I'm saddened but not surprised by the antagonistic response Eva Young got from several people on the list when she announced Log Cabin Republicans will have a booth at Gay Pride this weekend. You would think people would say: "Happy to see you there."
As a new Republican I want to indicate that I will help Eva staff the booth on Sunday afternoon (1-4), and look forward to chatting with any friends and acquientences who stop by. I'll be happy to explain why I gave up on the Independence/Reform/Independence Party after 7 years of hard work, and why I think it is in the best interest of Minnesota citizens to support the Pawlenty-Molnau ticket. (Even if it is the hardest to spell.) I'd like to ask partisan list members to think about an unreported statement I made in a debate at Coffman Union in 1996 when I was the Reform Party candidate running against DFLer Phyllis Kahn and Republican Tom Gromacki for State Rep 59B. I suggested that the DFL was always proposing New Deal-type solutions from the 1930's, and that my Republican opponent was proposing answers from Biblical times. I said that pendulums have a tendency to swing back, and that DFL supporters would be well-advised to start building something in the middle, a fire break, a moderate third party, to prevent the pendulum swing back to where my Republican opponent that year was. Well, strengthening the center didn't happen. The once-in-100 year opportunity to cause a realignment of American's party system was lost though the incapacities and mistakes of Ventura and Perot and their main henchpeople. At the same time, the DFL interest groups (esp. their leaders) failed to look for common ground solutions (read compromises) that a majority of citizens could coalese around. (E.g., the failure of the education establishment to respond to the plea for accountable, community-responsive and competent schools, resulting now in Supreme Court's support for vouchers and the threat to the concept of the common school. Thanks, education establishment, for provoking the response that the child be cut in half. Oops, sorry about that biblical allusion.<g>) (Another e.g., the pro-choice advocates' equation of a 24 hour waiting period with the repeal of Roe v. Wade. In this state you can return a refrigerator within three days of purchase. I guess "consumers are stupid." Thanks Jesse, for finding "common ground.") I hope people come by the Log Cabin booth tomorrow to learn how through their involvement they can help broaden and improve the Republican Party, which I believe will become the new majority party in America. Throwing rocks only drives people farther from you. Alan Shilepsky Downtown _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
