Today, in a sleepy pink suburb somewhere between a forest and a river, I drove past a woman standing with an “ICE OUT” sign. This is Tom Emmer’s district - a Republican stronghold. I honked. A few cars behind me followed. Nothing dramatic. Just recognition.

And it made me realize something. I can’t recall any large-scale MAGA protests during Biden’s presidency. Yes, there was January 6, an attempted insurrection at the very end of Trump’s term, but even then, they failed. Not because they didn’t show up, but because there simply weren’t enough of them.

For years they’ve been telling themselves horror stories about us. That we’d take power, destroy them, indoctrinate their kids, turn everyone transgender, erase their world. They were afraid. Truly afraid. And still, they didn’t come out into the streets in any sustained, collective way.

That’s the part that gives me hope.

It turns out MAGgAt's energy works best online. They complain, they posture, they rile each other up at rallies, but when it comes to actually showing up for something real, they’re strangely amorphous. People without shared values don’t mobilize well. People driven by fear don’t last long outside comment sections.

Meanwhile, someone stood on a street corner with a sign. Someone else honked. Others joined in. Quietly. Naturally. Without needing permission.

Viva la #Minnesota.

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stand development in Rodinal

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Alexa’s Elixir
📷 Canon Elan 7e | 🎞️ Fuji 200 (developed in Cinestill) | 📍Detroit Lakes, MN

They say forests have their own inhabitants. In Detroit Lakes, they happen to be giant wooden trolls with expressive faces and a better sense of purpose than most people I know.

I saw this trail, Alexa’s Elixir, in TIME’s list of 50 places to visit in 2025 and decided to check it out. Danish artist Thomas Dambo, eco-activist, created these trolls with help from hundreds of volunteers. All from recycled materials. The final task of the forest quest? “Don’t buy anything new today.” Naturally, it ends at a gift shop selling “I found the rabbit” t-shirts.

It was my first time in Detroit Lakes. Can’t say I loved the place. The town recently refused to fly the new Minnesota state flag - the one that finally doesn’t stereotype Native Americans. That tells you a lot. And if that wasn’t enough, the mile-long beach featured the entire Lord’s Prayer, displayed foot by foot along the sand. It felt less like a vacation and more like stepping into a lightly sanitized cult.

But the trolls? They were worth it. Playful, strange, slightly haunted. Like they know something we don’t. Like they’re watching us scroll through Amazon right after finishing the “don’t buy anything” quest.

Anyway, I found the rabbit. But I didn’t buy the shirt. Small wins.

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