Political funeral procession takes to city streets

Anita Varma News Editor

A somber funeral procession made its way through the streets of Poughkeepsie on Sunday, Nov. 7. Accompanied by a drummer and hushed talk, 16 pallbearers carried four coffins. Three of these coffins read “Justice,” “Liberty” and “Peace.” The fourth was solid black.

This procession was a protest against the re-election of the Bush administration. Specifically, these students and Poughkeepsie residents had decided to protest in order to demonstrate the “death of democracy” in light of the presidential election results.

“I think the reason we’re doing this today is to channel feelings of dispossession and disappointment. It’s meant to be cathartic, to mourn in a theatrical way. This is a small action in a spectrum of actions that are going to be forthcoming. It’s a step in coalition-building,” said Max Shmookler ’06.

The official name of the demonstration was “Funeral Procession: Addressing Themes of Justice, Liberty, and Peace.” This protest was not sanctioned by Vassar College, nor was it a Vassar Students Activist Union event. Students from Bard College as well as the State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz marched alongside Vassar students. Also, members of the Dutchess Greens, Dutchess Peace Organization, and other Poughkeepsie residents marched alongside students.

“The origin of this came from Bard, and organization has been between Bard and Vassar,” said Shmookler.

“Bard got in touch with us and wanted to do something. [Approximately] 107 Bard students were turned away from voting,” added Mike Klein ’06. “They were very angry. That was the impetus for them to be involved.”

Bard students explained that they wanted to have a public protest to show that despite election results, they will not stop voicing their opinions.

“I think it’s really important to stay visible and not just disappear after a defeat,” said Annie Lawson ’07, a Bard student.

“I also think this is kind of expected…We stand for everything [Bush] does not. There’s going to be some unity here,” added Mariel Mallin ’07, also a Bard student.

Protestors met at noon in Malcom X park, Poughkeepsie. Students were joined by adults who had decorated signs to carry. The number of people swelled as more cars arrived with Bard and SUNY New Paltz students.

The protest was unregistered. Vassar students Shmookler and Owen Henkel ’05 served as marshals for the event. “If the police tell us we can’t protest, we’ll disperse after talking to them,” Henkel told the group.

By 12:30 p.m., close to 85 people had gathered, prepared to protest. Students noticed a small counterprotest across the street, in front of a church. Counterprotestors held signs that read “We gave peace a chance / We got 9/11 / Never Forget” and “Support Our Troops.” Several members of the funeral procession group seemed surprised that the counterprotestors had heard of their plans.
The protest lasted for about an hour, with stops near City Hall and a triangle of grass near a highway merge point. The final stop on the grassy area was unplanned, and most Vassar students did not go. Bard students laid down and simulated dying in front of coffins adorned with dead flower bouquets.
Vassar students attended the protest to express unhappiness at the Bush administration’s decisions and electoral victory. Advertising on campus was last-minute, with several e-mails sent to students the day before the protest.

“Since it is right on the heels of the election, it’s been hard to plan,” said Klein.

Vassar College Democrats did not support the funeral procession. College Democrats President Michael Donnelly ’07 sent out an e-mail to his organization, informing its members that the College Democrats were not asking students to attend, as the executive board believed that the election was fair and democratic.

“We really didn’t think it was the right mindset,” said Tyler Crosby ’07, member of College Democrats’s executive board.

College Democrats’ executive board emphasized that they do understand the emotional disappointment with the outcome of the election. “We understand the emotions people had invested. We worked so hard for it, so we certainly understand the impulse,” said Kelly Peterman ’07. “But the message of the event was a little too negative.”

“The fact is that democracy isn’t dead,” said Rachel Zoghlin ’07.

Many protestors from Vassar agreed that democracy still exists. “I don’t agree with the idea of this being the death of democracy,” said Kathy Rose ’05. “I don’t think anyone agreed with that,” added John Raub ’05.

“It is important for us to come together,” continued Rose. “It was a fair election, but I’m okay with the ‘death’ theme because of all the people who will die because of George Bush…This is one thing we can come together on.”

“I’m not quite sure I agree with this. Democracy isn’t dead, George Bush won fair and square, and that’s even scarier,” said Ariel Braverman ’07. “If anything, we should be having a Civil Rights March.” Braverman decided to attend the protest in order to photograph it.

“I’m here as a friend and supporter as opposed to someone who is incredibly engaged,” said Klein, who sent out one of the mass e-mails advertising the protest on Saturday evening. “I think it’s important for some people to express their sadness and frustration—through the funeral—with changes and continuations of policies for the next four years.”

The group of protestors decided tentatively to hold another protest close to Veteran’s Day, on Friday, Nov. 12. When asked if College Democrats would endorse the second protest, Donnelly replied, “Messages can vary based on organizers. I would want to see what their message is before we support it.”

Organizers of the funeral procession from all three colleges, as well as Poughkeepsie residents, expressed determination in demonstrating on the streets of Poughkeepsie again soon. Some students feel that this is the only outlet for their unhappiness with the election and will coninue to attend.

“It didn’t seem like there was a good way to express our displeasure at the election other than this,” said Emily Hudson ’08.