–by Mary Kaplan
On January 21, the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration, I will participate in the Women’s March in D.C. in a show of solidarity against the proposed threats against our rights and liberties. Like many others who had believed that the social progress our country had experienced in the past few years would continue when our first woman president was elected, I was horrified when a man was elected whose bullying tactics and treatment of women, Mexicans, Muslims. African Americans, the disabled, and anyone who challenges him instills fear and despair and divides our country. My husband and I had often discussed the possibility of leaving the country should Mr. Trump win the election, and the morning after the election, he asked me if I still wanted to leave. After giving it some thought, I made the decision that this was my country, my ancestor had fought in the Revolutionary War, and that I had a responsibility to work to make it safe and livable for my four grandchildren.
Over 200,000 have registered to march in D.C. and more than 200 groups and organizations have signed on as supporting partners to address concerns about the environment, affordable healthcare, abortion rights, gun safety, minimum wages, and racial and gender equality. Simultaneous local protests will occur in all 50 states. Support marches are planned in 30 other countries. I will be proudly and loudly marching with two of my granddaughters, two sisters, my daughter-in-law, and many friends who are coming from all over the country. I am marching because the world needs to see that the majority of our citizens shown by popular vote, want to protect our human rights and those of the disenfranchised.
Mary Kaplan is a retired social worker who has been active in the Women’s Movement for over forty years. She has organized and participated in many protests and marches, including a sit-in in the Florida governor’s office. She is the author of five books and lives in New Port Richey, Florida.
Categories: News, Sister Sirens
The Gloria Sirens 
You go, girl! ?
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Supportive greetings from Germany! 🙂
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Supportive greetings from Germany! 🙂
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I am marching in Charlotte, NC
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Congratulations Mary!!!! George and I are very proud and blessed to have you and Roy as members of our beautiful family. Keep up the hard work.
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Thank you for marching! I applaud you and the other sisters in the March. We will prevail and true American values will continue to thrive.
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Well put, I want to support my country, and freedom of speech and fight back on the bully who is creating hate
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I wish I could be there but my spirit sure as hell is from Dallas, TX. March on ma’am!
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I will be marching in Sacramento, California. I am proud to stand up with other women for our American values. Thank you for this simple reminder of what we can do if we have the will.
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God Speed
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I’m marching in NYC with my 13-year old, and my 17-year old is marching in Washington. My abusive soon-to-be-ex-husband proposed that we march together (with our union), but what frightens me most about Trump are the exact same characteristics my ex- displays: an inability to take responsibility for mistakes, to listen and respond to criticism or other perspectives, to recognize that entitlement does not come from being richer or stronger or male, to be civil in discussions, to admit that there might be relevant knowledge they don’t have, to acknowledge that violence and abuse have occurred, and so much more. The majority of Americans did not vote for Trump and definitely did not endorse his behavior, and democracy is non-existent in this corporation run oligarchy.
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