What a precinct captain experienced at a town hall in Florida...

[babylonsister]

KO read this last night; I thought it worth repeating.

http://ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/08/the_tough_thing_about_racism.php

Yesterday evening I was to attend to the Health Care summit with(D) Rep Betty Reed and(D) Rep Kathy Castor, I'm a Precinct Captain (203) in Tampa and we received our talking points to rebut any NEGATIVE GOP talking points on healthcare. I never made it in the building. I've never in my life really experience outright racism in a public place. Signs of Obama hung in effigy, racial slurs on signs, people chanting negative words ( too many to list) and outright screaming at Obama supporters. The hatred was in their eyes and they actually scared me for a moment. At first I was shocked, then a little scared and then I got outright mad in the span of 1 minute.............. I actually left (the "hood" would have come out). I was totally blown away it was a mad house. I'm kinda mad at my self now, because I left. I'm still shaking my head in awe....................I'm still cold inside.

[DaLittle Kitty]

1. This Was A Total Union Gathering And Had Little If Anything To Do W/ Castor!

Here is an email that I received from one of my contacts who happened to attend...


Hi E......,
We don't actually know each other but I am on your e-mail list - I believe from the Women's March on Washington quite a few years back - and received your e-mail about last night's "forum." I wanted to respond to your e-mail as I did get into the room last night along with my sister and a friend. It was horrible, quite frightening and very sad - people were ugly and hateful and of course it was not a forum at all. Kathy Castor did her best to engage the crowd and get people to listen but the crowd kept screaming and yelling with such unbelievable anger and hatred. At one point my sister actually heard someone yell about Kathy Castor "Why don't we just tackle the bitch." They appeared to be an orchestrated group - chanting the same words - like "tyranny!" - over and over again. The news media has focused on the group of anti reform people who could not get into the room - as if they were the only ones excluded -


but I would say around 75% of those in the room were anti heath reform folks. :nuke:


I don't understand why no one has pointed that out.:think:


I strongly agree with you that these meetings are serving to give these people a forum to spew their hatred and I think the democrats need to stop scheduling these meetings. I think we have to express this thought to any democrats even considering another meeting like this - anywhere! Do you have any suggestion about how to get this point across? I have already called Kathy Castor's office to thank her for trying last night and to let her know that I support reform. But WHAT is this "Reform?"

It is going to be an enhacement to the power of the Insurance/Corporate Health Plans/Big Pharma Cartel!

A woman I met last night who is involved in the health care reform movement indicated that the calls to congress have been 5 -1 against reform - as the "anti" group is well organized and being incited by Rush and his ilk. A definite indication that we all have to make sure congress hears our voices as well.
Anyway - just felt the need to give you my reactions to last nights chaos.

If they're (OBAMA/Congress?Corporatists) are going to shove Mandates/Co-OPS down our throats...

IDON'T WANT IT AND HOPE THAT THE PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS VOTES THIS SHIT DOWN!
Lorie