Defeating Goliath! Congratulations Palmer!

We should all be proud of what the hard work of activists accomplished!

They were outmanned, outspent and the media coverage grossly lopsided, yet they got their message out.

Pity Mohegan Sun couldn't behave like adults in the face of their unexpected loss.


FROM EMMALADD SHEPHERD:

There's no way that I can list all the people who worked so hard to defeat Mohegan Sun. If I started listing them, I know I'd forget some!!

For all of you, thank you so very much for all your hard work. As we found out last night, it paid off. And our little David did defeat Goliath!!!

Emy

Casino

November 6, 2013

Our hard work paid off – our little grassroots organization defeated the huge casino giant and their millions of dollars.

A couple, who own lots of buildings in downtown Palmer, in September, offered us the use of a storefront for our headquarters. Several people volunteered to staff it so that it could be open to the public about 20+ hours per week. We were able to hand out lawn signs (which got stolen, but that’s another story), assign people to standouts, sign up people to do door-to-door canvassing and generally give people a place to visit.

I am convinced that this was the turning point of opposition. As time went on, we discovered that many, many people were opposed, but were afraid to come out. The Mohegan people were intimidating.

I took part in a couple of standouts, but then I got trashed on the “yes” facebook page. “EmmaLadd Shepherd should to back to Monson where she belongs and mind her own business,” was the mildest one. So I decided that I was hurting the campaign by being so out there. I staffed the headquarters so that Palmer people could go out publicly.

Yesterday, during the election, I stayed in the office so that the Palmer people could stand outside the polls.

Nelson and Beverly Pease, the landlord, brought in a TV and food for our post-election party. Which was, of course a victory party!

Pandemonium broke out, 5 minutes after the polls closed and the final vote was announced on Ch 22. Shouting, crying, hugging, jumping up and down, Champagne was broken out! The voter turnout was unprecedented – 66%

I’m still in a daze.

When I left our headquarters last night, I swung around where the Mohegan had their headquarters. They’d basically folded their tents and left. The storefront was dark.

Of course they’re going to ask for a recount. The vote was close – only 93 votes – but I don’t believe they can find that many votes.

Anyway, I’m still in a daze. Ch.22 was at our headquarters when the vote was announced. The reporter tried to interview me – I think I just babbled at her.

");