As I attended Sunday’s Ice Out demonstration in Amherst. I was distressed to see that nearly all the protesters had been sequestered away from the main streets and onto the Boltwood side street in a back corner of the commons. Democrats and some organizers had arranged a pre-determined series of speeches to occupy protesters which kept their visibility low on Pleasant Street, where they would normally be marching. It presented the effect of a social event or a meeting of folks demonstrating to each other rather than to other townspeople, and dampened the overall effect of what is truly becoming a popular uprising.
Our elected leaders have already demonstrated their ineffectiveness in preventing what has become a coup and a regime change in our country, one of the primary reasons we ought to be demonstrating, marching and making “good trouble.” We shouldn’t forget that we are demonstrating against what has become a dysfunctional government in both political parties. It will be rewarding to see marchers “taking it to the street” in future demonstrations and leaving back-room meetings at home.
Jeff Johnson
Pelham