1 week Ago
I attended an anti-Trump rally Saturday. It was the first protest I’d been to in 50 years and at that one I was a reporter covering a Los Angeles protest in support of imprisoned Native American activist who was serving time for murder. As a journalist, in those days, no matter what your political or personal views were, it was unethical to publicly support any cause.
In the turbulent late 1960s and 1970s I covered scores of anti-Vietnam War, civil rights, women’s rights and other demonstrations. While there are some similarities between those now-historical events and today, Saturday’s protest was different. Participants were protesting not just a single cause, but dozens of disparate actions taken by the Trump Administration.
More than 1,200 similar demonstrations across the country and Germany attracted hundreds of thousands of protestors. Where I was in Ventura, an estimated 3,000 people gathered in front of the Ventura Government Center to express their outrage toward the actions of the Trump Administration. Over two hours, hundreds of passing cars honked in support while only a handful expressed opposition through an obscene gesture or comment.
Until 20 years ago Ventura County was dominated by Republicans, but for the last two decades it has swung toward the Democrats who hold most elected seats so an anti-Trump sentiment isn’t too surprising. President Trump and fellow Republicans often are dismissive of such gatherings, claiming the attendees are radicals or paid professional activists. At the event I attended, that was clearly not the case.
Hundreds of handmade signs creatively expressed why people were there. They included: —Don’t call yourself “pro-life” if you only value certain lives. —It’s not about left or right.
It’s about right and wrong. —Science, not silence. —We stand by Ukraine.
—Make America care about facts again. —I’ve seen better cabinets at IKEA —Evict Elon, resist Trump. Save our democracy.
People were protesting the recent round of massive, inflationary tariffs and cuts in personnel and programs in virtually every federal agency: national parks, Veterans’ Affairs, Social Security, education, health care, and disaster assistance, to name a few. The protesters were entirely orderly, but their words, signs and actions reveal what I think is a significant and growing anger, energy and disenchantment with Trump on dozens of levels. I hold little hope that President Trump will change.
He was taught by his mentor, McCarthy-era attorney Roy Cohn, never admit you’re wrong. Never apologize. Similarly, there is little likelihood that members of today’s Republican Party will challenge his actions or approach.
Even if they do disagree with his policies and say so privately, they live in fear of him. Related Articles Newsom touts career master plan as his governorship begins to wind down Wildfires in California: A preventable tragedy California is stuck in neutral on autonomous trucking Cities must be at the center of Los Angeles County’s new approach to homelessness It’s time to end California’s green regulatory grip on American consumers Democrats are incapable of blocking his executive actions, though the federal courts have done so in a number of instances. But in less than 80 days in office, President Trump’s actions are starting to have wide impact on average Americans.
His critics are not just political wonks, intellectuals and pundits. And most people I know expect matters to get worse. If widespread, peaceful demonstrations in the streets of America continue to grow, it will be interesting to see whether members of both parties—if only for political self-preservation—will take note, grow spines and fight against what appears to be a growing effort to create an effective monarchy in our country.
Bob Rawitch is a former L.A. Times editor and former chair of the First Amendment Coalition.
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