Activists have arranged buses from the Valley to the Women's March on Washington, set for January 21, the day after the inauguration of president-elect Donald Trump. More than 100,000 people have said on Facebook that they will march. Men are welcome to attend.
Cate Woolner lives in Northfield, Massachusetts, near Greenfield. She plans to attend the Women's March on Washington. On November 30, Woolner told the Valley Post why she will go. "In light of the fact that nearly half the eligible voters did not vote and for reasons I do not understand, a significant number of women voted for Trump, it feels important to send a strong collective message from people identifying as women and our allies that in spite of the election outcome, and, the seemingly preposterous appointments Trump plans to make, that we still have voices and we're going to use them. I do not think Trump's values, when you scrape away the rhetoric and bluster, really represent the majority of Americans. His concept of negotiation is to win, not to solve; he believes women are first and foremost there for his pleasure and judgment; that profit is the underlying driving force for good; that the environment is there for the raping with no consequence; that people with dark skin are bad hombres; that a strong, intelligent and competent woman is nasty. This isn't about Hillary losing. It is about a moment in history when the left has an opportunity to unify around many issues to resist Fascism and hate. We say, 'You will be met with our resistance every day of your administration.'"
Rei Kimura is a teenager who lives in Brattleboro. She plans to attend the march with her mother. On November 30, Rei Kimura told the Valley Post, “I am going because I'd like to build a better path for my generation and future generations. We need to stand up for our rights and cannot be sexualized and treated as the newly elected leader of this country has treated women, people of color, or different religions. We cannot accept his behavior and I'd like to join others to make sure that message is heard loud and clear.”
The web page for the march is:
www.facebook.com/events/2169332969958991
Johanna Schulman is one of the event organizers. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In a November 30 interview, Schulman told the Valley Post, "There are a number of buses already underway through the two sites www.RallyBus.net and www.letskedaddle.com. So far the departure cities include Springfield, Amherst, Northampton and Greenfield."
According to RallyBus.net, there will be buses from Brattleboro and Keene.
More than 2,000 people marched in Springfield on November 13 to protest the policies proposed by Trump. These policies include cutting taxes for the rich, cutting programs that help poor people, making it easier for oil companies to cause climate change, deporting immigrants, and banning abortion. More information about the Springfield march is at:
In a November 30 article on the New York Times web site, a National Park Service spokesman said the exact location of the march and rally in Washington, DC will be announced soon.
The Indigo Girls will perform at a rally after the march. The band has sold more than 7 million albums and won a Grammy award. The Valley Post interviewed the Indigo Girls' Amy Ray and Emily Saliers separately last year, following the release of their new album. Those interviews are at:
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