AUGUSTA — About four dozen people assembled on the plaza behind the Maine State House Saturday to remind elected officials whom they work for.
They came out on a sunny Saturday as part of the national We the People March, which drew people to events in Washington, D.C., and to solidarity marches or rallies in cities across the United States.
Waterville resident Laura Blake, who organized the Augusta rally, said doing so is very much out of character for her, but she felt she had to.
Like others with a background in social work, Blake said she’s confounded by current immigration policy, with children being separated from their families at the southern U.S. border and no accountability.
“Nobody has numbers or names. We have 3-year-olds in court. It’s a farce,” she said.
Blake, along with Maryellen Dunn, were the rally’s two speakers.
Dunn read from a prepared statement saying the migration of hundreds of asylum seekers to the United States is because the changing climate is making agriculture in their native countries unsustainable.
Blake hopes people are moved to take action, inspired by the protests going on around the world.
“I would consider the U.S. in the worst predicament of any of the countries protesting right now for their democracy. That in itself astounds me,” she said. “We, the people who have the Constitution and the rule of law, aren’t doing anything.”
David Livingstone came Saturday to call out capitalists and their damaging actions.
“When a crisis happens because of something caused by capitalists, (Americans) know they will still get the crumbs at the end, so they are silent,” Livingstone said. “They’re all deaf, dumb and blind.”
Other people carried signs demanding balance and announcing that no one is above the law.
What Blake hopes people will take from the event is the importance of getting people to register to vote, and then to vote.
“At the very least, I hope this is an inspiration for someone else to grab the baton next time,” and motivate people to take action, she said. “If it doesn’t happen, I’ll be here.”
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