Day 3 at the Fair

We had a very good day today. Tony and I arrived around 10:30. We had very little traffic in the morning and early afternoon, but it picked up after 2:00. We had many welcome visitors to our booth today: our friends from the First Congregational UCC--Keith, Erin, Robin and Isaac--stopped by and sat with us for awhile. It was really comforting to have such kind company throughout the afternoon. Penny also worked the booth with Tony and me for part of the afternoon.

Here is a sample of the responses of today's passers by when asked if they knew it was legal to fire someone in Ohio because of one's sexual orientation or gender identity and whether they would fill out a FIRED card:

"Oh yeah. . . . I'd be happy to sign a card."

"It's disgusting [that you can be fired for being gay]! Yes, I'll fill this out. Can I have three more for my family to fill out?"

Here are some other comments we heard throughout the afternoon:

"My godson just came out last year. . . . Grassroots is not my grass, but everyone's grass. . . . Thanks so much for what you are doing. I wish you the best of luck."

"Thanks. I hope you have many good conversations."

"We've been here for several days and passed by your booth. We were curious what this is all about. . . . Some people at my church are against [homosexuality] but I'd like to learn more about the issues." (These young visitors stayed for some time and took some of our literature. It is affirming to see so many young people thinking for themselves and recognizing how important equal rights are.)

One visitor to our booth recited a poem by memory that moved all of us (I'm still trying to figure out its proper attribution):

"Safe are those that slumber beneath Conviction's roof.
Their floors are sturdy lumber, their windows weatherproof.
But I sleep cold forever and cold sleep all my kind,
Born nakedly to shiver in the draft of an open mind."

Another repeat visitor, a high school student, came to our booth and recalled some of his negative experiences with one now notorious middle school teacher. The young man once wore a gay pride shirt to school and the teacher said to him, "God does not like gays." It is no wonder why the suicide rate is so high for GLBT youth!

We also delighted in the fact that we received several donations throughout the day.

I left the booth today a little after 5:00. I know that Kate, Tony, and Keith worked the booth during the evening so they may have more to add.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by today and those of you who have sent me such kind messages by e-mail and on this blog. I am really pleased with the work we are doing. I have not felt this purposeful in a long time.