Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Beat but not beaten

Whew!

I just got back from a LOOOONG day at the Statehouse.

It began with a crowd of choicers and only three lifers.
We gathered in committee, each prepared with 30 copies of our 3 minute speeches.

Since there were only three lifers, and a whole days worth of choicers, the Chairman decided to have each side form a panel. Each panel would have all the time they needed to make their best case. Afterwards, there would be Q & A, and then all the rest of us would give our prepared testimonies.

Well...right after he says this, the lifers pour into the room, and produce a panel of high profile professional advocates. An OBGYN, an evangelist, two emotionally fragile women with the saddest testimony imaginable, and a woman named Folger, who was one heavy hitter for life.

They dominated the entire day, and with the exception of some great speeches by our designated panel members, none of the sixty pro choice women were permitted to testify.

We were there all day, waiting for naught.

At lunch, I stepped outside to get a bite to eat, and left my speech on my chair to hold my seat, as did many others. An infusion of fresh lifers arrived out of nowhere as we adjourned. When we got back, all of our seats were taken, and security told us we had to go sit in the overflow room and listen via radio.

At 5pm, the chairman abruptly adjourned with no apologies or mention of continuation.

4 comments:

Kath in the Country said...

Oh man, some days just can't go our way for even one minute! Sorry to hear of your incredibly frustrating day. I was truly hoping your speech would be heard and your spirit would soar. Glad it made its way on your blog, so we all know how effectively literate you are!

Kel-Bell said...

The saga is not over yet. I have been chatting with several representatives via e-mail, and it looks like the story of how the people were not heard might go public.

We shall just have to wait and see.

As for HB228, it looks like it will die on the floor.

Angeline Rose Larimer said...

You're always involved.
I admire you so much.

Kel-Bell said...

Kelley tips her hat and does her best John Wayne impression (Its really quite comical)

"Jus doin my job, maam."