Why I Protest

I have had so many people ask me why I protest. “You’re a nice woman, Alyssa. You don’t need to get yourself mixed up in ‘that’ crowd.” I have been dumbfounded by this response. Just because I believe in equality and the rights of my friends and family I’m now suddenly a ‘nasty woman.’ Yet I find myself basking in the glow of that title because I don’t want to just sit and look pretty when there are so many out there that deserve the same rights I have. I refuse to see the progress we have made in the last eight years be chopped down to nothing.

I protest because I believe that healthcare should be affordable and attainable by all. I believe that people with existing conditions shouldn’t have to pay an arm and a leg for prescriptions to treat their issues. I believe that people with mental health problems should not go untreated because they can’t afford to see a therapist to get that treatment they need. I believe children with autism deserve the equal treatment that children without recieve. I believe that people with cancer and other life-threatening diseases shouldn’t have to wait to die just because they can’t afford the medical procedures and treatments. I believe that new parents should have birthing and breast feeding classes available to them should they want it. I stand for healthcare.

I protest because I believe in women rights. I believe it should be the woman’s right to decide when she wants a child. I believe that it is not fair men have access to free enhancement drugs, but women must pay high prices for birth control to not only prevent an unwanted pregnancy but also have access to it when it is needed to treat certain health conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome and endometriosis. I believe that no woman should have to fear being sexually assaulted simply because of what she was wearing or if she was drinking. I believe I deserve equal pay for equal labor. I believe that a woman should be able to feed her hungry child without getting belittled or scolded at. I believe that women (and men) should be able to have time with their newborn to bond. Women have come such a far way since the Women Suffrage Movement, and I will not see the progress of those women be ground down to nothing. I stand for women.

I protest because I believe in what Planned Parenthood does for the community. I understand abortions are sometimes preformed here, but these abortions have never been funded by Federal money. I do know that they provide sexual education, adoption information, contraception, pregnancy tests, cancer and STD screenings, and physicals for both men and women. These are services that are needed in our society. Unwanted and under cared babies are born every day because women don’t have the access to these services and are either found in dumpsters, coat hanger abortions are performed, or a child is born into poverty and is constantly sick because the family can’t care for it properly. I stand for Planned Parenthood.

I protest because I believe scientists are making great discoveries and doing wonderful things to better this world. I believe that global warming is real and that we need to start conservation projects sooner rather than later. I believe that instead of building a pipeline through sacred Native American lands and polluting drinking water and forests, we should invest in renewable resources like solar and wind power. I believe that the National Parks and Federal companies like the FDA and EPA have the right to invest in the health and education of the people rather than the poisoning and dumbing down of the nation. I believe that NASA should continue learning about outer space, thus learning about Earth. I believe that the National Parks shouldn’t be divided up and sold because our children deserve to see the beauty of nature. I believe in the right to search for various cures to promote the health of the world. I stand with scientists.

I protest because I believe everyone has the right to come to the United States and live the American dream. I believe that my ancestors did not go through weeks on a ship to get over here and begin their legacy only for others to be denied. I believe as a woman with Irish heritage, that I have no right to tell someone they can’t come here because of their identity. I believe that the United States was founded on immigration and the words on Lady Liberty need to be upheld. I believe that it’s fishy how only certain countries are banned, but others are allowed in because our president has businesses in those countries. I believe that keeping families apart based on religion and what country they come from is horrible. I believe that all should be allowed to have an education wherever they please. I stand with immigrants and refugees.I protest because I believe in our rights. I believe in the freedom of speech and being able to say “Not my president” when I’ve listened to people say it for eight years. I believe in being able to “whine” when rights are being squashed to the ground. I believe that the press has the freedom to show the truth about certain situations rather than doctored version of a story. I believe that lies should be pointed out rather than hid. I believe that paying for this wall is wrong when we were told that Mexico was paying for it even though I knew that this was going to happen. I believe in the right to practice whatever religion I want without being persecuted for it. I believe that every LGBTQ+ identifying person deserves the same rights that everyone else has. I believe that every colored person deserves to live in a safe, inviting, and equal environment. I believe that a president whose businesses have benefited from his executive orders should be impeached right away. I that our children deserve the same education we had and not this dumbing down process because the government wants us to blindly follow them. I have read the history books and have seen what happens when you dehumanize people. I have read and seen the effects of segregation. I have witnessed a whole lecture hall of people breakdown because they are scared of what’s going to happen. I refuse to allow my friends and family fall because of ignorance and hate. I stand for our rights.

I protest because I believe in our rights. I believe in the freedom of speech and being able to say “Not my president” when I’ve listened to people say it for eight years. I believe in being able to “whine” when rights are being squashed to the ground. I believe that the press has the freedom to show the truth about certain situations rather than doctored version of a story. I believe that lies should be pointed out rather than hid. I believe that paying for this wall is wrong when we were told that Mexico was paying for it even though I knew that this was going to happen. I believe in the right to practice whatever religion I want without being persecuted for it. I believe that every LGBTQ+ identifying person deserves the same rights that everyone else has. I believe that every colored person deserves to live in a safe, inviting, and equal environment. I believe that a president whose businesses have benefited from his executive orders should be impeached right away. I that our children deserve the same education we had and not this dumbing down process because the government wants us to blindly follow them. I have read the history books and have seen what happens when you dehumanize people. I have read and seen the effects of segregation. I have witnessed a whole lecture hall of people breakdown because they are scared of what’s going to happen. I refuse to allow my friends and family fall because of ignorance and hate. I stand for our rights.

I protest because I believe in our rights. I believe in the freedom of speech and being able to say “Not my president” when I’ve listened to people say it for eight years. I believe in being able to “whine” when rights are being squashed to the ground. I believe that the press has the freedom to show the truth about certain situations rather than doctored version of a story. I believe that lies should be pointed out rather than hid. I believe that paying for this wall is wrong when we were told that Mexico was paying for it even though I knew that this was going to happen. I believe in the right to practice whatever religion I want without being persecuted for it. I believe that every LGBTQ+ identifying person deserves the same rights that everyone else has. I believe that every colored person deserves to live in a safe, inviting, and equal environment. I believe that a president whose businesses have benefited from his executive orders should be impeached right away. I that our children deserve the same education we had and not this dumbing down process because the government wants us to blindly follow them. I have read the history books and have seen what happens when you dehumanize people. I have read and seen the effects of segregation. I have witnessed a whole lecture hall of people break down because they are scared of what’s going to happen. I refuse to allow my friends and family fall because of ignorance and hate. I stand for our rights.

Most importantly, I protest because I believe my future children and my niece and nephews deserve better than what we had. I want them to grow in love and friendship rather than the hate and divide that conquers the world now. I want them to see how beautiful the world could be if we loved our neighbor rather than be suspicious of them. I want them to be able to play outside again and enjoy being a kid the way I got to. I want them to discover the miracle of the Earth the way I did as I watched tadpoles grow into fish or watched a flower grow from a seed. I don’t want a world where all’s we care about is what’s on the computer screen or cell phone. I believe that we should teach our children how to take care of each other and the world because they are our future. I believe that hate breeds hate; when all you see is hate and violence on TV, that’s what you’re going to get. I believe in teaching and promoting love. I stand for our children.

I will wave my banner as a ‘nasty woman’ as long as it takes. I refuse to stay silent because others don’t agree with me. That’s the beauty of this country we live in, you don’t have to agree with me. I’m still going to fight for your rights and others even if you decide to run into me because I was in your way. Love forever trumps hate. I will follow my heart and keep on resisting.