FRAMINGHAM – “I don’t feel like celebrating today. A country that does not protect its citizens is not one I want to celebrate,” said We Dissent demonstration organizer Grace Snedden of Framingham to a crowd assembled in front of the Framingham District courthouse Independence Day morning.
Men, women, and teens wearing black showed up at 9 a.m. for the “We Dissent” demonstration, after the U.S. Supreme Court in a 6-3 vote overturned Roe vs Wade and changed abortion rights in many states across America.
“How dare this activist court make a decision that will allow states to violate privacy and endanger lives,” said Snedden.
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“We never expected to see so many people,” said co-organizer Esta Montano of Framingham.
Montano protested for women’s rights and abortion rights decades ago, and is angry to having to fight for them again, now.
She carried a sign that said “I already marched for this in the 70s. We will not go back.”
“We have to remember that this issue affects all people …. which means trans(gender)men,” said Montano. “And it affects non-binary folks.”
Montano also noted that the demonstration crowd was mostly white, and that “access to healthcare, access to abortion for women of color has long been very problematic. …. We have to lift up our BIPOC sisters.”
“We are here for our sisters everywhere,” said Montano.
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State Representative Maria Robinson urged the crowd to get involved politically. She said “protest” vote but also support pro-choice candidates in states other than Massachusetts.
Rep. Robinson said she has family members who are “extremely against abortion.
“I live with some,” said Rep. Robinson, who represents Framingham.
But Rep. Robinson urged everyone to have the difficult and “tough” conversations with family members and friends and educate them to the facts.
“A lot of people don’t really understand what abortion means,” said Rep. Robinson. “A lot of people think abortion means getting rid of an unwanted child.”
Robinson explained it could mean that you had a miscarriage and you need a D&C to get rid of a infant that is not capable of life.
State Rep. Jack Patrick Lewis was the one man to speak.
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“I want to echo what the others have already said, and say thank you. Thank you so much for grabbing your family, and harnessing your fear and righteous anger and those last little elements of hope in our hearts and coming out today,” said the Framingham & Ashland state representative.
Other speakers included District 7 City Councilor Leora Mallach and former District 7 City Councilor Margareth Shepard, and Democratic activist Norma Shulman.
No other elected leaders were spotted in the crowd on Monday, except for Library Trustee Isabella Petroni.
After the speaking, the attendees lined Concord Street on both sides with signs. Cars and trucks honked horns at the demonstrators. The event lasted about two hours.
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Photos by Petroni Media Company for SOURCE media
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Updated at 9:45 a.m. to fix spelling of a name
J And Company 
Representative Jack Lewis 
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