Someone called all the businesses we advertised as our drive-through signature locations and threated them.
After being given approval to use their parking lots, Hobby Lobby, Quilted Bear and the Germantown alternate location, were intimidated by the caller, Maria Hanrahan, who admitted this to this blogger via this blog's comment section (which will not be posted here as she has her own blog).
We had no problems despite this inappropriate behavior, which Maria Hanrahan admitted to me was within her lawful right to do. The sidewalk actually worked better.... We were closer to the street and people were glad to just pull up and sign, then drive away.
Kewaskum DQ and State Farm Insurance in Hartford refused to budge or be intimidated. The caller also called State Farm HQ to try to get the support of "higher ups," but they were not intimidated, either. No problems, either place. Hats off to both Kewaskum DQ and State Farm/Hartford for standing their ground. BE SURE TO THANK THEM.
We got hundreds of signatures today in a mostly steady flow. A little slow during downpours, but overall great day!
A group opposing our requests took signs and stood at the opposite end of the street. Opposers drove through Hobby Lobby parking lot and screamed obscenities at us and the children who were volunteering today. Some of the words were appalling..... (but pretty sure they could be found in many, if not most, of the books we are protesting). No child should be harassed in that manner. No adult should either, for that matter. They flipped us the middle finger. They called the police and tried to find violations, i.e., card table on private property (we did not have a card table out of any sort). The police officer was kind and explained city ordinances to us so there were no issues with loitering (we were not..we complied with the city ordinance and continued to have people move about), and the like.
We have said it before, we will say it again. We are not going away. We will not be shut down, despite the tactics used by those who know they are wrong and have no other means of battle.
We were proud of the wonderful group, adults and teens, who helped stand in the gap for the youth in our community today. They were cold and wet....REALLY cold and wet...but they received the cruel, inappropriate and mostly vulgar rants without responding in kind. They did not intimidate; they were respectful of the business owner's properties, they even picked up trash/cigarette butts and left the area in better condition than when they came.
Only thing mysteriously missing was the media. Hmmmm... Lots on the front of the WB News today that was oppositional to the work we are trying to accomplish on behalf of our youth, but nobody to cover today's event. :-) Ya gotta love 'em.
Despite the cold and rainy day, we met more amazing and wonderful citizens who feel as strongly as we do.
We would do it again...in the rain.
The kids are worth it.
8 comments:
Maria, you went out of your way to claim on another blog you do not harass Ginny. But look at what Ginny reveals in this very blog post:
"After being given approval to use their parking lots, Hobby Lobby, Quilted Bear and the Germantown alternate location, were intimidated by the caller, Maria Hanrahan, who admitted this to this blogger via this blog's comment section (which will not be posted here as she has her own blog).
"We had no problems despite this inappropriate behavior, which Maria Hanrahan admitted to me was within her lawful right to do."
Maria, is this true in whole or in part? Please explain.
I hope you did not stoop so low to do what Ginny said you did. Intimidation tactics will totally undermine any credibility you may have had.
Tell me it's not true, Maria.
Tell West Bend.
Oi. Parabéns por seu excelente blog. Gostaria de lhe convidar para visitar meu blog e conhecer alguma coisa sobre o Brasil. Abração
Good Job Ginny and all who helped with your petition drive. Foul language and intimidation are the hallmarks of those who cannot defend their position in any other way. Keep up the good work.
Just FYI, I put Clausewitz' post through a Portuguese to English translator and got this:
"Oi. Congratulations for its excellent blog. Blog would like inviting to it to visit mine and to know some thing on Brazil. Abração"
The places you "supporters" hail from humorous. Kansas, Penn? When they pay taxes maybe I will take thir opinion seriously. I hope you are intelligent enough to know they will not count in your final numbers. Neither will those in other communities. Unless they live in the city and pay taxs their name and number will not count. Not even if they are part of the share system. Those peeps have to take it up with their own libary if it may be on the recieving end of the books. they cannot take it up with the library the books are housed at. You might want to pass that on to them that their sigy does not count on your little list. So go get em from all over. Yee Haa PS I am a student have researched this and checked with many authorities. Challenge me sure but when it comes to law this time I have the green correct check mark.
djust...
Though you sound like you did really, really a lot of work researching petitions and their legal ramifications, let me assure you that in no means are the petitions we are using, first and foremost, being used as "legal" documents whatsoever. You must first understand their usage. Names that are not from the SHARE library system will be removed, i.e., out of state or beyond the scope of the area. Since you are on the outside looking in, you are using limited knowledge with your research, but my hat is off to you for at least making the effort to do the homework! FYI, did you know??? On-line petitions almost never have credibility as legal documents.
djustus,
That is why I did not sign the petition. I am out of the area affected by the petition and didn't want to put these folks through the extra work of taking my name off. I am sure most of those signing from out of the area are doing so as a show of support.
I stumbled on this story by way of Google, struck me as interesting enough to read but ... what were you petitioning? Not that it should matter as far as being treated with respect, but it would be nice to see the old 5 w's.
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