BOOO

Sooo the bill that we have been working on died today in committee. It was expected to a certain degree in that we never imagined it would pass on the first go (4 year plan remember), but considering all the support we had...over 300 people contacted their local legislators which in SD is like half the population so that's a big deal. But today, right before the hearing, the Gov. came out in opposition to the bill and surprise surprise...it died along party lines. To make it worse, it wasn't even voted on...those republican (boo hiss) legislators voted to table super quickly and it sweeped right through. Talk about cowardly. Ahhh I hate politics. Listening to the opposition's testimony was downright sickening. Besides comparing gays to pedophiles....they claimed the medical definition for homosexuality was "a diseased mind that lends itself to sexually deviant behavior eventually leading to a point where it presents a massive public safety risk". THere was lots of talk about protecting children in public bathrooms and women being attacked from behind by gay/transgender men? (i'm serious!!) It was complete insanity and super bizarre. Although the AP reported that the bill was killed out of concern for religious conflicts...so that's kind of a hit to the legislators because it was clearly a vote for religion and not in accordance with reason/good business practices/actual law.

Positive thought: Many more people supported the bill than we actually thought would, and if the legislators had voted like the people they represent had asked them too, we would have won. So for next year...we have to change the republicans/or boot them out!..but not all of SD. So that is a win, and I get to share in that meaning my time/energy was not wasted.

Negative thought: I hate politics! To steal a quote from Carmella..."fuck dilligence, i just wanna dance!" But tomorrow I am still going to the state capital...4 hours away because SD is an enormous wasteland...for the equality summitt/gay day. Now I can stalk down all the legislators that voted no and tell them how much i hate their guts or lack there of...in person! i guess that's a positive?