"Town Hall" report...

[lapfog_1]

So today was the day of the "meet the constituents" with my congress person, Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona (representing South East Arizona, which is where I live now).

I am on her mailing list so I got the email notification from her office.

Here is the email (this is important for a comment later).


<snip>
The congressional district work period begins next week, which I will
be using to meet with fellow Southern Arizonans. The week will
include touring Recovery Act project sites, visiting with local law
enforcement and Border Patrol officials, meeting with the Upper San
Pedro Partnership, as well as a visit to Davis-Monthan Air Force
Base. Additionally, I would like you to join me next week in Douglas
for a Congress on Your Corner. It's a chance for me to speak
with you about the issues that matter to Southern Arizona and our
nation. I hope to see you there!

Douglas Congress on Your Corner
Event Details:
Wednesday, August 5, 3:00pm - 4:30pm
Safeway
90 Fifth Street
Douglas, AZ 85607
Just west of Pan American on 5th Street

<snip>

So I show up to the "congress on your corner" meeting at the Safeway in Douglas Arizona. The wing nuts are there in force, but are "rallying" outside the Safeway (waiting for re-enforcements to show up, as there was maybe 12 or so). I go inside and find a roped off line of chairs and some of her interns with clip boards. I sign up and they tell me to take a seat in the roped off area (I never said what I was there for and never identified myself as a supporter). After I take one of the last seats in the line, the thundering herd of wing nuts (complete with their buttons, signs - including that Obama / Joker sign, "don't tread on me" flags and all the rest come into the store as a group. The first thing they notice is that there isn't a stage or podium or rows of chairs... it's NOT a town hall meeting. Rather, she set things up so that she could converse for a few minutes with each constituent that showed up, taken in the order of arrival, and in private. That really pissed them off. They couldn't very well hiss and boo in unison and otherwise disrupt proceedings. So they started complaining LOUDLY... saying first that the people in the roped off line of chairs must be contributors (we weren't, nor were we asked) and that this was UNFAIR. They huddled around the end of the line and tried to plot a new strategy, with many of the better fed ones complaining that they would have to stand for an HOUR or more to lodge their complaint about "Obamacare" and taxes and whatever.

They are really pissed that it isn't a "town hall" meeting. They can't disrupt a "one on one" meeting! They are busy shouting that they were misled (apparently some newspaper said it was a town hall meeting). I tried to point out that the email I got said nothing about either one on one OR town hall format. All it said was "Congress on your side". That could mean anything. But, of course, I was shouted down when I tried to make that point. And, boy, did they bitch about the format. I pointed out that one on one was MUCH better for each voter there, as we could individually make our wishes known... they were having NONE of that! Most the group split off to go wave their signs and flags elsewhere in the store, at least until Safeway management came up and asked that they not bother the shoppers! (Safeway may regret allowing the meet and greet in their store).

A family of Mexican americans showed up (Douglas in ON the border, from the safeway, if you have a good arm, you can throw a stone into Mexico) and the birther/freaks (all white, mostly older) get into a fight with the obvious Democratic leaning Mexican-American family. It gets into a screaming match with the freeper types yelling at them to "go home" to which they reply "my family has lived here since the 1700s, 6 generations or more, YOU GO HOME. (for the not all that well up on American history, Douglas and most of south east Arizona is part of the Gadsden Purchase of 1853. It's very likely that the Mexican American ancestors became US citizens against his will!) Anyway, They are both shouting at each other (the racist nature of the birther/deather/freeper/teabagging wingnuts was is full evidence. The wing nuts standing behind me (I had the last chair in the line) were all part of some group or other as they all seem to know the other wing nuts showing up. They spent much of the time trying to hand their "literature" to others in the line (not many takers) and clustered around to discuss the next tea bagging party (9/12 apparently) and the fact that they can't find any commercial place around that will let them use the PARKING LOT for the rally! (Ha! ha!).

Finally the Congress lady showed up and started meeting with each constituent one at a time. She spent 5 minutes or more with each one. I got to know some of the people in front of me (a very nice democratic retired couple, she was a RN/anesthesia and he was a biologist (turtle studies!). And there was a very elderly single man (WWII vet) in between us... he was a conservative republican but he couldn't stand the birther/disrupters. His only comment/question that he had for the congresswoman is "Would she read the entire bill, whatever it was, before she voted on it". That's it. That's all he wanted to know was to look her in the eye and get an answer to that question. Both the retired couple and I helped him move from chair to chair as the line progressed. He was a very nice old man with a million stories and I provided an ear to listen. Really I think he wanted out of the retirement home and a chance to meet some people.

Finally, I got to meet Ms. Giffords and tell her two things... one, I wanted single payer (she told me that it was highly unlikely AT THIS TIME - sadly, I agree), and then I went on about the solar power / employment project I want to start here. She really liked that and set me up with a staffer (what I wanted/expected) to set up a follow up meeting - which is set for next week!). And that was it. The wing nuts tried to disrupt by shouting a few times and I have no idea if the congresswoman met with them. To be honest, it would be a waste of her time. No matter what she says, and even what she DOES (like vote against Obamacare or whatever), they won't vote for her next election.

So, I had a good time, I got to laugh at the birther wing nuts, I got the follow up meeting to find out what, if anything, the federal government can do to help my project/idea along, and I got to tour Douglas, AZ. Sorry, no pictures, but there were plenty of people taking photos of everyone there... I wonder what for???

-Lapfog

[grytpype]

1. Suggest you post this as a dKos diary.

[drm604]

2. I'm glad to see people finding creative ways to suppress these disruptors. n/t

[Superfly007]

3. Stop these people now!

[valerief]

4. Interesting read. Thanks. nt

[sunsi]

5. Great story of meeting the wing nuts

Thanks for sharing this. I found a website called, Recess Rally, and they are planning on meeting Aug. 22 at Reps. across the nation. I plan on being there to counter act their craziness holding up my own sign in support of healthcare. I've never done something like this before but I'm fed up with the way they are taking over. Here's the link to Recess Rally if anyone else wants to show support. "http://recessrally.com/

[drm604]

6. Read some of the DU threads on how to disrupt these people.

Trying to counteract them with our own protests is, in my opinion, counterproductive. Read the OP of the thread and read the other threads, There are proven tactics that can be used.

[Kali]

7. kick for a smart way to handle these idiots

Sounds like Giffords thought this out and handled it perfectly.

Thanks Lapfrog.