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Defying the divide The Stand for Kindness group gathers Friday at Vogel Plaza in Medford, encouraging people to put aside politics and unite through kindness. Mail Tribune / Jamie Lusch Friday Nov 18, 2016 at 4:24 PM Nov 19, 2016 at 9:42 AM Nick Morgan Mail Tribune @mtcrimebeat Demonstrators in downtown Medford fought the wind Friday but little else as they sought to spread a friendly, apolitical message on a blustery lunch hour. Clutching signs sporting slogans such as "Stand for Peace and Love" and "I'm for Kindness" and wearing purple, just under a dozen demonstrators took to the streets at Vogel Plaza for the second "Stand for Kindness" event, which organizer Sharon Schaefer of Medford hopes will be ongoing at midday Fridays. Schaefer said she came up with the idea for the inclusive demonstrations early last week in the wake of riots in Portland and the lingering anger that followed a bitter, divisive election. "That's not going to solve anything," Schaefer said of the violent protests. "It creates more enemies than friends." Co-organizer Sue Martin of Medford, moved by Schaefer's post, boosted the movement leading up to their first demonstration Nov. 11, starting a "Stand for Kindness" Facebook page and issuing weekly event invitations.  Martin said she wants the demonstrations to draw in people of all political walks to stand together as individuals. They wear purple, Schaefer and Martin said, because it's the combination of red and blue. Some wore accents of red, others wore safety pins, but politics and even mentioning the president-elect's name were strongly discouraged. "It's not a political thing, it's an everybody thing," Schaefer said. Wearing a bright-purple polo shirt, John Wing handed back a homeless man's "Seeking random acts of kindness" cardboard sign after a gust of wind blew it. Wing, of Medford, said he was a newcomer as he stood holding a "Kind Hearts for All" sign Schaefer made.  He said he thought it would be a help to the community. "I thought it seemed like a great idea, so here I am," Wing said. "If we spread a little kindness standing on the corner, that's one way to help out," Wing said. Milo Salgado of Medford, on his lunch break holding a sign that said, "We are One — Celebrate our Differences," pointed out a Hispanic man driving a landscaping truck on Central Avenue and waved while saying, "peace and love." Holding a decorated "More Kindness" sign, Nancy Bardos of Jacksonville said the event strengthens affirmations to stay kind and positive. "It's a reminder for me, too," Bardos said. Sharing the event with friends and relatives, Martin said the idea has spread to relatives and friends, who have organized similar demonstrations for unity in Pacific City, California, and Fall River, Massachusetts. Another is being planned in Salem, according to Martin. Though the mini-demonstrations last only from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., Martin said she hopes the movement will build momentum by occurring on the same day, at the same time and in the same location every week. Numerous cars honked in support along Main and Central, and Martin said reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. "It doesn't take much more than a sign, a smile and a wave, and people wave back," Martin said. — Reach reporter Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @MTCrimeBeat.