Thank you for the great effort so many of you are making on behalf of Referendum 71. We have one Sunday and less than two weeks to gather signatures. At this point we do not have enough signatures, however, I sincerely believe if we make our best push over the next 10 or 11 days we can succeed. God bless you.
We continue to get reports from our volunteer signature gatherers of aggressive opposition. The following happened Saturday at Wal-Mart in Hazeldell. This is the story in the volunteers own words:
Subject: My experience today at Wal-Mart
At about 2 pm today I went to WalMart, Hazel Dell, to join Eric at a table set outside the store, in the sun, to gather signatures for Referendum 71. Many people came to our table freely asking what we were there for and willingly signing our petitions. Eric had been there from 9 or so in the morning and said that he got about 20 signatures an hour. While I was there for about an hour, we continued gathering signatures.
Then this older woman came by, very aggressively against us, speaking in an angry tone, using language I do not use. Eric said that he would go in and talk to the manager, which he did. A man with her took our pictures. Then some time later the police came telling us we were trespassing and that we had to leave.
Eric was in the store getting a sandwich, I told them. I was just a "sub," filling in, but that I thought that he had gotten permission. The police wanted my driver's license, which I told them was not on me but in my car. They didn't ask me to go get it. Rather the manager, or someone from the store, said I had to sign this sheet saying that I could not come back to WalMart.
I read it but did not ask for a copy. [I think now that I should have done that. I suppose I should call and get one.] I told her [the manager?] that I would have to write a letter to the editor explaining this problem as I thought that WalMart was family-friendly and had let us gather signature previously without any trouble.
Then Eric came back. The police told me to remove the table and chairs and info. He did. I did speak with them, nicely. After I asked Eric if he had gotten permission, and he said that he did, I told them that. One officer said that he didn't care. We, it would seem, were the ones creating the disturbance--when in fact, it was the above woman who made the fuss and was not very nice in her speech and manner.
So, we become the problem when we decidedly did nothing to make a problem except to exercise, with dignity and respect, our right to gather signatures, with the permission of the store also.
I am asking Debbie to go talk to the manager and see if this can be straightened out so that we can return.
Pauline
To comment ... click here.
_____________________
Sen. Boxer Predicts Drought, Floods, Fires and More if Climate Bill Fails
Last week Al Gore invoked the spirit of Winston Churchill as he compared the climate change fight to that of World War II against the Nazis. I wrote about it last week and have also linked a video of his comments.
You will note that Gore is telling people at Oxford that if the Waxman-Markley Bill is passed, the bill will, "help bring about global governance." Put another way: A one-world government.
Now Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Cal., is saying if this bill doesn't pass, "There will be droughts, floods, fires, loss of species, damage to agriculture, worsening air pollution and more."
The House has already passed the bill, however there is a chance the Senate may defeat it. Although the Democrats are in the majority, there are a number of Democrats who are not going to support their colleagues on this one.
It is well known that there is a growing body of data that contradicts Al Gore's version of global warming and a growing number of credible scientists who say it is based on a faulty premise.
This bill, if passed, will be the largest tax increase ever placed on the American public. Many feel it will reduce America to a second rate nation.
I would encourage you to take a moment today and call your US Senator and tell them you strongly oppose the Waxman-Markley Bill and ask them to oppose it as well.
Thank you.