New post on mariayang.org: Tents. ⛺️
Tents.
A tent in the woods is a symbol of defiance. Whether among towering trees, on a rocky beach, or next to an icy lake, it is a marker of someone intruding upon the natural world. Even if the tent and its occupants leave no trace, the tent itself is a trace, a brightly colored sign of someone who is passing through and does not naturally belong there.
A tent on a cracked sidewalk, underneath a concrete bridge, or tucked into the corner of a parking lot is a symbol of resignation. The tent and its occupants often have no other place to go. They do not belong there and everyone——including them——wishes that they were only passing through. Alas, the tent is their home.
A tent on a college campus is a symbol of defiance. It is not their home. The tent is a vivid icon of someone who is expressing their displeasure with the status quo. The occupants want progress, they want change. Through occupying their tent in a place where it does not belong, they hope that change will come to pass.
A tent in a besieged city, its buildings in ruins and its surviving residents terrified, is a symbol of resignation. They, too, have nowhere to go. Alas, the tent is their home.
I worry how people in power, people who lie, and people who have agendas kept in shadows will manipulate the symbol of the tent. It is much easier to target tents than to recognize the humans within.