On a cool and cloudy August 26, I gave up part of my Sunday afternoon to attend a rally in protest of Donald Trump’s nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. As everyone knows, or should know, Supreme Court Justices are appointed for life. They aren’t voted for by the people, but appointed by the president. Judge Kavanaugh would turn back the clock on women’s reproductive rights, on gay rights, on health care accessibility, on environmental standards.
This rally was organized by NARAL (National Abortion Rights Action League) and Planned Parenthood, but advocates for gay rights and environmental rights also made pleas against this nomination.
If Judge Kavanaugh becomes a Supreme Court justice he will vote against abortion rights, against gay rights and against environmental regulations. If gay marriage were to come in front of SCOTUS again, Kavanaugh would vote against it.
Several rallies were held this day all over the country. Washington had several. I attended the one in downtown Seattle at Westlake Center. I estimated about three to four-hundred in attendance. I was disheartened to see so few. The apathy of people in this country never ceases to astound and disappoint me. We have fascism now because people can’t be bothered to participate.
There was a wall with postcard messages as to why not confirming Judge Kavanaugh was a good idea. The postcards were going to D.C., though I doubt anyone there will take these messages to heart. If anything it will make republicans double down on their attacks of anyone who’s not a white man over the age of 40.
Someone from NW Abortion Access Fund explained how their organization pays for abortions for women who can’t afford them and pays their transportation when they have to travel many miles to get an abortion. Most of these women come from Idaho where it’s very difficult to get an abortion. They are always in need of funds. States where abortion is limited will become non-abortion states if Kavanaugh sits on the bench.
Kavanaugh is on record saying the president is above the law. That belief just smacks of fascism, of a dictatorship where a sitting president is not held accountable for any misdeeds he does.
Senator Patty Murray wrote a letter of support that a representative read on her behalf, pledging her support and that she planned on voting against Kavanaugh’s appointment.
What gets me is that the republican party is the self-proclaimed right to life party, yet they are the party trying to take away people’s access to health care. Lack of access to health care means people will die. Abortions won’t stop it they become illegal again. It will just mean women die from back alley abortions. This is the party that is rolling back environmental regulations causing the air we breathe and water we drink to become poisonous. I fail to see how they are pro-life as much as they’re anti-women. Their opposition to abortion is more about their hatred of women than it is about protecting life.
The rally ended with chants of, Hey Hey! Ho Ho! Kavanaugh has got to go!
– All photos property of Holly Homan, all rights reserved.
