Anti-Trump Protest Includes Talk of Revolution
Erik Larsen , @Erik_Larsen
9:29 p.m. ET Feb. 25, 2017
Anti-Trump protest outside Toms River Town Hall by the organization, "Our Revolution," which is trying to create a Tea Party-like movement on the left. Erik Larsen, Asbury Park Press
Toms River Protest
(Photo: Erik Larsen, Asbury Park Press)
TOMS RIVER - Passionate followers of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, and other anti-Trump protesters disappointed in the defeat of Hillary Clinton, put establishment Democrats in the state of New Jersey on notice Saturday: We're coming for you next.
A peaceful protest took place in the morning and afternoon that started on foot at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church on Hooper Avenue and continued south along Hooper Avenue to Town Hall on Washington Street, a distance of about one mile.
A national organization founded as a spin-off of the Sanders 2016 presidential campaign, entitled, "Our Revolution," had organized a day of local protests, demonstrations, rallies and speeches across the country on Saturday.
In Toms River, their first stop was at St. Joseph's. The organization had stated on its website that Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J. was expected to be speaking inside. Protesters rallied outside the parish center before making the 15-minute walk to the municipal building, which was closed, but where Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-N.J. maintains a local field office inside. Once there, several community organizers and representatives of progressive organizations took turns addressing a crowd of more than 100 people over a public address system.
Richard McFarland, a devoted follower of Sanders, and a former Democratic congressional candidate in New Jersey's 11th district in North Jersey, urged those Democrats present to run for their Democratic county committees.
McFarland said he met Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia last July and told him that he served on his county committee in Passaic County and that Weaver had offered him some revolutionary-like advice.
"I thought he was going to tell me motions to make and things to do, and what he told me instantly was, 'take it over, take over your county committee and then go back and take over all the other county committees in your state. Then take over the state,'" McFarland recalled. "The Democratic county committee is a basic legislative body of the Democratic Party, it is where the rules are made and where the leaders are chosen. Now if you're not happy with the way the Democratic Party is going right now and I don't know if there is anyone here who is happy with it."
He said the Democratic Party leadership had lets its members and the American people down in election cycle after election cycle.
"We've lost the Congress," he said. "We've lost the White House and now we're about to lose the Supreme Court, I would say that's a complete and total catastrophe. ... We got to this catastrophe because you are not a part of the leadership. ... Ultimately what we have to do is take over the Democratic Party and the way we're going to do that is that everybody has to run for the inside fight — we all have to run for the county Democratic committee."
Nancy Lawrence, 64, Toms River, did not necessarily come to start a revolution. A retired history teacher, Lawrence expressed concern about the rhetoric that has been coming out of the administration of President Donald Trump, particularly his unrelenting attacks against the media.
"You know what, I hate to say it, I taught history, but that was one of the first things (Adolf) Hitler did," Lawrence said. "He delegitimized the press ... I don't want to say much more. It's scary, scary, very scary."
James Moffat, 65, of Englishtown, said he had come because he believes in the principles being espoused here. He said he fears that Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress will ultimately repeal Obamacare, but eventually Social Security and Medicare too.
"We have to be sure he doesn't take away our healthcare and our benefits," Moffat said.
Lawrence, who was listening, agreed. She said if left unchecked, the Republicans may replace Medicare with vouchers.
That is unacceptable, she said.
"What we need is universal healthcare, every other industrialized country has that, and what a shame that we don't," Lawrence said.
Erik Larsen: 732-682-9359 or elarsen@gannettnj.com
9:29 p.m. ET Feb. 25, 2017
Anti-Trump protest outside Toms River Town Hall by the organization, "Our Revolution," which is trying to create a Tea Party-like movement on the left. Erik Larsen, Asbury Park Press
Toms River Protest
(Photo: Erik Larsen, Asbury Park Press)
TOMS RIVER - Passionate followers of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, and other anti-Trump protesters disappointed in the defeat of Hillary Clinton, put establishment Democrats in the state of New Jersey on notice Saturday: We're coming for you next.
A peaceful protest took place in the morning and afternoon that started on foot at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church on Hooper Avenue and continued south along Hooper Avenue to Town Hall on Washington Street, a distance of about one mile.
A national organization founded as a spin-off of the Sanders 2016 presidential campaign, entitled, "Our Revolution," had organized a day of local protests, demonstrations, rallies and speeches across the country on Saturday.
In Toms River, their first stop was at St. Joseph's. The organization had stated on its website that Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J. was expected to be speaking inside. Protesters rallied outside the parish center before making the 15-minute walk to the municipal building, which was closed, but where Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-N.J. maintains a local field office inside. Once there, several community organizers and representatives of progressive organizations took turns addressing a crowd of more than 100 people over a public address system.
Richard McFarland, a devoted follower of Sanders, and a former Democratic congressional candidate in New Jersey's 11th district in North Jersey, urged those Democrats present to run for their Democratic county committees.
McFarland said he met Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia last July and told him that he served on his county committee in Passaic County and that Weaver had offered him some revolutionary-like advice.
"I thought he was going to tell me motions to make and things to do, and what he told me instantly was, 'take it over, take over your county committee and then go back and take over all the other county committees in your state. Then take over the state,'" McFarland recalled. "The Democratic county committee is a basic legislative body of the Democratic Party, it is where the rules are made and where the leaders are chosen. Now if you're not happy with the way the Democratic Party is going right now and I don't know if there is anyone here who is happy with it."
He said the Democratic Party leadership had lets its members and the American people down in election cycle after election cycle.
"We've lost the Congress," he said. "We've lost the White House and now we're about to lose the Supreme Court, I would say that's a complete and total catastrophe. ... We got to this catastrophe because you are not a part of the leadership. ... Ultimately what we have to do is take over the Democratic Party and the way we're going to do that is that everybody has to run for the inside fight — we all have to run for the county Democratic committee."
Nancy Lawrence, 64, Toms River, did not necessarily come to start a revolution. A retired history teacher, Lawrence expressed concern about the rhetoric that has been coming out of the administration of President Donald Trump, particularly his unrelenting attacks against the media.
"You know what, I hate to say it, I taught history, but that was one of the first things (Adolf) Hitler did," Lawrence said. "He delegitimized the press ... I don't want to say much more. It's scary, scary, very scary."
James Moffat, 65, of Englishtown, said he had come because he believes in the principles being espoused here. He said he fears that Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress will ultimately repeal Obamacare, but eventually Social Security and Medicare too.
"We have to be sure he doesn't take away our healthcare and our benefits," Moffat said.
Lawrence, who was listening, agreed. She said if left unchecked, the Republicans may replace Medicare with vouchers.
That is unacceptable, she said.
"What we need is universal healthcare, every other industrialized country has that, and what a shame that we don't," Lawrence said.
Erik Larsen: 732-682-9359 or elarsen@gannettnj.com
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