Hands Off Hope — Charity, Protest, and a Reminder from the Capitol Steps
Even the cherry blossoms joined the protest
Saturday morning, as I was getting ready for the #HandsOff protest in Salt Lake, I had General Conference playing in the background (for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which I’m a member).
President Holland’s voice came through with these words:
Many of us profess to be Christians, yet we do not take Him seriously. We respect Him, but we don't follow Him. We quote His sayings, but we don't live by them. We admire Him, but we don't worship Him.
Yes to this. I’m trying, but I know I falter.
I’ve felt this dissonance—especially when I catch myself giving in to the impulse to judge, to get offended, or to write people off because of their views. I know better, but it’s hard.
One of my protest signs read, “Love one another* *terms and conditions apply.” I wasn’t trying to be funny. I was trying to tell the truth. The version of “love” many Republican leaders are pushing lately comes with caveats about who qualifies. Who’s worthy. Who belongs.
They’re preaching a message of exclusion.
My friend and I parked at Washington Elementary School. We pulled into one of the last open spots. We joined the stream of people walking uphill—carrying signs, smiling at each other, all ages. It was a steep walk up Wall Street.
As we rounded the Capitol building, cherry blossoms in full bloom seemed like they had something to say, too.
Thousands had already gathered. The crowd was loud, but kind. I thread my way through it, filming with my phone. I wanted to make a record of it. Another of my signs that I carried read: “Hands off hope. Even you can’t kill it.”
Several speakers reminded us not to stoop to hate. Note to meet cruelty with cruelty. They urged us to build community and stay connected. Sure, some chants crossed the line, but the energy and purpose were grounded in something more significant.
The next day, as I sat in my living room with my family watching the close of General Conference, President Nelson offered the reminder I needed to round it all out:
The present hostility and public dialogue on social media is alarming. Hateful words are deadly weapons. Contention prevents the Holy Ghost from being our constant companion. As followers of Jesus Christ we should lead the way as peacemakers. As charity becomes part of our nature, we will lose the impulse to demean others. We will stop judging others. We will have charity for those from all walks of life. Charity towards all men is essential to our progress. Charity is the foundation of a godly character.
We need less cruelty masquerading as conviction. Less fear dressed up as faith. More charity. More courage. More of us choosing to show up—under the cherry blossoms, under the weight of it all—and still hope.