I just finished doing one of the hardest things of my life. I spent a couple of hours holding a "Public Option NOW" sign at rally in San Antonio, TX. What made it so hard? It was a rally for the Tea Party Express. Four friends and I decided that we wanted to share our views with the American Public, so we headed down to the Alamo dressed in our Texas for Obama gear and our pro-Health Care/Public Options signs. The crowd didn't know what to think of us.
Our goal for the day was to get a little attention. We definitely succeeded. Within minutes of the caravan's arrival, we had the crowd chanting, "No Public Option." We had definitely got their attention.
We wandered around to the back of the crowd and immediately started gathering an interested audience. Some people came up to us and thanked us for attending. They let us know that they didn't agree, but they though it was great we came. Others wanted to discuss health care reform - they are waiting for a real conversation to happen and found that they actually agreed with us much of the time. Not much of a surprise to us, but it was a huge surprise to them.
Unfortunately the vast majority just wanted to yell at us. We were called everything from socialists to communists to names that we won't share in this blog. We were called "un-American." As we were being interviewed by the press, people around us started chanting, "USA, USA, USA." When our voices joined theirs, they all stopped. They realized the news cameras were taping us joining them. They didn't want to be seen chanting with those progressives.
One gentleman introduced himself to me as an Independent; he doesn't believe in either party. When I told him that I too was an Independent and reached out to shake his hand, he refused.
The organizer of the San Antonio Tea Party wanted me to know that "the otherside" shouldn't use the term "tea-bagger" as it is derogatory. I let her know that I thought calling President Obama a Nazi and a communist was pretty derogatory as well. She said that people were entitled to their opinions.
Another woman had asked if I had read some book about communism and continued to describe in graphic detail the pictures of what communists did to their prisoners. I asked if she had heard about George Bush and Guantanamo.
A tourist from Washington State was amazed that we wanted a public option. She reminded me that most states provide health care access. I told her the story of a nurse who became sick with lupus and could no longer work and soon lost her coverage. She asked why the state didn't help. I told her that the nurse lives in Texas. When she tried to change the subject, I pushed and asked what this poor woman should do. Her answer, "I don't know."
My fellow pro-reform protestor, George, held his own as men more than twice his age questioned whether he had a job and why he had time to be downtown at all. When he let them know he had finished classes this morning and just caught the bus in time to come over, someone told him he should quit college. That's a great solution for today's global economy. Hey, Americans! Quit school and get a job! That will help the Economy!
My friend, Joanne, was told to leave Texas when others saw her Texas for Obama sign.
We learned that when people start talking about Canada or Norway, we tell them we don't want that option, we want an American Option. The phrase sounds good when it roles off the tongue.
The good news - we handed out several flyers about a REAL Public Option and the CBO report on the current health care legislation for Ciro Rodriguez's congressional district. Some of the people were listening. And when we were resting up in the shade, we had some very intelligent conversation with a few people about term limits, about the current state of congress and our congressional leadership, and how a public option would provide a choice not unlike that of our current university system with both public and private schools.
I haven't seen the press coverage yet. But I know that we caused an uproar. We were interviewed by at least three or four local stations and by National Fox News. Haven't seen the spin - but even if it isn't great, people will learn that some Texans support a Public Option. And that we aren't afraid to speak out, even to a hostile audience.
If you're interested in doing the same as the Tea Party Express comes to town, check out their schedule:
http://teapartyexpress.org/...