps Hate Rally Draws a Crowd from Both Sides
Danielle Meyers
Meanwhile, Trump supporters gathered near the Mirror Pond Plaza parking lot.

“We are here and we are proud to support the President of the United States. We are here without confrontations and, we are not racist or sexist. We are here to show the side that supports Donald Trump," said Francis Mitchell, a Bend resident.

Meanwhile, Bend resident Joselyn gave a speech on fear and white privilege.

“I am not hear today because my candidate lost. I am here today because fear won. Fear is far more insidious than hate because hate will only rile the hateful but fear will rile the masses. Donald Trump did not create that fear because it’s always been there. You can see it in the more than 200 anti-LGBTQ laws that were passed in our state alone. You can see it in the rise of anti-Islamic attitudes in the last 15 years. You can see in the way we treat people with disabilities, towards immigrants. You can see it every single time a rapist gets a life sentence or no sentence at all. Donald Trump did not create this (the fear) he simply tapped into it. He said (to the fear) build a wall and grab them by the pussy… This is a white world, with forty-four white presidents, white privilege is not acknowledge. Republicans are not our enemies, show them love and show respect as we pass them by.”

click to enlarge Love Trumps Hate Rally Draws a Crowd from Both Sides
Danielle Meyers

click to enlarge Love Trumps Hate Rally Draws a Crowd from Both Sides
Danielle Meyers




Editor's Note: Freelancer Danielle Meyers contributed to this report.







Nicole Vulcan

Nicole Vulcan has been editor of the Source since 2016. You can mostly find her raising chickens, walking dogs, riding all the bikes and attempting to turn a high desert scrap of land into a permaculture oasis.
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