Local residents rally to show support for victims of hate, bigotry, violence in Charlottesville

By Michele Bourdieu

During a rally in support of the victims of recent racist violence in Charlottesville, Va., local concerned citizens cross the Portage Lift Bridge on Aug. 13, 2017, displaying signs against racism, bigotry and hatred. (Photo by Allan Baker for Keweenaw Now)

HOUGHTON -- With less than 24 hours' notice, a group of concerned citizens gathered at the Houghton waterfront park on Sunday evening, Aug. 13, for a rally and walk across the Portage Lift Bridge to show solidarity with the victims of racist violence last weekend in Charlottesville, Va.

Among participants in the rally are, from left, Miguel and Anita Levy of Chassell and Gustavo Bourdieu of Hancock, displaying signs in preparation for the march. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

After a brief candlelight vigil, about 50 participants walked across the Portage Lift Bridge to Hancock and back, displaying signs expressing their opposition to racism, bigotry and hatred and their hopes for healing love.

Chris Alquist and her son Toby Dawson light candles during the vigil at Houghton's waterfront park on Sunday, Aug. 13. (Photo by Allan Baker for Keweenaw Now)

Emily Shaw, Michigan Tech graduate student in Civil and Environmental Engineering, who organized the march via Facebook and email -- posting the announcement just after midnight on Sunday morning, Aug. 13 -- said about 50 people showed up for the event Sunday evening.

"I think it's important for us in the Houghton area to create a community that is supportive of and welcoming to people of color, and that demands that we denounce white supremacy," Shaw said.

According to Shaw, the Houghton rally was one of 400 similar events held across the country to show solidarity with the victims of the violent white supremacy demonstration in Charlottesville, Va.*

Carrying signs of protest, local residents rally to resist the recent racist violence in Charlottesville, Va. They march from the waterfront in Houghton, Mich., to the Portage Lift Bridge, cross the bridge and return. Passing vehicles show support by honking horns. Click on YouTube icon for larger screen. (Video by Keweenaw Now)

Petra Huentemeyer, Michigan Tech professor of physics, said she participated in the Houghton rally because she was so shocked to see the video of the violence in Charlottesville.

"I thought I'd come out here to support peace and diversity and also minorities that don't have a voice," Huentemeyer said. "It's good to see that quite a few people are conscious of the problem."

Sarah Hoy, who is doing her second year of post-doctoral studies in forestry at Michigan Tech and on Isle Royale, with the Isle Royale Wolf-Moose study, had a similar reaction to the events in Virginia.

"I was very upset and saddened by what happened in Virginia, and I came here to show support," she said.

Liz Mahoney and her husband, Carlos Amador, Michigan Tech professor of Spanish, also participated in the rally after learning about it through Facebook. No stranger to rallies and protests, Mahoney said she has been an activist since living in Austin, Texas.

Several members of the Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship participated in the Houghton rally and displayed this banner in reaction to the hate groups' actions in Charlottesville. (Photo by Allan Baker for Keweenaw Now)

The rally concluded with a brief message from Chris Rothbauer, pastor at the Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (KUUF), and thanks from organizer Emily Shaw:

The Rev. Chris Rothbauer, pastor of the Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Houghton, speaks to rally participants on the importance of meeting together to resist racism and antisemitism. Emily Shaw, rally organizer, announces she will post communications of future events on Facebook and via email. Click on YouTube icon for larger screen. (Video by Allan Baker for Keweenaw Now)**

The rally and walk were quiet and peaceful with the exception of a very loud truck that drove very fast past the walkers, spewing black, malodorous exhaust on them.

* Emily Shaw said she learned of these community resistance events through the non-profit, grassroots group Indivisible. Click here for information on their work.

** To learn about future events like this you can email Emily Shaw at shaw.emily2@gmail.com and ask her to add you to her email list. You can also go to the Facebook page Keweenaw Showing Up for Racial Justice.

Local "Bergman/Trumpcare Die-In" event to expose dangers of "American Health Care Act" May 13

"Die-In" participants display signs to warn of the potential deadly consequences of the "American Health Care Act" passed last week by the U.S. House of Representatives. (Photo via @Indivisible_SAZ and courtesy Marika Seigel)

HOUGHTON -- Veteran's Park in Houghton will be the scene of a "Bergman/Trumpcare Die-In" at noon on Saturday, May 13. The Houghton County Democratic Party, in partnership with Indivisible and Houghton/Keweenaw Forward Action Michigan, will host this event in order to expose the "American Health Care Act" (AHCA, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last week) for the harm it will do, to hold Congressman Bergman accountable to his constituents for the lives that will be lost, and to put the Senate on notice that the only way forward for the American people is Medicare-for-All.

According to the progressive group Indivisible, "A die-in is a form of nonviolent direct action protest where participants publicly pretend to die to highlight a deadly problem."*

Here is the problem:

Under the AHCA, as passed by the House, more than 24 million Americans would lose their health insurance over the next 10 years. This includes over 40,000 residents of Congressman Jack Bergman’s 1st District of Michigan. It is estimated that upwards of 44,000 Americans could die every year from lack of health insurance. Guaranteed protection for persons with pre-existing conditions would end, resulting in no coverage or premiums that are unaffordable by many Americans. Older Americans would pay far more for health insurance and health care. The tax on high income taxpayers that extended the solvency of Medicare would be repealed, throwing the future of Medicare into doubt. Medicaid would no longer be a program for anyone who qualifies but, rather, a block grant to states who would have to ration care and cut the quality of services.

The only people who come out ahead under the AHCA are the wealthy and corporations. They would get over $600 billion in tax breaks while the rest of us pay more for health care or are denied access to affordable health care. Bottom line is that the AHCA is nothing more than a tax break for the wealthy. This is the bill that Congressman Bergman -- who is supposed to represent the constituents of the 1st District -- voted for. He must now own it and all the adverse consequences that follow.

This bill now goes to the Senate but, unless the Senate adopts Medicare-for-All, there isn’t much that the Senate can do to take the harm to Americans out of the AHCA. This is an immoral piece of legislation that must be defeated.

How to participate in the Die-In:

Gather at Veteran's Park at noon on Saturday, May 13. Bring a sign shaped like a tombstone. The sign could name a pre-existing condition that would no longer be covered, comment on the AHCA, or call out Bergman/the GOP directly. A sign-making event will be held in the Michigan Room of the Portage Lake District Library from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 11. You can drop in at any time during these two hours to make a sign. Supplies will be on hand. (If you don't have time to make a sign but would still like to participate in the die-in, please come anyway!)

Program:

The MC will make opening remarks about the AHCA, and then signal that it is time to die (lie down) with the phrase "Here are the consequences." At that point, participants lie down and hold up tombstones. (If you are not able to lie down, you could bring a folding chair to sit in or remain standing).

Several people will share brief (1-2 minute) stories about how the Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare) helped them, or about how the AHCA would negatively effect them or people they love. If you would be willing to share a story, please email Marika Seigel at marika.seigel@gmail.com. Those who are sharing stories should remain standing and lined up next to the MC.

The MC will make closing remarks and then signal that it is time to stand with the phrase "We will rise."

* Click here to learn about Indivisible.