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Sen. Rick Santorum (R.,Pa.) is on a swing through the Philadelphia suburbs promoting his new book, "It Takes
a Family," and demonstrating the power of incumbency by announcing federal funding for transportation projects in Valley Forge.
At a book store in West Goshen, Chester County, last night, protesters mocked some of the more controversial
elements of Santorum's book, such as the suggestion that feminism has encouraged women to work to the detriment of their children.
"He spends way too much time telling other people how to live their lives," said Maura Gustafson of Berwyn.
Supporters inside lined up to buy the book. "It's important to support the family unit," said Becky Wolfgang
of Exton. "He's not afraid to speak up on issues that are not talked about honestly."
Santorum is scheduled to sign copies of his book tonight in Bryn Mawr, at the Barnes & Noble on Lancaster
Avenue at 7:30 p.m. Protesters vow they'll be gathering just before then.
This afternoon, Santorum was scheduled to present federal funding for the Valley Forge National Park, Norristown
Parking Garage, and 422 River Crossing Interchange Modernization projects.
Report from the scene
The turnout
was great. Over 200 vocal, energized, happy, enthusiastic Anti-Santorum protesters showed up. A group from the Metropolitan
Community Church in Philadelphia came all the way out to show their support. We were in the Park & Ride parking
lot, adjacent to the West Goshen Shopping Center. People arrived at 6:30 pm, even though we called for a 7PM start. Everyone
was so excited to be there, to see other like minded people... People brought homemade signs, some were very creative
as you can see in the pictures. We were up on the grass, near Paoli Pike which is a fairly well traveled road, and lots
of people honked and gave us a thumbs up. Someone brought a Pot (for cooking) and it became a drum for our chants-Rick must
Go, Hey Hey Good-bye, KIck Rick Out, etc.
Some diehard, strong hearted
folks went inside the book store and stood inside and "listened" to the Senator spew his skewed view of the world. He reminisced
about a time when families went BOWLING, and pined for the return of those good old days. He strongly suggested, while
looking in the face of some African American observers, that African American music is the root of the decline of our culture.
He told the audience that the rate of marriage is going down, not because of the divorce rate increasing, but because people
"live together before marriage". I can only surmise that Santorum is suffering from his neglected childhood (since his mother
left him to go to work) and so he is taking out his hostility against the residents of Pennsylvania. We think he would be
better suited serving the good people of Virginia where he actually lives.
Maybe his views would be better
received there?
The employees of the Chester
County Book and Music Company were not particularly happy to host this guest, but they made the best of it. We suggested
that they stock up on Hillary's book "It Takes a Village" and many of our attendees went in to the store, wearing their Kick
Rick Out T-shirts, and purchased their protest book. The Daily Local News sent a photographer, and the Philadelphia Inquirer
sent a reporter. A good time was had by all, and we certainly raised the dialogue in Republican controlled Chester County.
Lani Frank
Chester County Democratic Coalition
(2CDC)
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