On Wednesday, faculty, staff, students and community members once again came together, this time to honor each of the 261 people laid off because of the ongoing budget crisis.

They planted red flags in front of the Doudna steps and the Courthouse, and spoke out about how badly and urgently these layoffs affected them, their colleagues, and friends they care about.

As Jeannie Ludlow, coordinator of women’s studies, said at the march, according to an article in The Daily Eastern News, each and every one of these flags “represents a job, a person, a coworker, a friend and a family.”

Many of these people are scared for their future, as anyone would be when their source of income is taken away from them.

Many of them have families to provide for, and different personal issues that require any number of expenses to take care of.

Like other rallies and events such as Fund EIU and Surround the Castle, this march brought people together, but it also showed how much the Eastern and Charleston communities are able to grieve together when something as awful as the budget crisis hits our campus.

It has been stated in the paper numerous times that people who work in the various departments around campus have grown to feel as if they and their colleagues are a family.

As it has been said numerous times, Charleston businesses are going to be hurt as people stop being able to spend money in these stores.

As Beka Parker Murphy, owner of Jazzercise in Charleston, said in The News, “We know that the ripples of this tragedy will affect the financial future of our local businesses, especially our small businesses.”

This budget crisis, which has grown to ridiculous, unbelievable proportions, has more consequences than some people realize.

It causes uncertainty in the community, and leads to more confusion and fear being spread on campus.

Seeing the number of flags planted put into perspective just how many people the layoffs are affecting.

The amount of flags on the ground and the fact that people were willing to band together in the rainy weather to stand up for themselves and their beloved colleagues is impressive.

It is absolutely senseless that this many people are now out of a job they loved, and have their livelihood stripped of them all because the state government is not able to cooperate.

While it is heartwarming to see people come together in times like this to support and lean on one another, it is equally as heart wrenching to see everyone on campus suffering.