Friday, February 17,2017
Lake Oconee News
Page A9
Protests
Continued from A1
attended event.
“Were excited to have
all of you here,” said Josh
Findlay, district director for
10 th District Congressman
Jody Hice.
Representatives of Geor
gia’s U.S. Senators Johnny
Isakson and David Perdue
joined Hice’s represen
tatives for a scheduled
series of one-on-one help
sessions with constituents
who couldn’t travel to the
Senators’ Atlanta offices or
one of Hice’s three offices in
the 10 th District. Isakson,
Purdue and Hice were not
scheduled to be there.
That’s clearly not what
the crowd expected and
when they were told that
this was not a town hall
meeting, the place erupted.
“We want democracy,”
chanted many in the room.
Then, “hear our voice,
hear our voice...” followed
by “shame, shame, shame...”
At that point, all the rep
resentatives left the room.
Boos were followed by
more chants, “shame on
you, shame on you...” and
“vote them out, vote them
out...” as cameras clicked
and video recorded the
scene and sounds.
Handmade signs yelled
“Immigrants built this
nation” and “Medicare 4
All.”
Video of the meeting later
appeared on the internet
and TV newscasts in stories
about how Republican poli
ticians were being besieged
in town hall meetings in
cities, large and small.
There was a roll call in the
crowd. People cheered when
their county was called out -
Morgan! Putnam! Ogletho
rpe! Greene! Oconee!
But there were also folks
from outside the 10 th con
gressional District.
“They’re not going to talk
to us one-on-one so let’s talk
to them on social media,”
yelled one woman who
said she was a mother and
business owner in Atlanta.
Another speaker, identi
fying herself as a member of
the Atlanta Board of Educa
tion, urged others to run for
local public office.
“This is an extremely
important time,” she said,
“and all people got to come
together and be heard.”
Some were from Emory
Medical School and there
were graduate students
from the University of
Georgia.
About 40 supporters
of Planned Parenthood,
some carrying pink signs
or holding pink t-shirts,
were angry that the orga
nization faces a cutoff in
funding by the Republican
congress. Planned Parent
hood performs abortions
but, by law, only uses federal
funds for the large number
of other women’s health
services they provide.
About 15 minutes into
the event, Findlay returned
and told the audience they
could still sign up for the
face-to-face meetings. He
also agreed to listen and
take notes of comments
from anyone who wanted to
address the large group.
Mark Engel/Staff
The Trump administration's policies from immigration
to cuts in funding to Planned Parenthood brought
demonstrators to Greensboro. Video of the protests
was shown nationwide on network television.
BOE
Continued from A3
The Board has asked
Houston to present the
specific new programs he is
using to resolve the issues
facing the school system at
March’s meeting.
Also discussed at the
work session, and approved
at Monday night’s monthly
Board of Education
meeting:
The addition of a social
worker for the school
system to help teachers,
students and parents deal
with personal issues that
inhibit education.
Hired a part-time coor
dinator for the new REACH
scholarship program. The
coordinator will also work
with community volunteers
and have literacy inter
vention and instructional
duties.
Create an Early Literacy
Specialist position for
Greensboro Elementary
School.
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People from across the
10th Congressional District and
beyond held up handmade signs
protesting everything from
threatened cut to Medicare and
President Trump's immigration
policies.
Mark Engel/Staff
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A female graduate
student at UGA told about
the many surgeries she’s
had for a ruptured colon
and the medication she will
need to take for the rest of
her life that costs $5,000 a
month without insurance.
Her fear is that repeal of the
Affordable Care Act would
be a death sentence.
A molecular biologist
expressed concern for the
environment because some
people don’t believe in
science.
For more than 90 minutes
the stories and opinions
from the podium were
spirited. They were punctu
ated frequently by shouts of
support from the audience.
People had a chance to do a
lot of venting.
At the end, many of them
thanked the representatives
for listening and applaud
ed Greene County Sheriff
Donnie Harrison and his
deputies who were on hand.
Rock Eagle
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February 19 8c 26
March 5,12,19 & 26
April 2, 9, 23 & 30
May 7 & 21
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Children (4-10) $7.25
Under 3 eat free with paying adult
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FEATURING THE CABOT TRAIL
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We will learn about our Collette trip in
September 2017 to the Maritimes Provinces.
118 North Main St. Madison, GA
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