I went to the Kentucky state capitol today to attend the union rally against right to work (for less) legislation and to stand up for women’s rights. My first physical act of resistance. Why today? The legislature convened a special weekend session, costing taxpayers thousands, to ram through their anti-worker and anti-woman agenda on a Saturday. The Kentucky Democratic Party has deemed today the massacre on the middle class in Kentucky.
Republicans now control all branches of government in Kentucky and they are getting their agenda passed as soon as humanly possible. They didn’t hold proper hearings, didn’t allow proper time for review of the legislation, and lied about what was in the bills. Today they passed right to work (for less), and two abortion bills (twenty-week ban, forced ultrasound).
The union rally was well-attended and fairly well-run. It was organized very quickly due to the Saturday session, and the media and the legislators took note. The Senate President even ordered the chamber doors closed at all times because we were too loud. The Republicans did not allow distribution of gallery passes to Democrats, so the galleries inside the House/Senate were empty for a while. They eventually let some people in.
We rallied in the rotunda for a few hours, and then marched up the three flights of stairs to the chambers of the House and Senate. We were not allowed to stand outside the doors, but we could walk past. They definitely heard us inside. Democratic legislators were appreciative, and tweeted to keep it loud. Union workers and Democratic legislators in Kentucky are not giving up.
Here is video of the rally and an article from Louisville Courier-Journal with more video.
www.courier-journal.com/...
There was a presence by Planned Parenthood, but the reproductive rights rally was not until later in the day and I could not stay. I wore a pink scarf and proudly wore my sticker, handed out by volunteer.
Democratic women legislators were vocal against the abortion bills, I am proud of them for standing up to the dinosaur Christian Taliban jerks who supported the legislation. Think I’m exaggerating? Senate President Stivers recently said: “One had a choice early on to make a decision to conceive or not. Once conception starts, another life is involved, and the legislature has the ability to determine how that life proceeds.” Senator Brandon Smith said yesterday that “he wishes there was a device that would let us inflict pain fetus feels during abortion on abortion advocates.” Quote from @BGPolitics.
Folks, this is a preview of what will happen in Washington mere days after the inauguration. Get ready to fight like hell. #Resist