Madison was among more than 1,200 communities across all 50 states that held rallies on April 5 in opposition to recent policies and executive orders from the administration of President Donald Trump.
According to Jeanne Dufort, one of the event’s organizers, national attendance estimates were somewhere in the neighborhood of four million, with about 300 showing up in Town Park for the Madison rally, which included attendees from Morgan County, plus Newton, Jasper, Putnam, Greene, and Hancock counties.
“It was amazing to see people young and old gather to affirm a simple idea: that we believe in good government,” Dufort said. “We believe that together we can take care of our most vulnerable, keep promises to our vets and seniors, help our small farmers, support medical research, and enjoy clear water and air. I hope that we all continue to stand up for the idea of the common good — something we have been practicing in Madison for many generations.”
The event was co-sponsored by the Morgan County Democratic Committee and Indivisible Georgia District 10.
Featured speakers for the event included Doug Mundrick who shared his experiences working for the Environmental Protection Agency for 42 years; Alan Jenkins, manager of the Academy Mill Farm and who, as a new farmer, is attempting to use regenerative agriculture techniques to benefit soil, streams and wildlife habitats in Morgan County; Stratton Hicky, a Madisonian whose family has been in the area since the early 1800s; Becky Adkins who worked as an educator and children’s minister in Morgan County and currently teaches English as a second language in Clarke County, where she is active in the immigrant rights coalition; and former Athens-Clarke County Commissioner and former 12th District Congressman John Barrow who was co-chair of the Blue Dog Democratic Coalition.
Barrow’s primary focus was on Social Security and recent efforts by Trump to privatize it.
“Social Security serves 73 million people,” Barrow said. “It virtually eliminated poverty among seniors in our country.”
Barrow said that Trump, Musk, and Republicans are “lying through their teeth” when they claim the system is riddled with fraud and abuse.
“It is audited every year, and about one percent of its payments are improper,” Barrow said. “They say it’s the biggest Ponzi scheme in history.”
Dufort argued that the American system of government requires that “we be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars. Waste, fraud, and abuse have no place in any system — and rooting them out should always be a priority.”
“If we want durable, meaningful change, we don’t act out of anger or fear,” Dufort told rally attendees. “We make a plan. We consult the experts. And above all, we stay true to our values. That’s what today is about. It’s about standing together — to say we believe in the common good, and in the people who help us build it every day.
“Over the past few weeks, I’ve had conversations with people who do have something to say — but have chosen to remain silent. And I understand why. The consequences of speaking out are plain to see. Grants withdrawn. Sanctions threatened. International students detained. Careers ended. Just this week, 10,000 people at the Department of Health and Human Services were let go. Entire departments eliminated — abruptly and without warning.”