MONROE - In solidarity with the Women's March on Washington, and those taking place on every continent around the world, some local residents will spend the noon hour today in the Women's March on Madison, giving voice to grievances with government and what they say are injustices.
Monroe resident Jeanette Kelty is one of those people. Kelty said while she did not support Hillary Clinton in the fall presidential election, she sees the Women's March as a statement against newly inaugurated President Donald Trump and his xenophobic, misogynist and "just bigoted in general" behavior.
"What is driving me to be supportive of this is that the Women's March is basically a resistance to the election of Donald Trump," Kelty said. "We don't see him as representing the true values of most Americans."
Kelty especially doubted the ability of Trump and Vice President Mike Pence to support women. A proposed tax plan in which Trump supports low taxes on higher wage earners makes Kelty uneasy because she said the burden of larger taxes will fall heavily on single family households.
"Especially as a woman, I feel very strongly that with a Trump-Pence administration ... women and children are going to be undermined," Kelty said. "People who need assistance the most aren't going to be helped."
Kelty has dedicated time to an organization called Green County United to Amend, which is part of a larger effort to overturn a Supreme Court decision which allows corporations to anonymously donate to people in office through a political action committee. She plans to hoist the group banner high as she walks down State Street.
Planned for three hours, the Women's March on Madison is expected to host seven public speakers, including U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan and 4th District Wisconsin Sen. Lena Taylor. Local bands will perform and a flash mob has been organized.
The mission of the Women's March on Washington is to move forward in the face of fear within the country, but to also voice global-level concerns brought on by the campaign of the Trump administration by sending "a bold message to our new government on their first day in office, and to the world that women's rights are human rights," according to the group mission statement.
"We stand together, recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us is defending all of us," it adds.
Vice chair of the Green County Democrats Sandy Rindy said it was important to become involved and stand up for everyone, especially those in need of reproductive health services.
"I've always been a believer in equal rights for all, but especially for women," Rindy said.
As someone who worked in helping employees sign up for health coverage for decades, she said she understands "the importance of families being able to" keep their children on insurance plans or how pre-existing conditions had been a factor in whether coverage was possible. She noted that a number of people lack the context of high health care costs from the late 1980s to 2000, when premiums doubled, in their criticism of the Affordable Care Act. Rindy said a gamut of issues, from harmful environmental practices to the dismissal of veteran care, are why she has decided to take part in the women's march.
Both women focused on future generations and their fears for the survival of young family members, like the consequences of legislation ignoring climate change. Their hope is to awaken a sense of citizenship in people. Kelty said her goal in marching this afternoon is to "protest injustice and tyranny," but to also motivate individuals to truly evaluate political candidates. Namely, Kelty felt the number of eligible voters who chose to abstain from casting a ballot in 2016 was problematic. Rindy wanted more people to become invested in the future of policy.
"You can actually have a voice by reaching out to legislators, by getting active in local groups and communities," Rindy said. "It's important to stand up for the rights of others."
Monroe resident Jeanette Kelty is one of those people. Kelty said while she did not support Hillary Clinton in the fall presidential election, she sees the Women's March as a statement against newly inaugurated President Donald Trump and his xenophobic, misogynist and "just bigoted in general" behavior.
"What is driving me to be supportive of this is that the Women's March is basically a resistance to the election of Donald Trump," Kelty said. "We don't see him as representing the true values of most Americans."
Kelty especially doubted the ability of Trump and Vice President Mike Pence to support women. A proposed tax plan in which Trump supports low taxes on higher wage earners makes Kelty uneasy because she said the burden of larger taxes will fall heavily on single family households.
"Especially as a woman, I feel very strongly that with a Trump-Pence administration ... women and children are going to be undermined," Kelty said. "People who need assistance the most aren't going to be helped."
Kelty has dedicated time to an organization called Green County United to Amend, which is part of a larger effort to overturn a Supreme Court decision which allows corporations to anonymously donate to people in office through a political action committee. She plans to hoist the group banner high as she walks down State Street.
Planned for three hours, the Women's March on Madison is expected to host seven public speakers, including U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan and 4th District Wisconsin Sen. Lena Taylor. Local bands will perform and a flash mob has been organized.
The mission of the Women's March on Washington is to move forward in the face of fear within the country, but to also voice global-level concerns brought on by the campaign of the Trump administration by sending "a bold message to our new government on their first day in office, and to the world that women's rights are human rights," according to the group mission statement.
"We stand together, recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us is defending all of us," it adds.
Vice chair of the Green County Democrats Sandy Rindy said it was important to become involved and stand up for everyone, especially those in need of reproductive health services.
"I've always been a believer in equal rights for all, but especially for women," Rindy said.
As someone who worked in helping employees sign up for health coverage for decades, she said she understands "the importance of families being able to" keep their children on insurance plans or how pre-existing conditions had been a factor in whether coverage was possible. She noted that a number of people lack the context of high health care costs from the late 1980s to 2000, when premiums doubled, in their criticism of the Affordable Care Act. Rindy said a gamut of issues, from harmful environmental practices to the dismissal of veteran care, are why she has decided to take part in the women's march.
Both women focused on future generations and their fears for the survival of young family members, like the consequences of legislation ignoring climate change. Their hope is to awaken a sense of citizenship in people. Kelty said her goal in marching this afternoon is to "protest injustice and tyranny," but to also motivate individuals to truly evaluate political candidates. Namely, Kelty felt the number of eligible voters who chose to abstain from casting a ballot in 2016 was problematic. Rindy wanted more people to become invested in the future of policy.
"You can actually have a voice by reaching out to legislators, by getting active in local groups and communities," Rindy said. "It's important to stand up for the rights of others."