The ACLU-MN Greater Minnesota Racial Justice Project North set up booths this year at three northern fairs, Clearwater County, Beltrami County and Itasca County for 2012.
Our organization is aware of how important education on the Bill of Rights is for small, rural counties, so fair time is important. It is also critical this year with the two amendments being introduced for a vote on November 6.
This year at the Clearwater County Fair, based in Bagley, Minnesota it was an interesting but good event for our volunteers and staff considering the two amendments.
The history of Clearwater County tends to vote conservative. The county is predominantly white (86.4% with a 9% American Indian population) with an average per capita income of 20,913. Consequently, entering into the fair (having previously had a booth at the annual county fair) we were prepared for opposition to our vote NO position on the marriage and photo ID & elections amendments.
Aware of data and familiar with this county we were not surprised with the following event.
The morning following our first night tabling at the fair, our staff received a call from our morning volunteers informing me that our signage had been defaced. They explained that a series of "vote YES" stickers were stuck on our "Every Family Matters, Every Voter Matters, Vote No 2012" signs as well as our permanent ACLU-MN display, used at every county and state fair. Some of the stickers were easily pulled off; however, one of the campaign signs was defaced to a point we had to take it down and can no longer use it.
After, our staff person, got over my initial surprise and frustration, they called the previous nights volunteer to touch base with her about the incident. She informed me that she wasn't in the building when the vandalism occurred (it took place after she left), instead she told me: "I have to say that it was one of the more hostile political booths I've sat at before... At one point in the night some kid, maybe 17 yrs old or so, started dancing around in front of the booth with a 'Vote Yes' sign. He was covered in Republican stickers."
The act of vandalism was upsetting because it took opposition to another level—it suggested that discussion about the amendments (and subsequently informed voters) was not welcome in Clearwater County.
Despite the obvious message the act sent to fair goers, a handful of people rallied behind us because of the incident. On Sunday morning, staff was stationed at the booth when a stranger walked over and engaged me in conversation about how he was quite upset about the vandalism and wanted to know if the county fair board had responded to the incident. We subsequently had a ten minute conversation about organizing in northern Minnesota and voting NO on the marriage and voter ID amendments. He was very receptive to the ACLU-MN and we probably would not have met him had the vandalism not occurred. Thus, despite the hiccup we encountered on our first evening of the fair, more positive conversations and responses were generated on later days. To our supporters, we thank you. To those in the middle, unsure of how to vote on the two amendments, we hope you will continue to gather information and educate yourself about how these ballot questions could impact you and the people around you. We hope you will take into consideration those whose voices are too often silenced or overshadowed: vote NO to protect the rights and freedoms of all people in November 2012!