Last Wednesday as part of the No Excuses campaign, Senator Bill Nelson’s office meet with a baker’s dozen of LGBT constituents and allies. The meeting conducted with Senator Nelson’s District Director Ms. Brown was quite a success. The participants described Ms. Brown as “attentive and supportive,” as she listened to the personal stories that painted a clear picture of why this Congress needs to act on the pro-quality legislation in front of it. The diverse voices reflected clergy, local activist, a leader of a GLBT center, and allies.
The participants came away with a renewed sense of civic duty, encouraging others to get involved. Here is what a few of them had to say:
-“Just state the facts, don’t worry about being judged. If an issue is important to you, state why and how it affects you or the community. Legislators are elected to represent all their constituents, that includes you!” –Betsy Johnson
-“PLEASE get involved. If you say nothing everyone will think you approve of the way things are and nothing will change.” -Otto P. Frauenzimmer
-“Every time I’ve been at a lobby visit, whether in DC or locally, the elected official or staffer has said that we’re doing the right thing by coming in, being persistent and making our voices heard. Our personal stories cause political action. The more that we show our faces and share the stories of our lives, the harder it is for our legislators to ignore our issues. Our votes matter and it’s imperative that we remind them (whether they’re for or against us) that we deserve equal protection under the law.” –Jennifer Foster
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