First, on an utterly different note-- Et tu Senator Grassley? Good grief, I thought Senator Grassley was somebody who would put Country ahead of party interests... after today, Senator Grassley's own words have proven that false at least on health care reform. I hope Senator Grassley simply misspoke (repeatedly) and will clear this up tomorrow.
Now, for the townhall event....
The GOP is playing with fire here. At our townhall, most of the folks actually supported either a public option, or single payer, but those folks clapped mainly and were not part of the shouting. There was a very vocal minority who tried to speak over everything and shout down the panel. Much of the chanting seemed pre-orchestrated, but if that was done by the GOP, I'd be surprised. There were also folks (in opposition to reform) who alternatively shouted and then approached other people and tried to "convince" them one on one. None of the angry folks around me liked Republicans any better than they liked Democrats-- indeed, it seemed that these folks all believed our 2 largest political parties exist to keep us from "knowing" what is really happening and how we are being turned into "beasts of burden" for "them."
Yet, least you think the loud, protesters were violent, please think again. Indeed, many approached me (even though I had a sign supporting health care reform in my hand) in a vain attempt to "proselytize" me to their cause. I use that word "proselytize" deliberately. All of them were decent folk with some (at least to me) incredible beliefs.
Here is a sampling of some of the beliefs I was asked to "join" last night:
1. Fluoride in our water is for mind control. I asked this person if she was concerned about our "precious bodily fluids", and I don't think she got it because she responded "Yes, you understand!"
2. The New World Order was on track to turn us all into slaves (all of us, regardless of race, creed, or national origin) and this began under President George H. W. Bush. This person sounded a great deal like Timothy McVeigh, which shocked me (I lived in Tulsa, OK for a time and my folks lived there when the horror occurred at the Federal Building in OK City) and before I could catch the words, I said--
"You agree with Timothy McVeigh?"
She replied by shouting "Are you threatening me?" Which was odd since I had not moved, but simply asked a question in a shocked tone. I said "No," and she pulled out a cell phone, stuck it in my face and took my picture "Now, we know who you are!" she finished. I assured her I was not threatening her (and incidentally, since when is it non-threatening to stick a camera in someone's face and take a picture without permission?) but was concerned since her words sounded a lot like Mr. McVeigh's. She told me she had DVD's which would prove to me that the government (no distinction between Republicans and Democrats) was trying to turn us all into beasts of burden and that "They" would come for me soon, too.
3. Most tried to convince me that Lyndon LaRouche had the answers-- he was followed closely by Ron Paul. None of the protestors who approached me, or to whom I spoke, were Republicans. Indeed, they seemed to despise Republicans as much as they despise Democrats.
4. A fellow with a sign of President Obama made up to look like that little jerk who caused World War II and the slaughter of countless numbers of innocents told me that he felt the same way about President Bush, maybe even worse. I got rather worked up about him-- and sang (off key, unfortunately) "My Country 'Tis of Thee" at him until he put the sign down (probably to stop my singing). To give you an idea of how loud it was, I don't think anybody else could hear me singing. When I got home, though, I wished I had not done that. Something about all of the nonsense everywhere got into me, and I wish I had not let that happen. But, comparisons to the little Austrian jerk who has his own special place in hell aggravate the heck out of me since it seems to diminish how truly terrible that little pipsqueak of an Austrian jerk was. And no, I won't use his name-- he does not deserve that dignity.
5. A man asked me if I would personally guarantee that there would be no "death panels," and I said yes. It did not make any difference. He was older, and I think truly scared. I do wish folks like Senator Grassley (WHO KNOWS BETTER!) would not perpetrate that sort of thing. People have quite enough fear already; nobody needs to be creating false things to fear simply to advance their political party.
6. All of the vocal protestors had cameras of some kind and they seemed to be attempting to take pictures only of signs that were opposed to health care reform. Some of the signs were very vitriolic; others were downright dangerous (if believed).
7. One vocal opponent to reform told us he was from Nevada and did not have health care insurance. But, that he would not take government subsidy or a public plan, because that would be a death sentence for him. Another American afraid thanks to demagogues who don't care a thing about him, or anything else but whatever "ends" they are attempting to achieve.
8. All of the protestors to whom I spoke believe that "They" are going to get us all and I was an idiot for not seeing it. When I asked who "They" were I got a mixed bag of answers-- I was told "the government," "the corporations", "Wall Street," and even "insurance companies." Some folks also told me that college is where you get brainwashed for "them."
9. All believed that bad things happen because "they" want bad things to happen-- and disagreed with me vehemently that sometimes bad outcomes occur because individuals can be stupid, venal, even criminal (sometimes on a gigantic scale) but next to no-one actually plans for the WHOLE house of cards to come tumbling down. (Because really, as stupid as Wall Street traders behaved leading up to the collapse, how logical is it to think that individual traders from all over the world went to some meeting(s) somewhere where the collapse of the world's economy was planned-- stupid? greed driven? only short-term thinking? yes, criminal? probably, but organized at some vast conspiracy level? I rather doubt it).
Again, the GOP is truly barking up the wrong tree if they think most of those protestors will follow their banner, but perhaps my townhall event was atypical. The folks to whom I spoke expressed ideas that are opposed to just about every American institution, including the Republican Party. Yet, each one of them professed to love the U.S. Constitution, just not the military, the Congress, the President, the Supreme Court, local officials, state officials, prisons, laws, & etc. Their problem with the military is that we have a "standing army" when they believe we should only have militias. Nobody expressed a problem with individual soldiers. The protestors last night were a very agitated group; yet, I don't think any one of them would have harmed me despite the fact that I disagreed with them (endlessly). It was interesting that despite all of the shouting I could hear what the protestors were saying to me.
Other than the cell phone camera in my face, the only tense moments came when some careless person almost stuck me or my better half in the face with his/her sign and I don't believe that was intentional. There also was some shoving at times that was a bit tense, but it soon subsided. Somebody also unzipped my purse, but it was crowded and one should always beware of pickpockets in a crowded place-- and I noticed before the "hand" got my wallet.
If I met most of the opponents to reform on the street, or in my neighborhood, and we did not speak about politics, I just might like them. Some of them were quite charming one on one, even though we could not disagree more about just about everything to do with how the world works.
Amazingly, one was able to hear much of what the panel had to say-- and there were folks there who truly wanted more information.
Most of the folks could not tell me where in my district that they lived and some admitted to coming from Nevada. I think I saw one of the protestors on television today at an event in Maryland-- but surely that could not be true.
There were also some residents in white coats (I think from USC County Hospital) who were attempting to speak to the vocal minority about the real need for health care reform. I don't think that they achieved much-- even though they were very earnest in their attentions-- but nobody seemed to be threatening them.
Well, that is about it.
I live in California District 29 and my representative is Adam Schiff. He held an open air townhall yesterday evening in Alhambra, California. The crowd was big and a small but very vocal part of the crowd was not interested in anything that Rep. Schiff, or anyone else on the panel had to say.
Representative Schiff made clear his support of a public option-- and I was very pleased that I was able to hear that part of the townhall.
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