Petition is successful with 166 signatures
To: Steve Shurtleff, Speaker of the NH House of Representatives
Steve Shurtleff: Stand up For the Women of the NH Legislature
The petition was effective and got the attention of the law maker we were targeting and galvanized support for the law maker that was the subject of the petition.
It was very effective albeit short and with a small number of signers, but that's ok. It was a narrow objective and narrow audience that we reached and the purpose and intent was achieved.
"We ask that Steve Shurtleff not censure Representative Debra Stevens, Ward 7, Nashua in any way and that instead, he speak about the importance of respect in public discourse and the responsibility that comes with free speech.
We ask that he draw the distinction between cyber bullying and public discourse and the importance in understanding the difference.
We believe that this current request from the Republican Minority Leader Dick Hinch (Hillsborough, 12) to censure Rep. Stevens represents an effort to silence those who speak out against the anti-gun control extremists.
We also believe that this represents their next effort in harassing Rep. Stevens, as their first attempt, using her political page was not successful.
We ask that Steve Shurtleff not allow himself or the House rules to be used as a political cudgel for extremists who wish to silence their opposition.
The censure request comes as a result of opinions Rep. Stevens shared on her Facebook political page this past week about extremists against any form of gun control. Stevens shared an article discussing concerns about the motives of anti-gun control extremists on the national level.
Stevens' page was subsequently flooded with comments from those who do not support any gun control, spouting NRA and gun lobby talking points instead of genuine engagement in thoughtful discussion. Stevens attempted to respond to them fairly and consistently but the barrage became constant and her page flooded with people who arrived specifically to harass and belittle her.
The majority of the people came from not only out of her ward but also from out of Nashua and out of state. Their only purpose: to harass opponents of their extremist view and any stifle any discussion about their motives. The net effect most obviously, as always happens when a page is "trolled" is that reasonable discussion cannot carry on. Those not fearing harassment or not sharing the extremist views of those "trolling" the page leave. It is a well known and vicious online tactic.
Many of these harassers were called out for not even being in her ward, much less the state of NH. Representative Stevens, after much consideration had to ban those who stooped to ad hominem attacks and insults to Rep. Stevens and others.
The tone of Rep.Stevens political state representative page devolved into a hornet's nest of hostility toward Rep. Stevens and anyone who would engage with them. Such an environment no doubt could in effect scare off her actual constituents from engaging with her on her page.
Now, within the last 24 hours, after Representative Stevens took back control of her page and her supporters came out to help quell the attacks, news comes that their political connection in the House is asking that Rep. Stevens be censured, for of all things, harassing and smearing them.
They base their claim on the idea that speaking in public about certain trends of behavior among national anti-gun control groups somehow harms those groups here in New Hampshire.
Like SLAPP suits, internet trolling and flooding of a page constitutes an effort to control the public narrative on an issue. Now that their online behavior has not stopped Rep. Stevens from speaking about the issue of gun control, they resort to finding proxies to do their dirty work.
We respectfully ask that Speaker Shurtleff refuse to participate in this charade and to not use the censure process to further the efforts of a small group to harass and intimidate legislators. The long term desire among these groups shines clear in the light; to cause fear among legislators to vote against this small vocal minority on any gun issue that comes before the Legislature.
Representative Hinch's call for a censure of Representative Stevens makes very clear the close association certain state representatives have with hostile, extremist groups. Thus we also ask that Speaker Shurtleff warn state legislators that their association with such groups places their reputations at risk.
We who oppose the extremist anti-gun control view point know very well the extent of vitriol and personal attacks that our opposition will engage in to shut down discussion on this issue. We also know that women representatives have received particularly vicious and misogynistic treatment, such as the harassment that Representative Frost, (D), Strafford, District 16 has received during her terms in the House.
Why is this important?
Many of us have watched while on the state and the national stage public discourse has devolved into very public attacks against any individuals who cross Trump's path or oppose him or his followers. The state of New Hampshire has a sad history of harassment, especially from the right and within the walls of the state legislature. The current national climate has only given license to those parties who engage in harassing women, people of color and others who do not fit the "conservative" social narrative.
We have noticed in particular, in the state house, a particular vitriol reserved for women members of the state legislature. From the current harassment and belittlement (calling her princess, telling her she is stupid, weak, receiving death threats, harassment directed at her being a woman, etc.) of Debra Stevens, to the the constant harassment and demands for censure of Representative Sherry Frost (Strafford, 18) that have occurred during her terms.
The type of vicious harassment that women experience resembles the type of harassment many women experienced thirty years ago when they entered non-traditional employment. Today, nearly every place of employment has a sexual harassment policy in place. Today, nearly all workers and professionals everywhere have no problem working with women as colleagues and professional partners.
The number of women in the state legislature has increased profoundly this past session, reflecting the increased participation across the board of women in public life. Yet only this session was a sexual harassment policy finally put in place; after solid repeated resistance when the House was GOP controlled.
Those same members who voted against a sexual harassment policy now not only associate with those who regularly harass female members of the house, but these same members make a plea to Steve Shurtleff, claiming they feel harassed and misrepresented when a member shares her a story about the behavior of anti-gun control activists.
They make this plea after they all deliberately assembled on Representative Steven's Facebook political page with the sole purpose of harassing her.
They make this plea after the first vote of the Democratic controlled house which banned handguns on the state house floor caused a few state representatives to call a press conference claiming that they feel unsafe at the state house without a gun by their side.
Yet they have had no problem associating with those who issue death threats, harass, cajole, bully and abuse their opponents, in particular women. Women who do not carry guns anywhere and yet have plenty of reason to feel unsafe everyday; just for their duty as state representatives and representing the issues the way the majority of their constituents who sent them there wish them to do.
We feel that speaking up to these bullies is important and Steven Shurtleff showing leadership on this issue is absolutely essential.
No state legislator or American citizen should ever feel their life might be in danger or their dignity or social good standing be jeopardized, simply for having a certain point of view.
In particular, we ask that Speaker Shurtleff speak specifically as well to the harassment that the women on the Democratic side of the aisle have received for speaking their minds.