Thank you all for suggestions of a message to deliver to MAGA nationalists who call themselves Christians as they try to insist town government treat Pride event attendees as less than equals.
@Graci @AskTheDevil @hendrey @MookyTroubadour @sfleetucker @Bliss
At tonight's meeting with the nearby town (I'm in the county), I'm glad I signed up to speak. I was the lone public commenter to speak up for DEI.
Instead of protesters filling the meeting room beyond capacity and filling an overflow room, and13 people speaking against the Pride event, this time they only half-filled the meeting room. They had 3 speakers speaking for their groups instead of 13. Almost all their speaking was to warn of thousands of diseases, some of which are spread by sex
... sexual intercourse. Their comments were at times graphic and vile despite bringing young children; I won't even repeat some of them here with an almost entirely adult community. They must be indoctrinating their kids to hate.
I didn't have to say much at all in order to knock it out of the park. I made my point by briefly speaking of 3 ongoing issues I have with the town. One issue is with foul smells coming from a lawn fertilizer business. I said I'd tell them what it smells like but ..
I'd tell them what it smells like but it's disgusting and there's already been too much of that talk tonight.
I thanked commissioners for recently passing a non-discrimination agreement in conjunction with the county.
"Diversity. Equality. Inclusion."
During commissioner reports the mayor thanked speakers regardless of sides in free speech arguments.
When the meeting ended the protesters had gathered in the lobby. I walked through the midst of them, "Hey guys, Thanks for your comments".
What is it President Obama said?
It was something like when they go low, we go high. It worked like a charm! I didn't know I could be so kind and smile so much. 😉
@Priestess @ACG2 wouldn’t even be surprised if many commenters don’t even live there. I see that in my small city. Local yakkadoodles get some likeminded loons from other towns to show up at OUR civic meetings. I have no problem with the attendance; it’s the false showing “local concern” that kills me.
@Priestess @hendrey That’s the way those anti-Pride people are organized. FB or other media space will probably post local events and volunteers attend to promote that (hateful) agenda. At our township meetings, community members who speak must state where they live. This is taken into consideration (supposedly) by the commission to determine standing ( are you impacted or not by traffic if you don’t live/ drive in the area). The outsiders would not have standing though they may speak.
@ACG2 @hendrey
Until recently, the mayor insisted speakers state their name and address. She stopped insisting when so many people from outside town began wanting time to speak at the podium.
I'm located in the county, in between north Raleigh and the previously small town of Wake Forest which has grown rapidly and recklessly, to my chagrin. Being on the outskirts of the state capital city was ideal before the urban sprawl because I was often visiting the state legislators.
@ACG2 Thank you! I feel good about holding down the fort. I had no idea I would be the lone voice tonight.
Despite taking it on alone, it worked out...
Two commissioners commented in vehement support of the Pride event during commissioner reports which followed the public comments. I think protesters have been flooding their phones and emails with requests to motion against the event.