Moore, OK Town Hall

[a la izquierda]

So, I went to the town hall meeting led by Tom Cole (Of course-OK). I managed to get seats, but tried to give them to these older women standing in front of my friends and I. I had a notepad ready to go, my cellphone recorder set...the women in front of us held up a giant "Yes to HealthCare" sign, which of course made me happy.
I was shaking. It takes a lot to rattle me; the problem in these situations is that I stick out like a sore thumb- I'm a short female, covered in tattoos. My two girlfriends look like modern day hippies. All three of us either have, or will soon have, PhDs. We were armed with our brains, but it was evident what side we were on. We never even got to use our brains, and we were looked at as if we were traitors to our own country.
It was rather packed; out of the 200 or so there, maybe 30 of us were Democrats (or, more correctly in my group's case, Leftists). The first person to speak was a Veteran (Vietnam, I think--I couldn't see him). He opened by saying that he's not afraid of government run healthcare, as he has had it for decades. People BOOED him!! I was absolutely stunned. Then, an older man next to me stood up and yelled "Socialist loser". I could not believe my ears. When the next Dem stood up to tell their story, another man shouted "Shut the hell up and sit down." He yelled this at a woman. I finally had to leave when a young African American woman was essentially shouted down by the whole auditorium. Someone screamed something about guns. That's when I got very nervous. To be fair, Cole was not allowing a whole lot of talkover, of anyone, for *most* of the meeting. He was very diplomatic, but dodged many questions.
I don't have all the questions that people asked in front of me, mostly because I had to take a several hour breather to calm down. Normally, I do a large group ride on Tuesdays. I was so angry, and had such an incredible headache that doing anything was really not an option.

I'm utterly at a loss. I still have a migraine. I don't normally drink to drown my frustrations, but I have to tell you, I felt so defeated when I left that my friends and I went for a beer at 130, despite the fact that we had other things to do.
The Democrats aren't showing up. I didn't see my OK State Democratic Senator or my Democratic Rep. They will be getting vicious letters from me in the morning. I understand they can't do much about the healthcare debate, but they sure as shit should be showing up to support their DEMOCRATIC constituents, who essentially got slaughtered in Oklahoma today. This is why the Democratic party will continually falter in places like Oklahoma--they give it up for dead instead of making even a small attempt at building on their base.

All in all, it was a very unsettling, angering, exposing experience.

[kevinbgoode]

1. And once again, not many Democrats present...or supporters or reform

and even worse, apparently no instructions to the audience that rude behavior will lead to the removal of the perpetrator.

It is NOT peaceful assembly when people are allowed to deny others the right to speak when it is their turn. This intimidation will continue until someone stands up and faces the bullies.

[a la izquierda]

2. Nope, no instructions whatever...

and I have to tell you, I was extraordinarily uncomfortable with being there. It was rather frightening. When you're outnumbered nearly 7 to 1, and most of the Dems there were women (50+ in age), no one wants to take a stand. I can't say I blame them. I wasn't fixing to put myself in bodily harm..

[Echo In Light]

5. Professor/author/social critic Mark Crispin Miller has long advocated this:

It's not necessarily the size, the %, of what constitutes the Right in this country that we need fear, it's the lack of concern on the part of the majority who don't support or identify w/the Right, but don't have an historic perspective of how, under certain, awful circumstances, that minority of zealots could push hard enough to ensure breakdown of democratic principles/safeguards, etc.

[cpamomfromtexas]

3. I'm from OK and I have a hard time driving across the border into the state

for the same reasons you just mentioned.

It's horrifying how backwards most of them are.

I guess that's why I left treadmarks leaving the state 24 years ago.

My sympathies.

Congratulations on the PHD.

[a la izquierda]

4. Thanks.

I'm almost done. Getting a PhD in history gives one a fairly interesting perspective on current events.
Living in Norman, I can sort of insulate myself from maroons such as the folks I witnessed yesterday. But I do have to venture out from time to time. Then I'm pegged for a Yankee liberal (grew up in NJ) and I must take care when I discuss politics in public. I've been tossed out of bars here.
I actually like living here and I'll be sad when I get a job and have to move. But the backwardness of some people is, um, disturbing.

[Okie4Obama]

6. This is why I am scared...

I am scared to go to the town hall meeting for that hypocrite Mary Fallin. This is a subject I am very passionate about, but I do not want violence done to me. The atmosphere in this country is the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life. Granted I'm only 33, so I wasn't there for the social unrest in the 60s, but this is frightening for me. I feel like something is going to happen, bad.

As for OK, I have no idea how we ever got a Democratic governor.

[a la izquierda]

9. I was very edgy, to say the least.

I'm not normally a skittish person. Most people wouldn't tussle with me, figuring if I have as many tattoos as I do, I must have something wrong with me. However, a man sitting right near my friends and I gave us the most evil, intimidating stares. He was probably in his 70s, we're women in our late 20s/early 30s.
It was unpleasant.

[hfojvt]

7. your title is kinda ironic

Not your fault. Dennis Moore of Kansas was on the local news yesterday. He cancelled his town hall because of some death threats he has gotten. So Moore did not OK a town hall.

[a la izquierda]

8. whoa, death threats...

jeebus! that's nuts. there was nothing like death threats at the Tom Cole townhall, but it was an unpleasant experience nonetheless.