Louisville joined the ranks of over 100 cities around the world on Saturday when scores of people gathered in front of Louisville Metro Hall for the #MarchForTruth.Louisville joined the ranks of over 100 cities around the world on Saturday when scores of people gathered in front of Louisville Metro Hall for the #MarchForTruth.
The march was held in Louisville and across the globe to “raise our voices and let our elected leaders know that Americans want answers,” according to the organizers’ website.
A press release from national organizers in Washington D.C. state the purpose of the march was to call for a full investigation of the administration of President Donald Trump for the administration’s “motives for interfering in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and ties to Donald Trump and his associates.”
Ben Evans, an organizer for the Louisville #MarchForTruth, said Louisville finds itself in good company with other cities joining the march. Additional marches were held in the region in La Grange, Lexington and Cincinnati.
He said Kentucky has an important role to play in marching as the state is represented by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, whom Evans said there is no person in Congress more responsible for blocking the truth.
“As Kentuckians, we are obligated to stand up to McConnell,” Evans said.
Over 125 people showed up on the steps of Metro Hall, with some filtering across the street, many carrying signs with sayings such as “follow the money,” “truth to power,” and “#resist.”
Several speakers were slated for the event including academics, religious leaders and environmentalists.
Samuel Marcosson, a professor at the University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law, spoke at the march. He said he viewed these times as dangerous from a constitutional perspective, saying Trump was a dangerous president who didn’t care for the truth and thinks there is no limit on his executive power.
An example of this, Marcosson pointed towards, was the firing of former FBI Director James Comey, who claims in a memo to have been pressured by Trump in February to drop the FBI’s inquiry into possible collusion between the president’s campaign associates and Russian officials before the 2016 election.
“The truth Donald Trump does not want uncovered must be uncovered,” he said.
There are four stated goals of the #MarchForTruth: establishment of an independent commission, making information readily available to the public, having Congress require Trump to release his tax returns and prosecution if “crimes were committed or if collusion is discovered.”
Sara Lynn Cunningham, director of Louisville Climate Action Network, also touched on the importance of pursuing the truth, noting how democracy should be founded on principles of transparency and accountability.
She said while she has doubts surrounding the ethics of this administration, she doesn’t claim to know all of the details. However, she followed up by saying she did know climate change “is the biggest existential threat” faced by the world. Earlier in June, Trump said the U.S. will pull out of the Paris climate accord.
Cunningham said the planet is on borrowed time and increased “climate chaos” will hurt future generations. Evans said pulling out of the Paris deal is “giving the finger to all humanity.”
Chris Rowzee, representing Indivisible Kentucky, said the march was a great exhibition of one of the pillars of democracy. She said the president’s disdain for intellectuals, scapegoating of minorities and misogyny has her concerned for the security of the U.S. but she’s still holding to the principles of truth.
“I still believe truth will win the day,” she said.
Andrew Henderson 