Mark Panzarino · @krankyPanz
19th Jan 2012 from Twitlonger
A Voicemail from RI State Senator Beth Moura
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-lFsy2vip0
I received this voicemail on Wed, Jan 18th.
...essage saved. Saved message. Received today at 4:14 PM.
"Mark, this is Senator Beth Moura returning your call from the Rhode Island Statehouse."
☑ ...after a hardy but polite conversation with Patricia McNeeley, RI Senate Minority Leader/Chief of Staff . I had first left several polite twitter messages to the Senator (still visible in my feed at https://twitter.com/#!/krankyPanz/status/159528344268963840), but when she blocked me without reply, I called her superiors, notifying them of her behavior, unfitting of a public servant. I also tweeted the phone number to the hundreds of my Atheist Twitter followers, advising them to follow suit and discuss the Senator's behavior throughout the day. Aah, I love you, social media.
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"Not sure exactly where in Rhode Island you reside,"
☑ As I mentioned to Ms. McNeeley, I reside in New York but have extended family in Rhode Island. Who vote.
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"um, and this is...uh...a government building...so...uh, just so you know, the government does not pay for or sponsor my Twitter account, uh, so it is a...it is a personal account, so I do appreciate your advice."
☑ Oh, it's only one of those "free" Twitter accounts? Wow, Senator, you really should upgrade. The pay-for-Twitter the Atheists all have is so much nicer.
☑ I'd love to understand how a Twitter handle named "@Senator_B_Moura" with a profile that describes all her political platforms and links to her political page, which solicits political contributions (http://votebethmoura.com/) and which provided regular commentary on her political achievements could be construed as a "personal" account. See her former account profile here: http://twitpic.com/8915fs
I'd also love to understand how Tweeting all day does not come at the Taxpayer expense, since it's obvious from those who were involved that a good portion of the Senator's job includes trolling Jessica Ahlquist, other Atheists, and then deleting tweets that cross the line...in between shouting about "The First Amendment! The First Amendment!!
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"Um, no comments were made by me against that girl. Uh..in fact, it was a debate between her and a radio host whose show she was on and I was brought into the whole debate."
☑ This is a blatant lie. Senator Moura made several comments about Atheists being angry -a comment which includes Jessica Ahlquist in the general sense, of course and is bigoted and ignorant in the specific sense. The "debate" between Ms. Ahlquist and the radio journalist (@JohnDePetroWPRO) did not involve the Senator at any time...unless she involved herself in the discussion willingly. And was ignored...willingly. The Senator was not "brought in"...and the Tweets reveal this to be true.
☑ "That girl" has a name. You know it, Senator, so please use it. And "that girl" has proven herself to be a young woman.
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"Um...I really don't have much of an opinion on it other than if it's offensive, then why is it not equally offensive that you're on Tw...you're all on Twitter swearing and using foul language, so forth and so on?"
☑ Oh my nobody, the appalling stupidity...it burns. Oh, the confirmation bias is painful. I'm not going to explain that the banner wasn't removed because it was "offensive" but because it was illegal. And I'm not going to explain that there is no law against being offended. But I will say this: it's a pity that the Senator never learned to read a judge's decision wherever she went to school, because that really would have helped her understand this situation just a little bit. Maybe take a logic class. And read the textbook when you do.
☑ While we're on the topic of being offended, Senator, remember what YOU said about being offended on February 2, 2011 at the Rhode Island Immigration Law Enforcement's 5th year anniversary? I do! "Everyone's so offended all the time. Everyone loves to find a way to claim they've been victimized. I think if this is such a terrible country, and such a rotten state full of bigots and racists, one has to wonder why do they flock here?" http://youtu.be/u38FN_4QuMI?t=19m43s Maybe, Senator, by your own bigoted account, you should leave Rhode Island if you're feeling oppressed by Atheists. Move to a proper theocracy!
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"So, although I appreciate your call, I don't appreciate the assault on anyone that doesn't share your same opinion because that is also a First...First Amendment issue, that I'm sure that you all hold near and dear."
☑ "We" hold near and dear. Not "you all" hold near and dear. "We". Right, Senator? We ALL hold that dear. Not just the people on the other side of the aisle from you, whom you disagree with enough to openly call a "hate-cult". "We ALL hold the Bill of Rights near and dear." I'm sure that's what you meant. Sure.
☑ When will Republicans stop using metaphors like "assault" so lazily? Gabrielle Giffords wasn't enough?
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"Uh, so, again...um...I appreciate your call and your input, but, uh, unless you're a Rhode Islander, as I'm in the State Senate, not Congress, uh, unless you're a Rhode Islander, uh, it's, you know, uh, I'm not interested in speaking further on this issue with you."
☑ You know how I can tell when somebody "appreciates" my call? When they say they don't want to have another unless they absolutely have to to possibly get re-elected.
☑ Best of luck with your career. In State Senate. Not Congress.