“I Will Not Co-Parent With the Government.” That sign and others like it appeared in abundance in Concord on Tuesday. That was the prevailing sentiment of the strong and positive crowd assembled in front of the Capitol in Concord this past Tuesday, April 18, 2023, as a prelude to the House hearing on HB272, a bill codifying parental rights of school children.
We want to thank Matt T. for this Op-Ed. Please submit it to Editor@GraniteGrok.com.
I attended the parents’ rights demonstration that morning, and I was pleasantly surprised. Despite the threat of rain and a chilly breeze, there was an impressive crowd of an estimated 200 people of all types, most clearly parents, some with their children and toddlers in tow. Fortunately, the rain held off.
On my way to the front steps of the Capitol, I passed by the pro-transvestite group on the corner. Their signs were limited to protecting transvestite students from injury and death by their parents and the need to keep students’ secrets safe from parents. There were not many children in that group, which contained mostly female (presumably born so) adults who desperately want to conduct experimental, life-altering surgeries on kids to flip their genders. I don’t recall seeing anything about education or working with parents to educate and protect their students. My eyeball estimate of that crowd size was around 100.
There was a different vibe altogether at the parents’ right group close to the front steps. The group of around 200 was mixed male and female, with many parents with kids, and a noticeable presence of some younger folks who took an interest. The speakers were well-received by an enthusiastic crowd, and everyone was relaxed and attentive. I noticed several legislators, recognizable by their official black name tags, on the edges of the crowd speaking with people. (Please pardon my lack of detail, as I was not expecting to report on the rally and wasn’t taking my usual copious notes on the event.)
Before going into the building, the MC told everyone that a prior agreement had been made between the two groups not to confront or interact with each other, so we were asked to avoid the anti-rights participants, even if they tried to strike up seemingly friendly conversations. The pro-parents group entered through the front doors, and the anti-rights group walked around the building and entered in the rear.
One oddity I noticed was about fifteen “Peace Keepers,” regular folks in white safety vests who were positioned around the Capitol but mostly kept near the pro-teacher/pro-trans crowd. In my previous times at the Capitol, I’ve never seen them. Since the two groups were kept separate and we were asked not to approach them, I did not ask any of the Peace Keepers who they were, with whom they were affiliated, and who their sponsors were. In the photos below, you can see that the vests were professionally made and customized. Not seen in the photos was a peace symbol on each right front breast area.
I took their presence to be imagery promoting the fact that all pro-transvestite/transgender people were victims and live in fear, and they had to have a presence there to protect them against violence from the parents who only demand to know what their children are doing in school. Laughable. Checking the internet, the Peace Keepers are part of New Hampshire Peace Action in Concord, a 501 (c)(3) organization, and is an affiliate of Peace Action based in Silver Spring, MD.
[Note from Skip: I checked that group out, and it is clear that the “Peace Keepers” are not a non-Partisan group as those in charge are Left-of-Center.]
Inside the House chamber, it was packed, and everyone had their say. Unfortunately, I had to leave after a short time and cannot relate to what the rest of the day was like in the hearings.
I hope others are encouraged to attend future rallies on parental rights and other pro-liberty issues, even if it means sacrificing a work day to attend. Your presence, your signs, and your relaxed but serious attitudes speak volumes more than you realize.
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