“I’m not boycotting. It’s an act of conscience,” Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly said about his decision to sit out the Friday festivities. | Getty Democrats opt for nature and meditation in lieu of Trump's inaugural

While Donald Trump is taking the sacred oath to “preserve, protect and defend” the Constitution as the nation’s next president today, Rep. Tony Cárdenas will take part in his own solemn ritual: meditation.

The California lawmaker is one of more than 60 House Democrats who have announced in recent days they’re skipping Trump’s inauguration, opting instead to stay home, volunteer or reflect on the next four years.


“I’m not boycotting. It’s an act of conscience,” Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly said about his decision to sit out the Friday festivities. “I mean no disrespect. This is about his behavior and his words that have caused so much harm.”

Connolly says he has no real plans, just “a quiet day in Virginia” where he intends to watch Trump’s inaugural address from his district office. Several other members have set up volunteer events, immigration roundtables and even a nature walk.

The objective, the members say, is to offer a counterpoint to Trump's divisive and dismissive rhetoric towards women, immigrants, minorities, the disabled and civil rights leaders — by showing respect towards communities Trump has summarily dismissed.

Democrats’ boycott — more than one-third of the caucus will skip the inauguration — might be the largest inaugural protest by members in history. And for many lawmakers, the decision of whether to go or not became a lot easier after Trump attacked Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), the revered civil rights icon, on Twitter over the past weekend.

After the Twitter tirade — Trump called Lewis “all talk” and “no action” in response to Lewis questioning Trump’s legitimacy to be president — dozens of Democrats said they’d no longer be at the Capitol on Friday.

Other members cited Russia’s cyber meddling during the election, which intelligence officials say was intended to help Trump, as a reason not to go. And since Congress isn’t in session, it's likely some members who were already back home in their districts just didn’t feel like making the trek back to Washington.

But for those who decided to protest Trump and do so loudly, how they’re spending the time instead seems almost as important as opting to skip the ceremony in the first place.

Cárdenas had already planned to stay in Washington for the Women’s March Saturday. And after opting to skip Trump's swearing-in, saying the incoming president has “disrespected countless Americans,” Cárdenas decided to use the inaugural hour for a little reflective time.

Meditation is nothing new for the lawmaker, who sometimes does it twice a day. He’s encouraging others to participate via social media by using the hashtag #GoodOmbres, a play on “om,” the meditation chant, and Trump’s campaign quip describing Latinos bad hombres.

New Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin will be speaking at the “UnNaugural Concert” in Silver Spring before leading friends and supporters on a nature walk.

Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Cedric Richmond, citing his leadership position, said he was making a “sacrifice” to go to Donald Trump's inauguration. | Getty

Several other members seized on local volunteer opportunities in their districts.

Freshman Virginia Rep. Donald McEachin will spend the day visiting a homeless shelter for families and delivering food with Meals on Wheels. Chellie Pingree from Maine will serve breakfast at a homeless shelter before visiting Planned Parenthood and then watching Trump’s inaugural speech with new U.S. citizens.

Rep. Yvette Clarke will spend the day volunteering at a Brooklyn nonprofit that grows healthy food to distribute to local families. And Illinois Rep. Mike Quigley will help out at a local food pantry.

Others decided to challenge Trump's controversial rhetoric on immigration and refugees.

North Carolina Rep. Alma Adams will visit the International House in Charlotte to talk about immigration policy.

And Rep. Pramila Jayapal will host a Seattle roundtable for immigrants and refugees.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer from Oregon will be on a local call-in radio show called “Group Therapy” to talk about the Trump presidency.

Other members including New Jersey Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman and New York Rep. Adriano Espaillat will host unity events in their district.

Connolly said he struggled with his decision, even after Trump targeted Lewis, because he didn't want to appear disrespectful of the peaceful transfer of power an inauguration represents. He even wrote two statements, one if he were attending and one announcing he wasn’t going.

In the end, he said he couldn’t bring himself to attend even though his district is a stone's throw across the Potomac.

“I recognize his legitimacy, I’m not questioning that,” Connolly said. “But I’m not going to, on this unique event, add my presence to what is anything but an occasion for celebration.”

But for all the House Democrats who are skipping the inauguration, not one Senate Democrat or member of House leadership has announced plans to join the boycott.

Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Cedric Richmond, citing his leadership position, said he was making a “sacrifice” to go. South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the assistant Democratic leader, echoed the sentiment.

“Being a leader sometimes means that you have to make sacrifices, sometimes you have to get out of your comfort zone,” Clyburn told reporters Thursday.

“My wife’s last words to me as I walked out the house to go to the airport this morning was, ‘I understand you’re going but I want you to know I don’t like it.’ That’s my wife of 55 years.”