Today, Beth, Ann, Grace, Claire and Amelia are in Washington D.C., for what I am calling the “monumental” Women’s March on Washington. They are among many of the people I admire most in the world, standing there together in D.C. – while thousands and thousands more of “us” are uniting in solidarity in cities across America.
Why do we march? Today’s Women’s March on Washington sends the new presidential administration this message (among many others): Women’s rights are human rights.
While I am not there today physically, I am fully with my people in spirit: I stand with them today and always. And for my part, here are my answers:
. I support equality for women and LGBT individuals, “women’s choice,” non-discrimination and religious freedom.
. I stand against threats to our national security like those represented by Russia’s – and the FBI’s – interventions into the 2016 presidential election.
. I support laws preventing elected officials from engaging in conflicts of interest.
. I support political campaign finance reform.
. I stand against corrupt and conflicted presidential advisors and cabinet members.
. I support peaceful and progressive foreign diplomacy, universal human rights and the United Nations.
. I support common-sense gun control measures.
. I support the National Endowment for the Arts and other similar institutions that foster arts education and appreciation.
. I believe in science and logic, and that every student deserves the opportunity to receive an affordable, quality education.
. I believe modern climate change is a grave, man-made consequence of shortsighted energy policies and I support clean, renewable energy.
. I stand against destroying natural resources and violating human rights to mine and exploit fossil fuels.
. I support Obamacare but also continuing healthcare reform as proposed by Senator Bernie Sanders.
For starters. :^)
I feel very proud of my family’s record in supporting what we value, and combating what we oppose. Below you can see some of the events that have compelled us to march. Looking to the future, you are very likely to find us all in Washington, D.C., again on April 29 of this year as part of the People’s Climate Mobilization. There, thousands of us will demonstrate for the protection of America’s communities and climate, and push forward a vision for a clean energy economy that works for us all.
Thanks to our Boone, North Carolina friends Sam and Joan Zimmerman, Dr. Harvard Ayers and David Harman, we first learned about the Keystone XL Pipeline at an afternoon get-together on Oct. 15, 2011. Less than a month later, Claire, Amelia and I were able to join them, their loved ones, and about 10,000 other people in D.C. for our first protest march ever. Of course those events were covered on this blog.
. Oct. 24, 2011: Please help stop the Keystone XL Pipeline.
. Nov. 2011: Thanks friends.
And we all helped make a serious impact.
. Nov. 7, 2011, Democracy Now: 10,000 Surround White House to Protest Keystone XL Tar Sands Oil Pipeline
. Nov. 8, 2011, New York Times: Keystone XL Pipeline Decision to Be Investigated
Next, on Feb. 17, 2013, Ann, Beth, Grace and Riley joined Claire, Amelia and me at the Forward on Climate demonstration in Washington, D.C. It went down as the largest climate event ever.
Not too long after that, it was me, Beth, Sam and Joan Zimmerman, Harvard Ayers, Mackie Hagaman, and Dave and Barbara Harman, together with over 300,000 others, who united for The People’s Climate March in New York City (and around the world) on Sep. 21, 2014. More groundbreaking history was made that day and a new record was set for the largest climate change march of all time.
. Sep. 21, 2014, New York Times: Taking a Call for Climate Change to the Streets
Onward friends, and thank you for being part of the journey in your own way. In parting, I want to add one last bit of information that I personally interpret as optimism for the future.
"To all the little girls watching…never doubt that you are valuable and powerful & deserving of every chance & opportunity in the world."
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 9, 2016
