Trump rally attracts supporters, detractors of all stripes

‘Most pro-gay president,’ says one; ‘fag,’ says another

Posted

TUESDAY, Oct. 27 — Marilyn Baley is part of a unique group of Trump supporters: Gays for Trump. 

From Brighton, the woman who identifies as a lesbian, said she voted for 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton for president. 

However, she later changed her stance because of the Democratic Party’s “move toward socialism,” she said whole buying a “Trump 2020” hat at a Trump-themed merchandise stand ran by Sarasota, Florida, man David Dixon before Trump’s presidential campaign rally Tuesday in Lansing at the Capital Region International Airport.

“Not all gay people think the same,” Baley said. “You don’t have to be who everybody thinks you are.” 

Baley said she has been to another Trump rally in Freeland. 

She said she has received “love and support” from others locally in the Republican Party for being gay. 

“The one great thing about the president is he’s the most pro-gay president in American history,” Baley said. 

She said this year’s Democratic Party presidential nominee Joe Biden has been “very homophobic in his policies.”

Haslett man Jeremy Kassab waited in line with his family for food from the Pizza Parliament food truck located inside the airport grounds. 

“This is vindication. This is the truth,” said Kassab, who was with his family, which includes his children. 

He said he wanted his children to see “history.”

“It’s something you remember,” Kassab said.

Hours after Trump’s speech concluded and he left the city, cars were still filing out of the airport parking lot and heading toward the exit. 

A small group of anti-Trump protesters were stationed on a small grass island near the airport entrance where they greeted the pro-Trump drivers, often with screaming matches occurring between the two sides with vulgarity and insults thrown between the two groups. 

Lansing resident Geoph Espen held a purple flag and wore a multi-colored feather boa, along with two face masks. 

“People are so radicalized against each other that we’ve forgotten we’re all human,” Espen said. 

When a person driving by screaming that “all lives matter,” Espen shouted back, “Does that include black lives?”

At one point, a small group of Trump supporters hurled insults at the protesters, openly using words such as “fag” and “gay.”

Cheryl Brand, from Lansing, held up a sign that said in part “#TrumpPenceOUTNOW”.

“I don’t like it when he sets foot in my state or my country,” Brand said. “I don’t like him breathing my air.” 

While wearing a mask, she also mentioned the coronavirus pandemic and the economy. 

“Getting this pandemic under control is the number one priority,” she said. “This asshole didn’t do anything to protect the economy.” 

There are 4,512 COVID-19 cases and 65 deaths as of Monday in Ingham County, said Linda Vail, Ingham County health officer, on Monday. At the end of August, the county had about 40 deaths since the pandemic began in March, she said.  

Brand said America is “on death’s door as a country”. 

“He wants the power forever,” Brand said. “He doesn’t care about any of us.”

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here




Connect with us