SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WAER) — Hundreds of people from Central New York gathered in downtown Syracuse Saturday to protest proposed federal cuts to Medicaid.
Among the protesters was Maria Brown, a 59-year-old medicaid subscriber and breast cancer survivor who arrived at the protest carrying a placard in the shape of a tombstone.
“They asked us to bring tombstones that say what we would die of, and I've had breast cancer twice,” Brown said. “If I didn't have access to medical care, I would die of breast cancer.”
Brown, who is middle-aged, said she’s concerned for all New Yorkers who might need Medicaid now regardless of age, “so all of us are looking at a future in which we’ll probably need Medicaid for long-term care — and we won’t have it if they cut it.”
She joined with the crowd chanting in unison, “Healthcare is a human right!” as they marched a mile from the courthouse to the state office building, sending a direct message to lawmakers.
Dana Balter, who works for a mental health advocacy nonprofit agency, noticed the sizable crowd that showed up despite the gray skies and sideways rain.
“And still, hundreds of people came out here. They’ve been out here for over an hour, and that shows you just how important this is,” Balter animated, “This is an issue of fundamental human rights.”
Amelia Bittel, who said she relies on Medicaid, also marched and stressed the importance of acting on the momentum.
“We need to fight back. We need this energy, these voices. We need to be loud. But people also need to see that we can only do this for so long before all of these voices are lost,” Bittel said.
Another protester frustrated over the policy changes simply said, “It’s destructive. And we don’t want it. We didn’t vote for it. We definitely didn’t vote for it. And we’re not going to stand for it.” She, too, did not want to offer her last name for fear of political retribution.
Protesters warned the demonstration was just the beginning. Organizers encouraged participants to call their representatives, raise awareness, and stay engaged in the fight to protect Medicaid.
