About 200 people gathered at the City Hall in Atlanta Saturday afternoon to take part in a #StopTheSteal demonstration, protesting the ongoing 2020 election results and ballot counting processes.
“We’re doing this to protect democracy,” one man told me.
“To protect our republic,” his friend added.
They looked at each other, nodding in agreement.
The ongoing #StopTheSteal demonstrations, a series of protests being held in multiple states throughout the country, began as an internet hashtag that quickly gained steam in “real life.” The demonstrations are intended to show a group of citizen’s distrust of the processes in place in this year’s election.
Supporters, who ranged from Republicans to Tea Party members, Libertarians to Constitutionalists, and more, cited a general distrust of what they call “the establishment.”
“It’s all about anti establishment versus establishment,” one man told me. “And I see Trump as bucking that system.”
“My daughters may be liberal, but they’re really the true conservatives,” another man said. “They never want to hear anything else but what they’ve been told from the liberal establishment. There can be no other opinions.”
“No one here hates because of race or anything,” one supporter said, sharing his belief that there are many unfounded rumors circulating about the party that supports President Trump. “We may have been homogenous 50 years ago, but not today. Instead, we’re about freedom.”
One woman I spoke with, a “proud Tea Party member” who was a teacher for 34 years, agrees.
“I feel like we’re the inclusive party,” she said. “We have drive bus yelling f-u-c-k you, and we’re like ‘come join us.’”
[Editors Note]: It is here that I want to remind you of the premise of this project — we are more alike than different and most people are good. We the Voters is a non-partisan project; coverage of any group or event by We the Voters does not equal endorsement. As with all of my coverage in the past year, I hope it helps you gain a more full picture of the many pieces in the American puzzle.
