Not surprisingly, one of my favorites comes from the intense healthcare town hall meetings of August.

While at the Murfreesboro townhall that Rep. Gordon hosted, I decided to be relatively incognito.  As our team handed out pro-reform buttons, gave water to those who needed it (even if they were against reform but were thirsty, we aren’t animals!), and chatted with people about the importance of not being intimidated by shouting once the event began, I watched from a distance.

I was wearing an nice blue MTSU t-shirt (you know the kind that has the mascot throwing up lightning from his mouth … I love it), a West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx baseball cap, jeans, ratty chucks, and purposefully didn’t have a clip board or any other evidence that I was organizing or with those who were.   I got in line, and waited.  The event wasn’t ticketed and it was clearly going to hit capacity, so waiting in line really was the only thing I could do if I wanted to get in.

The older man in front of me was really nice and expressed real support for a young man like myself being out for such an important event.  Our conversation began with weather, went to the importance of small businesses, swung to the socialist takeover of America, focused on Van Jones being a racist commie, and then about how HR 3200 would kill old people like himself.  I never really said anything back, just smiled and made an occasional generic response.  Polite, non-committal, you know … mainly listening.  This seemed to please him much.

The lady in front of us decided to join in, she talked about how her niece who was born with disability would likely have been killed by a death panel too - but it turns out at the moment she was mainly worried that we wouldn’t make it inside the event.

Tea Party Lady: “Does anyone know what the capacity is or why on earth we are even waiting in line?”

Me: “Capacity is close to 1,000.  They want to keep things safe, so they are handing out a ticket to each person as they get in.  When they run out of tickets they know the seats are out.

Tea Party Lady: “Well of course they’d ticket a public event, probably how they will keep us out.”

Me: “I went and counted earlier, you are number 221 and I’m 222 in line.  I bet we get in fine.

Tea Party Lady:  ”Well, we’ll see.  Those ACORN and SEIU people will get in, that much we know, Gordon is gonna let his buddies in.”

… I let this go.  Conversation continued now with a slightly larger group.  There was a debate about whether Rush was better that Beck.  Whether all those people with buttons for reform were paid to be there or were just bussed in from Memphis.  You know, the usual.

Eventually a campus police officer (or maybe a staffer spoke … I don’t remember).  He let everyone know that people with reserved tickets, members of the media, local elected officials, and a few of their guests would be going in first.  My companions in line were livid.

Old Man: “Yup, there goes the ACORN tickets, we aren’t getting in.”

Me: “You know, I don’t think ACORN has an office or any staff in TN.  In fact, I’m pretty sure.”

Tea Party Lady: “Oh they are here, rest assured.  I mean look over there!  That guy with the buttons is clearly ACORN.

(I’m not sure if the clearly was because he had buttons, or because he was … let’s just say … not white.  The guy was a janitor, a member of our union who had donated time away from his family to help win reform.  A sweet nice guy.  If you google the Gordon Town Hall “button man” you’ll see what some of the tea party patriots put up about him on their youtube channels.  I decided it was time to respond more.)

Me: No, that guy doesn’t work for ACORN, I’m sure of it.

Old Man: “I wish I had your optimism.”

Tea Party Lady: “Oh, there go some more people.  I bet they are SEIU.  You know they bussed all kinds of people in from Memphis and Nashville the other day to yell at us when we had a tea party outside Gordon’s office!”

Me:  ”Were you there?  I didn’t see you.  I was definitely there and figured we’d have met.”

Tea Party Lady: “No, I couldn’t make it.  Good thing too, I just don’t like being around those types.  But of course they are going to get in and we aren’t.  This country is being taken over!”

Me: “Well, no busses were at that event before.  In fact, I’m really sure nobody was bussed in.  And I bet we get in, don’t worry.  Remember we are in the 200s.”

Tea Party Lady (getting peeved): “Well I hope so, because they are clearly letting SEIU and ACORN in early, right now.  Probably in back doors or something.  They are just a bunch of dirty old crooks and union thugs.”

Me: “They aren’t getting in earlier than you, I know they aren’t.  Trust me.”

Tea Party Lady (now more heated): “?? Well … we’ll see about that!”

Me:  ”Look I can promise it to you - they aren’t getting any special treatment.”

(I have decided it is time, they are confused why I’ve started talking so much.)

Me: “I never introduced myself.  My name is Tony Cani and I actually work for SEIU.  In fact, I’m the guy in charge of the entire pro-health care reform campaign here in TN for SEIU.  Here is my business card, I’m the State Director.”

Tea Party Lady:  ”Well .. I errr …”

Me: “Yes ma’am.  And well, seeing how you are in line in front of me, we can probably agree that my organization and I myself didn’t get any special treatment.  You know, there is a chance you get in and I don’t.   I hope we all get in though and everyone has a chance to speak.”

There was no more talking for the rest of the wait in line.  I really hope the grin on my face was as big as the scowl on everyone’s faces around me.