HARRISBURG, Pa.—A group of Pennsylvania state senators, state representatives, and their supporters held an “Assemble for Freedom Rally” on Sept. 24 on the steps of the Pennsylvania State Capitol. The three-hour event drew a small but enthusiastic crowd of about 100 people.
“Everything that we’ve been talking about for the last couple of years is about freedom versus control,” state Rep. David Zimmerman (R-99th District) told rally attendees. He listed ways in which he believes people are being controlled, calling the pandemic a potential “test drive.”
“They’re using the scoring systems: [environmental, social, and governance], [diversity, equity, and inclusion], [critical race theory], [social and emotional learning] ... They use our schools—from our little tykes all the way through higher education ... they’re using ... handouts, the entitlements, the grant monies. They’re making people dependent on the government. They use inflation. They want to keep us broke, keep us at home, so they can control.”
Zimmerman added that big government favors big business: “Large corporations do the government’s bidding. That’s why they want to get rid of small businesses.”
He cited the government’s tight control of the medical system: “Even doctors and nurses that I speak with feel very controlled today. Unbelievable! Those guys went to school to be who they are and [to] be in control.” Overregulation is a control tactic, he said, to “keep us busy, keep us occupied, just to comply with what they want.”
Wendy Fink, a Republican candidate for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, agreed with Zimmerman, citing “all these regulations that are put upon our individual rights.”
“It’s so hard to just live your life without liberty,” she said, adding “I would like to see some of those regulations go away.” She said she believes in small government and more individual freedom.
Forty Percent of Children No Longer in Public School
Zimmerman told an Epoch Times reporter after his speech: “There’s a school district in my representative district: 40 percent of those children are now not going to the public school system. They’re either in a private Christian school, they’re homeschooled, or they’re in a charter school.”Commenting on the changes he has seen in the public school system, Zimmerman said, “Today, it seems like there’s a lot more indoctrination versus allowing and teaching individuals how to learn.“ He added, ”Forty percent: that’s a very high number, but it’s also indicative of what’s going on today, that people are concerned about making sure their children get a good education and no longer trust the public system as they [did] years ago.”
An Unfriendly State for Business Owners
State Rep. Mike Jones, who represents Pennsylvania’s 93rd legislative district, spoke in support of state senator Doug Mastriano’s bid for governor. Mastriano currently represents the state’s 33rd legislative district.Jones said in an interview, “A lot of the big issues really started with COVID-19, and what I consider to be the unconstitutional and un-American lockdowns that we had here with Governor Wolf. Doug Mastriano, more than anybody, stood up against that.”
“In the case of Pennsylvania, we are very business unfriendly. We have way too many regulations, most of them tied to the Department of Environmental Protection. They are way too big, and they are involved in way too many projects,” said Jones.
“Our tax policy is just terrible. We had the second highest corporate net income tax in the country.”
Mastriano: ‘Be Bold and Courageous’
Mastriano spoke to rally participants, exhorting them to have courage. “Don’t be oppressed by the darkness and the lies and deceit,” he said. “Walk is free. People only have to walk with joy and courage. Be bold and courageous. We are a constitutional republic.”
Pennsylvania Residents’ Voices
69-year-old Kevin Kahler, a resident of Hershey, Pennsylvania, joined the rally because he believes in “freedom of speech, second amendment, things that we should all have as God-given rights." Kahler has worked in a warehouse for five years, following a 30-year career as a carpenter.
Financial consultant Mary Beth Spuhler, a resident of Camp Hill, said that the most significant change that has affected her life over the last few years is “the lack of freedom.“ The government is ”bankrupting our country,“ she said.”They printed 30 percent more money than they ever did. They’re giving free money away hoping we go bankrupt. Then we'll become socialist countries and then they’ll give nothing.”
“They have to stop shoving anti-God things down the throat of our children,“ Spuhler said. With three children and 11 grandchildren, she says education is vitally important. “Teaching the children right from wrong is my biggest concern, and my job until I die.”
Joe D’Orsie, a Republican candidate for Pennsylvania’s 47th legislative district, joined the rally to support Mastriano’s bid for governor. “This governor’s race is really consequential in Pennsylvania,” he said, citing “far left” and “Marxist” elements in Pennsylvania’s political environment.
