Manifestations After the Death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg... People Vow to Continue the Fight
| revcom.us
Since the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, there have been vigils in many different cities all over the country, in cities big and small. People of all ages and nationalities came out, many who have been at recent Black Lives Matter protests and who expressed fears about where things are going under the Trump/Pence regime on a lot of different fronts and the need to continue the fight. In a number of cities Refuse Fascism was in the mix, calling on people to take to the streets to demand, “Trump/Pence Out Now!” And the Revolution Clubs were also out there bringing the message that ultimately, nothing short of “Revolution, Nothing Less” is going to really solve the problems that people are so concerned about. There has also been an outpouring of tweets responding to RBG’s death, from celebrities, many professional athletes, academics, lawyers, and regular people of all walks of life. And some spoke to the danger of Trump and the need to keep fighting.
Vigils in Washington, DC, started Friday night and continued into Sunday, with many thousands of all ages and nationalities gathering outside the U.S. Supreme Court Building. Thirty-five-year-old Shawn Boykins said, "It just reinforces that a lot's at stake in the election with so much happening, with the fires, climate change and everything. I think that this country is in a really dangerous place, and I think the fact that we're still questioning climate science, and women's reproductive rights, it's unbelievable to me." One woman said, “If he [Trump] stays in office, it might be 50 years before we get back to where we were... I’m worried about something approaching civil war because one side has all the guns. It’s not our side.”
In San Francisco, 500 people gathered for a vigil Friday night in the Castro District, a predominantly LGBT neighborhood. The tweet calling on people to gather in Harvey Milk Plaza said, "Bring a candle, and wear a mask. Let’s mourn & then get ready to fight." Speakers called on people to continue the fight around issues RBG had championed.
Photo: AP
In New York, there were a number of vigils and marches, including in Washington Square Park, Foley Square, and at the steps of the New York State Supreme Court building, where people then marched across the Brooklyn Bridge. At Washington Square Park people sang anti-Trump parodies of songs like "Amazing Disgrace," "Resist and Shout," and "Bye, Corona!"—all set "in the key of F*You."
Kerry Washington Tweet:
“Her rest is earned. It is our turn to fight.”
John Leguizamo Tweet:
“Rest with the best! But we must fight as she fought till the bitter end no matter what we cannot and must not succumb to cynicism!!!”
In Chicago, 25 people came to an emergency protest Saturday afternoon. Historian and writer Paul Street, speaking for Refuse Fascism, stressed the need for the millions who see the danger of the fascist Trump/Pence Regime to act NOW in the streets like people did in Puerto Rico, South Korea, and Egypt to drive out the Trump/Pence regime. He pointed to the determined strength of the people demonstrating for weeks after the murder of George Floyd and said, “Don’t mourn, organize to drive out the regime.” Others spoke out, including the head of the No More Foundation who called on everyone, on people from the struggles around Black Lives Matter, immigrants rights, women and LGBT rights, to take up the demand Trump/Pence Out Now because this regime is working overtime to attack all that. There was a spirited march downtown with people chanting, “RIP RBG, No Fascist Supreme Court,” “Trump/Pence Out Now,” “1,2,3,4 Slavery, Genocide, and War; 5,6,7,8 America was never great.”
In Sioux City, North Dakota, six women dressed in red robes like the characters in Handmaid’s Tale stood in silence holding signs with RBG quotes on women’s reproductive rights.
Chaz Bono Tweet:
"Completely devastated by the loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Get ready for the fight of our lives! If the prospect of 4 more years of Trump's corruption, incompetence, and autocratic desires hasn't mobilized you, then this better."
Rob Reiner Tweet:
"Today couldn't be sadder. A brilliant Jurist, Ruth Bader Ginsburg is gone. We must fight not to allow an Impeached Criminal to take her seat."
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