Hundreds gather in support of President Trump

Posted 3/7/17

The rally featured several local speakers, followed by music and a march down Sheridan Avenue. It was an ocean of red, white and blue, as many supporters carried flags and hand-made signs in support of the president, reading messages such as …

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Hundreds gather in support of President Trump

Posted

‘Spirit of America’ rally draws sizable crowd for peaceful demonstration at Cody City Park

A couple hundred supporters of President Donald Trump from around Park County braved whipping winds and chilly temps to gather at City Park in Cody Saturday in a peaceful show of solidarity for the current administration.

The rally featured several local speakers, followed by music and a march down Sheridan Avenue. It was an ocean of red, white and blue, as many supporters carried flags and hand-made signs in support of the president, reading messages such as “Deplorables for America,” and “Trump Cares.”

“I thought it was a terrific turnout; we just started planning this last week,” said rally organizer Jody Horvath. “It was very encouraging to see the number of people who want to show their support.”

The rally was designed to be all-inclusive, open to anyone interested in attending, regardless of political affiliation or their personal feelings toward Trump. Horvath said she was informed not all in attendance were fans of the president, further illustrating the importance of such events.

“I had heard from several people that there were people who came that don’t necessarily like President Trump, but they love their country,” she said. “For that reason, they wanted to participate, which I think is great. I hope people take away from this rally a desire to educate themselves on differences that exist between us all and what can be done to come together as a unified nation.”

Cody resident Tammy Satterthwaite attended the rally with her two kids. Holding a large American flag, Satterthwaite spent much of the event battling to stay on her feet with the strong wind.

“Yeah, it’s pretty windy,” she said. “But it’s worth it to be here.”

Part of an effort by a group calling themselves the Main Street Patriots, “Spirit of America” rallies were held in a number of cities and towns across the nation. The gatherings were peaceful for the most part, though clashes between supporters and counter-protestors marred a couple events in bigger cities, including violence in Berkeley, California. The Cody rally was not affected by any anti-Trump sentiment.

Contacted by the Tribune Sunday, Horvath was asked about her reaction to the news of violent outbursts at other rallies.

“My reaction? Sadness,” Horvath said. “Berkeley was particularly troubling. The hypocrisy is staggering. The progressives will not allow any speech if it is contrary to their beliefs. How did we allow this to become part of our daily narrative? Violence is not free speech.”

Speakers at Saturday’s rally addressed topics such as showing respect for the office of the president, the role of the military in the Trump administration and the importance of unity in an increasingly-divided nation. As supporters began their march, patriotic anthems like “America the Beautiful” and “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue,” played on loudspeakers.

“I hope people realize that there’s an area of America that believes in Donald Trump,” said fellow organizer Geri Hockhalter. “We believe he is going to do great things for our country. We’re not from the left coast or the East Coast; we form a straight line down the center of America. It’s time that our president looks out for us, too.”

Though similar events across the nation were planned weeks and months in advance, the Cody rally was put together in a relatively short period of time. Word quickly spread over social media, resulting in a turnout larger than organizers anticipated. Hockhalter said the rally’s numbers are an indication that supporters of the new administration also have a voice that deserves to be heard.

“We want to be heard, and we want to support our president,” Hockhalter said. “The people who are so horribly and hatefully against him need to see that the rest of America isn’t them. There are other people in this country, and we deserve to have our voices heard. We deserve to have a president we believe in.”

Speakers for the rally included Lt. Colonel Buck Wilkerson, a veteran of both the Korean and Vietnam wars, and Cody residents Stu Allen, Bill Bien and Mark Maslak.

“Patriotism, peace, a love for America,” Hockhalter said. “We love America; we love our people. I think we should all come together and make this country great again.”

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