OPINION: After Jackson’s May Day rally, ‘where do we go from here?’

On Thursday, May 1st hundreds of activists and everyday people from Jackson and other parts of the state and region gathered on the south side of the Mississippi State Capitol Building at noon. The gathering was for something far from the early practice of children wrapping a May Pole and engaging in other games. It was a gathering to celebrate or commemorate International Workers’ Day and Law Day.

In that sense, the rally was in coordination with similar rallies around the country protesting against the anti-labor and anti-democratic policies and practices being foisted on the American people by the Trump administration. It was protesting against the illegal and unconstitutional actions being attempted and carried out under the umbrella of executive orders issued by would-be king and dictator, Donald Trump.

Here locally, attorney Kathleen O’Beirne set the tone and got things started as the mistress of ceremonies. She made sure to mention that Mississippi Senators Cindy Hyde Smith and Roger Wicker are aware of the destructive nature of Trump’s proposals and actions when it comes to this state, and to their preferences to justify or camouflage rather than confront or contradict Trump on the proposals and actions.

Following O’Beirne was Dr. David Wood. He was so insistent on letting the audience understand that he spoke as an individual that he did not even identify the institution where he teaches. Wood’s talk focused on four myths promoted by the Trump administration in its attack on so-called illegal immigrants. 

Mississippi Association of Educators executive director, Erica Webber Jones, then spoke on the need for the continued existence of the U.S. Department of Education, the importance of strong public schools, and the current teacher shortage stemming from low salaries, among other things. 

After an artistic break, Dr. Scott Crawford spoke on several projects and initiatives being threatened by Trump, including Ukraine, Head Start, Medicaid, AmeriCorps, and aid to disabled individuals. 

Speakers closed with long-time state labor leader Brenda Scott speaking on behalf of public sector workers, including their rights to a living wage and full medical benefits, and long-time labor organizer Sanchioni Butler, speaking on behalf of the need to protect workers and their benefits from corporate greed.

The topics and issues covered by these Jackson speakers were mirrored by speakers across the country; in every state – the state capitals, large cities and small towns. Furthermore, such issue-laden protests have been covered to such an extent by the media that public opinion polls today clearly show that on every major issue – illegal immigration and the removal of Latin American migrants, tariffs, and economic matters such as inflation, the gutting of certain federal agencies and the threatening of other agencies and programs, foreign affairs and national security, and the general movement toward authoritarianism – the majority of Americans stand in opposition to what the Trump administration is doing and planning to do.

This means that the Jackson May Day rally and others have played a significant role and should be continued. If they ceased to be held, people could get the impression that conditions have improved; that the Trump administration has decided to act or operate differently.

That is not the case, so organizers should keep up that pressure and see what more can be done to salvage democracy and human rights, including the interests of working-class people, from the destructive path of the Trump train.

In that vein, the following major questions must be asked: (1) Will public opinion, as noted above, be reflected in the upcoming elections to such an extent that Democrats can lead Congress to halt, roll-back, and reform the current destructive agenda? (2) Is this widespread dissatisfaction shared by the courts and will they, including the Supreme Court, issue rulings reflecting the same? (3) What happens if and when Trump decides to disobey the Supreme Court orders? (4) To what extent are these disaffected citizens willing to use civil disobedience and other direct actions to block the enforcement of Trump’s illegal orders and/or his refusal to faithfully execute the laws beneficial to the common people when he disagrees with them?

In conclusion, after having witnessed or even participated in a bit of history, the question is, “where do we go from here?”