St. Joseph residents respond to Kehoe’s Executive Order on National Guard enforcement
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- On Thursday, Governor Mike Kehoe signed Executive Order 25-25 authorizing the Missouri National Guard to assist state and local law enforcement in response to rising concerns about public safety and border security.
Ex-National Guard, Ron Carpenter said the decision may be excessive, but law and order must be made appropriately.
"National Guard may be a little aggressive, but we need to get on top of it and stay on top of it. Try to tamp down permanently. Wishfully."
When asked about the correct way to protest in circumstances like these, Carpenter said it's important to recognize what situations are worth protesting for and making sure that it doesn't jeopardize your own well-being.
In the Press release, the governor cited escalating criminal activity, including drug trafficking and human smuggling along Missouri's southern and eastern corridors, as the primary motivation behind the action.
"The safety of Missouri families comes first,” Kehoe said in a press statement. “This executive order ensures that every available state resource is being used to combat threats to our communities and support those on the front lines.”
With a passion for voices to be heard, it took resident Kimm Fromm-Foster to find the right words for the decision made by the governor. Citing overall, the need for these situations to be the perfect recipe for more unrest and emotions to run high.
"As Americans have the right to protest," Fromm-Foster said. "Of course, they need to be peaceful, but my concern is that they will be aggravated so that people will react with emotion and our Constitution allows us to have free speech and the right to protest. The governor is infringing on our civil rights and it's wrong."
While residents reflect on the decision made by the governor, some will be participating in the "No Kings" protest in St. Joseph.
In a press release sent to News-Press NOW, over 1,800 "No Kings" rallies will take place across the country on Saturday, June 14, where over one million people are expected to participate.
Organizers have said the rallies will be peaceful.
"We are coming together to stand against the increasing authoritarian excesses and graft and corruption of Trump and his allies in Congress. They've fired federal workers (260,000 out of 2.3 million or 12% so far) and defunded our libraries, museums, the arts, scholarship programs for minorities, public broadcasting, foreign aid, agricultural commodities for food banks, green energy, diversity programs, science-based research grants and cut safety programs like Medicaid and SNAP. All this to give tax cuts to the billionaires and add trillions to our national debt," said Dr. Nancy Zeliff, who will be helping coordinate both northwest Missouri "No Kings" events."
In St. Joseph, the "No Kings" Rally will take place from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and rally goers will bring signs and flags and meet on the public sidewalks at the intersection of the Belt Highway and Frederick Boulevard. More details can be found at https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/789018/.
In Maryville, the rally will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the sidewalk in front of the Courthouse. Rally goers will bring signs and flags. More information can be found at https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/788656/.
