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In the main meeting area.
The sign reads "Lives in Ohio. Not getting paid to be here." |
Tonight I attended a With-or-Without-You town hall meeting organized by constituents of my U.S. Congressman, Rep. Pat Tiberi (R). Our purpose was to let Tiberi hear our views on his hateful commitment to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The meeting place was the Unitarian Church in Beechwold, and the place was jammed beyond capacity. Organizers had said that over 1500 people made online commitments to attend. That estimate may have been on the low side. The main sanctuary was filled wall-to-wall. It was SRO ten-deep around the perimeter and in the entry hall. There was an overflow room with a video screen and people were packed in there like sardines. Still more people spilled out the doors and stood outside. The parking lot was full, and so were side streets and alleys. The turnout was wonderfully encouraging, and I'm reasonably certain that none of us were paid to be there. I know I wasn't.
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| Watching on video in the overflow room. |
The Dispatch sent reporters and photographers. Jerry Revish and a 10TV team showed up. I rubbed elbows with State Rep. David Leland, and shook hands with Gov. Ted Strickland.
The only person not there was the safely gerrymandered Rep. Tiberi, who's a chickenshit weenie too scared to face the public and defend his indefensible positions. He declined to attend. In his stead, the organizers brought along a life-size cardboard cut-out of him -- Flat Pat.
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| Bad photo of "Flat Pat" |
Regarding his absence, the lovely Mrs. Gammons made an excellent point: In our jobs, most of us must occasionally deal with unhappy, complaining customers/clients/constituents. It comes with the territory and there's no escaping it. Unlike Pat, we cannot "decline to attend."
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