March for Voting Rights canceled

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Carla Cooper of Indivisible MV, shown here at a prepandemic march, says weather has forced the cancellation of Saturday's March for Voting Rights. -Lexi Pline

The organizers of the March for Voting Rights have canceled the Saturday afternoon event. The march was co-sponsored by the Democratic Council of Martha’s Vineyard and Indivisible Martha’s Vineyard. Carla Cooper, a member of Indivisible Martha’s Vineyard, told The Times that after a Friday morning meeting, the organizers decided to cancel the march because “extreme weather conditions [are] predicted.” Cooper said Saturday will have “below zero temperatures with winds 20 to 30 miles per hour.” She also said there is a heavy freezing spray advisory.

7 COMMENTS

  1. This issue is so vitally important to our way of life. Our very Democracy is in danger!! We must march in protest and solidarity. Oh….it’s going to be a cold day. Never mind.

  2. Thanks, M.V. Times, for helping get the word out. As secretary of the M.V. Democrats, I was looking forward to answering the call of Martin Luther King Jr.’s family to use MLK weekend to help advance voting rights, which are being threatened in so many states and in the nation at large. But hey, it’s January and this is New England. Weather happens.

    Earlier this evening, however, I attended (via Zoom, of course) the M.V. Hebrew Center’s annual service in honor of Dr. King and Rabbi Abraham Heschel, and the struggle for justice to which both men were so committed. The songs, readings, and prayers combined in one resounding message: “Have faith. Keep going.” And so, march or no march, we will.

  3. So they’re canceling a voters rights march because it’s cold? Do you think MLK would have canceled the march on Selma because it was going to be cold? So much for the true commitment to voting rights of the Democratic Counsel of Martha’s Vineyard and Indivisible Martha’s Vineyard.

  4. There are other ways to promote voters rights besides marching. Take a few moments to address this important issue on Facebook or Twitter in memory of MLK. Take the time this weekend to email your congressman and / or senator and encourage their votes in support of Voter Reform. These suggestions will have far reaching effects….more than marching in dangerously freezing temperatures. Think about it, and then act on behalf of Voting Reform!

  5. Looking out for the well being of the people involved is more important than marching in frigid temperatures. Kudos to the organizers for calling off the March in these conditions. The publicity always said, “weather dependent.” There are many other ways to honor Dr Martin Luther King Jr and work for voting rights . Now, let’s get to work!!

  6. I know this comment is very late and except for the Voter Rights issue itself is no longer relevant.
    However, I was curious if any of the negative reviewer’s had planned to join the march. Is that why you’re so scornful? Well….
    Once something like this is canceled, it does not prevent anyone from still participating if they chose to do so. Whether it’s hundred’s or a much smaller number the cause and meaning for the event is not lost. 10 folks, which included a hearty (much more than I) 4 year old actually did march. I joined them at the boat launch.
    It was not reported or heralded in any way other than beeping cars and the individual satisfaction of participation. As other’s have shared, there are certainly a plethora of other ways to express one’s feeling on this issue and/or even attempt to make a difference.
    Just saying…

  7. I understand the desire to have fair elections. I have long wished to see many reforms such as clean voting lists, 1 person 1 vote etc. so that we can all have 100% confidence in the outcomes. There are some obvious ideas in this legislation and some bad ideas. Unfortunately, the so called Voter’s Rights Act is another way to give total control of the voting process to one party via the federal government which is what happens when a government bureaucracy is dominated by one party. It is that bureaucracy which will write and administer the rules and regulations of the law. Case in point; Obama Care. A 2700 page law with 15,000 pages of bureaucratic regulations. Letting a federal government have total control of the voting system has been a very bad idea wherever it has been put into place. In those countries, the party in power at the time the law is implemented, never loses another election. The late great democrat Tip O’Neil made the famous statement that “all politics is local.” I think he would agree that control of political elections should be local.

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