Via FoolBalance

Now is when you write a letter decribing exactly what you say above… naming Kate Dickinson as having made you feel unimportant…. It may be that Ms. Dickinson will be having to explain herself soon.

This is my response letter to congresswoman Connie Morella (R-MD).

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I am a informed political American, I have lived in the suburbs of Washington, DC for my entire life. I am not naive. The idea that the American government is of the corporations for the corporations (or of the special interest for the special interest if you prefer) is not alien to me.

Yet still I was shocked yesterday. Not because I thought my words mattered or would change anything, but because it was violation of the pretense. The illusion that my voice mattered and that you as my elected official were at least interested in knowing what your constituents thought about your actions.

Allow me to share with you where that shock came from. On October 16th 2001 the House of Representatives passed a non binding resolution that suggested that public schools should post “God Bless America” 404-0. Due to my own religious beliefs I found this resolution divisive and exclusionary and so I wrote a letter to you, my congresswoman, suggesting that I thought it was an incorrect choice for you to support this resolution. I write many political letters and usually they go into the mail and many months later I get a vaguely worded letter suggesting that we agree or that you will keep my thoughts in mind.

I have never believed that my words mattered except as they support or are supported by other letters of people who agree with me. As it happened on March 28th 2002 I found a message on my answering machine from Kate Dickinson, your legislative assistant for church/state issues. suggesting that you never voted against church state separation and invited me to call her and discuss what I thought you had done.

I gathered my facts found the articles that had originally led me to write the letter. I looked up the vote on THOMAS and read the debate that happened so that I would be able to speak intelligently about the vote. On April 1st 2002 I returned Kate Dickinson’s phone call. After getting by an extremely rude receptionist I managed to talk to her.

It took about 60 seconds to establish what vote I was talking about. At which time Ms. Dickinson told it was a non-binding resolution and did not matter. I tried to explain that I thought it did matter. Less than 30 seconds into me trying to clearly state my opinion Ms. Dickinson told me that “She isn’t going debate this with me all day.” In the middle of my response to that statement I hear the “click” as she hung up on.

I was not expecting promises of change or even an explanation of the action. I was called to clarify my comments. I expected the opportunity to do that clarification and clearly state my opinion so you could pretend to take them into consideration. Instead I encountered incredible disrespect. No matter what you think about the issue, and largely you are pretty good with church/state issues, there is the issue of basic decency and treating people with the respect they deserve.

You (through your LA) have taken this opportunity to explain that you do not want my vote and expressed your opinion that I am here to serve you not the other way around. You said that either my vote does not matter or you thinks I will be easily manipulated by slick TV adds when the time comes even though you treat me with incredible disrespect. Perhaps you think my attention span is so short that I will forget. I am writing this as a way of saying Nay.

I do not expect church/state issues to motivate many people to vote, but unresponsive government that is an issue of another color. Unresponsive government motivates people across political lines and is one of key standing issues. I have decided to share this story wherever I can. It will be posted on message boards and sent to newspapers. All of my friends will hear the story and I will encourage them to share it.

I will not be marginalized. You just signed a check to your opponent, you just signed up a volunteer for whoever that person ends up being. You put a sign in a lawn. You just created a voice and an anecdote against yourself. I hope the extra 30 seconds your LA saved was worth it.

–Zafkiel