My more formal write-up of this day at Netroots Nation 11 in Minneapolis can be found on Bent Alaska, titled “A Big Wild Lesbian at Netroots Nation.”
8:15-8:50 AM. Morning News Dump with Lizz Winstead and Friends
Didn’t pay much attention, actually: too distracted by connectivity problems to listen, & even when I did, I discovered I was so far gone in exhaustion that I didn’t have the resources to respond to the humor as Lizz Winstead & others responded to the day’s news.
- Netroots Nation day 2 kicking off w/ more damn connectivity problems. Almost as bad as the Hilton. #nn11#
- Scratch that: worse than the Hilton. Just took 15 minutes to finally connect… Exhibit hall seems to be worst. #nn11#
- Okay back again at Netroots Nation, where I’m right now listening to
Morning News Dump talking about Wiener. #nn11 #fb # - Mostly again keeping tweets off Facebook. See my twitter feed or hashtag #nn11 (where others also tweeting). #fb#
- RT @leifutne: Morning News Dump w/ Lizz Winstead, Sally Cohn, Elon James, et al http://netrootsnation.com #nn11 [pic]: http://4sq.com/lVpgca#
- RT @asmith83: Good write-up of Feingold’s speech last night at #nn11 “together, we can take our country back.” http://bit.ly/m54vOr#
- RT @Netroots_Nation: You can grab video clips from yesterday’s keynote & panels that streamed, from netrootsnation.org/blog #nn11#
9:00-10:15 AM. A Conversation with White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer
- We are shortly to hear from White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer in a Q&A #NN11#
- A shoutout to Radical Arts for Women from Minneapolis, where today I’m wearing my RAW Big Wild Lesbian t-shirt at Netroots Nation #nn11 #fb #
- RT @Netroots_Nation: Got questions for @pfeiffer44? Submit them to the #nn11 tag and watch live: http://t.co/FRjMPNn #p2 #fb #
- Pfeiffer having a hard time answering the question “when are you going to stop kicking gay people out of the military?” #nn11#
- RT @IEquality: Someone asked when will the military halt #DADT expulsions. Answer: “the process is not done.” #nn11 #nn11lgbt / no kidding #
- RT @nathanhjb: It doesn’t take much work for an “orderly transition”on DADT. You just stop firing people. #nobrainer #nn11 #nn11lgbt#
- RT @AlterPolitics: Netroots Nation 2011 Shows Progressives’ Anger | @TaylorMarsh.com – http://goo.gl/SUXlm #NN11 #p2 // Good summary #
- RT @DenisDison: WH Comms Dir won’t say there’s a “war on women” #nn11 // Pfeiffer having hard time answering ?s directly #
- RT @owillis: seems like #nn11 is devolving in2 stereotypical liberal foot stamping. wh shd be pressed for mistakes, but whining doesnt help #
- RT @cbellantoni: Dan Pfeiffer is in same mode for this #nn11 talk as he is when he talks to WH press, and it’s not going all that well. #
- RT @DrinkLiberalKC: RT @Sharoney: Pfeiffer: We had to pass health reform, so the wimmins had to shut up and play nice. #NN11#
- RT @anita_sarah: #nn11 NOT sick of hearing abt LillyLedbetter.Wmn of color need it especially. #
- RT @vickiroush: RT @cruickshank: Best Q&A ever. Kaili Joy Gray is fucking brilliant, won’t take White House’s bullshit. #nn11#
- Q&A w/ Pfeiffer generating all kinds of opinions. I’m retweeting a variety. #NN11#
- Pfeiffer being asked abt same sex marriage & whether Obama will go back to supporting civil rights. #NN11#
- Pfeiffer just drew a boo on same-sex marriage. “Obama is evolving on it.” #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- why shd LGBTs still vote for Obama? b/c he’s better than the other guys. Same old answer. We need tonkeep pressing the Prez. #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- Asking about the DREAM Act. #NN11#
- It’s clear from ?s & crowd response that we LGBTs have wide&deep support from our progressive allies on LGBT equality issues #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- Next session for me after this is LGBT strategy session. Pfeiffer Q&A providing much for discussion there. #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- RT @Clarknt67: Note did not correct or clarify how many #LGBT servicembers have/have not been fired. #whattheydontsay #nn11 #nn11lgbt #
- RT @erinjerri: RT @CarlosQC: At #NN11 Pfeiffer avoided fact president Obama can sign Executive Order to STOP DEPORTATIONS of #Dreamers#
- RT @alaskacommons: Sad how [Pfeiffer]…so specific on Pres being against marriage equality, completely ambiguous on all other topics #nn11#
- Questioning of Pfeiffer is tough – & absolutely shd be. Even if we support Obama, we need to hold his & Dems’ feet to the fire. #NN11#
- RT @drgrist: Question about Guantanamo gets about 10 times as much applause as question about climate/EPA. Sigh. #NN11#
- RT @rwardIII: RT @Jordanfabian: #NN11 “When will President Obama keep his commitment to close Guantanamo?” Pfeiffer: (cough) #
- RT @Anita_Sarah: B/c some D’s vote R but no R’s vote D. #bipartisanfail #nn11 #
- RT @proseonline: Don’t forget Racism! #NN11 there is an infrastructure of white privilege that impedes President to get shit done…. #
- RT @Jordanfabian: #NN11 “What blogs do you read?” Pfeiffer: “I feel like you’re Katie Couric and I’m Sarah Palin.” #
- RT @CaliforniaLabor: Pfeiffer: Democratization of media [through blogosphere] is something thats been very powerful & imp. for country #nn11#
- RT @ddayen: Pfeiffer acknowledges that room is frustrated about the pace of change, says Obama shres frustration #nn11#
10:30-11:45 AM. LGBT Strategy Session
No connectivity in the room we were in, but that proved out okay since we were talking a lot instead. I need to draw up some notes on this, though.
- Q&A w/ Pfeiffer just ended. On to LGBT strategy session, w lots of grist for the mill from the Q&A. #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- Just got out of #NN11LGBT strategy session – good session, just as well no Internet in that rm b/c talk was more important than tweets #nn11#
Lunchtime
I took the opportunity to eat. Stopped by the bookstore area in the Exhibit Hall, where Jeanne Devon of The Mudflats was doing a book signing of Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palin, and met an Alaskan I hadn’t previously known — John Creed, who’s a professor of journalism at UAF’s Chukchi College in Kotzebue. Later, I went to hide out in some quiet before the next session.
- Wiil bring some good info & contacts back to AK LGBT & allied from all the #NN11LGBT stuff. #nn11#
- Earlier, caught up w/ John Aronno of @alaskacommons after Feiffer Q&A to compare notes both abt #nn11 & Alaska. #
- RT @ShaneBurns: Watching realist v pie in sky progressives bicker depressing…Obama not superman, but better than ANY Repub #getreal #NN11 #
- RT @Mudflats: Getting ready for Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palinbook signing @ #nn11 in exhibit hall. Stop by bookstore and say hello! 1-2pm #
- RT @TheTaskForce: UN adopts groundbreaking resolution affirming #LGBT rights are human rights http://t.co/66BTpB9 #p2 #nn11 #nn11lgbt#
- yesterday biggest #nn11 challenge was keeping devices charged. Today it’s keeping me charged. Back to wall exhausted. #needdowntime #fb #
- RT @RyanNewYork: Just took a stroll around #RO11 it’s very white and pretty old. Super Stepford. #NN11 // Surprise!! (not) #
- RT @OneAngryQueer: omg, I missed the LGBT caucus. Ugh. I’m in trouble. #nn11 #nn11lgbt // Rut roh! Yeah missed you there. #
- Reenergized a bit by convo just now w/ another Alaskan at #NN11 – John Creed, a UAF prof @ Chukchi College in Kotzebue…. #fb#
- We talked abt shared UA affiliation (I work at @uaajc), students in bush AK, Regents new antidiscrim policy re: sexual orientation #NN11 #fb #
- RT @AmbivalentEye: @yksin @OneAngryQueer When was the #LGBT caucus? #clueless // it was @ 10:30-11:45 this morning. #nn11lgbt #nn11 #
- Also talked w/ @Mudflats @ book signing for book she coauthored Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palin – I’m ~2/3 through, good book! #nn11 #fb #
- @OneAngryQueer We talked strategy on 4 big fed things DADT ENDA DOMA UAFA what works how to do better across all issues #nn11lgbt #nn11 in reply to OneAngryQueer#
- @OneAngryQueer prob more via nnlgbt Google group as Mike & others able to put notes together. #nn11lgbt #nn11 in reply to OneAngryQueer#
- Sitting in quiet in L100AB where Bullies & Blogging session will be held at 3:00. Blessed quiet. I am so fried crispy toasted wiped. #nn11#
- RT @TPM: Breitbart Denied Entry Into Netroots Because He’s ‘Not Media’ #NN11http://tpm.ly/kW9AW4#
- RT @AriMelber: Media Overplays Obama Angst at Liberal Netroots Conference http://bit.ly/japFnu bet you think this song is about him.. #nn11#
- @AriMelber: great article, thank you. http://bit.ly/japFnu #nn11#
- @OneAngryQueer I think you just go to Google groups & find that list. It’s just like the hashtag #nn11lgbt except w/out the # & the 11. in reply to OneAngryQueer#
- @OneAngryQueer it’s an announcement only list. If you have @MichaelRogersDC‘s address he can prob add you. #nn11lgbtin reply to OneAngryQueer#
- RT @daveweigel: My take on the mood at #NN11 Not angry, just moved on from Obama love/hate to state activism http://slate.me/itlxLn#
- Looks like 3 PM session on Bullying & the Blogosphere will be livestreamed – sound checks & cameras here in L100AB. #nn11 #nn11lgbt #
3:00-4:15 PM. Bullies and the Blogosphere: Creating Safe Spaces in Our Schools and Online
- Bullying & the Blogosphere session beginning. It’s being livestreamed, I assume on the #NN11 website. #nn11lgbt#
- Another imp session right now >>> RT @davaobloggers: Live at #nn11 talk on “The Politics of Hate and the Rise of Anti-Muslim Bigotry” #
- Randi Weingarten Pres of American Federation of Teachers is panel moderator, talking abt prob of bullying in schools. #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- Played video of AFT’s “See a Bully Stop a Bully” campaign. #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- Other panelists being introduced. Includes reps of teacher & a large MN school district & manager of It Gets Better project. #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- RT @Calistair: RT @outfrontmn: Panel on bullies beginning. American Federation of Teachers looks to be huge ally in making it better. #NN11#
- Laura Rico of ABC Federation of Teachers in CA on how bullying follows kids home via twitter, FB, etc, #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- RT @ZackFord: Bullying affects everyone, whether they’re victims, bullies, or bystanders. #nn11 #nn11lgbt #
- http://www.aft.org/bullying (I think) #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- Rise of bullying re: race, disability, immigration, economic, LGBT #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- Freedom from Fear award winners in audience. #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- Scott Zumwalt manager of It Gets Better project asks audience how
Many bullied in school. Abt 1/3 to 1/2 raise hands. #NN11 #nn11lgbt # - How many in audience bullied via Facebook? None -people in thus audience were in school before FB came along. #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- But bullying via Facebook & other social Internet is now extensive, & has led to suicides. #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- Presenting capsule history of It Gets Better project #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- It Gets Better shows how social Internet can also be used to spread good. Timeline of It Gets Better. #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- It Gets Better grew so quickly it broke YouTube & new website built. #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- It Gets Better book published in March reached NYT bestsellers. Project to get it in school libraries. #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- I’ve seen Google Chrome It Gets Better video before, but in this company it esp moved me, tears to my eyes #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- Here’a where I remember how it was for me coming out at 19 in college. So scared, alone…. #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- I’m so proud of LGBT elders like us doing what we are doing to make it better for LGBT youth. #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- Julie Blaha (sp?) of Anoka-Hennepin School Diatrict in MN on bullying in her school district. #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- RT @ZackFord: Julie Blaha from Anoka-Henepin SD is sharing a first-hand account of resisting bullying. #nn11 #nn11lgbt #
- Problems of curriculum – LGBT history & other history in schools. #NN11 #nn11lgbt #
- Info from Islamophobia session >>> RT @riajose: Panelists suggest reading books by karen Armstrong to know more about Islam. #nn11#
After that session, I went to the Exhibit Hall to staff the LGBT Netroots Connect table, during which I had a long conversation with Phil Attey, Executive Director of Catholics for Equality — an important new contact.
