This Wednesday at 6:00 PM, we're going to fill the Sioux Falls City Council chambers in downtown Sioux Falls and demand our representatives exercise HOME RULE AUTHORITY to draw a line in the sand against government overreach with Governor Rhoden's Operation Prairie Thunder program.
This is a historic moment. We have the constitutional power to govern ourselves locally, and it's time to use it. We're not interested in fake control from distant bureaucrats. We're interested in FREEDOM.
ACTIONS
1. SHOW UP WEDNESDAY 6:00 PM
Sioux Falls City Council Meeting
Wednesday, 6:00 PM (We are going to be there till the end for public input)
City Council Chambers, 235 W 10th St, Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Bring your friends, family, neighbors - FILL THE ROOM. Every single person who shows up sends a message that Sioux Falls residents demand local control over our own community.
2. MESSAGE CITY COUNCIL & MAYOR TODAY
Flood their inboxes before Wednesday's meeting:
Mayor Paul TenHaken:
cHRoIHwgc2lvdXhmYWxscyAhIGdvdg== | (605) 367-8667
City Council:
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bWlyYW5kYSAhIGJhc3llIHwgc2lvdXhmYWxscyAhIGdvdg==,
Y3VydCAhIHNvZWhsIHwgc2lvdXhmYWxscyAhIGdvdg==,
amVubmlmZXIgISBzaWdldHRlIHwgc2lvdXhmYWxscyAhIGdvdg==,
cnlhbiAhIHNwZWxsZXJiZXJnIHwgc2lvdXhmYWxscyAhIGdvdg==,
cmljaCAhIG1lcmtvdXJpcyB8IHNpb3V4ZmFsbHMgISBnb3Y=,
c2FyYWggISBjb2xlIHwgc2lvdXhmYWxscyAhIGdvdg==,
ZGF2aWQgISBCYXJyYW5jbyB8IHNpb3V4ZmFsbHMgISBvcmc=
Message: "I will be at Wednesday's 6PM council meeting to demand you exercise HOME RULE AUTHORITY to protect Sioux Falls from Operation Prairie Thunder. Vote for home rule. Represent US, not distant bureaucrats."
3. MESSAGE GOVERNOR LARRY RHODEN
Tell him we're not accepting his program:
Governor Larry Rhoden:
THJob2RlbiB8IGd3dGMgISBuZXQ= | (605) 773-3212
Message: "We are not interested in Operation Prairie Thunder. We are not interested in your fake control. We want FREEDOM and local governance. End this unconservative, unpatriotic waste of taxpayer money NOW."
4. INVITE EVERYONE WHO CARES ABOUT FREEDOM
Forward this email to:
Family members
Friends and neighbors
Coworkers
Anyone on social media who believes in constitutional government
Church groups, community organizations, local business owners
Text everyone you know: "Emergency city council meeting Wednesday 6PM downtown Sioux Falls. We're demanding home rule authority to stop government overreach. Can you be there?"
WHAT IS HOME RULE AUTHORITY? (Know Your Power)
Home rule authority is our constitutional right to govern ourselves locally without interference from distant bureaucrats. Sioux Falls adopted our home rule charter back in 1994 by majority vote, and it gives us incredible powers that most people don't even know exist.
In plain English: Unless the state constitution or federal law specifically prohibits it, WE get to decide what happens in OUR city. Not Pierre. Not Washington D.C. US.
Our home rule charter gives us:
Construction of municipal powers - we can do anything not specifically prohibited
30-day citizen review periods for all ordinances
Initiative and referendum processes so residents can overrule council decisions
Authority that supersedes conflicting state statutes on local matters
Think of it like this: Home rule means Sioux Falls gets to be the boss of Sioux Falls. What's more conservative than that?
WHY THIS MATTERS RIGHT NOW - Operation Prairie Thunder
Governor Larry Rhoden launched "Operation Prairie Thunder" - using our state tax dollars to deploy helicopters, state troopers, and National Guard soldiers for ICE immigration sweeps in our city. And here's the kicker: Sioux Falls is experiencing 5-year LOW crime rates.
The Facts:
Crime is at historic lows in Sioux Falls
This program wastes taxpayer money while social services get cut
It threatens our agricultural workforce - the backbone of South Dakota's economy
It's federal overreach using local resources for political theater
WE DON'T HAVE TO ACCEPT IT
Cities across America have successfully used home rule authority to withdraw from federal programs: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, Atlanta, and Albuquerque have all said "NO" to federal overreach without legal consequences.
HOW TO TALK TO FRIENDS & FAMILY ABOUT THIS
Use this language when you're inviting people:
"Hey, did you know Sioux Falls has the constitutional power to govern itself without interference from state or federal bureaucrats? It's called home rule authority, and we've had it since 1994. This Wednesday, we're going to city council to demand they use that power to protect us from a wasteful federal program that's happening despite crime being at historic lows. Want to come stand up for local control with me?"
For more conservative friends: "This is about local control vs. big government overreach. Real conservatives believe communities should govern themselves, not be forced into federal programs they don't want."
For more progressive friends: "This is about protecting our immigrant agricultural workers and stopping the militarization of civilian spaces when crime is already at historic lows."
For everyone: "This is about freedom - the freedom to make local decisions about local problems instead of having solutions imposed by people who don't live here."
CREATE YOUR OWN CONTENT - SPREAD THE WORD
Sample Facebook Post:
"WEDNESDAY 6PM - Sioux Falls City Council. We're demanding HOME RULE AUTHORITY to protect our community from government overreach. Sioux Falls has the constitutional power to govern itself - let's use it! See you downtown. #HomeRule #LocalControl #Freedom"
Sample Instagram Story:
"🚨 RALLY WEDNESDAY 6PM 🚨 City Council downtown SF. Time to demand HOME RULE and draw a line in the sand against government overreach. Every person matters! 💪 #HomeRuleNow"
Sample Text to Friends:
"Emergency: City council Wednesday 6PM downtown SF. We're pushing for home rule authority to stop wasteful federal overreach. Crime is at 5-year lows but they're deploying military operations anyway. Can you be there?"
Sample Email to Representatives:
"I am a Sioux Falls resident demanding you exercise our HOME RULE AUTHORITY immediately. Our 1994 home rule charter gives us the constitutional power to govern ourselves locally. Use it to withdraw from Operation Prairie Thunder. I will be at Wednesday's 6PM meeting expecting action. Represent US, not distant bureaucrats who waste our tax dollars on political theater while crime is at historic lows."
THIS IS OUR MOMENT
What if our city actually took meaningful steps to protect residents from big government overreach? What if we used the constitutional authority our founders gave us to govern ourselves locally?
Every single person who shows up Wednesday matters. Every phone call matters. Every email matters. Every conversation with a friend matters.
Ready to build a Sioux Falls that governs itself instead of being a puppet for political theater?
This is fundamentally about freedom - the freedom to make local decisions about local problems. The freedom to say "NO" to programs we don't want. The freedom to be the boss of our own community.
The power is in our hands. The authority is clear. The need is urgent.
See you Wednesday at 6:00 PM. Let's make history.
Also check out other Meetups in Sioux Falls, Arts events in Sioux Falls, Theatre events in Sioux Falls.
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