‘We can no longer be silent’: Hundreds attend State College town hall, share anger over Trump
About 350 people filled The State Theatre on a warm Saturday afternoon to share their anger, frustration and hope during a “People’s Town Hall” organized downtown by the Centre County Democratic Committee.
A seven-person panel of politicians and local leaders was moderated by Ferguson Township Supervisor Omari Patterson, who fielded questions on a wide-ranging variety of topics. Panel members briefly offered their own introductions before taking written questions and then oral questions from a largely partisan audience that cheered on Ukraine and booed billionaire Elon Musk.
Those who attended took away different thoughts from the two-hour event. But, for many, it helped reinforce why they wanted to be involved in the first place.
“We can no longer be silent,” said Chris Rhine, of Walker Township, while her friend nodded beside her.
Said her friend, Jonell Benzio: “We feel so helpless all the time. I wish we had more of these — because it gave people a chance to speak up.”
One speaker in the audience took the microphone to explain how a cut to Medicaid could halt her life-saving care. Another spoke, with a steady conviction, about constantly being told as the child of an immigrant that she wasn’t smart enough — and how she still refuses to give up. Another choked back tears as she recalled the documented stories where international students were forcefully taken in public by officials who hid their faces and drove in unmarked vehicles.
The list of grievances with the Trump Administration was long and detailed Saturday afternoon. There were controversial cuts and on-and-off tariffs, threats to Social Security and the potential dismantling of agencies such as the Department of Education. But Patterson, the moderator, noted that they seemed to receive one question above all the others.
What can we do to stop this?
“Guys, this is it. This is it, right here in this room,” said panelist Conor Lamb, an attorney and veteran who represented Pennsylvania’s 17th/18th congressional districts from 2018-2023. “It may not seem like it, but our government will only be effective if we have a democracy where people feel like they can stand up, speak out, tell the truth and insist on the rule of law.”
A few scattered groans permeated the crowd, but panelists largely doubled down on that message. It may appear unsatisfying because there’s no instant cure, they intimated, but a slower positive change is still a positive change.
Lamb pointed to evidence of that progress by sharing how Democrat James Malone just narrowly won a seat in the state Senate through a special election — despite running in a district that Donald Trump won by 15 points in the presidential election. Lamb said he understood if people thought he was just preaching to the choir, but he promised the crowd their message wasn’t confined to The State Theatre.
“Trust me, they hear it,” Lamb said, referring to D.C. politicians such as U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Howard. “I’ve been where they are. I’ve sat in the seats they sit in. I’ve had congressional offices that people protest outside of, from the left and the right. ... OK, it works. It influences them.
“And so you’re not going to see the fruits of your action today or next week or next month, but you will see them when opportunities arrive, like the James Malone special election.”
Democratic organizers for Saturday’s town hall invited politicians from both parties but, unsurprisingly, only Democrats attended. A cardboard cutout of Thompson briefly sat alone on stage before Saturday’s town hall started, and it was brought back when Thompson’s name was mentioned during a portion of the audience Q&A.
Earlier this month, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson encouraged Republican politicians to skip town halls due to the backlash against Trump and Musk. U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick recently held a “tele-town hall” that was announced 30 minutes beforehand and also screened questions.
The Centre Daily Times did not receive a response from the Centre County Republican Committee when asked Friday if it intended to host any town halls. Thompson’s office issued a written response to the CDT, but also did not directly answer about future town hall plans.
“The Republican Congressman from Pennsylvania’s 15th District feels zero obligation to show up to events hosted by the Centre County Democratic Party,” Thompson’s Chief of Staff, Matthew Brennan, said in an email. “While I heard the echo chamber at the event was nearly deafening, one thing remains clear, the voters overwhelmingly supported GT Thompson this past November.”
Thompson, who first assumed office in 2009, beat out Democratic challenger Zach Womer — also a panelist Saturday — by more than 40 points this past November. Thompson, who was born in Centre County, carried his home county by four points.
Centre County Commissioner Mark Higgins echoed Lamb by telling the crowd, “For the love of God, vote.” Higgins and others also encouraged voters to call and contact their politicians, show up to their offices, and take part in group efforts like Saturday’s town hall. State Rep. Paul Takac, D-College Township, took it a step further by telling the crowd to remain focused on what’s important without getting lost in all the noise.
“The message is beginning to break through,” Takac added. “We’re doing things. We’re advancing legislation. We’re focusing on issues.”
Among the seven panelists Saturday were Centre County Commissioners Higgins and Amber Concepcion; Lamb; state Reps. Takac and Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township; Womer and Ray Bilger, a combat veteran and former employee of the Department of State’s foreign service and intelligence community.
More than a dozen attendees signed up to volunteer at future events for the Dems and, due to the high attendance, more than 60 people sat in the balcony.
“It’s important to show up for one another,” Abbey Carr, executive director of the Centre County Dems, said after the town hall. “So that’s what I was hoping that people see, that we’re all in this together. Every fight is a good fight. All politics are local.”
This story was originally published March 30, 2025 at 9:04 AM.
