When a senator in your state isn’t making the right choices, you have every right to make your voice heard. This is especially true if they’re doing something you believe will only cause more harm to others than actually help. During a town hall meeting in Iowa, Republican Senator Sandy Salmon was questioned about her backwards stance against gay marriage. This caused several locals to join in and continue pressing her for answers.
TikToker Coderedstate—otherwise known as India May, a Democratic candidate for Iowa House District 58—shared a video of herself calling out Senator Sandy’s stance on gay marriage. “You signed a resolution to end gay marriage in Iowa. Do you plan to follow up on that or have anything to say about it?” India asked.
Senator Sandy says she didn’t, but then admits, “The government doesn’t have any place to recognize that kind of marriage.” How is banning it not getting involved then? How is that not the government getting involved in someone’s life?
A moment after Senator Sandy responds, a couple—who makes it known she’s married to a woman—asks why, just before India could. The woman explains to the senator that she and her wife were together for 30 years, though not married that long (because they couldn’t at the time).
“Are we hurting anybody? Please answer that,” the speaker says to Senator Sandy. “Are we hurting you? No.”
The senator weakly defends herself, but says this time gay marriage isn’t the “best policy” for the state. She’s pressed further to give a reason, while another person at the town hall tells Sandy, “73% of American people support gay marriage,” which is staggering.
And the crowd keeps it going. “We support our community. We work in our community,” the speaker continues, and asks why they aren’t good enough.
Another attendee at the town hall speaks up, “It’s almost as if they think you don’t deserve to have those rights.” Again, Senator Sandy says nothing. She doesn’t even defend herself when she hears that zinger.
The response in the comments were overwhelming against Senator Sandy.
“How long has she been taking up space in Congress?” one commenter asked.
“Her job is to speak for the constituents not to do what she wants!” another stated.
“THANK YOU FOR MAKING HER SWEAT” another commenter said, which India liked. The senator looked like a deer in headlights, that’s for sure.
