Workshops get people ready to participate in political caucuses
The St. Olaf College student joined two dozen area residents in attending a workshop designed to lift the veil surrounding Minnesota's caucus process.
The message they got: Don't be shy. Be ready to discuss the issues. Advocate for the cause of equality. And have fun.
The pre-caucus workshop was put on the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, and OutFront Minnesota, the state's preeminent GLBT group. They are being held across the state in advance of the state's Feb. 5 precinct caucuses.
During the two-hour workshop, participants learned how precinct caucuses are essentially neighborhood gatherings where people discuss issues, elect delegates and hold a presidential preference ballot. They learned how to make resolutions and points of order. And they learned, in the last analysis, how to make their voices heard.
"I think caucuses are a lot better (than primaries), because it gives you a chance to talk to your neighbors about what issues are important to you. I think that dialogue is important," said Bob Werner, a Rochester resident who has been attending the state's caucuses since 1982.
Laurie Crelly, a field organizer for Human Rights Campaign, said the workshop was put together with the goal of helping people overcome any feelings of fear or trepidation they might have about attending their caucus.
Crelly recalled her own nervousness when she approached her first precinct caucus years ago. She lived in Lakeville at the time and was convinced that she would be the only GLBT advocate in the room.
"I was trembling," she said.
Yet what she found was support and encouragement. She met parents who had gay children, and people who identified and were ready to support her cause.
"Those are all things that happened the first time, and it really encouraged me to be visible," Crelly said.
Participants at Tuesday's workshop also received a packet of materials to help them prepare and discuss issues of importance to the GLBT community. GLBT advocates support civil marriage for GLBT people and are urging repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
GLBT leaders say past political efforts to deprive the GLBT community of hard-won legal rights has awakened the group to the dangers of political apathy. In Minnesota, for instance, Republican leaders sought to amend the state constitution so that marriage would be defined as the exclusive union of one man and one woman.
"We really need people to actually step across ideological lines and have discussions, so they understand the issues better. We're having an open dialogue and that starts by having caucus conversations," said Monica Meyer, public policy director for OutFront Minnesota.
Political leaders are anticipating a large turnout for the Feb. 5 caucuses, based on the near-record attendance at primary and caucus events held in previous states. The main reason is the wide-open nature of the presidential nominating races. No candidate, in either the Democratic or Republican field, has secured a lock on their party's nomination.
DFL Rep. Andy Welti of Plainview urged the members at the workshop to attend this year's caucuses. He said he is seeing signs of a big turnout. People he never knew were politically active are calling him, expressing an interest in this year's caucuses.
"I believe people will turn out, because they believe they can make a difference," Welti said.
Workshop participants also learned how Minnesota's caucuses are different from those in Iowa. Unlike in Iowa, where caucus-goers debate, horse-trade and negotiate with others in an effort to attract supporters to their presidential candidate, Minnesota's presidential ballot process is more like primary. People, if they choose, can simply come to caucus, vote and leave.
