Local activists marked President Donald Trump’s 100th day in office with a rally in downtown Boston to highlight what they say has been Trump’s negative impact on Massachusetts.
The activists, which represented several statewide advocacy groups, created and presented a “100 Days of Harm” list they say the Trump administration has caused, including stripping “disability” language from federal grants, cutting National Institutes of Health funding and revoking international student visas.
Each group cited a number of ways they think the president has hurt the commonwealth, and warned about further damage that could still be done.
“This federal administration, in just 100 days, has attempted to dismantle our immigration system and slam the door on immigrants who want to come here and make this country their home,” said Elizabeth Sweet, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition.
Reproductive Equity Now policy director Claire Teylouni railed against the administration’s move to cut federal spending for family planning services. “Every attack we are witnessing is a part of a larger strategy, a strategy to dismantle our rights, to silence our voices, and to strip us of our bodily autonomy,” Teylouni said.
Activists also slammed cuts to medical research, and voiced their anxiety about the future of programs like social security and Medicaid.
Health Care For All Executive Director Amy Rosenthal emphasized how the Trump administration’s actions have hampered important medical research. Many of the people her group serves are worried about cuts to health benefits.
“We cannot let these attacks on health care and our communities and our state happen in the dark,” she said. “We need people across the commonwealth to understand what the Trump administration is proposing and make sure that he hears from all of us from up here in Massachusetts when we say that we will not go back on health care.
The White House has repeatedly said it does not plan to cut Medicare or Medicaid benefits as part of its effort to reduce waste, fraud and abuse in government spending.
Rosa Bentley, the statewide President of the Massachusetts Senior Action Council, turns 80 in July.
“While I have seen tremendous change throughout my lifetime, I never imagined I would see the wave of destruction that has defined President Trump’s first 100 days,” she said. “He is trying to tear this country apart, without regard for the harm he is causing. We are here to show that he can’t tear us down, because we will stand together and fight.”
