Youth Radio Project interviews Presidents Day protesters in Salem

Jenna (Youth Radio Project): This is KEPW Youth Radio and today we are in Salem at the state Capitol building of Oregon for the Feb. 17 national Presidents Day protest.

Jana Thrift, KEPW: Ask your question.

Zia (Youth Radio Project): Why do you think it’s important to be here?

[00:00:15] Protester #1: I think it’s important to be here today because democracy is on the line. We might not be a democratic country in a year or two if we don’t come out and say it’s important to us.

[00:00:27] Zia (Youth Radio Project): What are you fighting against here?

[00:00:29] Protester #1: I’m fighting against fascism.

[00:00:31] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Can you tell us what it means?

[00:00:36] Protester #1: What fascism means? Fascism is the people don’t have a choice anymore in their government, but a single person does, and he makes decisions that are not in everybody’s interest.

[00:00:49] Zia (Youth Radio Project): What president did you want to be here, or did you want Trump to be here?

[00:00:56] Protester #1: Did I want Trump to be president, you mean? No, I didn’t want Trump to be president, because he was president once before, and that was enough for me.

[00:01:06] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Who did you want to be president?

[00:01:09] Protester #1: Well, I voted for Kamala. Thank you for the interview.

[00:01:13] Jana Thrift, KEPW: Good job! You asked the questions that were important to you.

[00:01:16] Crowd (chanting): The people united, will never be divided!

[00:01:27] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Why do you think it’s important to be here today?

[00:01:30] Protester #2: I think it’s so important right now to have numbers of people out that show support for preserving our democracy.

[00:01:46] Zia (Youth Radio Project): How do you think that democracy is important?

[00:01:50] Protester #2: I think our choice, our ability to make choices in our lives is important, to have freedom of expression and to be able to make choices and then live with the results. The problem now is that the one side is taking it beyond an appropriate place, they’re making choices that are not democratic, but rather in a belief that it serves them more than anybody else.

[00:02:25] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Thank you.

[00:02:26] Protester #2: You’re very welcome. 

[00:02:29] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Why is it important to be here today?

[00:02:32] Protester #3: It’s important to be here today because things are happening in our government that have never happened before, and it’s threatening our democracy because people are making decisions for the benefit of wealthy people and not for the benefit of America or its citizens.

[00:02:56] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Do you think other people are here for that reason too?

[00:03:00] Protester #3: Well, I’m looking at all the signs that people are holding today and I think that is why they’re here. I think that they’re unhappy with things that are happening and they feel like their citizenship is at risk or they feel that their representation is at risk. I would say that it’s important that everyone does what they can to help make sure that our country is safe and secure for your generation.

[00:03:35] So I’m here with Salem Region Indivisible, which is an organization that was founded to help strengthen our democracy. And that’s where I’m doing my part. But everybody, is encouraged to find some avenue for them to do their part as well. Just like you’re doing your part with this interview.

[00:03:55] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Thank you.

[00:03:57] Protester #3: You’re welcome. (Thank you) You’re welcome. (Peace).

[00:03:59] Crowd (chanting): The people united will never be divided!

[00:04:11] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Why do you think it’s important to be here today?

[00:04:15] Protester #4: Wow, that’s a great big question. Because I think that the more voices we have that rise up against these fascist ideals that are coming through and are here in support of women and children and education the better off we will all be in our future. 

[00:04:36] Zia (Youth Radio Project): How many people do you think are here for the same reason?

[00:04:42] Protester #4: I think we’re all here for the same reason and I think there’s, from what people are saying, more than what they thought would be here and I’m ready for even more to show up, for the same reasons and that is called political justice, it’s called LBGTQ rights, it’s called women’s rights, it’s called making sure we can all have retirements and money and a life worth living.

[00:05:06] Zia (Youth Radio Project): That’s what my (relative) said.

[00:05:10] Protester #4: Does it? I love it. You are here representing children, I really appreciate that.

[00:05:14] Zia (Youth Radio Project): How many people do you think are here today?

[00:05:17] Protester #4: Wow, I think there’s at least 1,000 at the minimum. I have no idea. Lots. Yes. Thank you so much for being here.

[00:05:30] Jana Thrift, KEPW: Can you say thank you?

[00:05:32] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Thank you!

[00:05:33] Crowd (chanting): No justice, no peace!

[00:05:45] Zia (Youth Radio Project): What does your sign say?

[00:05:46] Protester #5: Our sign says ‘Empathy over fear.’    

[00:05:50] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Do you think it’s good that all these people are here?

[00:05:51] Protester #5: I think it’s really encouraging to see so many people that are on the side of justice and doing the right thing for everybody in this country and equality. And it’s really fun to see that we have so many people that are fighting for the same thing.

[00:06:13] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Why do you think it’s important to be here?

[00:06:15] Protester #5: To show everybody that we’re fighting for them and that we want the bad things that are taking rights away to stop and for us to keep going down the road of progression so that our kids can have a better life.

[00:06:33] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Do you have anything else to say?

[00:06:35] Protester #5: Thank you for doing this. I think it’s super important that the youth gets involved as well and sees how important this is. And I think you’re doing awesome things and I’m excited about your guys’ future. (Thank you.) Thank you.

[00:06:50] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Why do you think it’s important to be here today?

[00:06:52] Protester #6: Well, clearly, as we’ve seen in the first 30 days or so of the Trump administration, he’s taking us in radical directions that this country is not meant for.

[00:07:05] It’s not what we’re based on, and I don’t think it’s really what the majority of Americans want. So it’s important for all of us to come out to these rallies which are being held all over the country today. And to show how many of us are against his policies and that he’s doing it wrong.

[00:07:22] Zia (Youth Radio Project): You know, I love how we’ve been asking a couple people the same question and everybody has a different answer. But, how many people do you think is here for the same reason? How many do you think?

[00:07:39] Protester #6: Oh, I think just about everybody is here for the same reason. Because there’s an across-the-board erosion of our rights. And so you’re going to find people here for trans rights, for education, for a whole slew of things that he’s attacking.

[00:07:56] Zia (Youth Radio Project): What does your sign say?

[00:07:57] Protester #6: It says, ‘Impeach and Deport Elon.’ And that’s because he’s really made a shadow presidency. He’s kind of a co-president. He bought the presidency for Trump. And as you can see in the news, he’s always in the White House, and he’s at times spouting off policy. And no one elected him.

[00:08:18] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Why do you think it was important that we did this today?

[00:08:22] Protester #6: Oh, it’s so important. And I bet you there’s over 1,000 people here. There should be thousands more. And there is across the country. It’s just so important that this voice, the voice of opposition to him is not drowned out.

[00:08:38] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Is there anything else you would like to say?

[00:08:41] Protester #6: No,, I’m just glad that someone like you is going along today and recording things. And we’ve seen a couple photographers come through here. We support, we support any media that’s going to record today’s events. (Thank you.). Thank you. Thank you so much.

[00:08:56] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Why do you think it’s important to be here today?

[00:08:58] Protester #7: Well, because we need to speak up. We need to, we need to make our voices heard. It’s such a dire and dark time. If you don’t come to something like this, you feel kind of alone and hopeless and powerless.

[00:09:10] But you come here and you feel like there’s some strength in the opposition. And so maybe that gives us some hope, that’s why. (People over profits, people over profits…)

[00:09:19] Zia (Youth Radio Project): How many people do you think are here today for the same reason? 

[00:09:25] Protester #7: For the same reason? All the ones I’ve talked to have been here for the same reason. Just trying to see some light in this dark time by coming together and being a community of people in opposition to what’s going on.

[00:09:39] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Is there anything else you would like to say?

[00:09:43] Protester #7: Just nice to talk to you.

[00:09:46] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Thank you for the interview.

[00:09:47] Protester #7: You’re welcome.

[00:09:48] Crowd (chanting): Say it loud, say it clear: Immigrants are welcome here! (More cowbell.)

[00:10:20] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Why do you think it’s important to be here today?

[00:10:23] Protester #8: I think it’s important for the people to stand up against tyranny.

[00:10:28] Zia (Youth Radio Project): What does your sign say?

[00:10:29] Protester #8: My sign says no war, but class war. And then I have two little video game characters, Luigi and Mario, that says ‘Free Luigi.’

[00:10:39] Zia (Youth Radio Project): What does your sign mean to you?

[00:10:41] Protester #8: That the people need to unite against the ruling class and bring our power back to us.

[00:10:47] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Is there anything else you would like to say?

[00:10:49] Protester #8: That everyone needs to hit the streets. It takes less than 4% of us to stop this. If we all fight together, we can do this.

[00:10:57] Zia (Youth Radio Project): Thank you for the interview.

[00:10:59] Protester #8: Thank you. You’re beautiful!

[00:11:01] Crowd (chanting): People over profits! The people united will never be divided! 

[00:11:36] Jenna (Youth Radio Project): This has been KEPW Youth Radio, and today we were in Salem at the state Capitol building of Oregon for the Feb. 17 national Presidents Day protest.