To the editor:, There has been a great deal of press about the upcoming Women’s March on Washington (and its associated sister marches in cities around the country), but much of the focus is on the execution of the march logistics. As women and New Jerseyans, we want to communicate some of the reasons the marchers will descend on our capital on Jan. 21., First, we will march because it is imperative that the world see and understand that majority of American citizens do not condone the behavior, language, and agenda of the next administration., Second, our voices are stronger in unison. The beauty of our constitution’s First Amendment is that it allows us to make our collective voices heard. For too long there has been a misconception that “family values” or “patriotism” are owned only by some Americans. On Jan. 21, we will march to take back ownership of those labels and to promote American values that are inclusive, progressive, and compassionate., Third, we will march to tell the new administration that despite their every effort, we will not be silenced, and we will be watching their every move. We will not look the other way as they try to change the narrative of many issues that impact our country. We will hold them accountable for the health of the disenfranchised, the education of our children, and the interference of dictatorial nations that would try to influence our policies and destroy our sovereignty., Last, and most importantly, we will march to let elected representatives on both sides of the aisle hear our voices. We want change; we want forward-motion. We do not want to set back decades of progress on civil rights, women’s rights, public education, and healthcare. We do not want to become a nation defined by a monument to bigotry in the form of a border wall. We do not want to live in a country that does not respect all of its people., This country was founded by men who had the fire and spirit to oppose an oppressive regime. Women are now more ready than ever to do the same., Abby Stillman and Cookie Acot, Belle Mead
