This Is What Hope Looks Like

By Karoli Kuns — June 26, 2017

Monday night, MoveOn Washington director Ben Wikler headed to Capitol Hill. On his way, he encountered something that became magical.

1. Tonight, something kinda magical happened on the steps of the Capitol. It started like this: pic.twitter.com/9HDvz4K4W6

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

Just Senator Cory Booker and Rep. John Lewis, having a conversation.

3. Booker and Lewis started a Facebook Live to talk about Trumpcare and what this moment means for America.

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

The Capitol was quiet, or so it seemed.

4. I didn't know that it was happening when I walked up to the Capitol. I work with @MoveOn and was there for something else. Snapped this. pic.twitter.com/b1gV49tzDF

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

5. When I took that picture, I was going to tweet: "something vile is brewing in that building. #Trumpcare." But I got a text—

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

6. The person I was trying to meet up with told me he was on the East Capitol steps on the Senate side. I found him, and saw this: pic.twitter.com/WkXG5vIWas

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

7. @CoryBooker @SenJeffMerkley @ChrisMurphyCT @SenGillibrand & @brianschatz, five fighters, passing around an iPhone. Whoa! Hi, Senators! pic.twitter.com/QYguygJaGJ

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

Some people had noticed, and were sitting with them. About 20 in all. Wikler joined the party.

9. I sat down. Realized I was sitting on the jacket of @SenBobCasey, who I realized was sitting next to me. Oops! Hi! Wow! Is this real?

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

10. Totally real. Organic, spontaneous. Senators kept drifting out. Passers-by kept wandering over and sitting down.

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

They were passing around the phone as the sun set. Senator Schumer joined the party at some point.

And then a thing happened. A magical, wonderful, hopeful thing.

13. And then @CoryBooker asked me to speak. And he said, stand up so the crowd can hear you!

And I realized it had grown.

A lot.

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

14. Suddenly everyone was on their feet—and roaring. Hundreds of people. There spontaneously. Ready to fight for health care.

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

15. It was hard to get a shot of thr while crowd, but here's a piece of it. That's @ChrisMurphyCT holding the phone, videoing @CoryBooker. pic.twitter.com/gLzds3mIQf

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

16. This was a rally now. Part of my job is speaking at rallies. Some are great. Some are fine. This one? Everyone was *on fire.*

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

There have been plans in the works for a "People's Filibuster" -- three days of Trumpcare protests starting tomorrow. It started early, on the steps of the Capitol.

19. People told their stories. A refugee diagnosed with cancer weeks before her graduation, alive now thanks to Medicaid.

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

20. A child of immigrants, born with a rare disease, now healthy and an organizer fighting for justice for all—preexisting conditions or no.

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

21. People asked how they could fight. We shared ways to do it. Come protest at the Capitol this week. Protest at local offices. Make calls.

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

22. @CoryBooker's phone was running out of juice. I had a battery! Very proud that that's my iPhone cable in the photo. Keep it going! pic.twitter.com/NCs4tCDHiS

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

Wikler wonders aloud: Where did all of these people come from?

That question matters. A lot.

24. Here's why this matters. The whole question in this health care fight is whether the public—which HATES the bill—is going to show up.

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

25. There are 52 Republican Senators. This is their top priority. By rights, it should be done already. Smart insiders still say they'll win

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

26. And yet they might be cracking up. And there's just one reason for that: you. Me. All of us. A public that thinks this bill is hideous.

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

27. One way or another, this week is probably going to be historic. One of the most morally bankrupt bills in US history could pass.

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

28. OR: the resistance could come of age. The public could rise up. Backroom deals could fall apart. Our values could beat their cynicism.

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

Rise up!

29. The whole question is whether GOP senators come to the conclusion that they can't get away with this. That the public is too outraged.

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

30. Look, I can't predict what will happen this week. Very strong chance it will end tragically. But tonight—a spontaneous, joyous protest?

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

31. Hundreds of people outside the US Capitol at 11pm on a Monday, thunderously promising to show up every day this week to fight Trumpcare?

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

32. People texting their friends then and there, asking them to show up for the human chain protest this Wednesday? (5pm! You should come!)

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

33. This is what it's supposed to feel like at the beginning of something big. This is what movements are supposed to feel like.

— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) June 27, 2017

"Tonight gave me hope for a movement that believes health care is a right," Wikler wrote.

You can watch it all unfold in this video.

This is what hope looks like. Right here. We need to do this in every city, in every town, no matter how many show up.

We can win this. We can. But we have to stand up, be counted.