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© 2021 The Somerville Times. All rights reserved.
Villens United by Jenna Pflieger
(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)
When my husband found out I was attending the Boston Women’s March for America he immediately asked me to write an article about my experience for this column, and to his surprise I immediately said yes.
Anyone who knows me well would tell you that I am more of an introvert and not someone who would voice my political opinions so publicly, but this is a whole new world we are living in today.
I may have “shared” an article here and there that I felt really strongly about on my Facebook page previous to this past election season. Every day that passed, there was more to react to and more information to share with others. I could no longer remain quiet, at least in the world of social media.
I believed in the slogan that love would trump hate, so along with a majority of Americans I was blindsided on Election Day. My immediate reaction was, “What can I do? How can I make a difference in the next four years?” When the Boston Women’s March for America was announced, I saw it as a chance to step outside the security of my computer screen.
I had my first glimpse of the magnitude of the day when, at 10:00 a.m. on a Saturday, I stepped onto a 5:00 p.m. rush hour style packed train car at Assembly Row.
Strangers were actually talking to one another, trading information about where they are from and chattering about other marches planned across the United States and across the globe. The woman who I was going with even had a sister who was marching in Paris that same day.
We waded through a sea of handmade pink hats and thoughtfully written protest signs to the Boston Common. To be surrounded by peace, love and solidarity was energizing. The crowd grew so large that most of the day had turned into a rally while people were waiting to march. Helicopters flew overhead recording the crowd size that those of us on the ground wouldn’t know about until we arrived home later in the day, because cell towers were so overloaded that it was hard to get any live streaming information.
“Do these women even know what they are marching for? They are all carrying so many different signs. Aren’t they all there for different reasons?” These are the kinds of comments that immediately started circulating the internet. For anyone at the many marches across the world, the answer would be a loud and proud, “Yes!” We were marching because women’s rights are human rights, love is love, black lives matter, immigrants make America great, science and climate change are real, equal pay, factual news reporting matters, Muslim ban, etc., etc.
Perhaps each person had their own sign emblazoned with the issue they were most passionate about, but the key to everything is that we were all there to support each other and every issue brought forth.
The majority of the record numbers of over 100,000 people marching in Boston were drawn into the city in direct response to the degrading comments Donald Trump has made towards many different women; especially his bragging of being able to walk up to any woman he wants and grab her by the genitals simply because he’s famous (No, you can’t. No one can. That’s sexual assault). It was a hot topic of conversation between many women packing into the city through public transportation. Many simply marched to stand up to the condoning of Trump’s behavior and his degrading unnecessary comments and behavior towards them, and to set a better example for what young men think to be acceptable sexual behavior towards women.
While thousands here in Boston marched, there were literally millions of other women marching in other countries in every continent on earth. Yes, even from Antarctica all the way up to Alaska.
This march was just the beginning, the spark that ignited the flame, the call to go home and do more for your country. There are already online guides and posts daily informing you on how to reach out to your representatives, which organizations to donate to that will help fight for the causes you believe in, and even a call to get more involved by running for offices big and small as the local school board or state representative’s seat.
Many have now even taken to boycotting, protesting, and sending messages to the current president by contacting his businesses. Each of these things may seem small, but added up together they are the strength that is needed sustain a movement. We may be uncertain as to what will happen in the coming days and years, but one thing history will tell us is that when women come together to march we can make a difference.
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Regardless of the recent street theater organized by the “Women’s March,” Donald J. Trump is now President and he’s not leaving D.C. anytime soon.
Regardless of the issues they do have a right here in America to protest. I disagree on the locker room talk though. Anyone who has been on a construction sight is going to hear far worse. It does not mean they act and think this way. Sending undocumented criminals out of the country I fully support and they can send the documented ones with them. The president has made it clear he is not getting rid of people with American values. Regardless of which side of the fence you are on I just wanted to make those statements.
Oh, he’s leaving D.C., and real soon too. Here are just a few impeachable offenses and good reasons for it…
• Colluding with a foreign power against the interests of the United States, considered treason.
• Taking money from foreign governments, in violation of Article I Section 9 of the Constitution.
• Seeking to intimidate critics, in violation of the First Amendment.
• Undermining the freedom and independence of the press, in violation of the First Amendment.
• Attacking freedom of religion, in violation of the First Amendment.
• Using the presidency for private gain, in violation of federal law (5 Code of Federal Regulations 2635.702).
• Undermining the rule of law through arbitrary and capricious statements and orders, in violation of the Due Process clause of the First Amendment.
• Suppressing the votes of minorities, in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment.
• His generally disordered mental state
So much for your hero. He’ll be lucky to stay out of jail.
Jenna, I’m proud to have been marching in solidarity in DC–the swelling of support was astounding, and I was so proud to see Boston come out in such force as well. I felt along with you that it was a rallying cry that we are better than fear and divisiveness–and ultimately, if we continue to rally (in the streets, with our wallets, in the midterms, with our Congressional representatives and Senators, with each other–however we need to) logic, compassion, and true patriotism will prevail. Great article!
Yes, Mitza. And the many millions that oppose his toxic, anti-American initiatives aren’t leaving this country anytime soon, either.
Sorry to disappoint you, friend.
Instead of being sore losers, the people need to express themselves more cordially; as opposed to being agitators, looting, rioting, and setting cars & limousines on fire.
This must be Philip “The Dog Ate My Homework” Mitza. Whatever.
I don’t know what planet you’re tuning in your news from, but there was no “being agitators, looting, rioting, and setting cars & limousines on fire” during the women’s marches. If, however, you happen to be referring to the recent Berkeley “protests” against the appearance of white supremacist Milo Yiannopoulos, that has already been exposed as a false flag op run by the Brietbart arm of Herr Dumpsterfire’s brown shirts. Fake agitators, fake protest, et al. An obvious dry run to test the waters for how big and how soon the real “Riechstag fire” should be. These guys are so dumb, they actually think they’re going to put this over on the general populace, along with their dumb lumpen thralls. Not going to happen. Like I said, it’s already been exposed and people are growing very impatient with this crap. A few flaming limos will likely become the least of this administration’s concerns once the end of it is demanded.
As for the tired old “sore losers” line, bear in mind what I already so clearly pointed out: this election was neither won nor lost, it was stolen. The people will take back what is theirs, cordially or otherwise.
The election was won by someone new to politics who outsmarted a seasoned veteran of politics. Personally I would have thrown both of them out and started over. Too many people disliked them both. Over 9 million did not even vote. Where are all the good people who would make a great president? And why don’t they run for office?
Donald Trump couldn’t outsmart his own shoelaces. I can’t believe so many are still taken in by all this. Remember, he actually lost this election. He was put in by the crooked, GOP gerrymandered Electoral College system. And, he never even wanted the job. This all started as a publicity stunt to get a better deal for his stupid TV show, but the rubes bought in and here we are. Unfortunately, the daily clown chaos show could turn deadly serious in a big way (not just with the slow cruel death being doled out by killing the ACA, Social Security, Medicaire, etc.). Russian gangsters own him, and his American handlers are going for all they can get before he’s ousted. It’s a tragic situation, but I believe we’ll survive and be stronger for it. It’s just too bad that there will be so much damage to repair. But hey, you asked for it. Genius.