Petitions Are Due Today
I believe the Citizens for a Responsible Whatever robo-called every phone number in Montgomery County in the last few days, trying to get them to sign petitions to throw out the new gender-identity nondiscrimination law. The law says you can't not-hire somebody, not pick them up in your taxi, not serve them in a restaurant, etcetera, because of their gender identity.
A member of our TeachTheFacts.org listserve apparently got one of these robo-calls on her answering machine and transcribed it for us. If you belong to our Yahoo group you have already seen this; I thought it was worthwhile to post out on this more visible site, as well.
Here's what they are calling and telling people:
This is why we call them "shower-nuts." The law was already in place to prevent discrimination based on a number of factors -- race, religion, sexual orientation, things like that. They added "gender identity." This bill levels the playing field for transgender people, in a lot of ways, it requires the rest of the population to treat them fairly. But these people are only concerned about "the privacy of women and children." The assumption of this call, and all the rest of the group's bull-oney, is that transgender women are really men, with all the predatory tendencies that implies.
Well, I'm not going to argue with it, the petitions are due today, they will either meet the goal or not.
This morning's newsletter from them said:
Today they've got about half a day and everybody's at work. I don't think they'll get very many signatures.
They need 25,000 valid signatures, that means registered voters, residents of Montgomery County. We've gone through the percentages, maybe they'll have enough and maybe they won't.
A member of our TeachTheFacts.org listserve apparently got one of these robo-calls on her answering machine and transcribed it for us. If you belong to our Yahoo group you have already seen this; I thought it was worthwhile to post out on this more visible site, as well.
Here's what they are calling and telling people:
If you're concerned about the privacy of women and children in public bathrooms across Montgomery County, please listen to this message and visit our website, notmyshower.com.
The Montgomery County Council passed a dangerous law in November. The law adds gender identity to the county's non-discrimination code.
Unlike other gender identity bills, our Montgomery County law provides no exemptions for public accommodations. This means that access to public showers, locker rooms, and restrooms could be governed by one's gender identity. For example - the gender you believe you are, not the gender you were born with. Even Massachusetts Senator [sic] Barney Frank proposed an exemption for places of shared nudity to the federal ENDA proposed gender identity bill. Our Montgomery law has no such exemption.
Bill 23-07 has so many negative consequences that we believe the voters should have the final say.
We need your signature on a petition now to put this issue on the November ballot.
Please visit notmyshower.com to find a list of places where you can sign the petition.
[The message then continued with a list of places where one could sign a petition on Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 4.]
This is why we call them "shower-nuts." The law was already in place to prevent discrimination based on a number of factors -- race, religion, sexual orientation, things like that. They added "gender identity." This bill levels the playing field for transgender people, in a lot of ways, it requires the rest of the population to treat them fairly. But these people are only concerned about "the privacy of women and children." The assumption of this call, and all the rest of the group's bull-oney, is that transgender women are really men, with all the predatory tendencies that implies.
Well, I'm not going to argue with it, the petitions are due today, they will either meet the goal or not.
This morning's newsletter from them said:
We have 27,932 in hand.
Hello from the counting zone at 4 am, where we have been up all night counting and scanning and numbering.
Ok, folks, if 500 of you get 5 more signatures each we make it. If 250 of you get 10 more each we make it. Please keep GOING.
We have extended our deadline to the latest we can possibly do and still make it to the Board of Elections by 4:30. Drop off locations below are collecting until 2 pm. At 2, they will be collected and brought to the counting zone. These are the same locations as yesterday with the exception of Scribblers, who has a conference today.
Today they've got about half a day and everybody's at work. I don't think they'll get very many signatures.
They need 25,000 valid signatures, that means registered voters, residents of Montgomery County. We've gone through the percentages, maybe they'll have enough and maybe they won't.
posted by JimK at 2:03 PM
18 Comments:
Hi Jim.
I had to hit my email list first, but I thought I would tell you next because I know you are anxious. We turned in a total of 16,625 new signatures, bring the total to 32,087 total signatures, and, as an added bonus, the Board of Elections told us while we were there that they have validated 13,476 out of our first batch. Oh, and about 30 people accompanied us to turn them in...
Have a great day :-)
Theresa
Every day that we get to stand up against bigots and freaks like you, Theresa, is, in deed, a GREAT day!
We'll see who gets the last " :-)" when you turn out to be short on validated signatures. Have just an enchanted evening. :-)
MTM
Hey Theresa,
I am curious to see how many will be declared valid in totality
Theresa, thank you for telling us. Of course the question will be the number of valid signatures. This is the way the system works: if you have the right number of signatures of MoCo registered voters (25,000+), you get this on the ballot, and you're going to be right on the edge. It's a shame that you couldn't have participated in the process when the bill was being developed in the county council, and it's another shame that your group had to lie about what the bill is about, but that's America for you. All you have to do is get them to sign it. I can't say I wish you luck -- I think the Board of Elections has 20 days to determine the number of valid signatures, is that right? See you then.
JimK
Jim. Ruth did participate. She attended and gave feedback. They ignored her, like they ignored all the phone calls and emails that poured in...
Maybe they won't next time.
theresa
Theresa, I saw Ruth's public comment, where she wore her lab coat and stethoscope and rambled incoherently, accused people of things, wandered off-topic. That's not what I mean.
If you have an interest, you can schedule meetings with council members and staff, you can arrange to have experts come in, there's a lot that can be done. The point would not be to battle the entire establishment, but to work within our fine system of government to see that laws are enacted that meet your standards.
Nobody wants to treat you or your group as outsiders, and everybody knows that there are more and less conservative people in our community, but you present yourselves so belligerently and defensively that nobody can work with you. You start by trying to throw everything out, whether it's the school board or the new amendment to the law, rather than seeing that sound policy is created from the start. It does not appear to others that you are really serious about changing the law, but only about making a statement, usually one that "proves" that you are victims of some unfair process.
JimK
Hey, Theresa, you talk about your people being harrassed, so what about when I was chased after at Montgomery Mall because I said it was all lies. . The papers from your group were thrown in my face and my son got scared but handled it well. You people did a great job of harrassing. I even got yelled at by the person(was it you) to leave the mall. I didn't know your group owned a mall where I have been shopping since the week it opened. Judy L.
I agree, Judy.
I felt quite threatened when one of Theresa's faithful volunteers put his hand on my shoulder when I interrupted him to correct one of CRW(eirdo)'s lies.
I think, we ourselves, have a pretty nice lawsuit we could file against the CRW(eirdos) but, being the outstanding Mo.Co citizens that we are, we recognize that people are human beings and are also our fellow brothers and sisters.
Theresa, Ruth, et. al., however, think that anyone with an opposing viewpoint is a fagot or fagot-lover doomed to Hell and misfortune...
Well, Mrs. Rickman, as a fellow Christian, I have to disagree with you. I mean, you're a woman and you're not supposed to be wearing pants, according to the Bible, but you do it. Hypocrite!
Theresa-- We should sit down and have coffee sometime soon. Let's even invite the press. I am sure you would just love to have a GAY TEACHER to add to your hit list. Bring your husband, and I will bring my fiancé (who is, himself, a broadcast journalist on a local news station!!!)
Andrea- not anon
I think it is nice of Theresa to be so proud of her liars and bullies. Having heard first hand the lies told to get people to sign this and been screamed at and shoved at myself by sad little baseball cap guy- I will be very interested to see who did sign. I'm sure many of the people will say they had no idea what it was really about and will have a real sense of shame that they were rooked into doing this.
So I still haven't heard from you, Theresa- why was Short baseball cap guy so threatened by me when I was alone and was white haired plaid shirt guy always pro-choice?
You might want to read the election results in MC from the primary- last week. Liberal democrats had a stunning victory- did you somehow miss that while your little group was suckering people?
As I said in a previous post here: CRC/CRG/CRWhatever - "People of the Lie"
RT
"Rio Theresa" and "I sleep with my labcoat and stethoscope on Dr. Ruth" said, "Make sure to check back tomorrow for Victory Pictures, and Videos.... We will will post a whole synopsis of the the harassment we were subjected to during our petition efforts, for those interested, next week ...."
Oh my I am sure we all will be on the edge of our seats for these lies.
Theresa you do not have a clue in that this is just the beginning of the light being let in on the bigots and liars you both are and continue to be. People make fun of you both for a good reason.
You are one sad person to relish in the discrimination of another.
Ted
Theresa
I'm on hiatus and not commenting, only reading, but did feel obligated to briefly say thanks for all the work you've done to ensure that the voters are heard on this issue. You've had to deal with some pretty nasty treatment from certain fanatic radicals here but the citizens of Montgomery County appreciate it. The nastier it gets, the more you can be sure the lunatics think you're winning.
Thanks!
Wyatt I am sure Theresa feels comforted by your words.
Birds of a feather you know.
Dean
Oh, AnonFreak-- perhaps you need to look up the definition of "hiatus" (you lied, ONCE again-- surprised? No, I'm not).
The citizens of Montgomery County will ring through IF the hate-based initiatives of CRW(eirdos) ends up on the ballot--- the Transgender Bill WILL remain as proposed and written.
Did you stop smoking yet, AnonFreak?
"Anonymous said...
Theresa
I'm on hiatus and not commenting..."
Is this a new low? Are Anonymous and Theresa synonymous? Does Theresa really use the TTF site to self-congratulate herself? What chutzpah!!
Given what Theresa looks like well why not.
One man to another
Dean
"Hi Jim.
We turned in a total of 16,625 new signatures, bring the total to 32,087 total signatures, and, as an added bonus, the Board of Elections told us while we were there that they have validated 13,476 out of our first batch. Oh, and about 30 people accompanied us to turn them in...
Have a great day :-)
Theresa"
----
-ill-gotten
: acquired by illicit or improper means [ill–gotten gains]
-fraud
1) a: deceit, trickery; specifically : intentional perversion of truth in order to induce another to part with something of value or to surrender a legal right b: an act of deceiving or misrepresenting : trick
2) a: a person who is not what he or she pretends to be : impostor; also : one who defrauds : cheat b: one that is not what it seems or is represented to be
synonyms see deception, imposture
--
Thesaurus:
-fraudulent
1) marked by, based on, or done by the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value
Synonyms crooked, deceitful, defrauding, dishonest, double-dealing, false
Related Words deceptive, misleading, specious
Near Antonyms legitimate, true, valid
Antonyms aboveboard, honest, truthful
2) given to or marked by cheating and deception — see dishonest 2
--
Courtesy Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary
MD Anti-Discrimination Law Now Facing Referendum - The real Struggle Begins
Today at 01:11:11 PM �
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Hello again everyone -
It looks like the real battle to keep this legislation in place is about to begin.
The opposition claims to have met their petition numbers to force this bill to referendum, and possible repeal.
I was out in the cold, alongside fellow supporters, day after day, facing the hatred, the lies, the misperceptions and misinformation being fostered by our opponents, and not slept day and night, off and on, for a couple of weeks now.
We have been trying to stem the tide of untruths, accusations, misperceptions, misinformation, illegal or unethical petitioning methods, and frightening negative associations being made to the general public about transgendered people,, and our apparent direct or indirect connection to things like "sexual predators" and "pedohiles", etc.
We are facing statements about and how this law invariably - "opens the door to anyone that cares to throw on a dress and makeup",, and "invade the women's facilities to "peep at, prey on, or rape and generally destroy the privacy and safety of such facilities".
Myself, a retired and locally well-respected MTF TG surgeon, as well as a few other fearlessly open T friends and LGB friends,,
and people from the Vigilance blog and Teachthefacts, have been characterized as bullies,
- and myself, Mr. Kennedy(of Vigilance) and Dr. Beyer, specifically accused of being -"Transgender Thugs", trying to interfere with the fair democratic processes of the fellow citizens of this state and county.
We were backed by Equality Maryland in the initial efforts of our own campaign to oppose the opponents, and by using the slogan "decline to sign".
The opposition groups may even now be preparing lawsuits against us personally as i write this.
The opposition has now reported, that they did in fact, reach their number of required signatures this past week, and will be ready to move forward to getting their referendum of this bill as quickly as possible.
They have placed fear and doubt in the minds of literally thousands of people, and have done so by directly associating sexual predators with every common negative characterization associated with T, as well as LGB people.
This has been put right in the face of all of my fellow citizens and neighbors,, and they have done this so effectively, as to be able to tap deeply into the fears of the general public, and achieve, if not possibly far exceed their goals.
This is not over. Now the real fight begins. Those like myself that have been the most visible and most directly involved in opposing this campaign must now challenge the validity of these 30,000 + signatures that have been turned in.
It is likely i will vounteer to be sitting in an election board office or school for the next several days, sifting through these petition signatures, and trying to verfiy that enough are invalid for various legal reasons, so that we can effectively challenge this referendum attempt.
Below are current links to the Vigilance blog today, as well as a couple of press articles that have been published as this all got really cranked up in the last couple of weeks.
If this law is pulled and goes back to the council and the public for vote in November, then that will give us a few short months.
- A few short months this year to crank up every possible educational effort to the general public,, to stem the tide of common misperception and stereotypes, as well as the all of the fear that has now been VERY effectively associated in the minds of thousands of local parents and familes, in letting such a "bad law" stand that will clearly endanger (specifically)their wives, sisters, daughters, their privacy, their safety, and their sanctity in the use of any public and private facilities.
The opposition has stated that if it is simply reworded, and language excluding definition of "gender identity" or "gender Expression" in the bill is re-written, they will be fine with that and leave it alone.
I seriously doubt that, given past experience that others have talked with me about on this issue here in this region.
Many of the petitioners i spoke to in person this week honestly claim to have no issues with T people at all, per se, but clearly do not understand the issue in it's entirety.
They have only been given the typical mass of fear, misinformation, untrue characterizations, untruth, and hatred from the opponents, that got them to go out there and spread these lies to the public in the first place.
The opponents are backed by big conservative and religious power from all over the country, and that means facing pockets that are much deeper than any of us have at the moment.
All the more reason to fight on, and bring this to a head, and hopefully significant national attention. Better education of the general populace is key, and of CRITICAL importance.
Every person that is given the chance to look beyond myth, misinformation, bigotry, stereotype, and hatred, is one more person that may support our push for the simple and truly ethical acknowledgement of equal human rights for all people.
ALL people - not just the ones that only fall within "normal" "acceptable" societal standards of gender and sexuality, as is now being vociferously dictated against by the opponents of our right to exist as fellow citizens,, with as much right, and access, to all facets of "normal" mainstream public society that they themselves enjoy, without question or debate.
Please help if you can, and in ANY way that you can.
Thanks,
Sincerely,
Maryanne A. Arnow
links:
http://www.teachthefacts.org/2008/02/crw-meets-target.html
http://www.nbc4.com/politics/15352093/detail.html
http://www.teachthefacts.org/2008/02/petitions-are-due-today.html
http://www.gazette.net/stories/020808/polinew204427_32367.shtml
http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,27597.msg201989.html#msg201989
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