Thread by @RaSekel

I need to talk about what happened at the NC House K-12 Education Committee today, because it's a distillation of the arrogance and disregard with which the #NCGOP is leading the legislature right now. A 🧵

I was at the meeting because the Committee was considering SB49, colloquially known as the "Don't Say Gay" Bill. The Bill, as its sponsors acknowledge, is mostly just a recitation of rights parents already have. What's new are forced-outing mandates (and a few other bad things)

As usual, I showed up about 40 minutes early; by that point there was a line at the door. Some of the folks waiting to get inside had been turned away from another Committee meeting where an anti-Trans bill was being heard. We waited until about 10:48 to be allowed in the room.

The meeting was set to start at 11, and we asked where the sign up sheet for public comment was. There wasn't one just then but eventually we were told that the Committee would allow 10 people to speak for a minute each; evenly divided among people for and against the bill.

Now, right off the bat that's a problem because there were far more than 10 people there to speak on the bill, and they were NOT evenly divided in their opinions. This process of picking speakers already leaves a false impression of the kind of support the bill has (or doesn't)

But at least there's some semblance of public participation, so it was what it was. By this time, it was about 11, and the legislators were in the room, chatting. I watched Committee Chair @triciacotham work the room, at one point stroking the arm of the man sitting next to her.

The meeting, which was supposed to start at 11am, was actually gaveled in at 11:08. I live-tweeted the whole thing, and the last tweet I sent before the meeting ended was at 11:48. When I live tweet, sometimes I'll write a few tweets and publish them in batches.

That's what happened here; I had two or three tweets written and was getting ready to press send when at around 11:50, ten minutes early, Rep. Cotham decided to end the meeting. She'd announced earlier that there wouldn't be public comment if they ran out of time.

But of course, there was time; at least 18 minutes' worth. She just chose to end the meeting early, rather than letting the members of the public who came out today to say their piece actually do so.

I waited until Rep. Cotham gaveled the meeting out, so as not to be disruptive, but then I stood up. And I yelled. I told the committee that what they were doing -- denying the public the right to speak -- was wrong.

I HATE that I yelled. I am a rule follower to my core and hours later, I still feel queasy about even that tiny disruption. To be clear, I'm not even a little bit sorry that I stood up and said what I said, but I absolutely hate that I had to.

I hate that Representative Cotham and her #NCGOP colleagues have such contempt for the people of North Carolina that they'll manipulate schedules, twist rules and do everything in their power to make sure out voices aren't heard.

I hate that they are passing bill after harmful bill and acting like we should all be grateful for the fleeting moments when they deign to cast their eyes on the people they're supposed to be serving.

We the People of NC deserve so much better than the cruelty and disregard with which the #NCGOP treats us and our state. So, I will keep yelling. I will hate every moment of it, but I'll do it. Join me?