The Peacemakers and the Fascists

World Labyrinth Day has come round again, and a few miles south of Newport, Oregon, two women set out at noon to create a labyrinth on the beach. Linda, on the left, started building labyrinths after her husband lost a leg in an accident and had to stop taking long walks on the beach, which had given him great joy. She learned from Denny Dyke (who Sue and I met four years ago) how to build a labyrinth so she and her husband could walk meditatively, if not for long distances. Tree, on the right, a nature-loving neighbor, joined in.

Sue and I discovered the two women just before they started work, as we were on our way to Newport to find an area rug to replace the old one at Sue’s family beach house. Linda and Tree invited us to join them, and we soon regretted our decision to go on with our plan. 

As we neared Newport, we met a detour occasioned by a massive right-wing “Loyalty” parade. We saw people waving Trump flags, military marching groups, a float honoring the Republican party, signs declaring, “We Love Our Police,” and American flags lining several miles of Highway 101. The entire town shut down for the event, so we couldn’t search for a rug in any case. There were people in right-wing regalia, MAGA hats, and clothing emblazoned with American flags. Car license plates showed visitors came from Utah, Idaho, and other states where right-wing extremists and gun-loving fascists have large enclaves. 

Because the highway was shut down, it was two hours before we could get back to Linda and Tree. By then they had built their labyrinth and gone home, and the tide was coming in. We got a distant view of the labyrinth (extra) and went back to the beach house feeling sick. You don’t see much news of the right-wing movement in the USA, but we witness it with growing horror.