We are entering hour 23 of a long standing debate in Missouri. The debate is ongoing because Democrats refuse to yield the floor for the passage of SJR39. As the hours go by, I wanted to say something again about the importance of your state house elections.
Today, Democrats around the country are thinking about Michigan. They are thinking about Mississippi. Florida. Not because of implications for people… right now, but because they will be homes in the selection of our next US president. That is definitely important.
In Jefferson City, Missouri, however, several state senators, people who aren’t being paid a heck of a lot to do their job, are laying their bodies on the line and sleeping in shifts, taking off to eat in hallways in quick order to maintain a quorum and fighting the desire of their own body for more rest.
Missouri Democrats have put it -all- on the line the last 24 hours, they have done so because they are fighting for a cause they believe in, whether or not everyone does.
Standing for civil rights in America isn’t always an easy thing to do. There will always be people and groups that oppose you because you are speaking on behalf of a minority group. Republicans will mock your efforts in social media, in radio interviews, and you know that the Republican mail houses are looking at the clock and prepared to throw punches at Democrats for holding a filibuster on behalf of LGBT citizens.
What Republicans refuse to acknowledge with the legislation is that as written, the legislation creates an environment that tells people it is OK to discriminate. I want you to think about that. We are wanting to codify, in a state constitution, the right of one group to discriminate against another. While Republicans continue to ask on the floor “who really gets hurt here” ? The reality is simple: the moment you tell a group they are “less than” another group, the moment you make it OK to discriminate against them, everyone of us is harmed. We are all part of a system that says it is OK to treat another unfairly.
There are days I get pretty cynical about legislators. Sometimes I can be cynical about fellow advocates who show up rarely and waffle too often. Today in Missouri, there is nothing but an outright fight for the right thing; the refusal of Missouri Democrats to yield the debate, to force Republicans to discuss the issues and own this should be praised.
For a minute or two, I’m going to tell you: many of you may be watching Michigan’s primary returns, but pay attention to Missouri. I’ll keep my eye on it for sure. As the Filibuster continues, if Missouri Democrats refuse to yield ground, and are holding the floor into this evening, the real winner today isn’t whoever claims the Michigan primary.
The winner today will be Missouri Democrats who put their bodies on the line and are standing up to fight against something that is simply unjust.
Today I can’t be cynical about Jefferson City; because the senators today are doing the most we can ask of them.
Tuesday, Mar 8, 2016 · 8:35:04 PM +00:00 · Chris Reeves
Senator Chappelle Nadal and Senator Jill Schupp are still occupying the floor. If you heard these two at 5AM, you heard them at midnight last night; they have when possible napped in shifts to keep this debate going.
“I’ve got time” says Senator Jill Schupp.
Tuesday, Mar 8, 2016 · 9:33:18 PM +00:00 · Chris Reeves
Members are receiving a lot of positive support for legislators, advocates, and LGBT persons in other states, urging them to stand strong. The twitter feeds #notinmystate and #SJR30 (plus #moleg, as the normal) are loaded with support for those in the Senate.
Tuesday, Mar 8, 2016 · 11:59:31 PM +00:00
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Chris Reeves
My email address is pretty easy to find; I include it in a lot of my posts to notify me about Kansas or Missouri issues. Most of the email I receive comes from people I know; outside of hate mail that is :) But a few hours ago, I received email from someone in Columbia that really choked me up. It was pretty short:
"it's good to know someone in Jeff City cares about me.”
I admit, this chokes me up. There are a lot of people in Missouri who have endured legislative bullying in the state. Women and minorities especially. Seeing someone stand up for them and do something is pretty powerful. Win or lose, they get to feel as though someone gives a damn about their quality of life.
Wednesday, Mar 9, 2016 · 12:26:35 AM +00:00
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Chris Reeves
Senator Gina Walsh (District 13) has been sick and so had not been present; she just arrived into the senate, bringing her daughters along, telling members they had to be on site. There is some dedication among the Dems to stick this out.