McDowell Democrats Join Hands Off Movement; Local GOP Chairman Responds with Comment

By Daniel Sisk

This past Saturday, downtown Marion, NC, was alive with the warmth of spring—flowers in full bloom, a gentle breeze, and scarcely a gentle cloud in the sky. But a group of 160 people came together on the Courthouse Lawn for more than just the weather.

In this first Local Spotlight, editor Daniel Sisk covers a demonstration organized by the McDowell County Democratic Party, held in protest of Project 2025. Sisk interviews attendees of the protest from a range of demographics to explore the movement’s motivations and the intersectional concerns driving those who showed up. The local Republican Party Chairman responds to Sisk’s request for comment.

The Good News Neighbor graciously thanks all of the people on both sides of this issue who took the time to interview or comment about this. 

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Some Context

Demonstrators on the Courthouse Lawn joined an international movement called “Hands Off!”, mirrored by upwards of 1,200 rallies estimated by organizers to be attended by over three million people in all 50 states and seven other countries including the United Kingdom, Mexico, Portugal, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and France.

Locally, Morganton had a demonstration reported to be attended by over 400 people. Asheville’s protest was reported to be attended by 7,500 for two hours of public speakers with talks on everything from the economy to healthcare.

Editor Daniel Sisk attended this Marion, NC rally and interviewed several people across different roles and demographics; a Democratic Party officer, a veteran protester active with the local party, a young mother attending with her child, and two friends in their early twenties who were attending their first rally together. 

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A Party Officer: “We are your neighbors, not your enemies. Choose love.”

Looking for a first person to interview, Sisk was eventually approached by a person that identified themselves as an officer of the local Democrats.

Sisk: The sign you have says “We are your neighbors, not your enemies” is a powerful statement and resonates with the name I have chosen for the blog. The sign also says, “Choose love”. What inspired these statements?

Officer: I’ve been making a lot of signs since around March 11th when Chuck Edwards was sending people to town. But yesterday, I was on a Zoom call for non-violent protests. We had people from all over the country.

This line, “We are your neighbors, not your enemies” is something that someone said in the chat. But it’s true. I’m old enough, I remember when it didn’t matter. If it was your best friend, it didn’t matter, their party affiliation. Now, it could be that your brother doesn’t speak to you over something like politics. So that’s what I’d like to take us back to, to the days when people chose love. 

This is supposed to be peaceful; everyone here is being kind. We have people here who are in orange vests just as security leads in case we need to de-escalate something. We’re following all of the rules.

Sisk: Did you expect a response like this today?

Officer: Over 150 people. And we just started! Timothy Snyder, a [History and Global Affairs] professor at Yale, said, “If you do things that aren’t normal and no one says anything, then it becomes normalized.” But if one person stands up and says that this isn’t right, we can’t do this, then other people will join. 

Sisk: What do you hope your neighbors take from this – especially your friends and family here in your area who might not agree with you on this protest?

Officer: What we have in common is always more fundamental than what divides us. Most of my neighbors love our veterans. Most of my neighbors are dependent on Medicare or know someone who is. Most of my neighbors either draw Social Security or have a mother or a child with a disability that draws. 

Also, of course we have to cut back on waste. I was a state employee for ten years. I was in Special Education, and all that funding comes from the federal government and Department of Education. I thought the state did a fabulous job. 

But they aren’t telling us what’s going on. There’s no transparency. They are trying to take money away, but Social Security is my money – I gave them that money out of every paycheck I’ve made since I was just a kid. It will be easier to lose than to get back. 

I think we all have common things that we believe in. We want to feed the kids, we want to make sure no one goes hungry. Even if you have a house, many can’t afford food. I think most of my neighbors are just trying to take care of people. 

Sisk: What do you hope that your elected officials take from these demonstrations happening?
Officer: We did not elect you to do this, and no one elected or approved Elon Musk.

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Young Mother: I would like to teach my child to resist things that are wrong.

Next, seeking a little reprieve from the sun, Sisk shared the shade of a tree with a young mother and her child. The young mother was eager to talk with Sisk about why she felt it was important for her and her son to be there.

Sisk: How does it feel to be a part of this gathering here today?

Young Mother: I have been a part of other protests. This is by far the largest gathering I’ve seen in McDowell. The Roe v. Wade protests years ago had way less supporters. There was a counterprotest at the same time. I’ve seen almost no people counterprotesting here today. Maybe one or two people that quickly moved on.

Sisk: What would you hope that your neighbors that might not think like you could take from these demonstrations? 

Young Mother: I hope that they may find solidarity and learn that we function better as a community that collaborates, not competes for profit.

Sisk: I see you brought your little one with you today. How do you explain to him the importance of something like this?

Young Mother: I want my child to learn how to protest safely, when to protest, and how to conduct themselves at a protest. I would like to teach my child that it is necessary to resist things that are wrong. Also, it is a good opportunity to meet other people in the community. He’s had an opportunity to play with other children here today.  

Sisk: What do you hope that elected officials understand from your demonstration here today? 

Young Mother: I hope that they understand that the people outnumber them; and that, without the working class, they wouldn’t be able to live in privilege. 

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First Time Demonstrator: “…I wish I could have done more.”

Sisk next approached a group of five people in their late teens to mid-twenties. Sisk offered them the opportunity to interview as a group. Skeptical, most declined. However, once one friend agreed, the other joined in the friendly conversation.

Sisk: How does it feel to be a part of something like this?

Respondent 1: I feel really good, especially seeing a lot of older generations here to support these things that have meant a lot to me. 

Respondent 2: It is very refreshing to see how many people are really in support. 

Sisk: What do you hope that your neighbors get from this?

Respondent 1: Of course, this is a very MAGA Republican county. I hope that the people know they aren’t alone. A lot of younger people especially that can’t express themselves because of their Republican families and friends. I could have used that when I was younger.

Respondent 2: I come from a very supportive family, but not everyone is fortunate enough to have that kind of real love in their lives. I hope that people that drive by see that there is a glimmer of hope, and that we may look forward to tomorrow and to a better future where they aren’t alone, where people will listen and hear you. I hope that we can give them hope. 

Sisk: What do you hope that the people in power get from these protests?

Respondent 1: I want the powers to be to get that people aren’t going to sit here silently and take it. I’m happy to see younger people especially, who are building lives and haven’t always had the time for politics. I want the powers to see that we are getting out here and using our voices. 

Respondent 2: I want the people in power to learn that we are getting sick of what we see and want change. 

Sisk: I see that your friends have a powerful symbol on their faces, and I’d like to know more about it. 

Respondent: The Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women mark. MMIW. Look it up.

Sisk: Anything else you want people to know about why you’re here today?

Respondent 1: It means a lot for us to be here. We need change, and we need them to see us. There are a lot of people supporting this movement, waving, honking their horns. 

Respondent 2: Last year after the election, all I could think of was that I wish I could have done more. I decided that this election cycle, I would be more active in the world of politics. 

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Veteran: Your voice can be heard in the local party.

Next, Sisk approached a local man, identified to be a veteran. He and his wife said that they have participated in many demonstrations over the years. He admitted that his spouse wasn’t feeling the best today, but that they felt it was important to be there. He hopes others will find their voice in the local party as he has.

Sisk: How does it feel to be a part of something like this today?

Veteran: It feels exactly like it ought to. [My wife and I] never dreamed that we would be doing this into our seventies. Never.

Sisk: For somebody that couldn’t be here today, how would you suggest that they get involved?

Veteran: The McDowell Democratic Party meets on Monday April 28th in the Community Building at 6PM. And we need people there, it really is that simple. Voices need to be heard. We do a lot of work and planning. So people, come join us. 

Sisk: Some people may not buy into the idea that involvement at the local level can make ripples that justify their time investment. What would you like to say to them? 

Veteran: On the McDowell Progressive Democrat page, I see a lot of comments from people that say that their voice doesn’t matter, and that the Democratic Party has failed us, and now we’re not represented at all. I understand that point of view, but local politics is where it all starts. 

Your voice can be heard in the local party. We now have people in the party that are making sure that we have someone at every government function. [My wife and I] have been attending school board meetings for over a year, fighting where the board is trying to ban 120 books from library shelves. 

We have also been fighting their doing Christian public prayer at the beginning of every meeting, which is against the law. We need to do that with County Commissioners also, and the decisions that they are making that are against the interests of their constituency. Housing in this county is out of reach for many young people especially. Change the party from within.

Sisk: What do you hope that your neighbors take from this protest, even those that may not agree with you?

Veteran: I hope that they understand that the point of view that we’ve been getting is not the only one. That there are plenty of people who disagree with what is happening.I hope that they begin to question their loyalties. 

I want them to understand that we can do this. Who could have predicted that in Marion, NC this many people could take time out of their lives to show up? And that same picture can be seen today all over the country. 

Sisk: What do you hope that the people in power get from this?

Veteran: Defeated. Defeated in this next election. Because they don’t give a damn about us. Really and truly. It’s not just [that they don’t care about] Democrats – they don’t care about the general public.

 [The people in power] are beholden to the people with the money, and they’re beholden to Donald Trump because they’re afraid that Elon Musk is going to fund a primary against them in their next race. So they don’t care. We don’t matter. We have lost our democracy, and we have got to get it back. 

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McDowell County Republican Party Chairman Provides Comment

The Editor reached out to the local Republican Party for comment on these protests and the demonstrators’ objections to Project 2025. Chairman of the McDowell County Republican Eric Hollified provided comment.

Hi Daniel, 

Thank you for reaching out and for your commitment to fair coverage in Good News, Neighbor!. We’re glad to see a local platform highlighting what’s happening here in McDowell County and giving space to voices across the spectrum. 

Regarding the recent “Hands Off” protest, we certainly respect the right of every American to speak their mind — that’s a freedom we all value. That said, we believe many of the concerns being raised about Project 2025 are based on fear-mongering and mischaracterizations. It’s clear that the left is worried about losing control of institutions that have, for too long, operated without real accountability to citizens of the United States. 

To clarify, Project 2025 is not affiliated with President Trump or his campaign. It was developed by the Heritage Foundation, along with a broad coalition of conservative organizations, as a proactive blueprint for any future Republican administration. The goal was to ensure that if voters elected conservative leadership in 2024, that leadership will be ready to implement policies immediately and effectively — without being bogged down by the entrenched bureaucracy in Washington. 

A lot of conservatives support this effort and believe it’s time for bold, principled leadership that puts working families, small towns, and traditional American values ahead of bloated government and out-of-touch elites.  

Thanks again for giving us a chance to weigh in. Feel free to reach out if you’d like to talk more.

Regards,

Eric Hollifield 

Chairman McDowell County Republican Party

HQ address: 150 S.Main Street, Marion, NC 28752

HQ phone number: 828 559 0609

Email address: mcdowellcountygop@gmail.com

Website address: https://mcdowell.nc.gop/

Psalm 33:12  Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

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McDowell County Democrats website calendar indicates that this won’t be the last protest this month, and that they’ll be rotating between Old Fort and Marion striving to keep up the pressure. The McDowell County Democratic Party Facebook also indicates that they will be protesting on Tuesday, April 8 at 2PM in Downtown Marion, coinciding with a visit from 11th District Congressman Chuck Edwards’s Carolina Cruiser mobile office visit.

The County Commission and Mayor Steve Little have not responded to requests for comment about the protests as of publication.

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