Letters

I frequently find myself in agreement with letter writer Amy Paradise, but Ms. Paradise’s letter in the July 3 Southampton Press, “Time for Change,” requires a response from this Democrat.

About the successful “No Kings” rallies held across America on June 14, Ms. Paradise writes, “It seems important to me that it be clearly understood that the ‘No Kings’ protest was not organized or supported by either party.” She gives credit to the grassroots group Indivisible, and others.

Yes, Indivisible and a coalition of about 200 other pro-democracy groups organized one heck of a successful multi-site, nationwide “No Kings” protest.

However, as was pointed out in a superb letter to The Press by one of the event’s organizers, Alex Margolis, the Indivisible-led “No Kings” rally in Riverhead was organized at the grassroots level by members of the Riverhead and Southampton Town Democratic committees. Members of those two committees organized every aspect of that day’s activities, including: finding a site, coordinating with the Riverhead Police Department, inviting speakers, acquiring a speaker system, emceeing the event, recruiting marshals, providing safety vests for the marshals, and purchasing hundreds of American flags for distribution to rally participants.

Personal note: As one of the recruited marshals, trained in that task by Indivisible, I was energized by the reception of rally-goers who happily took the American flags I was tasked to hand out. And we recited: “I pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the REPUBLIC for which it stands, ONE NATION under god, INDIVISIBLE, with LIBERTY and JUSTICE for all.” (Is that “woke”?)

A cross-section of civic and religious leaders addressed a rain-soaked but energized crowd. I note for the purpose of this letter that the speakers roster included very fine elected Democratic leaders: Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado, 10th Congressional District Representative Dan Goldman, State Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni, and Southold Town Board member and Suffolk County Legislature candidate Greg Doroski. John Avlon, the 2024 Democratic candidate for Congressional District 1, also spoke (and, subsequently, through The Press’s “Viewpoint” column, issued a three-part call to action).

So, let it be clearly understood: Local Democrats were loud and proud and organized the Riverhead “No Kings” rally — with remarkable precision.

Mike Anthony

Westhampton

Anthony is a former chair of the Southampton Democratic Committee — Ed.