May 1 served as International Workers’ Day, an opportunity for the labor movement to hold protests nationwide against the current state of the workforce and additional government-related issues.
The May Day protest in downtown Keene was no exception, with people from Keene and the Monadnock region as a whole coming together to rally for workers’ rights.
Peter Vogel, a member of the Keene Rally Coalition (KRC), said May Day was a “key cornerstone of the labor movement,” which he described as “atrophying to great extent in this country.” Vogel said that people needed to revitalize the spirit of labor solidarity and fighting back against inequality.
Áine deDanaan, a participant who had been showing up “week after week” at KRC’s rallies, said she felt disappointed in the region for not taking part in the nationwide economic boycott.
“There’s a lot of misnomer, among some, but others who just weren’t taught to appreciate that their voice matters,” she said. “They don’t feel empowered to use their voices, but I’d like to see more young people out here.”
A nationwide, mutual goal in protests would be proper AI regulations to protect workers and to stop the Trump administration, according to deDanaan.
“Get impeachment happening, and get a follow-through with it,” she said.
Another participant, Alison, who declined to share her last name, said that younger people need to start paying attention. Like deDanaan, she said she attended KRC’s rallies every Saturday, and would go to “every protest she could.”
“I’m older. The things happening right now aren’t going to be my problem for very long, and they’ve [younger people] got their entire lives left,” Alison said. “I’ve been protesting since the 70’s, and you have to start doing it if you care.”
Alison is a nurse at a local hospital, and said she was at the rally partially on behalf of the “horrible things” happening with the United States’ healthcare system. She said, “We need universal healthcare. And we have to tax the rich. The war, the attacks on democracy–it’s everything.”
When asked why she showed up that day, deDanaan said, “The way our [New Hampshire’s] property tax system got rigged, and school districts struggling to provide appropriate education for students. People are just strapped for paying taxes.”
The KRC’s coordinator said that she would extend the nationwide protests concept from workers over billionaires to planet and people over profit. According to her, “decisions are driven at a state and national level based on financial profit, and those decisions directly leave out both the planet and humanity’s health.”
As for how the Keene community has been affected over the past few years, Vogel said, “We’re seeing that representatives, not just in Washington, but also Concord, New Hampshire, are not addressing the concerns and needs of working people.”
He continued, “Every day the cost of living, from groceries to gas, rises. Working people depend on these things for their very existence and ability to get places. There’s this deference to corporations that disregard the working class and their ability to sustain themselves. There’s a loss of healthcare subsidies, and the collapse of healthcare markets for the independently employed.”
Alison said that while Keene is “probably one of the better places [in the state],” she had a few concerns.
“We have local police departments who have made ICE [Immigration Customs Enforcement] arrests at our courthouse. Also, our state government is slowly being taken over by free state libertarians, and there’s been attacks on education,” she said.
In regard to misconceptions about rallying or protesting, the KRC’s coordinator said that attending them can spark conversations and encourage people to develop their own opinions, alongside having faith in the public.
The KRC’s coordinator described protesting and rallying as “a hallmark of democracy.” She said voicing one’s opinion and petitioning the government is essential, and people needed to adjust to doing so.
Vogel said, “It’s important that people understand this is a marathon, not a sprint. One of the greatest purposes of these rallies is to get people involved, let them know we’re here in solidarity, and build community. We’ll take the steps we need to take well beyond any future elections to build an economy that works for the working people.”
“I know people are always here, so no matter how bad the news gets, my heart feels a bit warm. And I’ve heard a lot more supportive car horns the past few weeks than I did a year ago,” deDanaan said.
Samantha Menard can be contacted at
smenard@kscequinox.com
