EASTON, Pa. — Hundreds of protesters gathered in Easton’s Centre Square on Sunday to denounce what they see as the Trump administration’s threat to American democracy.
It was the first outing for Easton United for Democracy, a newly formed advocacy group with plans for more protests against the administration and its recent actions.
“The message is that our democracy is in danger. This country has kept this democracy for almost 250 years, and we cannot let it go now.”Jan McGinley, a founder of Easton United for Democracy
“The message is that our democracy is in danger,” said Jan McGinley, one of the group’s founders. “This country has kept this democracy for almost 250 years, and we cannot let it go now.”
The group assembled a handful of speakers to rally the crowd ahead of a march, largely drawn from the Lehigh Valley’s political scene.
Among them were Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr., former U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, state Rep. Robert Freeman, former New York City television journalist Melba Tolliver and Baron Vanderburg, Muhlenberg College's director of access, inclusion and diversity initiatives.
Up first was Christopher Black, dressed in the Colonial-era outfit, familiar to many Eastonians, that he wears for annual readings of the Declaration of Independence.
This time, Black opted for other words from the Founding Fathers, starting with the preamble to the Constitution.
'We need to become engaged'
His was the first of many references to Easton’s place in history as one of three sites where the newly drafted Declaration of Independence was read to the public in July 1776 for the first time.
“It was a rally for liberty, for representation and for government that serves its people, not rules over them,” Steven Schmid, the emcee for Sunday’s march, said of that gathering nearly 250 years ago.
“That is why we are here today.”
Each speaker argued that many of the Trump administration’s recent moves, including executive orders aimed at eliminating certain federal grants and gutting some government agencies, amount to an attack on American democracy.
“Democracy is not a spectator sport, you have to get involved.”Easton Mayor Sal Panto
They also offered less lofty criticism, such as decrying possible economic fallout from new tariffs on some imported goods and condemning recent antagonism of longtime allies such as Canada.
Above all else, Sunday’s speakers told the assembled crowd that they each have the power to change the course of American politics, provided they continue protesting, contacting elected officials, and voting.
“We need you to become engaged,” Panto said. “Democracy is not a spectator sport, you have to get involved.”
With the speeches complete, the protesters began taking laps around the circle in Centre Square.
'I need to do something'
Easton United for Democracy did not exist until just a few weeks ago, when McGinley decided she needed to do something to unify Easton-area opponents of the Trump administration.
“We're going to continue to grow, and as we continue to grow, our voices are going to get louder and our protests are going to get bigger. And we're going to make our voices heard."Jan McGinley, founder of Easton United for Democracy
“When I'm in the presence of injustice, I need to do something," McGinley said. "I don't always know what to do, but I always do something.
“What I really wanted to do was something like a march and a protest, but I also wanted to do something to help us coalesce as a community.”
Drawing on her experience marching against the Vietnam War decades ago, McGinley contacted a few friends in the area: Kim Kmetz, Mary Liz Colley and Tracey Werner.
Together, they set about putting on a protest.
Easton United for Democracy’s principals are not yet sure exactly what comes next, McGinley said. They will meet next week, she said, for a “post-mortem” breakdown of Sunday’s protest with an eye toward future events.
“We're going to continue to grow, and as we continue to grow, our voices are going to get louder and our protests are going to get bigger," McGinley said.
"And we're going to make our voices heard."
