By BRENT MARTIN
Protests against President Donald Trump will be held in northwest Missouri on Labor Day, a continuation of protests which began shortly after Trump became president.
Nancy Zeliff of Skidmore says protestors will be bringing the same message during protests in Chillicothe, Maryville, and St. Joseph.
“As with our past ones, we want recognition that there are Missourians, there are friends and neighbors of yours, there are Americans that are not happy with the current state of our country,” Zeliff tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.
Zeliff is critical of the Trump Administration policies on immigration, the reduction of Medicaid funding, and moves to scrap the federal Education Department.
“So, we want to let people know we’re here, we have a voice, it’s our constitutional right to protest and to make our feelings known and our legislators need to know we are unhappy,” according to Zeliff.
The protests planned for Labor Day in northwest Missouri are part of a nationwide, organized protests across the country against the policies of the Trump administration.
Zeliff says it’s important to protest Trump policies even if it doesn’t change many minds in ruby red Trump country.
“We certainly hope it makes a difference at the ballot box, but we’re doing what we can,” Zeliff says. "So, this is what we want northwest Missourians and our legislators to know.”
Zeliff says it is important to let those in northwest Missouri who oppose the president to know they are not alone.
“And we welcome everyone to show their support of our efforts and also if they feel they’re alone, they’re not,” Zeliff says. “So, however they wish to support our efforts, we’re there and we’re showing our dissatisfaction with the disappearance of democracy.”
Zeliff says it is important to take a stand and let your voice be heard no matter the reception.
“We’re received with burnt rubber, middle fingers, maybe a few expletives, maybe the flag of the current president and his supporters,” Zeliff says. “But we smile and we hold our sign up and we might bang our drum, which we use at protests, a little louder and a little longer.”
Protests will be held in the morning Monday in Chillicothe and St. Joseph. Protests will be held Monday evening in Maryville.
You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ