The event was organized by the Berkshire Brigades.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — With a presidential election coming up, activists say it is especially important to protect democracy in 2024.
"Three years ago for the first time in the history in this country, the president of the United States instigated a revolt that led to the capital of our Congress being breached. It didn't happen in the Civil War, it didn't happen in the War of 1812 when they burned the White House," state Sen. Paul Mark said in Park Square on Saturday.
"For the first time in American history, the Capitol was invaded by people trying to stop the counting of electoral college votes so no matter what anyone else thinks about policy, as Republican candidates for the presidency are saying, Donald Trump is not fit to serve as our president."
Around 50 people gathered on the third anniversary of the insurrection for a standout organized by the Berkshire Democratic Brigades as part of the Four Freedoms Coalition. On Jan. 6, 2021, supporters of former President Donald Trump breached the House chambers attempting to disrupt the certification of the electoral college vote and the election of Joseph Biden.
The Associated Press reports more than 1,200 people have so far been prosecuted for misdemeanor and felony crimes related to the attack on the Capitol. Hundreds more are expected to be arrested in the coming year and Trump is scheduled to stand trial in March for trying to overturn the election.
"This attack on our democracy didn't just happen. It's been happening slowly for the past 10 years. Human rights for all people in totality have never existed. There has always been some marginalized group of humankind excluded from their freedoms under our Constitution. This is our history. We must not repeat it," Berkshire NAACP President Dennis Powell said.
"Blacks were denied the right to read. Now having the right to read what we want or should read or want our children to read is under attack right here in our community and here as we enter into 2024, with all the bills and laws passed, every human’s right to vote is still under attack. Voting is our democracy. It is how we fight the evils within our country and our government. At the polls."
State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier asked the crowd "What is it that democracy looks like?" and attendees joined her in saying "This is what democracy looks like."
Attendees recognized that young people were missing from the standout and Farley-Bouvier said it is important to look at who is not there and how they can be engaged over the next several months because "Democracy itself is on the ballot this year" and we need to "Get ready for the fight of our lifetime" to save it.
"Now whether we go back to when George Washington made the decision to step down from the presidency itself or whether he resigned his commission from the Army, we can say that for 240 years we had a democracy," she said.
"We had a peaceful transfer of power until three years ago when we came inches, inches away from losing that and so we have to ask each and every one of us has to really look inside ourselves and say, what is it that we will do to save that democracy. We’re here today. That is a really good step but we have a long way to go to November 2024. We've got to take on that work and take it very, very seriously."
Eleanor Velez pointed out that some countries celebrate Epiphany on this day — the holiday when the three wise men visited baby Jesus in Bethlehem, according to Christianity.
"I think it's important that we realize that for one, people have to stand up. That wise people have to risk it. And it was also shepherds that stood by that baby," she said. "And this is not religious. This is about standing for quality of life for everyone. For your children, my children, their children."
She said she left the Berkshires two years ago disheartened with the madness she was seeing and now she fears that many others feel the same. She pointed to a 2017 march that brought around 1,500 people to downtown Pittsfield to stand for the four freedoms.
"In 2017, we had over 1,000 people with worse weather marching, standing up for democracy before the Capitol was taken. It was when we anticipated something horrible was going to happen. We stood up for the freedom of speech, the freedom of religion, the freedom of fear, the freedom of want, and we stood up and there were lots of children and young adults chanting with us 'This is what democracy looks like.'"
Velez asked attendees to "light that fire" with family members, neighbors, and friends because "We need this country to continue being what it has been for so many years: The beacon of hope for so many, so many people around the world."
Marietta Rapetti Cawse said it is an important time for the four freedoms.
"This is the time in antiquity when the three kings found the Christ child and that's important because of helping the least of us," she said.
"And then I think about Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the 1940s when he stood up for the four freedoms, on Jan. 6. I don't think that's a mistake. I think that is purposeful and I think that we all need to be alert, alive, caring, and helping one another."
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