In December 2007 I got an e-mail from the folks at MoveOn.org asking if I would be willing to deliver a petition (signed by over 900 residents of our congressional district) to Congressman Greg Walden. I am not a joiner, and I don’t agree with everything MoveOn says, but I resisted my own reluctance and agreed to do it, because I believed in what the petition said.
MoveOn sent me the names of several other people in our area who had agreed to meet at the congressman’s office on Dec. 13.
I called the congressman and reached his receptionist, who told me the office would be closed that particular day. I asked her if they would agree to at least have one of the staff stop by the office and receive the petition on behalf of the signers. She said, “No.”
I called and e-mailed the Bend Bulletin and our local television station, and on the appointed day I drove from Redmond to the congressman’s office. I and about 10 others shuffled from one foot to the other in the cold outside Walden’s office. The TV cameraman interviewed me. I explained that the petition asked the congressman to work toward ending our current military involvement in Iraq. Then, at the top of the hour, we all went into the upstairs hallway and stood before the congressman’s locked door. The cameraman filmed me sliding the petition under the locked door of my democratically elected representative.
Then we all went home. As far as I know, the story never appeared in the Bend Bulletin, and the TV interview was never shown. I received no acknowledgment from Greg Walden that the petition had ever been delivered, read, or discarded. I can understand that my personal view does not amount to much in the grand scheme of things, but I thought that the signatures and sincere comments of 1,000 of my fellow citizens might warrant at least an insult in return. I was wrong. Apparently, Mr. Walden thinks of himself as some sort of icon. Apparently, to have responded to our peaceful and rational request was beneath him.
Thanks, Congressman Walden, for the lesson in contemporary civics.
Perry Callas
This article appears in Mar 27 – Apr 2, 2008.
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It seems to me that a more effective way of actually communicating with Walden’s office would be to check on the office schedule and then meet with fellow sympathizers on a day that it might actually be open. I’m not surprised the official news media considered it a non-event.
It did save you the experience I had when I presented a petition to a high school principal as a young man. It was signed by 90% of the student body and I’m not even sure what it pertained to any longer. The principal took the papers from me, and, without breaking eye contact, reached to the side and dropped the petition into the trash. ‘This is what I think of your petition,’ he said. Sounds like Cheney’s “SO?” comment last week when he was questioned about the opposition the administration had on its Iraq war policy.
I don’t think this is a lesson in contemporary civics–it’s a lesson in life.
Maybe if you had called and said you were a rancher or farmer and wanted to drop off a campaign donation you might have had a better reception.
I happen to no several very wealthy right wing conservative god-fearing republicans who tell me Waldo’s office is always open. 24/7.
So, what the hell are you poor white trash talking about? If you want to speak to the great and powerful Oz, stick some large in his re-election coffers
The utter Gaul. Do you mean you told one of his staff when you were going to show up and they didn’t even bother to come in on a day when they were closed? Those shameless hussies! Where you made your big mistake was in not telling them you were there at the behest of those splendid logical centrists, those Zen Masters of the Middle Way, MoveOn.org.
What politician wouldn’t give up a leg or an eye, give up a couple of vertebrae, open a closed office, to trade rollicking witticisms with those solid America loving patriots over at MoveOn.org?
Did you also present MoveOn.orgs well thought out, deeply researched, brilliant plan to deal with the obvious consequences, the horrific effects of the mindless actions they are promoting?
No? Why not?
Oh, that’s right, they don’t have a plan… to deal with their non-plan. Do they?
So… Bottom line: Walden is probably smart to avoid dealing with assholes from MoveOn.org.
Thanks for your generous missive pointing out what a clever fellow this Walden is. He sure has my vote!
“Thanks, Congressman Walden, for the lesson in contemporary civics.”
Thanks, Perry Callas, for the lesson in comtemporary delusion.
To Larrry Delbert,
The tone of your letter shows that you are full of hatred and scorn for people who live in your community. I suggest counseling.