Washblog

Counterpetitioning was proven to be a very effective strategy for keeping anti-gay initiatives off the ballot in Washington and Oregon in the mid-90s, well before cell phone use and blogging were as common as they are now.  Why are organizations opposing reactionary initiatives waiting to spend large sums of money advertising against them when they could be spending smaller sums of money to keep them off the ballot in the first place?  We should be the ones hiring the poor kids to do counterpetitioning.  If this tactic does not succeed in keeping an initiative off the ballot, we will at least have trained a new group of people to be activists.  We will at least have had a head start at getting good educational literature out in front of the public.

A Blast from the Past
http://www.qrd.org/qrd/www/FTR/bigotbst.html

How to Start

Ideally, one person or organization can devote a phone line and answering machine to the task of mobilization. This will be the Bigot Busters Dispatch Line. Messages must be checked frequently (several times a day AT MIMIMUM). Spread the word that bigotry busting will take place, and solicit volunteers. Run ads in friendly media with the Bigot Busters Hotline number featured, and ask individuals to call immediately to report any sightings of anti-gay petitioners.

As volunteers accumulate, develop bigot buster training. It is critical that everyone participating understand the importance of following the Do's and Don'ts, and feels comfortable working within those guidelines.

Become familiar with the areas where petitioners frequently gather. Churches, being tax-exempt, are almost always off-limits for signature gathering, so investigate other likely places. Calling the opponents' campaign and asking where you might find a petition to sign is a quick and efficient way to track them down. Large grocery stores, malls, professional sports events, and large outdoor gatherings are likely petition hot spots.

Teams

At each site, have one trained, cool-headed Bigot Buster serve as the site coordinator. Key points are:

Rapid response: able to gather supplies and people and transport spontaneously to a petitioning site. (Someone attending a Portland Trailblazers game saw two OCA petitioners, called the hotline, and three Busters arrived within minutes to counteract the signature gatherers.)

Identify several teams of volunteers who will go to preplanned sites (malls, grocery stores) on evenings or weekends when it is known that petitioners are out. No one should go alone.

It is CRITICAL that everyone be prepared to deal with right wing rhetoric and be able to discuss our viewpoint calmly. Don't engage in lengthy discussions about the issues, and don't argue with belligerent petitioners or signers. All Busters should be trained to give short, effective answers to the questions that are likely to be asked (see soundbite list). All bigot busters should be trained in non-violent de-escalation tactics or other methods of avoiding unnecessary violence and messy confrontations.
A list of materials you may need are listed below:

*    informational flyers, impact statements, favorable editorials,etc.
*    banners or placards work better than picket signs
*    first aid kit(someone may stub a toe)
*    volunteer sign-up sheets/signature waiver forms for advertisements
*    copies of the text of the initiative you are fighting

The site coordinator has additional responsibilities:

*    pick up literature and signs from the bigot busters headquarters, transport to site
*    as team members arrive at site, sign them in and go over bigot busting guidelines with each
*    monitor the action; be prepared to intervene, if necessary, to avoid angry confrontations
*    observe the progress the petitioers seem to be making; checking approximate numbers of signatures at the beginning and end of a session helps assess the effectiveness of the action
*    get names and phone numbers of people who express interest in helping out with our campaign
*    in the event no petitioners are at the site, contact dispatch for another site or suggestions
*    return leftover literature and signs to bigot busters headquarters for future use, notifying the coordinator if more supplies are needed
*    make sure everyone has returned safely from their missions
*    be available by phone in case of emergencies
*    have more than one legal consultant to contact
*    lead debriefing sessions

After a day of bigot busting, it is important to debrief. Bigot busters should come back together at a designated time and place to return leftover materials and to debrief. At this point, the coordinator should count heads; those who chose not to attend debriefing sessions should be accounted for.

Allow people to talk about good and bad experiences they had during the day. Take suggestions for how things could be done better, and take the time to answer questions that came up during the day. It is important to maintaining unity and enthusiasm that people be given the chance to give feedback.