Small groups of Bakersfield residents have gathered over the last two days to protest the ongoing war with Iran, calling on Kern County’s congressional representatives to oppose funding and military operations.
Standing outside the Bakersfield office of U.S. Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, Fatima Moreno with the Kern County Young Democrat Leaders said she was particularly upset by President Trump’s comment on social media threatening the country.
“We were very upset by the recent comments by Donald Trump, about annihilating a whole civilization,” Moreno said Thursday. “No one president should have the power to say such weird things about a whole group of people.”
Moreno said Valadao and Kern County’s other representative, U.S. Rep. Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, should support impeaching the president before he follows through on his threats.
Other protesters said they were concerned about Congress not using its authority to rein in the president.
“He should be trying to find out what’s gonna happen because that’s his job, is to say, ‘Wait, wait. Congress is the only one that can declare war,” said Kathleen Stiles, who held a handwritten sign as she stood outside Valadao’s office.
Stiles — a member of the Democratic Women of Kern — had good things to say about Valadao, but said he needed to do more to oppose the polices of President Trump.
“I keep telling him he needs to become an Independent, because even if he did good things we can’t vote for him, because he keeps the people in power, like all the Trump people,” Stiles said.
Another group of protesters gathered across town at U.S. Rep. Vince Fong’s office near Cal State Bakersfield.
A day earlier, another group of protesters held a silent gathering at the Liberty Bell outside Kern County Superior Court in downtown Bakersfield, also calling for an end to the conflict.
Both of Kern County’s Republican representatives have voiced support for the president’s operation, noting Iran’s government has spent decades funding terrorist organizations around the globe.
But both have declined to state whether they’ll vote to authorize additional military action if the conflict stretches beyond the 60 days allowed the president under the War Powers Resolution and both have not addressed questions about the conflict’s cost.
“While our first choice should be peace, Iran’s authoritarian regime has spent decades fueling instability and threatening the United States and our allies,” Valadao said in a statement to The Californian Thursday.
“Without speculating on the outcome of ongoing negotiations, we must remain focused on preventing further escalation, protecting civilians, supporting our allies, and securing a lasting resolution that gives the Iranian people a chance at a freer, more stable future.”
Fong’s office did not respond Thursday to request for comment.
Fong has been a strong supporter of the president, and at a candidate forum in Bakersfield on Monday said that keeping America’s military strong was a priority for his district, which has several military installations, including Edwards Air Force Base and Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.
“The weapons that are being used right now — you guys all don’t know — but they’ve been tested in our community before they go out into theater,” Fong said.
“So we gotta make sure that our warfighters get what they need, and so that’s hypersonics, that’s commercial space, that’s ensuring that our military has the weapons that they need.”