easter parade

here's the catalogue:

handful of waves. notable first pass, right out of the gate two cars of wildly, effusively friendly wavers. i have no idea who they were.

couple of thumbs up.

one disapproving headshake from a lady in an easter hat.

this is what i sung to the tune of a familiar hymn that of course was sung inside:

hypocrites are here today
throw the victim out so the perp can stay

hypocrites are here today
throw the victim out so the perp can stay
hypocrites all rise and sing
throw the victim out so the perp can stay
we don't want to have to do a thing
throw the victim out so the perp can stay

at about ten fifteen a woman in a car stopped even thought there was traffic behind her:

"i just want you to know that i'm going to church now and you can come with us."
"thank you", i said, "but i have an engagement here until they deal properly with this"
"i hope you can get to church soon", she said.

i wished her a blessed easter.

a woman visiting the williston federated church asked me to tell her what was going on, so i did.

and overheard on the sidewalk, from some of the church regulars: "so now SHE'S the victim". and they laughed.

way to go, williston federated church. of course you would all band together and blame the victim. you're all very sad about assault and stalking until the husband of someone you like does it and then you all want to protect the perpetrator from the consequences of his actions.

oh, we can't simply help you to stay away from him; that would make him uncomfortable.
oh, we can't pray for you; it makes us uncomfortable.

when you fell apart because of it, we pushed you aside.
when you tried to regain your dignity, we turned away.
when you spoke of what had happened, we kicked you out.
when you started carrying the sign, we tried to get you incarcerated.

now that you won't let us forget what we did, we are going to call ourselves the victims.

because when you were assaulted and we tossed you out, it was terribly, terribly unfair and uncomfortable.

...for us.