Wamego experienced a tourist boom last week. That’s good news for a struggling ag sector in Kansas. Cars with tags from Miami, Johnson, Kiowa, and Douglas counties in Kansas filled downtown parking in the community on May 10. They were parked next to cars with plates from Texas, Tennessee, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Missouri, New Mexico, and Maine.
The mainstream media, of course, missed the story. Reporters were in town that day, too, covering an “explosive town hall” hosted by Congressman Roger Marshall. WIBW said “tempers flared” during the event.
It’s a shame none of the reporters thought to seek out the tourists and determine what brought them to town mid-week on a Wednesday. Readers appreciate good news, but the reporters concentrated on only the unsightly in Wamego that day.
In what is becoming the norm, a rowdy crowd booed and sneered as Dr. Marshall attempted to answer questions. It was a strange sight for a small town in Kansas 
where the residents are typically so friendly.
Marshall is in the midst of hosting town hall meetings across the Big First district of Kansas.
“You know, I’ve done 22 of these,” he said minutes into the Wamego meeting. “This is the rudest audience I’ve had to talk in front of.”
Police eventually escorted one man out of the event after he was asked to watch his language.
KMAN radio’s news outlet quoted a variety of Kansas State University professors. One warned that the American Health Care Act could be as deadly as the 9/11 attacks. Another asked what Marshall, an obstetrician, was going to do to protect women’s health care.
Most attendees appeared to read questions about health care, immigration, and the environment from pre-printed cards. Several attendees chanted “single payer” throughout the event. They held up red and green cards to show their approval and disapproval of things Marshall said. Audience members questioned Marshall about opening town halls with prayers. He didn’t at the Wamego meeting, perhaps because audience members began screaming questions at him as soon as he picked up the microphone.
Other than the Marshall town hall, there were no special events in Wamego on Wednesday. Locals aren’t certain what drew so many out-of-state people to town that day. Perhaps Marshall should host more town halls, if that was the draw.
At some point, maybe mainstream media will notice that these screamers and wearers of female body part costumes aren’t acting like typical Kansans, but clearly, not yet.
