Kansas Republicans are turning out in force in Ford County, Kansas this weekend. Sound familiar? Dodge City, the county seat and largest community in Ford County was national news in 2018 when voter suppression efforts limited voting opportunities.
Well, Kansas Republicans are back for a gay bashing, women berating good time to be had by all in th streets of Dodge City, where they will host A Kansas Revival event. The organizers of the event say it isn’t about bashing anyone, or being against anyone. It’s just about pointing out that the LGBT lifestyle is morally wrong and that women who have abortions should go to jail, or you know, some level of draconian punishment that would discourage it.
In video posts on Kansas Revival’s sight for their only slightly altered Straight Pride campaign, ministers lay out their non-bashing opinion, not that they are bashing anyone, just that, well, you know, LGBT people are the downfall of society. Absolutely not bashing them, though, you know. Just a straight pride, anti-choice parade for the weekend, that’s all.
And, if you’re going to start off a parade in a majority-minority community, and all you’ve got is an anti-choice, anti-LGBT parade going, why not invite a few others?
From The Kansas City Star:
About the same time, members of a group called the Kansas Unity Coalition, supporters of LGBT and abortion rights, will gather in the city’s Eisenhower Park for a counter-demonstration in support of “equality, justice and equal rights.”
The church event will feature U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, State Treasurer Jake LaTurner, Kansans for Life President Mary Wilkinson and Cecil Washington, chaplain of the Kansas Senate.
LaTurner and Marshall could face each other in the GOP primary for an open U.S. Senate seat in 2020. LaTurner has announced his candidacy and Marshall is considering a run.
The speakers “will be sharing information and energizing the Christians to be active in protecting the things we love the most which are under attack more than ever in America,” said a written statement announcing the event.
The headliners are scheduled to speak at 10 a.m. at First Baptist Church, following a 9 a.m. information fair supporting conservative causes.
At 1 p.m., the group will hit the streets for a flag parade through the city.
Participants are invited to bring “American flags, American historical flags, Christian flags, Christian signs & banners with Scripture, Kansas state flag, American military flags, back the blue law enforcement flags, pro-life flags & banners, crosses.”
The parade, which will feature lots of good Christian flags, and also promote anti-Black Lives Matter material, use military branding and just, you know, walk through the streets for straight pride is of course exactly what a majority minority community with a high population of immigrants is really looking forward to on the 4th of July.
Despite the rhetoric, Dodge City has become a community where immigrants are driving a successful business community. From The Atlantic:
Plus one final note from the Anglo former meat-packing employee: “The reality here in southwest Kansas is that we are heavily influenced by the Hispanic culture, and not just economically. They are part of the fabric of our community. If they decided to pack up and leave, Dodge City would be a ghost town. And we realize that the future success of the Hispanic community predicts the future success of our community as a whole.”
Dodge City has grown as the immigrant and other populations fill up jobs in the meat packing facilities, establish businesses, and their families are citizens. Many are second, third, fourth generation Americans who came to Dodge City and elsewhere for opportunities — and they have achieved them.
I’ve made an effort to be in Dodge City frequently, watching the community grow in large part due to acceptance of others. Dodge City also is home to problems, things that the community continues to work on improving.
Instead of doing nothing, the Dodge City community has responded to the parade by giving those opposed an option to also be heard.
Speaking to me via phone on the matter, Thomas Witt, executive director for Equality Kansas, the LGBTQ advocacy organization our state, noted that there would be a real “sign of support for the LGBT community and all oppressed communities in Southwest Kansas,” noting that parades like the ones Kansas Revival plan to put on are often designed to shame and intimidate LGBT Kansans, to intimidate them in their own communities. Witt noted that he would be personally traveling to Dodge City “To stand in solidarity with our Southwest Chapter of Equality Kansas members.”
In a statement issued to attendees, the Kansas Unity Coalition offered this response in promoting their peaceful gathering in opposition to the parade:
The Kansas Unity Coalition is a newly-formed coalition consisting of Equality Kansas, Trust Women, The League of Women Voters, Women for Kansas, Planned Parenthood, ACLU of Kansas, LULAC of Kansas, LULAC of Dodge City #11083, Kansas Democratic Party, Ford County Democratic Party, Kansas/Missouri Dream Alliance, and Moms Demand Action.
“We invite you to celebrate the things that actually make America great: diversity, immigration, freedom from government-imposed religion, constitutionally protected bodily autonomy, freedom to love and marry without government-imposed discrimination, and opposing hate whenever, wherever, and however it rears its ugly head,” Johnny Dunlap, chair of the Ford County Democratic Party, said. “We plan to celebrate with speeches, music and shared fellowship at Eisenhower Park in downtown Dodge City,” Dunlap said.
The public is invited and encouraged to attend. Speakers will include student activist Alejandro Rangel Lopez, State Representative Susan Ruiz (D-Shawnee), Manhattan mayor Usha Reddi, and leaders of the coalition organizations.
Because for some groups, this weekend is actually about celebrating Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.. rather than trying to dictate what that means to others.