We’re kicking off this Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. with a rally in Lowell at the lower Boott Mills Courtyard. From there, we’ll make stops to meet with veterans, then with teachers and students at a Head Start program. At noon, we’ll be on the banks of the Concord River in Concord to talk with environmental activists about protecting our natural resources and taking serious steps to address global warming. From Concord, we’ll travel to a Senior Center in Hudson to discuss ways to reduce the high cost of prescription drugs. Then we’ll head North to Haverhill for a downtown walk to discuss formulas for revitalizing our older cities with new ideas like smart growth. Following the downtown walk, we’ll meet with the tremendous health care professionals who make family health care accessible at the Greater Lawrence Community Health Center. We’ll then have the grand opening of our campaign office in Lawrence with our Latino community coordinators.
At midnight, I’ll be joined by supporters from the Arts Community for a celebration at Life Alive Café featuring entertainment by the very talented “Hot Day at the Zoo” bluegrass band. It’s free. It’s casual. So join us at 194 Middle Street in Lowell starting at 11:00 p.m.
And, in the wee hours of the morning, we’ll be traveling from town to town to meet with police, fire and emergency health care first responders in Maynard, the Devens area and elsewhere. These men and women are the first line of defense in our communities and are on call 24 hours a day.
Early Wednesday morning, I’ll greet commuters in Acton at the “T” Commuter Rail Station. We’ll end the 24 Hour Express on Wednesday at 8:00 a.m. by officially opening my campaign headquarters on Market Street in Lowell.
I hope you will join me at some of these exciting events throughout the District.*** Please check my website, www.NikiTsongas.com to learn more about the Tsongas 24 Hour Express. And, on Tuesday, anyone can log onto my website to virtually “ride along” with me throughout the day, following our path through the District and your community.
***Call us to participate in carpooling, or to use our special hybrid shuttles to join up with our tour. You can even inquire about traveling with us on the biodiesel Tsongas 24 Hour Express by calling 978.458.NIKI (6454).
I hope to see you on Tuesday!
Niki
Dear Ms. Tsongas. The people we elect to Congress in 2008 will probably decide some very important issues that have not been getting much press, but which will have enormous impact on our lives.
<
p>
Will you push for federal recognition of state civil unions? Do you also support same-sex marriage, and will you push for federal recognition of state same-sex marriages (ie, repeal of DOMA)?
<
p>
Do you feel same-sex couples have a right to use genetic engineering in order to have a child together? Would you support or oppose the “egg and sperm” law to prohibit genetic engineering recommended by the President’s Council on Bioethics in 2004? The leading researchers in the field of same-sex conception both expect (expect!) it to be done within three to five years, so it is urgent that we know where you stand.
<
p>
If you support prohibiting genetic engineering, would you support the “Egg and Sperm Civil Union Compromise” to establish federal recognition of civil unions that do not grant conception rights? I think the lack of conception rights would make a very useful distinction between civil unions and marriages.
<
p>
Let us know your feelings about same-sex conception. There are some here at BMG who feel it is bigoted to be against same-sex conception, and some who feel that it is unethical and unnecessary and should be banned. It is a complicated question, and you’ll be forgiven for evolving a position on it as the implications become clearer, but your initial feelings would be most helpful. I would like to know every 05 candidate’s opinion about this, as well as the candidates for president, so please step out front on this issue and take the lead.
Mr. Howard is the only person on the planet who cares about this same-sex conception issue. Just an FYI.
I think a lot of people care deeply here, they insist by tooth and claw that same-sex couples should have the same right to conceive that a man and a woman have. There is a difference between “not caring” and “hoping no one gets wind of it.”