A senior living facility in Walnut Creek may be the last place you’d expect to find a political protest, but Rossmoor residents say the administration is denying them their right to free speech.
On Wednesday, seniors from the Rossmoor community took to the streets to protest the new measures they say restrict their free speech. For many of them, it felt like old times.
More than 9,000 seniors live in Rossmoor and enjoy a peaceful, rural lifestyle, but that doesn’t mean they’re unaware of the problems facing the rest of the world.
“What do we want? Freedom of speech! When do we want it? Now!” chanted a group of about 40 residents who had gathered in front of the entrance gate of the East Bay senior residence.
They protested against a set of new guidelines for the project that were intended to promote safety and civility.
One of them prohibits any demonstrations at the corner of Rossmoor Parkway and Golden Rain Road, the same place where local resident Mary Ellen Ratcliff spent two hours a day, five days a week, silently holding signs promoting various social justice issues, such as “Black Lives Matter” and “No Racism, No White Privilege.”
She said it was never her intention to provoke anyone.
“It wasn’t that I decided, ‘I’m going to stay out there for four years, look how brave I am.’ It was more like, well, there’s another week to go and things are looking pretty terrible in the world. I’d better go to my corner and get the happy smiles,” Ratcliff said.
A few weeks ago, two women with differing political views got into a fight on the pickleball courts, causing uproar in the otherwise peaceful community. In response, the operators – a group called the Golden Rain Foundation – issued new rules limiting the time, place and frequency of demonstrations and banning gatherings on Mary Ellen Ratcliff’s corner altogether.
According to the protesters, they have also banned political commentary in the local newspaper and will censor provocative words from all articles.
“We try to submit articles about Gaza and they say, ‘Well, you can’t…’ – this was a few months ago – ‘You can’t even use the word Gaza because it’s controversial,'” said pro-Palestinian activist Nancy Castille, who lives there.
“They don’t want any inconvenience,” said Marilyn McEwen, one of the banned political columnists. “A lot of people drive around in golf carts, go to club meetings and don’t take things like our civil rights seriously.”
Under the new rule, protesters must obtain a permit and are restricted to one area with a maximum of two demonstrations per month. Signs with “inflammatory” content may be excluded. In a written statement, GRF Executive Director Jeff Matheson said: “The rule is intended to provide structure to the process and not limit the ability of residents to hold demonstrations.”
But protest organizer Michael Goldberg said that in reality they were treating the elderly residents like children.
“They infantilize us with the idea that we can’t express ourselves. They know better,” Goldberg said.
But these are not just any old people. They are the generation that took to the streets to protest against the Vietnam War and social injustice against women and minorities. These people remember what it was like to change the world.
“A lot of people here have been involved in protests in the Bay Area in the past and they certainly haven’t forgotten,” said 80-year-old Ron Kalb. “Although I think the GRF would hope we have forgotten.”
It’s ironic. Fifty years ago they were considered young radicals. Today, in their 70s or 80s, they are still being told: “Get off our lawn.”
Rossmoor is not the only place in Contra Costa County where recent conflicts have arisen over political speech.
Political groups have used the El Curtola overpass in Lafayette to convey their message to drivers on Highway 24. heated arguments after attempted murder of Donald Trump last month.
Caltrans has placed a sign on the overpass stating that it is illegal to display flags and signs without a permit.
John Ramos
