By Bill Parry
Dozens of progressive Democrats and members of immigrant and LGBT organizations joined elected officials for a rally at Travers Park in Jackson Heights to mark the one-year anniversary of President Trump’s election Nov. 8.
The overall message of the protest, organized by the New Visions Democratic Club, was to “stand to protect our values and save our democracy” as speaker after speaker assailed the current administration.
“Over the past year, the Trump administration has eroded our nation’s democratic values including equality, respect and tolerance,” City Councilman Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria) said. “Whether through trying to implement a travel ban, ending DACA, or working to overturn the ACA, the administration has turned a blind eye towards Americans in need. “The administration’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord and the Clean Power Plan show that they will put the interests of the fossil fuel industry over our country’s environmental air quality and public health. Our city will continue to resist the Trump agenda by implementing our own policies to combat climate change and promote equality.”
While Constantinides is the chairman of the Council’s Environmental Protection Committee, City Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) is chairman of the Committee on Education.
“We were basically calling attention to Trump rolling back DACA and transgender rights and his attack on Muslims. We’re appalled at his tone and all of the lying that occurs with this guy,” Dromm said. “It’s also the bizarre behavior on the part of the president in front of the international community. To have this man representing us is an embarrassment with his inappropriate and uncouth behavior. Especially after all of the work Obama did to clean up after the Bush administration.”
Dromm said while the tone of the rally was angry at first, many of the speakers pointed to advances by “the Resistance” as Democrats rode to key victories across the country the day before the general election. U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing) the vice chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, issued a statement Election Night heralding the party’s election results.
“With solid, and, in some cases, historic wins in Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Washington and other local races throughout the country, voters send a clear message that they’ve had enough,” Meng said. “They want jobs, affordable and quality health insurance, immigration reform, gun safety, environmental protections, and a fair tax system that benefits all middle-class Americans. And, most importantly, the Americans are done with the race-baiting and hate that has come increasingly prominent in politics at all levels.”
Meng said the results were a product of organizing, especially in African-American, Latino, Asian American, Pacific Islander and New American communities.
“And the DNC’s investments in these outreach efforts were critical to Democratic victories, including the impressive number of ‘firsts’ who were elected from Hoboken to Minneapolis,” she said. “Make no mistake — Democrats still have more work ahead in order to rebuild the Democratic Party. We must continue our outreach and organizing efforts. But (this) repudiation of Trumpism moves us further down the path for additional victories, particularly as we enter the critical midterm elections next year.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparr
