No Rallies on Main Street!!

So, on Tuesday when the big red republican bus showed up in Cedar City, Larry Daniel and I followed them around town, taunting them with our friendly "True Blue Dems" signs. It was really more of a campaign season stress reliever for Larry and me and also a chance for us to tease the boys on the big red bus just a little bit.

But more important, it was intended to be nothing but good, clean, fun. Really... I have nothing against republicans, and there are a few of them I really really like. A lot. For example, my parents are good republicans. My best friend from high school is a good republican. And many of my customers and associates, and people I go to church with ... they are all good republicans! I have deep respect and admiration for all of them.

I also think that Governor Huntsman is shaping up to be fantastic for Utah. I like his common sense approach to government. I also think the Attorney General, Mark Shurtleff knows how to do the right thing by Utah citizens.

So, when we showed up at State Bank of Southern Utah with our "America Needs Utah Blue" signs and "True Blue Dems Love Governor H." message, I found it odd when a man approached us and told us we weren't allowed to display our signs on Main Street.

Man: "You can't do this here."

Larry: "On Main Street? I'm not on private property. And this is America! It's called free speech."

Man: "Well, not with your cheap shots."

Larry and Em: "What cheap shots?" (pointing to our "True Blue Dems Love Gov H" sign)

Man: "You need to go somewhere else."

and he walked off. I don't think he even read the signs... because if he *had* read them, he probably would not have been so offended by our being there.

About 10 minutes later, we were greeted by none other than Utah's Attorney General, Mark Shurtleff. He told us that the bus trip was pretty boring until they started seeing our signs around. And he laughed out loud, because he got it... he understood that we were not out there to protest the republicans coming to town... well, maybe we were protesting them a little bit.. but more important, we wanted them to know that we're here, working hard, and willing to show up in places they thought were "safe." He told us to keep it up, to keep working hard, and thanked us for being active in the democratic party and Utah politics. Larry heard it too, so I have a witness: thats' exactly what he said.

During campaign season it is easy to get alllll riled up about what "the other guys" are doing. I pledge to lighten up and have a little more fun, to laugh when something is truly funny, and to not worry so much about what the boys on the big red bus are saying.

After all, the *greatest* thing about America is that we CAN! We can protest when we don't like something, we can speak out when we don't agree, and we are all blessed with a right to our own opinion and perspective. The fact that we are given free agency to choose what we want in government is a good thing... we can study, ponder, and pray about who to vote for (because in America, we CAN), we can petition our elected officials when we want change, and nobody .... not even the boys on the big red bus ... can keep us from doing that.