All that’s happening on the Island this summer, especially this month, can feel overwhelming, with events as varied as Michelle Obama preparing to speak about her new book, the high-wattage African American Film Festival, and the quaint but classic Agricultural Fair in West Tisbury.
But not to be overlooked are the quieter events where vibrant and challenging political discussion is happening in smaller groups, such as Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman screening the new documentary about her life titled “Steal This Story, Please!” or the kind of backyard gathering that featured the legendary Angela Davis speaking on behalf of the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR).
Davis, a political activist, author, professor, and former member of the Black Panther Party, introduced a talk by Vincent Warren, the executive director of CCR for the past 20 years. CCR’s work has consistently been on the cutting edge of litigation, advocacy, and strategic communications on a broad range of civil and human rights issues. Hosted by West Tisbury residents Susan Dickler and Sig Van Raan, the event brought together more than 50 people, who heard Warren’s warning that the Trump Administration’s attack on civil liberties is expanding to include an international campaign against the left that involves profiling anyone who supports human rights. Warren warned that to defend the liberties afforded by the Constitution was going to require people to stand up and take action, even on Martha’s Vineyard.
Join more than 50,000 neighbors who stay informed and connected to Island life through our newsletters.
In a brief interview after the event, Vincent told The Times, “If you stacked up the people who live here and vacation here, it is probably one of the most powerful small communities in America. People are politically savvy; they are philanthropic; they want to make change. But the challenge is, we can’t make the kinds of change and resistance we need now by doing it remotely through others.”
He added, “People have to ask themselves, What level of risk am I willing to take in order to stop this from happening? It was a risk in Minneapolis when they stood between [U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE)] and the people that ICE was detaining. That was a conscious risk maximization. It is true that work needs to be supported financially and in terms of thoughts and values, but everybody, all of us, are going to have to take some risks. The question is, What risks are people on this Island willing to take? What are they willing to lose, what are they willing to give up in order to gain back the thing that they want so much?”
Go to hccrjustice.org to find out more about the Center for Constitutional Rights and its dedication to advancing and protecting the rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Your email address will not be published.
What time is the concert?
John was a friend since Junior High . I enjoyed our emails together. He will be missed. Sending hugs to…
This community has to get to Governor Healy directly. The state senate has far too many conflicts of interest when…
The Martha’s Vineyard Times is an independently owned, weekly, community newspaper, published by The MV Times News Corp. on the island of Martha’s Vineyard.
Get unlimited access to the MV Times website by becoming a member.
We believe strongly in public access to reliable information, and we are equally committed to building a sustainable future for the local journalism our Island depends on. However, there’s a cost to producing consistent, high quality coverage across the Island — so we’re asking for your help.
Sign in by entering the code we sent to , or clicking the magic link in the email.
Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
We'll send a verification code to %EMAIL%.
Get the best of directly in your email inbox.
Sending to:
Enter your email below to continue reading. As a non-member, doing so will grant you access to 10 free articles per month* including this one. You will also be subscribed to our free newsletter “The Minute.” If you’re a member, add your email below to log in to your account.
Privacy Policy
Success! Your account was created and you’re signed in.
Please visit My Account to manage your account.
*Want Unlimited access + more perks? Become a member today.
Leave a Reply