Take heart; I watched my state rep. get blistered from constituents

[merbex]

over gay marriage in MA

On a cold, dreary, rainy, Monday night at 5pm when the MA state legislature was first considering the anti gay marriage amendment we(my husband, 16 year old daughter and I) attended a meeting that we had only been notified about that same Monday morning because somehow I was on someone's email list.


We show up at the hastily called meeting because for the life of us we couldn't figure out our state rep's position - he seemed to be dancing on the head of a pin over this issue. We just knew he hadn't come out for gay marriage in a clear way. We figured at this hour if 20 people showed up it would be a miracle

Over 200 people came. It was standing room only.

He was STUNNED.

He heard from his constituents that day - DID HE EVER!!

He was scolded,cajoled,reasoned with and finally told that he would face a primary opponent over his position.

He did not change his position and while he didn't get the primary opponent he faced a write -in opponent for the general election over this issue.

It scared him.

We are having an impact.

We may not win this battle over Alito but we will win in the long run

And that state rep?

He changed his position on gay marriage this year

The netroots ARE effective and getting very good at organizing

[babylonsister]

1. Yours is a great, encouraging story! Thank you for the hope! nt

[pinto]

2. Thanks for the post. Local politics matter...Kudos.

[Not Me]

3. Thank you for standing up for me.

I SO appreciate the committment and solidarity that our straight allies bring to the battle.

[John Q. Citizen]

4. Right on! n/t

[donco6]

5. Thank you merbex.

It means a lot.

[merbex]

6. It might interest both you and Not Me to hear about who was in

the audience that late afternoon into evening meeting

I've talked with the organizers of that meeting about they have concluded that the ratio was 40% gay 60% straight. I'd have to agree. That meeting was talked about for WEEKS afterwards. Our local town reporter who dates a man I serve on a committee with wrote an article and I had friends calling and asking if I went and why didn't I call them.

My daughter still talks about that meeting; she came home and said that while she totally disagreed with his position she admired how he handled himself. It really was a brilliant exercise in pure democracy.

I heard later that he had to travel just up the street for a meeting with other elected officials - he walked in and people said he was SHAKING

He was overheard to say the local state Senator "I think I was sandbagged. They only asked me to this meeting this morning.How could all those people have heard about it?"

The state Senator immediately notified the organizers of the evnt and said "I will not attend any meeting like that"

We are still trying to find a good progressive Dem to run against him!

[donco6]

7. Ha! Bravo for you!

He should be shaking. He's wrong and must know down in his soul that he is.

What a great thing for you to have done. I admire you.