I'm getting tons of reports from folks calling the Senators who refuse to sign the anti-lynching resolution (which they can still sign on to even today). Here's one inspiring report I got back. Keep up the good work, gang.
Hi John,
Hey, what a great blog. I visit it three or four times a day, just to see what's up.
I've called Chuck Grassley's office several times today expressing "my concern" that his name was not down as a co-sponsor of the anti-lynching resolution.
At first when I asked the fellow who answered what Grassley's position was, he said that "Sen. Grassley supports the resolution". Then I asked why it was that he hadn't signed on as a co-sponsor. The answer: "Well, Sen. Grassley doesn't sign on as a co-sponsor of all the legislation that he supports."
Later I called back again and asked again for him to give tell Grassley that Grassley needed to get on top of this story because back here in Iowa everyone was talking about his absence on the list of co-sponsors and that it made Iowa look "real bad", "like a racist state". And I was sure that wasn't what Sen. Grassley wanted to communicate to Iowans and the rest of the nation.
The fellow on the other end of the line wanted to know what "newspapers or media outlets" were covering the "story". I said that it wasn't that "media" but rather that it "was all over the Internet", that the "blogs were abuzz" with the story; and that "emails were flying back and forth" here in Iowa (which is true, although mainly from me to others). At that point it was clear that the young man was concerned and actually confided in me that he had in fact received a lot of phone calls about this issue.
Then when I read your very informative explanation of what this 'voice vote' was all about and that senators could still sign on as co-sponsors, I called again, and I was really "emotional", telling the fellow that Sen. Grassley simply had to clear this all up ASAP; that he still had a chance to sign on as a co-sponsor so he needed to do so; that "we were watching him" because "Iowa's reputation was on the line."
Who knows what will happen. But I swear that I'm not going to let this drop. Although I leave for Europe tomorrow morning for three weeks, and then to S. Korea for another three weeks, I'll check in to see what you come up with and at the same time keep trying to see what I can get others to do in terms of calling Grassley's office until he either signs on or makes it clear that he's refusing to do so. Knowing who this fellow is, he may cave in and sign on. Iowa isn't a red-neck state... Don't let this story die. People need to go after their Senators demanding that they co-sponsor the legislation: afterall those Senators represent us, right!!! (ha!).
Keep up the great work!!
