The Salina Resistance is part of the Indivisible Movement, and we resist the Republican assault on civil rights, on economic rights, on the Earth, and on decent, respectful relations with human beings around the world @salinaresist.
A bland ribbon-cutting ceremony turned very quickly into an impromptu town hall, minus signs, I might add, as seen in this picture where a cop asks one of our fellow resisters to put it down. Friday, Feb. 24, 200 E. Iron Ave., Salina, KS.
I tried multiple times to ask Marshall a question regarding immigrant rights, but he continued to evade my immigrant’s eyes, so I sent this letter to the Salina Journal.
“Protesters gather in front of Rep. Marshall’s Salina office,” Salina Post, March 23, 2017.
“The gathering was put on by the Indivisible Movement, according to Christopher Renner, a demonstrator from Manhattan. About 35 people from Salina and neighboring communities came to Marshall’s office, located at 200 E Iron, to express their concern with Marshall’s support of President Trump’s bill…..Participants urged Marshall to “vote no.”
Our group’s first meeting, April 8, 2017.
First District Congressman Marshall’s HQ, Salina, Kansas, April 10, 2017. @RepMarshall says Salina, the “capital” of his district, isn’t on his recess “listening tour.” So, we decided to have our own town hall and invite him.
“Town hall REJECTION,” Salina Journal, April 11, 2017. @RepMarshall will visit 9 towns that add up to half our population but not us?
“Without a doubt, he [Roger Marshall] will be back in Salina to do ‘another’ listening tour stop, but his dance card is already full on this tour.” — Press secretary for Marshall, Eric Pahls.
“We have an administration, and apparently a Congress, that seems hell-bent on turning back important regulations about the air we breathe and the water we drink, and that’s another part of the urgency [for a town hall meeting in Salina.]” — David Norlin, The Salina Resistance.
“Congressman Marshall met with anger, tears, at Junction City town hall,” The Daily Union, April 14, 2017.
“The Congressman was also confronted with comments he made in a March 3 article in STAT — a Boston Globe Media publication — in which Marshall said ‘just like Jesus said, the poor will always be with us. There is a group of people that just don’t want health care and aren’t going to take care of themselves.'”
“Klugasherz, who returned to the mic as a constituent, recited the quote verbatim, then was brought to tears as she looked Marshall in the eye.”
“‘I grew up in a family that was extremely poor. My family benefitted from SNAP and EBT benefits,’ she said. ‘I probably would not be standing in front of you today had I not had those … The problem is that people in poverty, much like you all know, are not there by choice. And the rhetoric that we use to describe these people in poverty — that they’re feckless, that they’re broken, that they want to be there — is nothing but damning to the help we are trying to provide these people … what will you change to ensure that that rhetoric is no longer used?'”
PRESS RELEASE
Salina, April 27, 2017 – Rep. Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, announced Thursday he will hold a town hall meeting at The Salina Chamber of Commerce on May 9, despite failing to commit to a Salina event during his recent listening tour.
The announcement came the same day The Salina Journal reported that Salina Resistance, a group affiliated with the Indivisible network, invited Marshall and Kansas senators to a citizen-led town hall scheduled for June 1.
Salina Resistance set the People’s Town Hall to converse with representatives in Washington about matters of concern including health care, the environment, and the national budget.
On the campaign trail, Marshall said, “You can’t successfully deliver more than 5,000 babies and not listen to people.” Salina Indivisible group notes that 88,000 Kansans voted against Marshall in November who are not being addressed or consulted by the congressman.
The group is disappointed that Marshall has opted instead for a meeting under his design and control, one held at 7:30 a.m. on a Tuesday, making it difficult for working people and parents with school-age children to attend.
The Salina Resistance’s June 1 event will proceed as planned as an authentic forum for discussing the issues, Marshall or no Marshall.
“We’re happy we could nudge him into starting to make good on his campaign promises. It’s just sad that he only did so out of fear of embarrassing news coverage. But that’s what Indivisible understands: politicians care more about bad press than about representing the people,” group member James Talley said.
The Salina Resistance’s People’s Town Hall is scheduled for 7 p.m. June 1 at the Salina Ambassador Hotel, 1616 W. Crawford St., Salina.
Meanwhile, since Marshall doesn’t support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions….
….some of us from The Salina Resistance board the bus for the April 29, People’s Climate March in DC to resist Marshall’s climate agenda.
“The simple fact is nobody cares more about the land and the environment then the Kansas farmer. Instead of allowing bureaucrats to dictate policy, Congress needs to protect farmers, fishermen, hunters and those generating energy from an unruly Environmental Protection Agency.”— Roger Marshall.
Our interactive Peace Spiral was part of PCM’s Circles of Resistance art project, where folks reached out to a friend or a fellow marcher, and shared their, or their community’s stories, struggles, solutions and visions for a better tomorrow. These nested spirals called for pairs of people to approach from opposite sides, meet in the center, share their stories and walk past each other following each other’s steps back to the exit.
“Major flooding across southeastern Missouri led to three deaths, more than 100 evacuations and 135 rescues across the state over the weekend.” The Weather Channel, May 2, 2017. These pictures were taken on Sunday, April 30, from the bus window on our way back from the historic DC march, emphasizing that our fight for climate justice has only just begun.
@RepMarshall insults voters @ Salina t-hall. Says we wrongly think we’re mad @ him. We’re really just mad at Brownback. Also sore losers.
“Marshall fends off health care questions,” Salina Journal, May 9, 2017. Watch vimeo of town hall here.
“Marshall Meets Large Salina Crowd.” KSAL.com, May 9, 2017.
“A few of us went to protest Kansas’ first district congressman Dr. Roger Marshall as he arrived to read to Head Start kids at Heartland school in Salina, Kansas.” Ron Fent, The Salina Resistance.
“Land Institute founder and President Emeritus Dr. Wes Jackson told him to distance himself from President Trump while he had a chance.” Watch vimeo of protest here.
PRESS RELEASE
People’s Town Hall comes June 1, 7:00 pm to Ambassador Hotel, Salina, KS
Congress members invited, not yet accepted
The Salina Resistance, a local grassroots organization affiliated with the national #Indivisible movement, has renewed its invitation to the Kansas Congressional delegation, including Representative Roger Marshall, Senator Jerry Moran, and Senator Pat Roberts, to attend a People’s Town Hall. The event will be held Thursday, June 1, 7:00 p.m., during a Congressional District Work Period, at the Ambassador Hotel, 1616 W Crawford, Salina. The group is inviting constituents, wherever they live in Kansas, to come and let their members of Congress know their wishes and demands.
Thus far, the Congressmen have refused to attend or answer, at a time when critical issues are being decided far from the people they represent. Three chairs will nonetheless be reserved for the members, and a record of their constituents’ wishes will be made available to them.
An open microphone will insure opportunities for anyone to speak, each with a 4-minute time limit. Some constituents already plan more creative statements of their concern, including music, poetry, art graphics, and others.
Anticipated topics include among others health care; education; military buildup and costs; agriculture; climate; women’s rights; non-discrimination; economic justice; racial, ethnic, religious diversity; and immigration. Estimated time frame is 7:00-9:00 p.m. Those interested can check in at facebook.com/salinaresistance.
Patterns of an Occupied Planet 