63,000 March in Atlanta, Unified against Trump
(APN) ATLANTA — On Saturday, January 21, 2017, some 63,000 people marched from the Center for Civil and Human Rights to Liberty Plaza at the Georgia State Capitol to show opposition to President Donald Trump’s contradictory messages, boldfaced lies, demonization of minorities, and cabinet appointments that are extreme, even for Republican standards
Torrents of rain, flooding, and tornado warnings did not deter people determined to send a message to Washington, D.C. that people will resist efforts by the Trump Administration to take us backward to times of repression and discrimination against minority groups.
“We have to save each other and our democracy,” one woman shouted out.
“This day is about building a resistance to Trump’s abuse of power that has already happened on the first day of his Administration in the form of Executive Orders to increase mortgage rates, roll back provisions in the Affordable Care Act, and other atrocities,” Rev. Francys Johnson, State President, Georgia National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), said to the marchers.
The Atlanta March for Social Justice and Women could be the beginning of solidarity between diverse groups, causes, and people – bringing them together into one huge progressive movement to protect minorities now under attack, democracy, the environment, and the Constitution of the U.S.
“Be bold, be brave, and speak out to make our country a better country… not for one day or a week, but it is a fight of a lifetime,” U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-GA)–who was recently attacked by President Trump on Twitter–told the crowd.
One organizer suggested people sign up to receive weekly update on what one can do to remain active and keep this administration accountable for the next four years.
If everyone goes home and does nothing, then nothing will happen to advance a progressive agenda. For change to occur at the level of public policy, citizens will need to call their representatives frequently, lobby, and get involved on local and federal levels.
“Every decision made under the Gold Dome is made about you or for you. If you are not at the table, you are on the menu. The way to change this is for those representatives to hear your voices,” State Rep. Stacey Abrams (D-Atlanta) advised the marchers.
U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) said he was concerned that President Trump and his billionaire appointees with their trickle down economic theories and their tax cuts for the wealthy will create another economic meltdown.
Tiffany Roberts, an attorney and member of Black Lives Matter/Atlanta, listed some of the vile things Trump did during the campaign: calling immigrants and their children criminals, calling Black Lives Matter protesters thugs, and choose a running mate who thinks LGBTQI folks can be converted through therapy.
Trump has attacked or offended nearly everyone, except maybe White, heterosexual men who are not disabled.
He attacked Muslim Gold Star parents and a federal judge of Mexican ancestry; he has bragged about being able to grab women’s private parts because of his wealth and fame; and has a history of discrimination against Black people.
Latest estimates calculates 673 marches in all fifty U.S. states and some 32 countries around the world.
Reports from U.S. cities included: Los Angeles, California (750,000); Washington, D.C. (500,000); New York, New York (400,000); Chicago, Illinois (250,000); Seattle, Washington (150,000); Boston, Massachusetts (125,000); Madison, Wisconsin, a state won by Trump (100,000); and St. Paul, Minnesota (100,000).
Large demonstrations and marches took place worldwide in Paris, France; London, England; Berlin, Germany; Sydney, Australia; Mexico City, Mexico; and in many other countries.
Atlanta’s own Baton Bob led the march in Atlanta.
(END/2017)
These demonstrations have been going across the country for weeks by those protesting the Trump presidency. The nation on the federal level is in debt $20 trillion and lower levels of government can’t afford to waste money. Do these demonstrations cost tax payer dollars?
The answer is yes. How much was lost by the destruction of property in Washington , DC by those who carried hammers and crow bars and destroyed blocks of property? Chicago had 250,000 demonstrators Saturday that had to tie up hundreds of police officers. This is the murder capital of the U. S. Maybe the police had better things to do by curtailing crime and murders.
These demonstrations are testing the nerves of law enforcement. Many good officers will decide to forego law enforcement so they won’t have to endure this unproductive waste of time. Cost of salaries will increase because of disappointment of police enduring insults from these individuals trying to destroy our form of government.
Demonstrate by voting and writing letters to the editor. These mob demonstrations are bankrupting the nation.
Stop trolling, man; your response is both biased and simplistic, full of the backlash code words and phrases we have been hearing ad nauseam for eight long years. The predominant mob mentality is that of those who vilify, disparage and dismiss our millions of citizens who have concerns and opinions that are not part of the mind think of that narrow diminishing demographic desperately trying to stay in power despite the changing population and cultures of this nation. People have a Constitutional right to free assembly, so get over it. Possibly you should worry more about the trillions wasted on military adventures, tax cuts to the very wealthy that deprive taxpayers and governments of much needed revenue required to perform their basic functions, the loss of our national credit rating by ideologues who are prepared to shut the government down any time they do not have their way, the trillions hoarded by corporations in offshore accounts, or the millions wasted by Congress in recent years on bogus investigations of their perceived political enemies. Just a suggestion.