Dozens of Democratic lawmakers nationwide said they would not attend Friday's presidential inauguration of Donald Trump. But Connecticut’s congressional delegation planned to be there, along with Governor Dannel Malloy -- and many Connecticut residents as they arrive to protest as part of Saturday's Women's March on Washington.
Bekka Ross Russell, 29, is among them.
"I'm going to the march because I'm the mother of two black kids and my family has Jews, Muslims, Atheists, Christians, all in it," she said. "And I don't think I'd be able to look my kids in the eyes when they get older if I didn't participate in this, and stand up for an America that accepts them as well as our entire family."
Dorothy Goldberg is going to D.C., too.
"I come to this, I would say, probably it's from being a Holocaust survivors's daughter," Goldberg said. "All my life, I've been very aware of how easy it is to change a democracy into a totalitarian state. And when I look back at the Hitler time, and the early years of Hitler, I didn't see that many people marching in the streets. I think people thought it would all get better, and it would all straighten itself out."
Goldberg said she thinks there are many people in this country who don't believe in what Donald Trump says.
"It's important for us to get out on the street, and to stay out on the street, and to say: We will not allow this to happen. We will not allow our democracy to be destroyed by a man who has contempt for it," she said.
Becky Patterson, pictured above with her son David, is also heading to the march.
"Professionally, I'm a cellist," she said. "I grew up in a really comfortable, safe, stimulating, stable household. And I was somewhat aware of the battles that women of our past, and also minorities and the LGBT communities, have fought so hard. But I'd never been involved myself actively, in anything political. My life just centered around music, and that was it.
Patterson said that she might have taken for granted the work previous generations did.
"But for the first time in my life, I see the real possibility of all this hard-fought progress suddenly being rolled back," she said. "And we cannot allow this to happen. And the women's march in D.C., for me -- maybe it's like a ritual opening of the gate. You know, let the race begin. And I hope it will also clarify for me, even more so, how to move forward in a constructive and effective way."
As for lawmakers, Republican Timothy Herbst, First Selectman of the town of Trumbull, was in Washington, D.C. this week for the U.S. Conference of Mayors. He is attending Trump’s inauguration.
Herbst said a majority of Trumbull residents voted for Trump because he’s an outsider and not part of the Washington, D.C. establishment.
"A lot of voters in Trumbull are very disgusted with the status quo in Washington," Herbst said. "People have lost faith in government at all levels, and it stems from the federal level and works its way down. And I think he tapped into that."
Herbst said the inaugural speech offers Trump a chance to talk about a path forward.
"He’s talked about making America great again," he said. "I think this speech provides him the opportunity to articulate a vision of where we’re going to go over the next four years and most importantly how we’re going to unite the country to do that."
