Tom DeLay pilloried by SF MoveOn demonstrators

by Rev. Judy Tergis

We rallied (stood around with our signs talking to people coming out of City Hall) from 5 to 6. It was the end of a big day in City Hall Park with a stage and loud speakers. This is the first day of World Ecology Day, but it will be all week in SF. Even Arnold came over from Sacramento. There were dozens of police around looking at us. We were very non-violent so it seemed odd. Then I heard that there was a rumor that a group would come dressed in black hoods, reenacting the Abu Graib torture posture and they thought we were that group at first. Finally we headed over to the meeting of the Republican County Central Committee in the State Office Building, through the metal detector and bag screening, to the basement and the meeting hall. There was a large square of tables around which the 27 members would sit at 6:30. By that time we were about 15 people and the Indymedia guy video taped us all the way down into the room but was told no pictures were allowed or he'd be arrested. On the way we had stashed our signs in my car so we were just ordinary people. Asthe members came in several came over and introduced themselves and spoke with us. We all agreed it would be good to have a dialogue and find where our common ground is.

Then we got word that Chairman Mike DeNuzio was furious that we were here. Did he hear the rumor about black hoods? Anyway, he stormed in and sat down at the far end of the room from me. I just stood there and smiled. I went over to him and asked him if he would take the petitions, explaining what they were and who I was. He exploded. 'I'm not playing your games. I wouldn't touch them.' And he refused to talk to me. This was when most of the committee was there and everyone was looking at us. Was he afraid?

One fellow said that if he had to defend DeLay he's probably be furious too. A good point, anger usually is on top of something else. I love scenes like that, where a person is forced to confront his discomfort and shows his real self for a flash.

So fine, we moved on to plan B. 'If the Republican representative refuses to take the petition, just leave it outside the door.' So we did. The best we could do was get a video of me putting them there and then my husband, Buck, pushing it further inside.

That is as bad as it gets in SF. I can't wait to read what groups in Republican areas dealt with. Of course they would have had a Republican politician in office who would be might be more professional than DeNuzio.

Let's work together again.

Rev. Judy