by Mick Rhodes | editor@claremont-courier.com

Claremont’s Fourth of July celebration has long been one of the city’s crown jewel events, and this year’s was no exception. We had the traditional trappings: the early morning pancake breakfast, the kids’ and 5K runs, the charmingly democratic T. Willard Hunter Speakers Corner, various family friendly events in Memorial Park, the parade, and finally, the fireworks show at Pomona College.

Adding to the patriotic revelry this year was Claremont’s contribution to the nationwide “free America” protests. Ours took place from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Indian Hill and Foothill boulevards. And though it wasn’t nearly as well attended as the city’s 5,000 strong “No Kings” protest on June 14, the 300 to 400 demonstrators on the Fourth of July were no less vocal and emphatic in signifying their distaste for the Trump administration.

“We’re just trying to put energy into our frustration,” said 71-year-old Patricia from Norco, who was carrying a handmade, quite well rendered “No Kings” sign and declined to provide her last name. “The therapist tell you, ‘Take your grief and move with it.’ It’s kind of grieving the loss of your country, but you can’t completely give up hope.”

Patricia, 71, from Norco, at Claremont’s Fourth of July “free America” protest. Courier photo/Mick Rhodes

Indeed. Once again a protest, though modest, left me feeling hopeful, an emotion in short supply for many of us these days.

Claremont resident Litha Marks, 55, was carrying a cross with Christian religious messages.

“I’m here today because the country, the democracy, is being pushed to the edge,” she said. “And they’re treating human beings like animals.”

Most people at the protest were older. I saw a few young, earnest faces, but it was a decidedly well-seasoned crowd. This was understandable, being Fourth of July and all, with the holiday’s barbeques, parties, parades and whatnot. Still, several people I spoke to were dismayed by the lack of youthful representation.

“It almost feels like young people have given up on democracy,” said 65-year-old Pomona resident Karen Jackson. “I don’t understand why nobody else is outraged by what’s going on. The turnout is pretty good, it’s just that there aren’t enough young people.”

Patricia concurred: “I talk to my grandchildren about it, and they don’t understand what I’m talking about. They say, ‘Oh, I didn’t do well in history class. It was boring.’ That’s too bad.”

Indivisible Claremont’s Paulette Feeney, holding her “Stick a pin in him” sign, replete with its voodoo doll Trump likeness bearing a couple dozen actual straight pins, was undeterred. “People say these things don’t matter; they do matter,” she said. “Because every time that I’m here I meet someone that it’s their first time. And they tell a friend, and they tell a friend. It snowballs. So I think visibility and protest in the streets are vitally important for our energy.”

Upland resident Paulette Feeney, 73, a member of Indivisible Claremont, at the Fourth of July “free America” protest. Courier photo/Mick Rhodes

Many at Claremont’s free America protest had taken part in other recent demonstrations. All of the folks I spoke to were here on June 14 for No Kings.

“We were at [a protest] earlier in Fontana,” said Upland resident Jessie Rule. I asked the 39-year-old what brought her out. “The injustice of it all. Trying to make a stand.” Rule, who was carrying a large California flag and a sign that read, “Keep the immigrants. Depart the racists,” said it felt good to be around like-minded people. “It’s nice, but at the same time it kind of breaks my heart that it’s necessary. But it’s good that everybody’s coming out, for sure.”

Jackson, like many folks I spoke to Saturday, has been protesting for decades. She and others expressed their frustration in being compelled to get out in the streets once again.

“I can’t believe what’s going on now. I’m shocked by what’s going on around me,” she said. “I remember somebody once said that if you want to understand a person’s values, you look at the way the world was when they were 20 years old. I’m 65 now. When I was 20 years old we had Democratic and Republican presidents who actually followed the law.”

Feeney has been an activist since she was 14 and went door-to-door in then uber conservative Orange County, petitioning for the 1968 Fair Housing Act. “Oh my God! Doors slammed in our faces. Called names you wouldn’t believe,” she said. Now 73 and a veteran advocate, she’s realistic about the sustained energy needed for the three-plus years remaining on Trump’s second term.

Upland resident Jessie Rule, 39, at the July 4 “free America” protest at Indian Hill and Foothill boulevards. Courier photo/Mick Rhodes

“It’s been a long haul. And it’s going to get worse,” Feeney said. “I hope people don’t burn out. But we’ve got to keep up this fight.”

On Monday, masked and largely unidentified (presumably) federal and state immigration and law enforcement personnel made a theatrical show of force in Los Angeles’ MacArthur Park, sweeping through on horseback and patrolling the streets around it in military Humvees wearing full combat gear and carrying automatic weapons. It was a chilling sight, made even more surreal by the fact that there wasn’t a protest going on at the time, and the only event thwarted by the brazen show of force was the MacArthur Park summer day camp for kids. The whole thing was ludicrous, but the message was clear: “We can crush you. Be afraid.”

After arriving at the park Monday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass reportedly spoke to United States Border Patrol El Centro sector chief Gregory Bovino, who later told Fox News, “I don’t work for Karen Bass. Better get used to us now, ‘cause this is going to be normal very soon. We will go anywhere, anytime we want in Los Angeles.”

Some people don’t speak up until something affects them directly. That day may come sooner than later for Claremonters; fall classes begin next month at the Claremont Colleges, and it seems all but guaranteed we will see student protests there. With the Trump administration’s constantly escalating rhetoric and actions, and its well-publicized crackdown on student demonstrators, the possibility that it will one day send its forces to respond here becomes increasingly less remote with every passing day.

I hope to be proven wrong, but anything goes in Trump’s America.

Treasury of Claremont Music summer concert is July 26

Claremont Heritage’s Treasury of Claremont Music is inducting four esteemed local musicians at its annual summer concert from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, July 26 at the Garner House in Memorial Park, 840 N. Indian Hill Blvd.

This year’s honorees are spellbinding guitarist Jeff Ross, master blues harp player Jeff Masters, virtuoso keyboardist, guitarist, songwriter and producer Wyman Reese, and former Emmylou Harris Hot Band guitarist Frank Reckard.

It’s gonna be a fun and very musically satisfying evening, with performance by all the inductees (save Reckard), backed by a house band I hear is pretty good called Mick Rhodes and the Hard Eight.

Tickets, $40, and more info are at claremontheritage.bigcartel.com.