Saturday was the USS South Dakota Day of Honor, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the 250th anniversary of the US Navy. An event was held in Sioux Falls to celebrate the occasions.
US Sen. John Thune was the keynote speaker. Some protestors rallied nearby to oppose some of Thune’s latest policies, namely the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
“Thank you all for coming here today, and may God continue to bless you, our veterans and the United States of America. Thank you," said US Sen. John Thune in his closing remarks of the USS South Dakota Day of Honor in Sioux Falls in front of hundreds of people. At the same time, across 12th street around 75 others were exercising their 1st amendment right to protest Thune with signage. A few trickled over and one begins to chant derogatory comments.
While there were many protestors, they don’t all speak for the group organizing the effort. Julia Natvig is one of the organizers of the protest with Common Grounds Indivisible South Dakota, a local social justice and pro-democracy group.
“And we’re rallying today to let the public know that Sen. Thune is betraying his oath to the Constitution, betraying our military veterans and the people of South Dakota,” Natvig said. “As the Senate Majority Leader, he deserves the blame for pushing the reckless brutal betrayal bill, the Rescissions package and he’s failed to push back on the DOGE cuts. He’s forgotten that Congress is a separate and co-equal branch of government.”
She said that’s just to name a few of the reasons they protested him.
“Thune did not push back as Trump shuttered vital agencies, cut staff, terminated grant programs that supported our veterans," Natvig said. "He voted to take away their health care and access to food benefits. And yet here he is today gladhanding vets and smiling for photo ops. He should be ashamed, and he should be run out of town.”
Another organizer of the event claimed Thune is in violation of his role to the Constitution. That man is Michael Heisler, a physician in Sioux Falls who takes care of patients at the VA.
“This event today rightly recognizes veterans and celebrates the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States Navy. I’m a veteran, I work at the VA and of course we ought to be doing this. So, here’s John Thune celebrating the VA and the veterans and all the rest," Heisler said. "What did John Thune actually do behind closed doors in Washington? He stood by silently while 88,000 VA jobs are under assault and being threatened to be cut. And that has an immediate impact today, right now, at the VA in Sioux Falls.”
Heisler said that’s the reason they gathered protestors.
“So, rhetoric is one thing, and reality is another. So, we’re going to ask Sen. Thune to connect reality and rhetoric and start taking care of South Dakota, rather than the special interests in Washington,” Heisler said.
Across the street, at the battleship memorial, speakers said they were celebrating what gives protestors the right to voice their thoughts in the first place. That included Jeff Griffin, the President and CEO of the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce. He asked the children in the crowd to go to the front to see the people who protect their freedom.
“The sailors not only visited, not only sacrificed for the freedoms for these kids to enjoy, they sacrificed for protestors to enjoy their right to protest," Griffin said. "And that’s the country we live in. And that’s the country that our military continues to serve for. Sen. Thune understands that, and he’s never lost the humility that comes from South Dakota. We appreciate his leadership.”
Thune echoed that events like Saturday's are about celebrating American history and heritage.
“I’m grateful. I’m just grateful to the 68,000 South Dakotans who served in World War II and the tens of thousands who have served since and continue to serve our country. We have a great heritage in our state," Thune said. "I tell people we always punch above our weight when it comes to military service. And today is an opportunity to say thank you to all those who served and to their families for whom they make a tremendous sacrifice as well for the loved ones to serve.”
As for the rally across the street, Thune said the United States is a free country, and people are allowed to have different opinions.
“I understand people have different views of the issues. That’s part of our political process; that’s democracy,” Thune said. “And they have every right to speak out, protest, but I’ve got to keep my head down and do the work that I think the people of South Dakota elected me to do.”
He said one thing he won’t contend is that he’s forgotten South Dakotans or the state.
“The one thing I don’t ever forget about is South Dakota. I live here, my family is here, and I spend an awful lot of time here moving around the state as I will this month," Thune said. "So, I spend a lot of time back here, stay grounded. It’s what keeps me anchored, it’s what keeps me rooted.”
He said he plans to be in the state at many events over the next few weeks.
