This article was first published in Common Dreams
“We won’t stand by while Donald Trump’s dangerous agenda threatens everything we believe in,” said one student.
Trump’s first presidential term featured a wide range of attacks on the Earth. This cycle, he pledged to “drill, baby, drill,” provoking warnings about how his return to power would lead to a surge in planet-heating pollution, and vowed to roll back Biden-Harris administration climate policies if Big Oil poured just $1 billion into his campaign.
Since Trump beat Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday, critics including the Sunrise Movement have called out her party’s leadership for failing to adequately prioritize the needs and demands of the working class.
“Millions of people are fed up after living through decades of a rigged economy and corrupt political system,” the group said on social media Wednesday. “They are looking for someone to blame. It’s critical the Dem Party takes that seriously.”
Sunrise said in a Friday statement that the “walkouts represent a call to action for both parties: If Democrats want to win, they need to stop pandering to big donors and corporations and instead focus on the bold policies that will ensure a livable future for all.”
Manuel Ivan Guerrero, a student at the University of Central Florida, stressed that “today was just the beginning. We’re angry and we’re scared but we’re ready to fight.”
“We have the power to win and defeat Donald Trump, but our leaders need to be bold enough to fight for us,” the 18-year-old added. “The time for empty promises is over. We are ready to do whatever it takes to win a better world.”
Jessica Corbett is a senior editor and staff writer for Common Dreams.
