Minnesota's most social media challenged state representative ate a bit of crow when Mary Franson met with student Democrats on Thursday.
Her earlier public refusal to meet with students--followed by anti-transgender tweet in November--prompted Minnesota Public Radio blogger Bob Collins to post in MN legislator provides a lesson in the new politics:
Unwittingly, perhaps, Alexandria state Rep. Mary Franson provided students from Alexandria Area High School with a reality check about politics in 2017: Elected representatives serve only the people who voted for them and agree with them, the principles of America be damned.
She wasn’t likely to agree with anything a Democratic students group had to say if she’d granted their request to meet with her recently. Typically, politicians have smiled dutifully and sent opponents on their way. So why waste time on the niceties?
The group said it made about 10 calls to her office seeking a meeting, but got no response. That’s when they took their case to Twitter. . . .
The NewsCut take on the incident reminded us of a moment in Minnesota politics when via Email to MNA: Sen. Scott Newman won't meet with groups that endorsed Hal Kimball. Newman made young legislative aid the scapegoat for this; at least Franson is taking responsibility for her actions, the Alex Echo Press reports:
State Rep. Mary Franson, R-Alexandria, changed her mind and decided to meet with the Alexandria Area High School Democrats on Wednesday.
"I met with the Alexandria High School Democrats, and we had an engaging and productive discussion on the issues of climate change, college affordability and a carbon tax," Franson told the Echo Press on Friday morning. "I appreciate the assistance of Alexandria High School in helping to facilitate the meeting, and that we were able to meet in an appropriate venue.
"I also apologized by stating I should have handled the situation better,"Franson said. "Leaders are able to admit their mistakes and apologize."
The students were glad that the meeting took place.
"Thank you Rep. Mary Franson for meeting with us yesterday," the students said on their Twitter account Thursday. "While it took a while to set this up, we appreciate you meeting with your constituents. Happy holidays!"
God bless us, every one.
The paper notes:
The Twitter exchanges between Franson and the student group went viral, generating more than 200,000 interactions on Twitter.
Since each state representative in Minnesota serves about 39,582 people, that's just over 5 interactions per constituent.
For a summary of the incident, check out the City Pages' Pete Kotz in Alexandria Rep. Mary Franson won’t meet with students. Because they’re liberal:
When we last left state Rep. Mary Franson (R-Alexandria), she was graciously offering a clinical diagnosis of new Minneapolis Councilwoman Andrea Jenkins, who happens to be transgender.
“A guy who thinks he’s a girl is still a guy with a mental condition,” Franson tweeted the night of the election.
So it was only natural that a group of Alexandria High students asked to meet with their representative, if only to wet their beaks in the crystalline waters of her wisdom.
The AAHS Democrats describe themselves as a collection of “politically active, community-centered students” seeking a “respectful, productive talk.” But Franson, who possesses a keen snout for odious intent, smelled a rat.
Most notably: The word “Democrat.” She refused to return their calls.
The kids then reached out through Twitter, only to be ensnared again in the Mary Franson Civil Defense System. She knows the smart pol never talks to people who think differently than she does, for the introduction of new ideas is a gateway drug to enlightenment, a state of being Franson wants classified as a Schedule 1 narcotic.
She was having none of it.
“I don’t meet with partisan groups in my office,” she tweeted back. “Besides, isn’t your group actively campaigning against me?”
Screenshots of the exchange follow, as well as a historical review of earlier moments.
God bless us, every one.
Photo: No crow was harmed in the creation of Mary Franson's apology.
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