The streets were full around the world. Millions of people came out to protest against the Pussy-Grabber in Chief. Led by women, but men, women, and children were everywhere.

I’ve been going to marches and demonstrations for almost fifty years, and the feeling in Montpelier yesterday was about the greatest I’ve ever experienced. Plus, we had 15-20,000 people on the streets of Montpelier, double the population of the city. Probably the biggest political gathering ever in the state of Vermont.

I think it’s entirely appropriate to just bask in the good feeling for a bit, but I also have some random thoughts about the event.

The first person I saw there was our own NanuqFC, another long-time activist, and we noticed the same thing: we didn’t know most of the people there. This was not the usual suspects. I am sure that for many of the people there, and not just the ones who were six months old, this was their first demonstration. What a great thing, especially if we can get them to stay involved.

Second, intersectionality has come to Vermont. Listen to the speakers and watch the people in the crowd and intersectionality and diversity were front and center.

Third (okay, this is a lighter note), the signs. Tons of homemade signs full of humor, hope, anger, and idiosyncrasy. Plus, unlike the Tea Party and Trump supporters, we know how to spell.

I appreciate all the thousands of people who came out and dedicated a whole day to opposing the short-fingered vulgarian. Even if you only walked across town in Montpelier, that was a minimum of three hours. My question for all those people is did you spend the same three hours making phone calls or knocking on doors? If you spent twenty-four hours or so traveling to Washington, how many hours did you devote to defeating Trump in 2016?

If you came to the march yesterday but were too busy to work on the campaign in 2016, will you be back in 2018? Because, really, as much as I love a good demonstration, I’d rather be knocking doors in October than standing around in the cold in January. We need each other, and we need the work that the hours and energy can produce.

Finally, one of the best signs I saw from yesterday said, “We’re going to see you all at the next Black Lives Matter march, right?”

Yesterday’s marches around the world were tremendously energizing, but energy isn’t just something to have, it’s what you need to do something. Let’s all be ready for the next thing.