Adventures in babysitting

Pulling into the parking lot at Monte Vista Middle School Saturday night I knew we were in trouble.  The line of campaign signs and demonstrators chanting in the rain was a good indication that the congressional forum scheduled to begin two hours was going to be a bumpy ride.

The evening was scheduled to be a political forum between candidates vying for the 11th Congressional District seat on the November 2 ballot.  But the night quickly turned into an example of why I don't like politics.  It wasn't just the Democrats or the Republicans that were a problem, it was everyone.  How a crowded room of adults turned into a squabbling pack of children is amazing.

The first fun encounter of the night was with a group of picketers on the school property with campaign signs.  The school district had given us clear guidelines on the use of their facilities for the forum, and chief among them was no campaigning on the school property.  So silly me I explain the situation and tell them I need them to move along.  No such luck.  I am rebuked and the picketers chant freedom of speech and continue along their way.  Nice.  I need some jerk in the rain explaining freedom of speech to me-really?  Seriously?  Thankfully the police were able to move those morons along which left me with the unruly children inside.

I can understand the fevered emotions and partisan politics but when we make an announcement of little things like don't interrupt the speakers, keep your signs down so other people can see, no name calling it sounds like we are talking to a room full of four-year-olds.  And a vast portion of the crowd did indeed behave like juveniles.  The highlight of my night was when someone comes up to me to see if I can have a person kicked out because they were "being mean".  Really?  seriously?  You got your feeling hurt?  So I try and get specifics and it was they were saying "really mean things" and they he was dressed "offensively".  Lord give me strength.

So I have a talk with this person and give them a warning.  Don't talk to anyone leave people alone or they would be removed.  Then later the person who complained turns out to be a screamer and shouts at the opposition candidate throughout the evening.  Welcome to adulthood.  I had talked with Tracy Police officers and was told I could have audience members removed if I thought they were causing a disruption.  Kind of a weighty responsibility to try and determine when a person' right to free speech has gone to far and created a nuisance or danger to others.  I could not  throw someone out of the building just because they were dressed the way someone didn't like.

And there were the people who would interrupt speakers, the cat calls, the shouts of "liar!" across the room and the jeers and taunting.  Looked less like a political forum and more like a school playground.  I wasn't impressed by either party's behavior.  The other forums we hosted this year had the best, respectful audience members and those forums were a pleasure to work out as we informed the voters about the candidates. All I walked away with from this forum was that no matter which candidate wins the candidates supporters and crowd lost my vote of respect.