A First Hand View of a Raucous Town Hall Meeting

[cali]

August 05, 2009 4:51 PM


There were no lobbyist-funded buses in the parking lot of Mardela Middle and High School on Tuesday evening, and the hundreds of Eastern Maryland residents who packed the school’s auditorium loudly refuted the notion that their anger over the Democrats’ health care reform plans is “manufactured.”

“I went to school in this school,” a man named Bob told me. “I don't see anyone in this room that isn't from Mardela Springs right now.”

“We’ve been quiet too long,” said a woman named Joan.

snip

The former county prosecutor won his seat – formerly held by a Republican -- last November by just 2,852 votes.

Boos and cries of “You don’t get it!” were hurled at Kratovil, as he suggested that the current health care system needed to be fixed.

“You're deceiving us! You're trying to shove this stuff through,” one woman yelled.

“I'm not! But I hear you,” Kratovil pleaded.

“This bill is un-American,” said another voter, who asked whether Kratovil has read it.

snip

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/08/a-first-hand-view-of-a-raucous-town-hall-meeting.html

[Fridays Child]

1. "Two elderly women said they were embarrassed by their neighbors."

"'They were rude! Oh, they were behaving terribly,' one said, calling it a 'disgrace to our community.'

"Said another of the anger, which sounded very much to her like what she hears on Fox News and conservative talk radio, 'If it's not manufactured, they're brainwashed.'"

Sensible women. The fact that people can be so easily persuaded to act against their own interests is an endless mystery to me.

[kevinbgoode]

3. No kidding....it's like they live for the next fear and smear

campaign to excite them. But there was simply no excuse for the level of vitriol used to bully and intimidate. None.

Of course, if no one is fighting back, it isn't going to matter. This is happening just as the GOP and the Blue Dogs wanted.

[kevinbgoode]

2. We are still not handling these meetings well. . .

and the Blue Dogs brought some of this crap on themselves. Why is it that I see not a single bit of media coverage about the corruption and greed of insurance companies? Any discussion of the millions of Americans without any insurance? About the number of bankruptcies? Is there no such discussion allowed at any of these town hall meetings?

Apparently only right wing bullies and those who love to live in fear and anger are allowed to speak at these events.