President Xi, Our President and the Seemingly Blocked Road to Rights

Yesterday, I traveled down a road I have traveled many times. I never really like to go there anymore because it leads to the hospital where my love died. That road brings back so many difficult memories for me. I was on my way to the mall to buy a birthday gift for a little girl who recently fought off cancer. It is with so much joy that we were able to celebrate her birthday. Yesterday, the road was blocked off and people could not get through. Along the sides of the road, in the heat of 100 degree plus temperatures, I could see many people with Chinese flags protesting the nearby visit of China's President. President Xi and our president were meeting at a most beautiful place where my love use to visit. This place, called Sunnylands, has hosted many of the most powerful people in America. My love was always interested in it because the Annenbergs, who built and lived in this huge estate once upon a time, were also the ones largely responsible for the beautiful hospital in which he spent so many of his last days. The estate is very near the hospital. I honked and waved at the protesters. It's not that I am against the president of China. It's just that I am glad in America we can protest in public for whatever we believe and nobody can arrest us because they don't agree. My love was no stranger to Falung Gong which is the religion forbidden in China. When my love was alive, we would sometimes attend Falung Gong performances in Los Angeles and these were very happy times for both of us. In China, this would not be possible. So yesterday, my path was blocked. I understand that things can change. It's nothing short of amazing that the man who represented our country yesterday was President Obama. There was a time, not so long ago, that the road of all African Americans to equality was blocked, too. Someday, I believe that followers of Falung Gong will find their way to equality as well. Perhaps the spirit of my love was there yesterday at Sunnylands. I'm sure he would have been if he could. Maybe he even whispered in the ear of President Xi. One cannot know, but the road is blocked for today.