This young woman would not allow a conversation
to take place without standing close and also
arguing very loudly. When the older woman tried
to ignore her, she just talked even more loudly.
Six homosexual blockers
interfered with a lone woman's efforts to collect
signatures for the Protection of Marriage Amendment
at Assumption College last fall.
Elenore Courtney told MassNews
that the blockers approached her table and loudly
interrupted her dialogue with potential signers.
"I couldn't get a word in
edgewise," said the soft-spoken Courtney.
"I lost the entire day. That was a big
injustice for our cause. They are trying to
suffocate this issue before the public can vote
on it."
She said that Mark Bilotta, a college
administrator, stood there watching for a couple hours
but did not intervene.
MassNews Accompanied Her
MassNews accompanied Courtney
back to Assumption College the next day and
learned that the incident began after a professor
who is sympathetic to the Amendment sent an
internal e-mail to students urging them to sign
the petition.
That prompted the school's gay/straight
alliance club to set up a competing information
table next to Courtney in the lobby of the Campus
Center. The alliance solicited signatures for
their own unofficial petition supporting gay
marriage, while they disparaged the authentic
petition.
Mimi Royston, an adviser to the
school's gay alliance and an Associate Director
of Computing at the college, admitted to MassNews
that they were the ones who called in the trained
disrupters from Campaign for Equality the day
before.
A hidden camera took this shot of a young man
standing very close, arguing loudly with anyone
who disagreed. It's difficult to deny his illegal
actions when these pictures are seen. The security
officers at the Natick Mall were on top of the
situation and finally told the blockers to leave
because they were causing a disturbance, but
that did not happen in most areas.
Assumption's Executive Assistant to
the President, Mark Bilotta, confirmed that six or
seven outsiders showed up Monday, with permission,
to oppose the Amendment. He disagreed that they were
harassing Courtney, but conceded that they were, "Maybe
a little bit more aggressive in getting people as
they came by." After Courtney complained to the
administration on Tuesday morning, Bilotta instructed
the school's gay group to keep their distance and
be respectful.
When a MassNews camera was evident, Elenore Courtney
returned to Assumption College, Worcester, to
gather signatures for the Protection of Marriage
Amendment. But she was afraid to return alone
after her treatment there the day before.
The trained disrupters were not
called in again on Tuesday and the school's
gay alliance members, although loud, stayed
at their table for the most part. Courtney attributed
their improved behavior to MassNews standing
by the entire day with a camera and tape recorder.
Elenore
Courtney (left) says that when the camera of reporter
Ed Oliver was seen, the homosexual blockers allowed
students at Assumption College to sign the Marriage
Petition without harassment.
Blockers
say on their website that they reduce signers
by 80%. When allowed to do this type of illegal
activity, it is easy to see how they would achieve
their goal of destroying voting rights and making
a mockery of our election process.
This
blocker then argues with signer who just wants
him to go away and leave him alone. The security
officers there were on top of the situation and
finally asked the blockers to leave because they
were causing a disturbance.
The
young woman blocker watches as another blocker
(left with beard) argues with a signer (on the
right) while the signature-gatherer (facing the
camera) tries to calm down.
Blonde
blocker, is seen here(man) at the State House
during the Constitutioinal Convention. He is at
the State House every day.
