WE DECIDE: AMERICA AT THE CROSSROADS WITH JENNA FLANAGAN PRESENTS:
HANDS OFF 2025 APRIL 5 REWIND
A joint WBAI-Pacifica Radio Network Production
This past Saturday, millions of Americans turned out at one of the events planned to protest President Trump's policies that include mass firings of essential federal workers, ending collective bargaining, shuttering of federal agencies created by Congress, as well as deporting people without any due process.
The more than 1,300 anti-Trump events, slated for every state in the union, were planned by a broad coalition of of over 150 labor, pro-democracy and social justice groups.
The scale of the undertaking was reminiscent of the anti-Vietnam War mobilization over a half-century ago.
According to multiple press reports, both New York City and Washington D.C. each saw crowds of over 100,000 turnout. In most states, there were multiple events to choose from with Axios reporting that more than 45,000 turned out in Raleigh, North Carolina alone. In New Hampshire there were 16 local protests with 2,000 people turning out in Concord, the state capital.
"We could not be more united in what matters to us and I see it. I have not met one person who says yes, it makes sense for a CEO to make 268 times what I make while I live paycheck to paycheck," AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler declared on Saturday. "I have not met one person who says 'yes, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos need more tax breaks and that money should come from my mom's Medicare or Social Security.
"Finally, they are afraid of you--Trump and Musk, who want to be dictators who want to be kings and lords--are afraid of the power of love and truth and justice. They are afraid of your unity and your diversity. Let's keep them afraid until they change," Rev. Dr. William Barber told the crowd of over 100,000 in Washington D.C. "My friends, this is way bigger than just a party issue. This is an outright battle for civilization and the truth is they are all scared of your power to come together. And they are betting that we will be afraid of them. But this is the time that we must increase, intensify and embolden our agitation for what is right."
"You know union nurses have long fought for Medicare for All because we know healthcare is a human right and we know that health is not just about medical treatment. It's also about the world we live in and the support system we rely on. Those include Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Veteran Administrations," Kathy Kennedy, RN president of National Nurses United told the Hands Off 2025 rally in Washington D.C. "Yes, this current administration wants to weaken and privatize those programs that have helped millions of people stay alive, housed and cared for and without these programs vulnerable seniors, low income families--people with disabilities and veterans will suffer.....We stand up for a society that puts people over profits."
Listen to on the ground reports from AKAKU Maui Public Media, Maui, Hawaii; Austin Airwaves XOXO, Austin, Texas; KBOO, Portland, Oregon; WGRN in Columbus, Ohio; KCSB, Santa Barbara, California; WEFR LP FM, Fairmount, West Virginia; WEFT, Champaign, Illinois; KHOI, Des Moines, Iowa; KGLP, Gallup, New Mexico; KGNU, Boulder, Colorado; WGRN, Columbus, Ohio; WMNF, Sarasota, Florida; WORT, Madison, Wisconsin; WPPM, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; WSLR, Tampa, Florida; KUNM, Albuquerque, New Mexico; WUWU, Frankfort, Michigan.
Special thanks to Lisa Loving, Ursula Ruedenberg and Stephanie Schubert with the Pacifica Radio Network and the hundreds of local Pacifica reporters and producers who worked through the weekend to turn these dispatches around for you to hear them this morning.
And of course the millions of Americans who turned out to make a difference.
This program is made possible thanks to contributions from unions representing 3 million households. Special thanks to: The American Federation of Government Employees, representing 800,000 essential federal workers in all 50 states; the Transport Workers Union of America, representing 150,000 workers in the mass transit, airline, rail, utility, service, higher ed and service sectors; SEIU1199 representing 450,000 healthcare workers; 32 BJ SEIU America’s largest building service workers union representing 185,000 workers in 12 states and Washington D.C.; The New York City Central Labor Council-the nation’s largest regional labor federation representing 300 unions and over a million workers.
Please check out our website PacificaNetwork.org and use our station locator to find an affiliate near you.
Michael Haskins is our audio engineer and technical director. Bob Hennelly and Keziah Glow are our Executive Producers. We want to hear from you. You can write us at GM@wbai.org
