By Robin GOLDSWORTHY

On Saturday morning, with temperatures edging into the high 80s, about 30 demonstrators gathered on the four corners of Montrose Avenue and Waltonia Drive in front of the Montrose Post Office to defend the services provided by the United States Postal Service – something demonstrators feel is in jeopardy.

The demonstration was part of a nationwide effort that was organized locally by Gaby Hoffman. It was held to protest the actions by the Trump Administration, which some feel is attempting to hijack the November election, and to show support for the USPS.

“I get medication through the mail,” Hoffman said, “and older people especially rely on mail service.”

The recent actions by the Administration include accusations of delays of mail deliveries, overseen by the newly-appointed postmaster Louis DeJoy, and an intentional effort to dissuade voters from using the mail service to submit their ballots in the November presidential election.

“The vote is critical right now,” said Hoffman, adding, “I don’t think people realize what’s going on.”

Observing all COVID-19 protocols, the sign-carrying demonstrators earned honks of support from passing motorists. “Save our elections,” “Protect our postal workers” and “Don’t mess with my mail” were some of the sentiments displayed.

Not everyone was sympathetic to the protests, though.

One of the demonstrators was Lisa Moore from Glendale. She shared a story of how a man approached her shortly after she arrived at the demonstration. He wasn’t wearing a face covering, though she said he put one on after she asked him to, and he questioned the validity of the pandemic. Moore works in a laboratory in a local hospital and processes the COVID-19 tests. She said there is no question of how serious the pandemic is.

A self-described lifelong activist, Moore said that she was part of the demonstration to raise awareness of “what is going on.”

“This situation transcends politics,” she said of the current impediments that USPS is experiencing. “We have to do everything we can to let people know what’s going on.” 

Rep. Adam Schiff, with Assemblymember Laura Friedman, recently held a press conference in front of the Burbank Bob Hope Post Office to “highlight how cuts in service instituted by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy are significantly delaying mail delivery and negatively impacting constituents, including veterans and local small businesses. Schiff also voted yes on H.R. 8015, the Delivering for America Act, “a critical bill to save the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and the right to vote from the Trump Administration’s ongoing assaults.” The bill, which includes providing $25 billion in emergency appropriations for the Postal Service, passed the House by a vote of 257-150.

That decision will sit well with Hoffman.

“The post office is a basic right,” she said. “It’s in our Constitution.”

  robin goldsworthy