I just sent an e-mail to Focus on the Family, expressing my deep appreciation for their video about town hall meetings.
Whatever you may think of their religious beliefs or their political stance, this video provides a welcome note of calm and sanity on the issue of political discourse, and those who need to hear it are much more likely to listen to it if it comes from James Dobson than if it comes from us. Here's the video (if you want to avoid "What Is A Town Hall 101," skip to 3:02 for the good stuff). My e-mail and a partial transcript below the fold.
My e-mail:
Hello -
I am a Christian who is politically to the left of your organization on many issues, but I want to express my extreme appreciation and gratitude to you for putting out the video called "Let Lawmakers Know Your Thoughts on Health Care."
I have watched in consternation as the town hall meetings nationwide have become more and more heated, angry, and frankly dangerous over the past week or two. The voice of reason, sanity, and respect both for our fellow human beings and for the political process that is expressed in your video needs to be heard throughout this nation right now.
For the first time in my adult life, I have seriously begun to fear that we are on the brink of major civil unrest, and possibly even targeted violence against our political leaders. Focus on the Family is a respected presence within the conservative political world, and I applaud your constructive use of your organization's visibility to remind everyone that Christian values relate not just to political ends, but also to the means we use to achieve those ends in a democracy.
I hope you will do more to spread this message not just to your subscribers, but on your radio shows, through guest appearances on TV networks, and through direct communication with your fellow media personalities who are encouraging a far different tone in our political discourse.
Sincerely,
NWTerriD
PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT
STUART: Talk about the proper tone. Some of the video that's been showing up on cable news networks has been a little rowdy, frankly. What is the proper tone? What approach should people take when they get up to speak?
ASHLEY: Well you know, as Christians we're to treat everyone respectfully anyway, so this is non-negotiable. You show up at these meetings, you speak to your lawmaker clearly and politiely. And like I said, raise your hand. It's almost like you're in class. Raise your hand, and they'll call on you, hopefully; they'll give you a mike.
Make your voice heard by, I would say-- I would suggest --- say what you want, give your statement first, then maybe ask your question. If you're talking about whatever issue you can say, "Here's my opinion on this, and here's a follow-up question." It doesn't have to be long; you don't have to be a rocket scientist or some kind of political analyst before you can go to a town hall meeting. Just ask your question politely, and make sure you get a straight answer, and that's what those videotapes should be there for.
STUART: Yeah, and if you're not getting a straight answer, follow-up is always acceptable.
ASHLEY: Right. Absolutely.
STUART: And it'll be pretty clear how it goes after that, I think. And from the big picture, why is it important for people to take part in this aspect of the process of our democracy?
ASHLEY: Oh, wow. That's a great question. You know, it is important. We want people to feel as connected to their lawmakers as possible. You know, sometimes they're in Washington DC, they're far away, people are busy with their homes and their lives, they've got kids, school, work. This is a great place to get face to face with your lawmaker and express your opinion. It's better than a phone call, it's better than an e-mail, it's more relational, and it's good for lawmakers to see their constituents. To see their numbers, and to see what they're actually saying, and to hear what they're actually saying. So, I love it. I love these town hall meetings, I think they're a great idea if they're used properly.