TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Indiana’s Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith made a stop in Terre Haute this week as part of his ongoing 92-county tour aimed at engaging directly with communities across the state.
The town hall event provided residents an opportunity to raise local concerns and hear directly from him. According to Beckwith, the goal of these meetings is to create space for open dialogue between government officials and the people they serve.
Monday night’s discussion centered on a range of issues, including immigration policy, CO2 dumping, and religion. The event sparked mixed reactions from those in attendance.
“I feel like no voices were heard,” said Vanderburgh County Resident Laura Brown. “It was very disregarding of anyone’s opinion. He had Bible verses to quote rather than facts.”
Another longtime participant expressed disappointment in how this particular event was handled.
“I have been a regular attendee at these events, and I have never once felt as silenced as I did here,” said Evansville Resident Kristina Bickle.
In response to concerns about how differing views were addressed, Beckwith emphasized his commitment to transparency.
“Some people may feel like they got the answer they wanted, but I say I’m going to tell you what I believe, why I believe it, and if you don’t like the answer—I heard you. I just maybe don’t agree with you. And so that’s okay. We live in a country where it’s okay to have civil disagreement,” Beckwith said.
Beckwith and his team plan to follow up on the issues raised during this event, as he continues his tour of all 92 Indiana counties.
