COLUMBUS TOWNHALL IMPORTANT NOTICE:CURRENT STATUS & FUTURE MEETINGSColumbus Townhall is changing its approach to our monthly public meetings. We all met initially at one of the Townhall Meet-Ups that have been scheduled on the first Tuesday of each month. Those gatherings will continue, and will continue to serve as a means of meeting additional conservatives in Columbus. But we will also be doing something a bit different. More on that in a minute.
Since the first meeting in December, a group of us realized that these Townhall Meet-Ups constituted a golden opportunity to take this beyond a monthly social gathering of like-minded people, and hopefully develop an organization of substance. This group decided to launch Columbus Townhall, a totally separate entity from the Townhall Meet-Ups. The social gathering aspects have been and will continue to be terrific, as a lot of solid friendships have been developing as a result, and we will all be the richer for it. Our intent with Columbus Townhall is to transcend the monthly social gathering and try to accomplish something of lasting value to Central Ohio.
We have formed an Executive Committee to begin developing an organizational identity, structure, and strategic planning. We invited the entire membership to a meeting in February to get everyone’s input on what type of organization we might strive to become. We have developed an initial committee structure to facilitate working simultaneously on multiple fronts. We have allied ourselves with conservative students at OSU who publish the conservative paper “The Sentinel”, in the hope of assisting each others’ future efforts.
In the end, our intent is to provide Central Ohio conservatives with a variety of alternative levels of involvement to accommodate diverse interests and comfort levels as far as political engagement is concerned. The most important question for each of us to ask ourselves is simply, “What would I like to get out of this?”
If all you’d like to do, have time to do, or are inclined to do, is show up at our meetings once a month to socialize, that’s all well and good. But if you would like to actually get more personally involved in political debate, policy development, political campaigns, or general political activism, then we hope to provide you with the opportunity to grow, develop, and contribute in whatever way you are comfortable with and find fulfilling. Some may want to simply socialize at a monthly meeting and stay abreast of developments on our website. Others may want to serve on the Membership / Recruitment Committee, the Public Relations Committee, the Political Activism Committee, or the Political Campaign Committee. Other committees will probably be added in the future as our organization develops.
We have all seen the Conservative Cavalry Battle Calls related to upcoming leftist events for people to consider attending, and hopefully you’ve also read the After Action Reports. If you have not attended one of these, we encourage you to do so, just for the experience of listening to the debate if nothing else. You will find it both enlightening and entertaining. Remember watching Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and how Paul Newman and Robert Redford kept looking back at the posse trailing them, and asking themselves, “Who are those guys?” Well, the left in Columbus quite literally is beginning to ask that same question about our Conservative Cavalry visits to their Bush bash events. That was all too apparent during our visit to the Lane Road Library this past Saturday for the MoveOn.org film and discussion on the evils of the Republicans in the war in Iraq.
One thing we have found somewhat disappointing has been the venues selected for the Townhall Meet-Ups each month. The restaurants selected have been suitable for a social gathering, but have been rather challenging as far as trying to run a meeting in and actually accomplishing anything. Thus we have decided to make a few changes in our approach to scheduling meetings. Next Tuesday, April 6, will be our next Townhall Meet-Up. From looking at the vote tally this morning I’d say they’re going to be selecting Mozart’s Bakery Café on North High Street for that gathering. While the Townhall Meet-Up takes place, we will simultaneously be conducting our Columbus Townhall monthly meeting on the Ohio State University campus, in room 1000 of McPherson Lab, courtesy of our friends at The Sentinel, who reserved the space for us. This is a large theater style lecture hall with full A/V capabilities, and a much saner environment in which to be able to discuss things as a group, break out into smaller groups, or whatever we might choose to do. Arps parking garage is one block away, and Tuttle parking garage is also within reasonable walking distance. Parking costs will be in the $4.00 to $6.00 range if you’re there from beginning to end of the meeting. The link below will show you the locations, which are very easy to find. McPherson Lab is Building #53 on the map, sort of in the center, but in the direction of High Street. The Arps parking garage is Building #278 on the map.
http://www.osu.edu/map/linkbuildings/mcphe...laboratory.htmlYou are invited and welcome to attend either the Townhall Meet-Up, which I’ll repeat looks as though it will probably be held at Mozart’s Bakery Café on North High Street, or you may attend the Columbus Townhall meeting at McPherson Lab at 7:00 PM. Two of our Executive Committee members will be attending the Townhall Meet-Up at Mozart’s to greet first time visitors and provide them with a suitable orientation to what Columbus Townhall is all about. The rest of our Columbus Townhall folks are encouraged to attend the meeting at OSU’s McPherson Lab, where we’ll have an environment more conducive to actually conducting a normal meeting, without all the interruptions and distractions of a public restaurant. This should be a good meeting, as we will update all on where we’re at currently, the initiatives currently being worked on, coming scheduled events, and our plans for the future. There is much to tell you about.
Room 1000 at McPherson Lab has also been reserved for us from 7:00 – 9:00 on the first Tuesday in May. Our goal is to take charge of the venues presented for voting on at the Townhall Meet-Up website, and we will hopefully be successful in doing that over the next month or so. We will try to get restaurants to vote on that can actually provide us with a private room, which will enable us to still order a drink or a meal, but also get us out of the public part of the restaurant, with all its noise and distractions. We will keep you posted on our success in this effort.
So, we hope to see you at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, April 6 in Room 1000 of McPherson Lab on the Ohio State campus. It should be an informative meeting for all. And keep in mind that we will also have representatives tasked to attend the Townhall Meet-Up to greet first-time attendees and provide them with an orientation to Columbus Townhall.
This information will be posted to the website as well, in the Gatherings Forum, probably with a link on the Home Page.
Last but not least, we remind you that the Conservative Cavalry will head into enemy territory again this Saturday to attend the next MoveOn.org anti-Bush film fest and discussion. In all seriousness, you would find this a very enlightening experience. This will take place Saturday at 3:30 PM at the Whetstone Library on North High Street in Clintonville. Clintonville being a liberal fortress in Columbus, this should be a good one. Don’t miss it, even if you just sit there to watch and listen. It will be a hoot, to be sure. For those able to attend, we ask that you comply with our Rules of Engagement, which AdamSmith posted to the website. Following are the Conservative Cavalry Etiquette and Code of Conduct guidelines developed by AdamSmith:
Conservative Cavalry Etiquette and Code of ConductAfter the last Conservative Cavalry outing, where the host went ballistic responding to the questions she was being asked, I felt it a good time to review the Conservative Cavalry Code of Conduct. She was obviously baiting us to get into a shouting match, or make us appear rude, insensitive, racist, mean spirited, bigoted, or something other than reasonable people with reasonable concerns. Remember, being Conservatives, we have to be on our best behavior because the Media will not give us the benefit of the doubt.
Code of Conduct:1. Remember you represent Columbus Townhall. Your actions reflect on all of us. If one kid pees in the pool, we all have to get out, and the fun ends. Be sure not to make any comments that would reflect poorly on the group or yourself.
2. Do your research, know your facts, and stay on the topic. Don't allow the other person to make their point at your expense. Don't allow yourself to be baited into a pissing match. Stay focused and on topic.
3. Never ever ever engage in personal attacks. People have the right to disagree, and it is our responsibility to keep the discourse civil. Let them make fools of themselves by resorting to ad hominine attacks. Remember, as conservatives, the enemy wins by baiting us into making comments that can even remotely be considered mean spirited, racist or bigoted. Liberals will twist almost everything we say to suit their agenda, so stay clear of making any comments that could be distorted. If you simply stay on topic this should never be a problem. Stay with the facts, and focus on the topic at hand. Rude or insulting comments will do nothing to forward our cause and everything to forward theirs.
4. Be respectful of the other person, no matter how rude or insulting they are. When they go ballistic, we win. The press will show a crazy childish liberal and a cool headed rational adult conservative. The picture alone will paint a thousand words.
5. Ask pointed but polite questions. Disagree on the facts, but keep it civil, and leave the arguing and hard feelings on the field once the game is over. If possible shake hands at the end of the meeting and point out that this is what makes America great, the right to disagree and not have to worry about retributions.
6. Lastly, have fun, and don't get carried away. These are debates, not boxing matches. You will be far more convincing if you appear to be enjoying a discussion instead of reacting in anger and being made to look like a hot headed fool. It will only take one negative press report, and no one will want to be associated with the Conservative Cavalry. Remember, your actions impact everyone in the group. No one wants to be associated with any group that the press labels as mean spirited, bigoted, and or racist. Keep this in mind, and don't ruin the fun for the rest of us. Keep it civil, respectful, and fun. Remember, Liberals already have Conservatives stereotyped, don't do anything to justify their beliefs.
Thanks for your participation thus far!!!
We look forward to meeting with you this coming Tuesday.
MarathonMan (Paul)
Columbus Townhall > Forum > General Forums > Events and Gatherings (Moderators: Peter, CTH Public Relations)
Topic: April 2004 Townhall Meet Up
