Winthrop alumna Marie McDow (71’) was just one of the many Rock Hill citizens who gathered on the streets of the city’s downtown Monday afternoon to protest, frustrated with the new policies and actions the Trump administration has taken since inauguration in January.
“I came because I wanted to connect with other people who feel the way I feel. The Trump administration is not my idea of the way our government works. My sign that I had said ‘No Kings in America,’ and I was horrified by the Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy. I feel like we should be a part of NATO and we should help our allies against dictators like Putin.”
Vickie Holt, the Democratic candidate for District 15 seat on the South Carolina State Senate in 2020, said she came out because of her love and fear for the country and its democracy.
Indivisible, a grassroots movement project that has multiple groups all across America, hosted its first of four protests at Rock Hill’s own Fountain Park this Monday on March 3.
The protests will be hosted every Monday throughout the month of March from 3-4 p.m. at Fountain Park, located in downtown Rock Hill and 1.1 miles away from Winthrop University.
“First of all, it’s because I believe in democracy,” Holt said. “We are on the cusp of the 250th anniversary of the dawning of this democracy, and instead of feeling as though it is getting stronger, that we have something to look forward to, I am scared. I think a lot of people are scared and the things that are being done are so very undemocratic and that needs to change.”
Alongside her expression on democracy, Holt also noted the lack of BIPOC presence as shortcoming for the organization, and expressed a desire to fix it.
“We need to get the word out that being quiet is pretty much complicity,” Holt said.
Siblings Allan and Judy Worrell shared similar reasons for their appearance at Fountain Park.
“In a nutshell, I’m trying to stop World War 3 from happening,” Allan Worrell said.
“I’m terrified that we’re losing our rule of law, and that law doesn’t mean anything anymore; when the president can just go do whatever he wants and the Supreme Court is basically allowing him.” Judy Worrell said.
Judy Worrell also shared discomfort with how widely uniformed she felt Americans are when it comes to the Electoral College and other aspects of their government.
Misinformation and drastic action by the President are two of the biggest motivators for locals’ presence at the protest.
Viera Hammond, Chair of the York County Democratic Women’s Council, said she was protesting in downtown Rock Hill against the Trump administration’s retrogressive policies.
“They’re taking us back to the old ways, and [that] is not what the country was built on,” Hammond said. “Everybody’s earned [their right] to be here. There should be equity and diversity. That is what [our country] is built on. I’m also here for women’s rights. Without women, where would you be?”
Similarly to Holt, protester Joy Robinson shared fears of Republican control and how it’s beginning to transform the American concept and application of democracy.
“I just fear that, if we don’t stand up, even if it wasn’t Trump, it’s not going to stop. I don’t know where it would stop if we don’t stand up ourselves and try to stop it,” Robinson said.
Protest attendee Susan Mann said she showed up because she fears for the country’s democracy as well.
“My main reason [for being here] is that I see our democracy at risk,” Mann said. “There are people that are scapegoating and limiting the rights of certain groups of people or turning people against [certain groups of people] so that they can have more power. I see an accumulation of power to the Executive Branch, by overriding and impoundment. I also see… a willingness to ignore the judicial branch [that leads to] a more powerful Executive Branch than what our Founding Fathers wanted. They were very adamant they didn’t want someone to have the power [of a king] and Trump wants that. Trump wants to be an autocrat and he has been fairly upfront about that, that he wants to be a dictator, and that is not who we are as a country.”
While most attendees came out of personal, specific issues they were witnessing, some showed up for the presence of those who may want to, but could not due to outside circumstances.
Mental health therapist Kayla LaPier came to the protest with her wife, Gwen LaPier. Gwen LaPier said she was personally inspired to attend the protest after a disagreement with a coworker over celebrating months like Black History Month and Pride left her feeling alarmed.
“We gotta do something about it, because when you realize that there’s really people out there like that, it’s scary,” said Gwen LaPier. “You kind of hear about it on TikTok or social media, but when it’s actually face-to-face with you, it’s a little bit nerve wracking.
“I’m a mental health therapist, and I think it’s really crucial [to show up] for people who cannot voice their opinions publicly,” Kayla LaPier said. “As a queer therapist myself, [with a] demographic that is primarily queer people, I want to make sure I’m representing them and [getting] their voices heard.”
Over the course of March, on Monday’s from the hours of 3-4 p.m., Fountain Park will be home to a peaceful protest from individuals who are wanting nothing more than a government that is truly representative of not only its citizens, but the truths it was founded on.
