NOTE: In October 2017, President Donald Trump announced a visit to Morgantown, West Virginia. The city’s community showed various reactions, including the organization of a protest directed at the event. However, Hurricane Maria hit the United States only days before the event, causing it to be canceled. The protest was still hosted, and I was able to sit in on the event and interview attendees of all political perspectives. The most surprising moment was when Morgantown’s Deputy Mayor Mark Brazaitis spoke against the President, which upset many people opposing the protest.
Published by the Daily Athenaeum, Oct. 6, 2017.
During a peaceful protest in the Free Speech Zone of the Mountainlair’s brick area on late Wednesday afternoon, a crowd of protesters lowered themselves onto a knee for Morgantown.
Following the words of Katonya Hart, the executive secretary for Charleston, West Virginia’s chapter of the NAACP, the protesters agreed to stand together in unity, stick out against discrimination, show love to everyone, sign petitions, protest peacefully, protect your rights, provide safe surroundings for all, pray for each other and do anything united by love.
Speakers included Deputy Mayor Mark Brazaitis, Morgantown City Councilman Barry Wendell, West Virginia University student Sabrina Dahlia and Morgantown resident Danielle Walker, with the main topic focusing on minority injustice.
Along with protesters, many students with opposite views came out to observe the protest.
Sabrina Dahlia, a junior journalism student, was the first to speak at the event.
“I firmly believe we have power of unities and connections coming together in nonviolent, peaceful ways, showing support in opposition of hatred,” Dahlia said. “Use your voice, use each other, connection is a powerful thing. We are stronger when we come together.”
Morgantown’s Deputy Mayor Mark Brazaitis, who is also a city councilman, WVU professor of English and published author, took the spotlight to describe his beliefs on kneeling for the flag.
“In taking a knee, we’re standing up,” Brazaitis said. “Colin Kaepernick took a knee and now look at how many people are standing up. On athletic fields, in our city council chambers and here today. Thank you for kneeling, thank you for standing up.”
According Brazaitis, taking a knee represents standing up against racism, sexism, nationalism, nativism, fascism, economic and environmental injustice, denying democracy and more.
“Imagine that in the United States of the 21st century, we must stand up for democracy,” Brazaitis said. “We are standing up for voting rights and against their recent and hideous restrictions, because voting is an American right. And we must not be denied that right by people who would rather make a mockery of our constitution than lose an election.”
“We are standing up for the scientists whose profound research in climate change have been disparaged and demeaned by politicians who would rather be in power for the next twenty years than have their children and grandchildren be alive in the next one hundred,” Brazaitis added. “We are standing up for people who care about and devote themselves to science and research and the truth — we are standing up for WVU.”
Brazaitis also pointed to President Donald Trump during a moment of his speech, without using names.
“We are standing up in recognition that yes, it’s easier to point a finger for one’s fears, then it is to point a finger at someone who is like you because he’s white, or maybe orange — and no, he isn’t really like you at all because he’s rich beyond belief, and powerful beyond the worst nightmare, and is blatantly attempting to seduce you away from the truth by saying ‘hey this isn’t my fault, it’s the fault of someone who doesn’t look like you or speak like you.’”
“We are standing up for them today,” Brazaitis said. “We are standing up for our country, we are saluting our country, we are honoring our country.
Some students were surprised to see Brazaitis speaking during the event.
“I was shocked to see it,” said Jonathan Cramer, a freshman and engineering student at WVU. “I was shocked to see a southern town have a deputy mayor come out and support something like this. Or even just a town itself that is typically more conservative.”
“When I heard of this garbage move they were pulling to protest because of Trump — because that was what their original plan was, protesting Trump — I realized that they have no strong message,” Cramer said. “And when I saw them kneeling for the flag, I immediately saw the disrespect.”
“That flag is American troops who are dying overseas — men and women who have said ‘you know, I love this country enough, I’m willing to go overseas to fight and defend it against terrorism that goes on over there,’” Cramer said. “These people who want to kneel for the flag, they don’t know the meaning of a folded flag. I’ve been handed a folded flag. It means the death of someone in the military in their family. That is a life you’ve been handed.”
“I will never kneel for the flag,” Cramer said. “I will stand hand over heart, as an Eagle Scout, I will stand in uniform at a salute for the flag.”
Cramer said he was glad the protest remained peaceful, however the protesters did not use facts to support their arguments.
“They were just using their opinions and feelings,” Cramer said. “If you’re going to have protest like this, give us some actual facts to defend your side other than just your opinion.”
Erin Drummond 