George Pyle could see the irony of his situation.

As he explained to the crowd of 300-plus people before him, a group of conservative businessmen were across town in a sports arena listening to a self-professed woman of the people, while the rabble and liberals were gathered at the Salina Country Club to listen to a bald man who works for Warren Buffett.

Pyle was speaking, of course, about Sarah Palin, the ex-governor of Alaska and ex-vice presidential candidate who was the guest speaker Friday at the Salina Chamber of Commerce annual meeting at the Bicentennial Center.

Given a standing ovation after his introduction, Pyle said, "I hope you still feel the same about me after my speech."

Pyle, an editorial writer at the Buffalo News in New York and former editorial editor of the Salina Journal, was the guest speaker at an alternative event called the RNC (Reality Not Celebrity), which took place at the same time at the Salina Country Club.

A sold-out crowd attended the event, which was organized by Salinan David Norlin and former Salina City Commissioner Abner Perney.

Pyle's speech, "Of the People, By the People, For The People," touched on subjects of health care reform, death panels, public education, small businesses, social security and fear of government.

"I'm sure (Palin) is explaining to the pillars of the community that if the government would just leave them alone, things would be better," Pyle said. "She might believe all that tommyrot."

Concordia resident Ellen Anderson said the RNC event was a "delightful" alternative to the Chamber of Commerce event.

"Year after year, it's always the same there," she said. "This is equal time."

Clay Center residents Wayne Link and Jim Beck said they enjoyed Pyle's editorials in the Salina Journal and wanted to hear him speak.

"I had a bunch of friends going to see Sarah Palin," Link said. "I'm the opposite political viewpoint, so I decided to come here. It's fun to be with people who share some of the same viewpoints."

"It's great that the community knows there's more than one viewpoint here in Kansas," Beck said. "We may be a minority, but we're here."

The RNC developed as a reaction by a group of like-minded people to the announcement of Sarah Palin as the Chamber speaker, Perney said.

"When the Chamber speaker was announced with a lot of fanfare, a lot of us were not pleased and rather appalled at the choice, which we believed was the greatest propaganda program of this young century," Perney said.

But instead of complaining once again about the Chamber's tendency to book conservative speakers, Norlin he and his other "instigators" decided to turn their frustration into action.

"It's not just a matter of protesting," he said. "We have ideas, and we want them to be heard. Not only that, we want to have a good time, too."

One of the first steps in arranging the event was to book a compelling speaker. Norlin said Pyle, a Pulitzer nominee for editorial writing at the Salina Journal, was the first and only choice.

Pyle said it was fun to come back to Salina.

"It was particularly fun to be invited back," he said. "Someone had the bright idea I might be a good draw."

nReporter Gary Demuth can be reached at 822-1405 or by e-mail at gdemuth@salina.com.

Join the Discussion:

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says....
Congratulations Salina at your excellent event--Reality Not Celebrity! Now, at least there is evidence to the outside world that there is some intelligent life in Kansas. Usually, Salina is a laughingstock, due to the unbelievably poor quality of speakers the Salina Chamber of Commerce consistently invites to town.
2/8/2010

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cornguy says....
The Republican elite just don't get it. We unsubscribed to the Salina Journal years due to it's editorial policies and biased reporting.
2/6/2010

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says....
Thank goodness there are residents who value substance over style. Palin can't put an intelligent, rational thought together and yet, she attracts people in big numbers. Oh, I forgot, the Lord tells her what to say and do. That's just plain scary.
2/6/2010

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says....
Ha ha ha..... nice response for George Pyle... Ha ha ha ha...
2/6/2010

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says....
It is SOOO obvious George Pyle is a has been.... go home....
2/6/2010

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says....
LOL!!!!!!! Pyle is such a wanna be..... maybe the liberals are understanding that we don't like their "change"... what a weak response from a past tense "wanna be"...
2/6/2010

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putz says....
300 people wow thats 250 more then ever read any of his editorials
2/6/2010

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Buffalo says....
Knock 'em dead, George.
2/6/2010

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Bye Bye Sour George says....
Sarah displayed her nobility by refusing to mention George Pyle. Pyle displayed his trashiness by attacking Sarah Palin. All the liberals can do is hate people who disagree with them.
2/6/2010

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James says....
300 to see this guy and 6000 to see Palin...
hmmm
who is the fringe group?
2/6/2010

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says....
hmmmmm. Plenty of coments about Palin and none about Pyle..... Shows that Salina isnt full of loons like I thought.
2/6/2010

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k377s says....
If he is such a delightful alternative; why did he make only local news. because he is a has been!
2/6/2010

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Wasnt able to attend says....
Everyone talks about not agreeing on issues, but a good citizen would have voiced their concern that they were unable to attend both speeches, since they were at the same time, to hear both viewpoints. The part of the political bs that makes me mad the most is that neither party will sit in and listen to the others representatives; they would rather cast stones from afar and listen to the speakers of their parties ramble about the same bs they already know.
2/6/2010

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way to go says....
awesomed idea!!!
2/6/2010

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Tax payer says....
I was at the bi center and I did not hear Palin say a word about piles at the count club. So Piles talk trash about palin what a bunch of loosers. Of course the SJ want post this there to lib.
2/6/2010

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says....
What ever you payed him was too much. He now lives where he should. With the crazy people on the coast
2/6/2010

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alan b says....
Quite a contrast between Michael Strand's article about Miss Sarah and this one by Gary Demuth about George. One is uplifting, filled with praise for Salina and the few things that our Federal Government has done right while the other is full of hate and discontent. Miss Sarah praised our young people, offered praise for our city leaders who, rightly or wrongly' have created things and even gave Praise to Obama on the things she could agree on. From the RNC meeting we read "a lot of us were not pleased and rather appalled at the choice, which we believed was the greatest propaganda program of this young century," Perney said." and "She might believe all that tommyrot." Maybe this is why over 6000 people went to hear Sarah Palin and a measly 300 bothered to attend George Pyles tirade.
2/6/2010

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Ollerfarm says....
I believe in tommyrot. The government needs to be a protector of citizens. Citizens need freedom from gov intervention.
2/6/2010

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