Citizens protest every Tuesday demanding to be heard by Pennsylvania senator, Pat Toomey

‘I want him to make us feel like he’s really listening and not just a rubber stamp for the administration’

For the past few weeks, residents of Philadelphia have gathered outside of Eight Penn Center for Tuesdays With Toomey, in hopes to get Pennsylvania Senator, Pat Toomey, to hold an in-person town hall meeting.

Protests are expected to continue until we finally hear from our Senator.

Protestors gather outside of Penn Center every Tuesday from 12:20pm to about 1:20pm. They make speeches decorated with signs and chant, “We will not be silenced,” to remind Toomey that they are here and they are not leaving until he hears them.

The Tab Temple attended this event and spoke to different protestors about their feelings regarding the protests, as well as, what their biggest end goal is.

George Kelley, 79, Philadelphia 

George has been fighting in many different protests for a long time. He says that he is “encouraged that these people are coming back regularly every Tuesday.” George believes, “Pat Toomey is a person who needs to be replaced.” He hopes to see changes throughout different levels of government within the next few years and believes events that are going on now are needed to “get off to a running start.”

Kaye Pyle, 70, Philadlephia

Kaye has attended a few of the Tuesdays with Toomey protests and says that these days “are really important and they show that a lot of people will come out.” Kaye is hoping that these protests will lead to “a real town hall.” If Toomey were to come out for a townhall meeting, Kaye says that she hopes for Toomey to “support the request for Trump’s financial statements…the American people need to know!”

Scott Sieburth, 63, Philadelphia 

Temple’s own professors are trying to reach Senator Toomey as well.

For those who don’t know, Professor Sieburth teaches in the Chemistry Department at Temple. He has attended Tuesday’s with Toomey twice before and is “excited about the continuing size of the protest.”

Professor Sieburth also said that “since the first time [he] voted in ’72, [he] has never seen people so outraged.” He recommended that everyone check out information about the Indivisbile Movement, a movement agreed to working to make a political difference. More information about the Indivisble Movment and how you can help can be found at indivisibleguide.com.

Ramona Johnson, 73, Philadelphia

Ramona usually works during these protests, but definitely comes as often as she can. Ramona is excited about the protests and feels like they are “making progress because of [Toomey’s] telephone town hall.”

However, she says that is not enough. She wants Toomey to “make us feel that he’s really listening and that he’s not a rubber stamp for the administration.”

According to many protestors, Tuesday’s With Toomey have grown immensely and they are very proud of the crowd size that continues to come out each week. Every Tuesday the protests end with a chant asking, “What democracy looks like,” and a response of, “This is what democracy looks like!”

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