r/politics • u/ZachWahls Iowa • Nov 21 '18
Eight years ago, Reddit helped my speech to the Iowa legislature about growing up with two moms go viral. Two weeks ago, I was elected to the Iowa State Senate. AMA. AMA-Finished
Hi Reddit, this is Zach Wahls. Back in 2011, I delivered a short speech to the Iowa Legislature about growing up with same-sex parents. A video of that speech was shared online and proceeded to go viral, in no small part because of Reddit. After this happened, I dropped out of my engineering program to advocate full time for LGBTQ rights, including co-founding Scouts for Equality, which led the national campaign to end discrimination in the Boy Scouts of America.
The 2016 election had a huge impact in my state, as Iowa swung from supporting President Obama by 6 points in 2012 to President Trump by almost 10 points. Last year, I was contacted by my high school US History teacher who told me that our state senator was going to be retiring. He had been asked to run but was leaning against doing so and wanted to know if I would be interested in case he decided not to run. Given everything happening in our state and our country, I felt like I had a responsibility to say yes.
Ultimately, he decided not to run, and I entered the race late last year. We had a competitive primary, which I won by 25 points, and on Election Day, I beat my Libertarian opponent by 58 points. The legislative session begins on January 14, 2019.
If you'd like to run for office, please check out Run for Something. They provided a ton of helpful resources as I was contemplating running and after I launched my campaign.
If you're looking for a cool holiday gift that will help keep my employed when the Iowa Legislature isn't in session, please check out The Woman Cards, a creative art project I run with my sister.
And if you'd like to learn more about me or my campaign or stay in touch for updates, here's our stuff:
Website — https://www.zachwahlsforiowa.com
Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/zach.wahls/
Twitter — https://www.twitter.com/zachwahls/
AMA!
Proof: https://twitter.com/ZachWahls/status/1065308270531919873
Housekeeping note: I'm submitting this at 12:20pm CT — I'm going to start answering questions around 1:00pm CT and we should have a good 2-2.5 hours. Looking forward to it!
EDIT: added a link to the speech!
EDIT II: It's 3pm CT and I have to run my girlfriend to the airport. I will be back before too long, and I hope to get to everyone's question before too long. Thank you so much everybody!!
390
u/AngryLiberalVeteran Nov 21 '18
Hi Zach, I'm an Iowa native who joined the military after high school, moved back to Iowa to attend college afterwards, and then moved to the west coast after I graduated for a high paying tech job. Many of my college friends did the same.
What do you think can be done do to address the brain drain of educated young adults from Iowa to the coasts?
425
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18 edited Nov 21 '18
Critical question. Frankly, a lot of my friends from Iowa City have also left and I don't know how many of them are coming back. It's challenge even in our cities, to say nothing of our small towns.
I think if we want to fix brain drain, Iowa has to lead on three key issues.
First, we have to restore our tradition of excellence in public education. We've been stagnant for the last ten years, and we're starting to fall in the rankings. If you want to convince people to a state with fewer cultural/recreational amenities, you have to have great public schools. I'd apply this to higher education as well. I chose the University of Iowa in part because it was a highly affordable option relative to other colleges I could have chosen. I'm not sure if you've seen, but the Board of Regents recently announced substantial tuition increases. This is moving in the wrong direction.
Second, we have to repeal the fetal heartbeat bill. We passed this last year, and I think it's going to have huge consequences if it ever actually takes effect. (It's currently in legal limbo.) You can forget about young, educated folks moving back to Iowa if abortion is de-facto illegal. One in four women get an abortion at some point in their lives, and effectively making it illegal will keep people away. I think folks who have options in that respect are probably going to choose an option that maximizes their freedom in that regard.
Finally, we need to really focus on affordable housing. I mentioned this in another comment further down, but I have been shocked at how often I have heard that specific concern in towns/cities of very different sizes. It's an issue for the whole country, but I think it's especially important for Iowa if we want to attract folks back to our state.
55
u/11bulletcatcher America Nov 21 '18
I'm not from Iowa at all, I live in Florida, but couldn't y'all work on bringing businesses/industries in that make use of the talent that will graduate from your schools? Seems like the education will bring them in, but you need something to convince them to stay. I think you're probably right on about housing though. I think you need an uppercut to add to those two jabs, is all I'm saying.
73
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Yeah, I think housing and cultural amenities (on top of public education) are usually the two big things that folks are looking for. And maybe infrastructure to some extent, like fiber broadband access.
32
u/schwangeroni Nov 21 '18
Startup incubators are becoming more common across the Midwest and there is an increasing market for technology in the ag sector. While few produce massive companies like we see in silicon valley, it offers a chance for talented folks to stay home or come home.
24
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Totally.
5
Nov 22 '18
I think we're doing a great job of a encouraging startups and high paying jobs. What about a student loan forgiveness program where if you go to an Iowa school, you can have xxx% of your student loans forgiven for every year you pay income taxes in Iowa after graduation?
→ More replies (1)3
u/jeffshereok Nov 22 '18
I'd love to see this idea more widespread. On top of reigning in tuition increases.
→ More replies (2)3
u/EdwardOfGreene Illinois Nov 21 '18
I could not agree more. If you want tech educated people to stay Iowa then there needs to be tech jobs in Iowa.
It is just that simple. Migration patters in the history of this country are easy to understand. People move to where they can make a living!
2
u/Theglove_20 Nov 22 '18
I mean no disrespect, but how does increasing affordable housing attract those with high paying jobs out of state to come back? I feel like high income earners aren't too concerned with the availability of affordable housing.
4
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 22 '18
No worries at all - I should have specified that I meant it in the relative sense. If you're an upper-middle-class couple that is able to work remotely, and you're choosing between a $1.6M condo in outside of Washington DC or a $500k house in Iowa that has twice as much square footage and great public schools, Iowa should be competitive. We need great schools, good housing stock, and decent cultural amenities to compete.
→ More replies (1)2
Nov 22 '18
I think it still matters because a lot of tech companies in SF (I work for one) are remote friendly, and most people have a $ amount where if they could save that much money on rent by moving back home, even in a less exciting city or state, they would do it.
19
u/MaleficentStatement Nov 21 '18
I grew up in Iowa, attended ISU, and moved to the coast for a job immediately after graduation. So did all of my friends who were talented enough to do so.
While I acknowledge you're trying to answer a hard question, the three solutions you outline seem nearly irrelevant to me. While better education is certainly an unalloyed good thing, I'm not sure how it's going to impact brain drain. Why wouldn't it just increase the number of people good enough to get high-paying jobs on the coast? Is the hypothesis here that better education would create a better climate for business such that the Googles and the Facebooks of the world open offices in Des Moines or that startups would pop up that can pay people well enough to convince them to stick around? People need a reason to stay.
I'm also not sure how cheaper housing is going to help. Rent for a great 2 bedroom condo CR/Iowa City would already cost me less than a quarter of what I pay for a tiny studio. I suppose at the limit cheaper housing makes Iowa more attractive relative to the coasts, but without high paying, highly technical jobs there's no reason to stay.
15
u/iheartanalingus Nov 22 '18
Just because it doesnt help you doesnt mean it wont help.
People who have children often take jobs out of state or in certain parts of a state SOLELY so their CHILDREN will get a better education.
In Ohio, as much as people say Gov Kasich was a reasonable moderate Republican, he totally fucked a lot of the state's education. Why would anyone getting a new job and starting a family move to Ohio to have a dumb kid because of failed education.
4
u/boxsterguy Nov 22 '18
I was born, raised, and educated in Illinois, so next door to Iowa. When I was growing up, that part of rural america was pretty blue. Farmers voted democrat because that's how they got their subsidy checks, and didn't give a shit what people did in the privacy of their own bedrooms.
I moved away to work on the coast, because that's where the companies I wanted to work for were located. Literally the only way I could've been kept from leaving would be if the companies I wanted to work for (the FAANGMs, basically) could be convinced to open non-sales offices in nearby cities (could certainly be a thing in say Chicago, but not in the little town I was in).
Now IL is nearly a red state (if not for Chicago) and there's no way I'd go back. I would love it if one or both of my kids decided to attend my alma mater UIUC, but with Rauner fucking up the higher education system I don't know if the school will be around or any good in 15-18 years.
I'm not sure where I'm going with this, other than to say there are bigger issues at play than just education, housing, and amenities.
→ More replies (10)11
u/andrewsmd87 Nov 21 '18
Hey just responding to your comment about people leaving the mid west. I actually have a "high paying tech job" and live in small town Nebraska, I work remotely.
That's becoming more common, at least in the IT industry. I have 0 ideas on how you could promote that, but it might be worth exploring. You can make 120 k in Silicon Valley or 80-90 k in the Midwest and be way happier.
Just a thought
3
u/boxsterguy Nov 22 '18
Lower cost of living is great for certain costs like housing. For everything else, you just have less income. A Tesla's going to cost you $100k, whether you're in Silicon Valley or Seattle with a $3-400k TC or whether you're in Nebraska with a $120k TC.
There's no way I'd go to the midwest for 66% of my salary.
→ More replies (4)2
u/dethbunnynet California Nov 22 '18
A small piece of the puzzle could be state-built broadband; fiber and huge pipes everywhere. Nothing facilitate remove work like improving the equivalent of the “commute” for those who are doing work online.
7
u/Igneous_Aves America Nov 21 '18
I say have something more to do then just drink when people got free time ><'
Iowa really need to draw more "spectacle" acts to the state. Pro Sports and major musical artists would really help I say. Though part of that moving could just be climate, sooo many people just hate winter haha
→ More replies (4)5
u/Sports-Nerd Georgia Nov 21 '18
That’s such a great question. We struggle with that in Alabama a lot.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (9)2
u/himthatspeaks Nov 22 '18
Stop voting republican and move into the 21st century. There's no future in regressive policies and they don't work. The coasts are working and provide a better future because of progressive policies.
306
Nov 21 '18
What can us straight allies do to help family or friends facing forms of discrimination from their work or other family members?
270
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Great question. I'd say good allyship boils down to a couple of things:
1) Know that you don't have all the answers. You have to be open to learning new things. Sometimes, those new things may be uncomfortable or go against a previously held belief. You have to be open to that in order to support folks.
2) Speak up when you can. Being willing to have somebody's back — whether it's in a public setting, at Thanksgiving — at work can literally save lives. If you're not willing to speak up, it's hard to be an effective ally.
3) Educate yourself. And this applies to more than just LGBTQ. For example, I was in my early twenties when I decided that I hadn't learned enough about America's history with race in school, so I started trying to figure out what I should learn and know. I read a bunch of books, and the two I recommend the most are Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, which is about the modern day, and A Short History of Reconstruction by Eric Foner, which is about the period immediately following the Civil War and how white people messed up the one shot we had as a country to really correct the evils of slavery at that moment in history. And one of the most shocking parts about the legacy of Reconstruction is that until very, very recently (like the 1980-90s) the most widely taught history of Reconstruction was that it went "too far" in helping former slaves and empowering black people (!!) not that our nation messed it up by ending Reconstruction less than fifteen years after starting it. Slavery, by contrast, existed in America for over two hundred years. Maybe seems a little off topic, but I think deciding I hadn't learned enough about race and trying to educate myself about it made me a much more effective ally for people of color in my community.
-259
u/Auys103 Nov 21 '18
What do you think about this sub's rampant hatred of white men?
365
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Well I'm a white man and this post is getting like a 95% upvote ratio, so I'm clearly getting some love. Are you bringing that up because I specifically mentioned race in my response? Generally speaking, I do think white folks have more work to do when it comes to educating ourselves about the history of race and lived experiences of non-white folks in America. And I also think that in our rush to indict white privilege, we sometimes forget there are a huge number of white people in this country who are struggling, too. It can be a very different kind of struggle than non-white folks, and it's still a struggle.
91
u/Kyle700 Nov 21 '18
I really appreciate how you took the time to respond to a completely stupid and ridiculous question and come out of it with a shut-down answer while still seeming respectful. You are exactly the kind of person we need more of in politics (especially in places like Iowa that went for trump!)
→ More replies (11)109
39
u/Captain_Reseda Nov 21 '18
I'm a white man and I don't feel hated. I think shitty, asshole, deserve-to-be-hated white men are hated, but not white men in general. Maybe you should examine your own behavior and attitudes if you feel hated.
79
u/doskey123 Europe Nov 21 '18
Can you be more specific? I'm a white man and I'm not feeling hated by this sub.
40
Nov 21 '18 edited Jun 16 '21
[removed] — view removed comment
42
u/KyloRenCadetStimpy Rhode Island Nov 21 '18
Unlike the questioner, your account isn't 3 days old :-D
→ More replies (1)13
u/gsfgf Georgia Nov 21 '18
I assume he's pushing the false narrative that the left is hostile to straight, white men.
78
30
u/brimds Nov 21 '18
What do you think about confronting your own inadequacies and not making shit up on the internet to fill the hole in yourself?
23
→ More replies (9)14
15
→ More replies (2)6
62
u/TanukiPilot Oregon Nov 21 '18
Saying "Just learn computers ya dummies!" obviously isn't a solution to transitioning the traditional labor group (factories, mines, etc) into the modern work-force. What industries can Iowa attract to help small-town folk who aren't tech-savvy?
what are your feelings in general on UBI / Universal Basic Income?
What are your feelings in general on sectors being heavily automated (shipping/logistics, etc)?
Thank you for your time. Here's a kickass buffalo chicken dip recipe. Have a wonderful thanksgiving!
→ More replies (2)100
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18 edited Nov 21 '18
Great question. Something I have been surprised to learn throughout the campaign is that there are actually a decent number of jobs in a lot of Iowa's small towns, but they are struggling to find workers. In these towns, workforce development is part of the issue, but so is affordable housing. In a lot of these communities, the housing stock is fairly dilapidated, and the new construction is all large single-family homes, which are near-impossible to afford if you are just starting out. I was surprised to learn that affordable housing is as much of an issue in the smaller towns as the bigger cities.
Generally speaking, though, I do think it's clear we need more jobs for low-skilled workers. I recently finished reading Janesville, which documents life in Paul Ryan's hometown after the GM factory closed almost ten years ago. It's clear that the community was really hard hit, and even the folks who were laid off and then got an associates or bachelor's degree weren't making as much money as they were at the factory. It's a huge issue.
And generally speaking, that's part of why I'd lean more towards a Job Guarantee than a UBI, simply because there is so much work to do. Look around just about any community, and you'll see a huge amount of work to do that isn't being done. Roads to fix, broadband access to expand, bridges to improve, affordable homes to be built, etc. And because there's no private market for a lot of this work, it just isn't getting done. A universal Jobs Guarantee could help with that.
EDIT: This Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe looks phenomenal.
30
u/Enlighten_YourMind America Nov 21 '18
Been a fan of yours for a long time, just wanted to say that you're an inspiration to millions, keep up the amazing work!
Also, on actual policy, your answer in support of a Job Guarantee over a UBI is one of the best I have seen. You exactly his the same point I always come back to "What if we actually had a mechanism to pay people to go around and pick up trash, plant tress, etc, etc..." Improving our society and our localities as a way for people to become engaged, have a sense of purpose, and earn a sustainable living. What a wonderful future that would be :).
→ More replies (1)16
u/ImSickOf3dPrinting Iowa Nov 22 '18
Hey, I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done.
If it weren't for your speech, I might still be the hateful, homophobic, racist person I used to be. That's one of the problems with small town Iowa (in which I was born and raised).
I went to college here in the state, and in addition to actually being around minorities (racial, religious, and LGBTQ+) as well as seeing your astonishing speech was enough to break the strangehold that the GOP had on me.
So thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Your speech was literally my starting point for becoming who I am today.
→ More replies (1)
33
u/duhuknee Nov 21 '18
How hard was it beginning the process of running for office and how did it feel on the campaign trail? It’s very inspiring seeing your story and how you went from viral video to getting elected to the state senate in such a short amount of time.
43
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
It was tough for sure. I was lucky enough to have a bunch of great folks supporting me at each step of the way. But it was definitely hard. Especially because during the primary election, which was much more competitive than the general election, I was finishing my masters' degree. But I love campaigning. Getting out, meeting people, listening to their stories, hearing their ideas for how to make out community better, understanding their hopes and dreams and vision for our state — nothing better.
And yeah, I totally agree. It's been a bit of a rocket ship these last eight years.
219
u/PoliticalPleionosis Washington Nov 21 '18
I don't have a question, but I wanted to let you know that my wife knew your Mom in Med School. She is super proud of your story and how amazing you have become.
Our family in Iowa supports you.
Thank you for your voice and thank you for running!
116
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
What a small world! Very cool. My mom's (that is, Terry, my biological mom) experience in medical school at the University of Iowa was why we moved to Iowa City. I hope you and yours are doing well!
22
u/TheRealChadMyers Nov 21 '18
Hi, and thanks for fighting for equality!
Were you concerned about right wing threats, and people looking into your past, digging for dirt? We've all got some things we'd like to keep private, which seems more and more difficult these days, regardless of social media caution- and anything that can be spun seems to be taken advantage of by the opposition.
How did this impact your involvement in politics and being in the public eye? Was it ever a concern?
39
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
It's my pleasure Chad! I'm glad to have the opportunity.
I wasn't too concerned about threats or dirt digging. Iowa feels like a pretty safe place, all things considered, so it's not something I worry about. Dirt-wise, sure there are some things in my life and past that I would prefer to keep to myself, but I had to pass a background/vetting check before I could work as a White House intern, so I'm not too worried. I was a fairly boring college student, especially relative to my classmates at the University of Iowa, which was ranked in the top five party schools at the time.
→ More replies (2)
24
u/RussianBotPatrol Nov 21 '18
What are your thoughts on cannabis legalization in Iowa?
69
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
I think there are two different pieces. First, I'd like to start by seriously expanding Iowa's medical cannabis law. We have one in place now, but it's so restrictive that it's basically not doing anything. We have to expand it. My mother Terry has multiple sclerosis, which is one of the diseases cannabis can be prescribed for, so this is personal for me and my family. And second, at a minimum, we should decriminalize cannabis possession in Iowa. It's unjustifiable that people's lives are being ruined because of a couple of joints.
22
u/iawegian Nov 21 '18
Those are decent first steps, but Iowa should push for "tax and regulate like alcohol." It has won popular votes in other states, and with some efforts it could win in Iowa in 2020.
→ More replies (1)9
u/TheDank_Knight Nebraska Nov 22 '18
Iowa is, without debate, much more liberal than Nebraska (my state) but I think it is still afflicted by the old prejudices against marijuana. I'm all for a push for legalization, but I think states in the Midwest/South/Southwest are going to need to take steps to get there, rather than doing it in one shot.
17
u/SingShredCode Nov 21 '18
What has your orientation been like? How do they prepare you to serve in the state legislature?
41
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
It's still just getting started. I actually received my first official correspondence from the Iowa Senate on Monday with a thick folder full of papers and forms. I haven't really started working on it yet, as I have been crushed with work for my day job (The Woman Cards) in the lead up to Black Friday. I'm planning to dig into it during the drive up to visit my Grandma for Thanksgiving. We also have an in-person orientation scheduled on 12/10-11 in Des Moines that I am planning to attend. I expect I will get a lot more information then. Until then, I'm just trying to keep up with all the requests for meetings, coffees, and information sessions. I know I shouldn't be surprised, but it's still a little more than I was expecting!
11
u/catmoon Nov 21 '18
What do you think about the direction reddit has taken politically since you first came here many years ago?
I remember reddit used to be almost unanimously progressive. Ron Paul had a following, but that was the extent of conservative politics here. Now reddit is home to some of the largest and most extreme conservative internet communities.
30
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Good question, although to some extent, I think that reflects broader changed we are seeing on the Internet overall, not just on Reddit. Twitter probably has had the same shift over time, in part because folks who are open to new experiences (i.e. early adopters) tend to be more left-leaning. The more "normal" reddit and twitter, etc. became, the membership became more representative of the overall population.
I do worry about the fact that the Left seems to have just written off the 4chan Right (for lack of a better term.) I think there are actually a lot of folks on reddit (and elsewhere) who love Trump but who could have wound up on the left if only a few things had been different in their lives. There are some folks who say it's not worth engaging with these folks because to debate them is to give credence to their ideas, but I disagree. You won't win someone over unless you're willing to engage, and it's also not just about the folks you're engaging. It's about the folks who are lurking, who aren't yet sold on GEOUS Trump but who are sympathetic, and whose political identity more or less hangs in the balance. We need folks on the left willing to engage and to do so in ways that are smart, funny, and who are simultaneously capable of realizing how silly it is to argue about politics on the Internet AND how important it can be.
86
u/Nerd_199 Nov 21 '18
Link to his speech. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSQQK2Vuf9Q
17
u/AimlesslyCheesy Nov 21 '18
Well written and well spoken speech. Wow very nice.
29
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Thank you! To anyone reading who is still in high school, I strongly encourage you to join speech and debate.
6
→ More replies (1)52
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Ah, thank you! I meant to do that, but it was lost when I copy/pasted my intro text in. Edited the post to add it in. I'm going to eat some quick lunch and will start answering questions soon!
25
u/Nerd_199 Nov 21 '18
Any advice to young people who would like to run for office?
→ More replies (1)67
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18 edited Nov 21 '18
Yes, lots.
First and foremost, get involved with other campaigns. It's the best way to learn how campaigns work, and when you run for the first time, you're going to be doing a LOT of the work yourself.
Second, get out and meet people in your community. There's no better way of learning about your community and the people who are a part of it than just going to events, setting up coffees with community leaders, etc.
Third, start at the local/state level. I totally understand why some folks choose to jump straight to Congress. Once in a while, it works, and you get AOC. But nine times out of ten, local/state office makes more sense.
Fourth, sign up for Run for Something! It's a great organization, and I highly encourage you to check it out.
Try to find a mentor or two in your community who are interested in politics. Having a few of these folks is hugely impactful.
Sit down with a recently retired politician from your area for lunch or coffee. They love to talk and have time on their hands and will probably answer just about any questions you have about local politics.
If you're young and know you want to run for office, try to avoid taking on too much debt. I was fortunate enough to attend a relatively inexpensive state school, and not having to worry about large student loans has made it a lot easier to enter public service.
Don't be an idiot on social media.
I will try to add more here soon.
EDIT: added a few more
5
9
u/LordFluffy Nov 21 '18
What are your priorities in the legislature?
27
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Unfortunately, the GOP still has a trifecta, so they're going to be setting the agenda. I do think (hope!) there are some issues we can work on across party lines.
1) Health care reform. Our Medicaid system is in pretty big trouble, and I think we can make things better in a bipartisan way. I also think there may be interest in a reinsurance program to bring down premiums in the individual marketplace. (Obamacare) And we've started to move in the right direction on fixing our mental health system, but we have to do a lot more.
2) Ending chronic homelessness. There are a bunch of states that have adopted a "housing first" approach to ending chronic homelessness with pretty big success. I'd like to see us explore that in Iowa. I think that should be a bipartisan winner. It helps take care of people and saves the government money in the long run.
You can also check out my issues page if you want to see more of my ideas: http://zachwahlsforiowa.com/issues
There are a lot of them that won't fly with GOP control of the legislature, but that's where I am.
3
18
u/MindYourGrindr America Nov 21 '18
What can Democrats do to win back Iowa?
27
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18 edited Nov 21 '18
Good question! As we saw with Abby and Cindy, Dems can absolutely win in Iowa. But we got hammered in a lot of the mid-size towns that used to deliver a lot of Democratic votes. I think if we want to start winning statewide again, we're going to have to reinvest in those areas with time and energy. JD Scholten (who ran against Steve King) likes to say, "You can't fake showing up." I agree with that sentiment wholeheartedly, and that's going to have to be the starting point. It's not enough to only campaign in five counties.
45
u/HandSack135 Maryland Nov 21 '18 edited Nov 21 '18
I am 99% sure that Iowa is sending 3 Democrats to Congress and 100% sure they are sending 1 Nazi to Congress. How do you feel about that breakdown?
84
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Yeah, we flipped from 3 GOP 1 Dem to 3 Dem 1 GOP. And JD Scholten came closer to knocking King off than anyone ever had. I hope he runs again, as I bet he could win with a rematch. King is awful, no doubt about it.
-38
u/KneadThePeople Nov 21 '18
You agree that a "Nazi" is being sent to Congress? What a wonderfully missed opportunity to bring sanity back to political discourse. Not unexpected, but unfortunate.
54
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Personally, I would not describe Steve King as a Nazi, but there's no doubt he's associated himself with white supremacists.
31
u/improbablesky Nov 21 '18
A rational response to a post about an alleged nazi? What the fuck?
Glad you’re in politics, Zach.
5
→ More replies (4)2
u/AnOnlineHandle Nov 22 '18
What's the point of playing crocodile tears as fake victims that conservatives do when held accountable for their actions? The guy is re-tweeting nazis and you guys are here playing concern trolls to act like the sin is knowing and talking about it. Is your goal to sway uninformed people to have sympathy for Republicans or is it actually a sort of mind-game you play with reality where Republicans have no concept of personal responsibility so long as they can sook it away whenever it's mentioned?
→ More replies (1)14
u/iawegian Nov 21 '18
JD is fantastic, and he's doing all the right things now to enable him to run again. I attended one of his "farewell tour" events, and have gotten thank-you cards from his campaign. I REALLY hope he has a lot of money left in his campaign account, and that he will put it to good use in the next two years. Steve King is as big an embarrassment as you are a source of hope.
31
u/hocdawk Nov 21 '18
I'm a native Iowan - I remember your mother giving several lectures when I was in medical school at the University of Iowa. Your success is well deserved, and I'm proud that Iowa has people like you to represent us. Myself and many others are grateful for your dedication to service, and your defense of equality for all.
21
20
u/lowIQanon Nov 21 '18
Are people in Iowa ever surprised that you are normal even though you have two lesbian moms? I'm thinking along the lines of people who tell black people that they are "well-spoken".
Your speech made me happy and verklempt.
19
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Oh for sure. Especially before that was what I was known for. Now, I'm "that guy" but before, some people would hear that and look at me like I was from Mars.
And thank you. :-)
3
u/lowIQanon Nov 21 '18
Oh for sure
This makes me a little angry, that people would treat you like that.
12
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Yeah, me too. It doesn't bother me as much personally, just because I'm fine and I'm okay. But it bothers me that there are still lots of younger kids with LGBTQ parents who are dealing with this crap.
10
Nov 21 '18
[deleted]
→ More replies (1)23
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Before running for office yourself, I'd encourage you to volunteer or work for a local or state campaign. Meeting folks, you'll see that it's really just run by the people who show up. As I mentioned in my intro, I was more or less recruited to run by my high school history teacher, who had thought about running for the seat but didn't. But we wound up having four people in the primary. If you're willing to outwork your opponent, (just look at Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) you can win.
40
u/Eraticwanderer I voted Nov 21 '18
Congrats! I remember watching your video and can't believe it's been 8 years! Best of luck to you!
22
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Ha, me neither! Thank you so much.
8
u/tinyirishgirl Nov 21 '18
So proud for you.
Wishing you everything bright and beautiful on your new life path.
18
u/juni0rmint Nov 21 '18
You came to my Fourth of July party in Philly in 2016 ... you were super cool and totally chill ... thanks for that! Still miss that rooftop, but just wanted to say that it was an honor to get to know you, and you are destined for great things. If you ever need any help in your future political endeavors, let me know!!,
11
6
u/GalaxyZeroOne Nov 21 '18
What was your process for writing that speech, and have you made any since that you feel should also get attention? Do you think you can replicate that moment of oratorical genius, because, as you have seen, it can affect many lives.
16
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
I wrote a draft, got some input from some friends (including an ex-girlfriend!) and wrote another draft. I was actually still making edits on the drive to Des Moines to deliver it. I think the attention it received was mostly a combination of being in the right place at the right time. There was a certain level of "shock" value to the speech, just because I think a lot of folks didn't realize Iowa had same-sex marriage already or because they would have expected that speech to be delivered by a kid from NYC or Cali, not Iowa. The words themselves were an important part of why it went viral, but only a part.
7
u/GalaxyZeroOne Nov 21 '18
Thanks for answering! I think you are right, timing and the surprise are definitely factors to it getting the expansive attention. But I don’t think you are giving your delivery the credit it deserves. You start out a bit hesitant or nervous, but man do you hit your stride half way through. The earnestness, passion, and power in your voice come to full force and is awe inspiring. It’s just so damn good. I really hope you continue to find that voice in your future political life.
19
Nov 21 '18
Do you take any kind of corporate money?
47
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Nope, I ruled out corporate PAC money right out of the gate. I caught some flak for it, but I feel good about the choice.
6
Nov 21 '18
What kind of "Flak" did you get your this?
People saying " oh you could be so rich from this!"
Or something else? Taking corporate money out of elections would bring us back to better days imo
Good on you
9
u/netsecguy56 Nov 21 '18
That’s awesome news, I really hope more politicians start following this trend. Good luck in the state senate! I look forward to following your political career.
4
8
u/yoshidwyn Nov 21 '18
Zach, you have been an inspiration for me to actually follow through with my dreams of running for political office (South Dakota). What advice and suggestions can you give for someone wanting to make an attempt in 2020 aside for using run for something.
As a single father I find it a daunting task but a meaningful one as I want help make this country a better place for my daughter to grow up in.
9
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Very much appreciate hearing that! I'd strongly encourage you to find a local office, especially as a single parent, where it may not take as much time/energy to start. You might be surprised at how big of an impact that can have, too. Especially school board!
Again, I'd say the single biggest thing is making sure that you get out and meet folks. Go to events. Join your local Democratic Party's central committee. Set up cofffees with local leaders. It's not just who you know - it's who knows you.
39
u/Allpowertothepeople Virginia Nov 21 '18
I loved that speech and as a gay woman it was really personally impactful. I hope my kids grow up as well as you!
22
11
u/Taurius Nov 21 '18
So what's the first thing you're supposed to do when you walk into your new office? I don't think anyone knows what the transition process is when politicians get replaced.
15
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Believe it or not, I don't even get an office. Just a desk on the Senate floor.
5
u/Taurius Nov 21 '18
Those bastards! So the first thing you'll be doing is making sure you're not seated next to the smelly one. Man it's just like being back in 4th grade. Got to find the "cool kids" section.
21
u/portajohnjackoff Michigan Nov 21 '18
What is your source for dad jokes?
39
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Ha! No idea, but I do love me some dad jokes. Maybe I'm making up for something.
20
Nov 21 '18
I don't have a question for you, just wanted to congratulate you and ask that you work hard and honestly in your service to the country. Thanks and best wishes!
11
10
u/MervDervis Nov 21 '18
How can we rid Steve King of our district? (NW Iowa resident)
20
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
JD Scholten should run again. He came so darn close this time, I think he can win in 2020.
6
u/ijames428 Nov 21 '18
No question, but I just wanted to say that I saw your speech years ago and loved it. I live in North Liberty and voted for you! I saw the picture you had from Big Grove where I've gotten rather drunk at :P
Just wanted to say that I'm so happy to have someone like you active in politics and that I'll be supporting you for as long as possible.
7
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Thank you for your vote!! And ha — I love Big Grove. One of my favorite spots. Thank you for your support - and please vote for my friend Royceann Porter on December 18! We have a special election for County Supervisor.
5
u/rhythmjones Missouri Nov 21 '18
I remember your speech, it was incredibly inspiring. As a native Iowan I can say I'm proud of what you've accomplished.
I'm sad to see Iowa turning so deeply red. How are Iowa Democrats (and left leaning independents) planning on bringing the state back to blue/purple status?
5
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
FWIW, we are not nearly as deeply red as you might think. Yeah, Hubbell lost, but we flipped two Congressional seats (which is huge) and we picked up a bunch of seats in the Iowa House, even though we came up short of a majority. I mentioned elsewhere that I think the key for Iowa Dems is to re-engage in the rest of the state. We have to spend time in small towns and our small cities. I'm thinking places like Burlington, Ottumwa, Muscatine, Dubuque — areas that lean Democratic but are still only treading water economically. We need to spend time there working on our party and communicating our vision for the future.
→ More replies (1)
5
Nov 21 '18
Is the national spotlight of media and politics a hard one to inhabit? It seems like a very stressful place to be
8
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Yeah it's strange for sure. I am pretty well known locally, so I have little privacy once I leave my home. But I've had about this level of fame/notoriety for about the last eight years, so it doesn't seem as strange as it did at first.
3
Nov 21 '18
Quite the adjustment! Was thinking about maybe trying myself some time but not sure I could handle that.
Either way keep fighting for good in this world and thanks for all you do!
17
5
u/bfinleyui Nov 21 '18
Completely off topic, do you get ever sick of kale? I know your mom made crazy health progress with it, but dang dude, that's a lot of kale, all the time.
9
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
lmao. If I ate as much kale as she did, I'm sure I would. But in her shoes, it's a small price to pay to get her health back!
4
u/chels4590 Nov 21 '18
Congratulations!
I live to the north of you in Linn County. I'm also the co-owner of a small business in the area. https://iowafloodcenter.org/ published this map: http://s-iihr50.iihr.uiowa.edu/ray/ds/ a few weeks ago. It tallies the dollars of damage caused by flooding in Iowa.
My question I'd like to put to you is this: what can we do from a legislative place to incentivize behaviors that reduce the over all damage of reoccurring flooding? From my perspective this is a huge problem that seemingly will only get worse with time. After the laughable clean water bill that made it through last session I wonder if our state has the willpower to do anything about it.
7
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Yeah, water quality is a huge issue and not one that I was expecting so many people to be interested in when I launched the campaign!
Part of the solution has to be changing the incentives we already have to make sure that they aren't incentivizing behavior that makes damage more likely. And I'd hope at least that part could be a bipartisan issue. I totally agree it needs dramatic, swift action. The clean water bill from last session was just a drop in the bucket.
6
u/AliquidExNihilo Michigan Nov 21 '18
What now?
10
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18 edited Nov 21 '18
Orientation and a boat load of meetings for now.
Swearing in on January 14.
The rest is TBD.
5
u/Under_the_Gaslight Nov 21 '18
That's fantastic. I remember that post (and all the people saying you should run for office some day.)
Say hi to my cousin and aunt in Des Moines.
→ More replies (1)
4
u/silverwyrm Washington Nov 21 '18
Hi, Zach,
- What are your thoughts on ranked choice voting or other proportional representation systems? Could you see a future for them in Iowa?
- When are you going to run for Governor?
4
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
1) I think RCV is interesting! IIRC, we just had our first member of Congress elected from RCV in... Maine? I'm open to it. I also don't think it's a silver bullet. I think there are a lot of folks who think the problem is just our two party system. And while it's not ideal, I think there are much bigger problems than how the system is set up.
2) No plans one way or the other. I'm definitely open to taking a look at a statewide run, but at this point, I'm just focused on doing the job at hand as best I can.
2
u/eko425 Nov 22 '18
"...we just had our first member of Congress elected from RCV in... Maine?"
Yes! Congressman-elect Jared Golden just defeated Republican Congressman Bruce Poliquin in Maine's 2nd District after the RCV tabulation, which resulted in a +2000 vote for Poliquin shifting to a -3000 defeat. Poliquin sued to halt the "instant runoff" tabulation but that suit was denied by the judge, although his greater suit is still pending. However, standing caselaw in which RCV has been deemed constitutional presents a steep hill for Poliquin to climb, and most legal scholars say his suit holds no chance of success. Poliquin was the last remaining Republican congressman in New England.
4
u/Contradiction11 Nov 21 '18
What if I want to make a difference but I hate talking to people?
11
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Ha - well, it really depends on what you like to do! Talking to people is definitely not something my sister enjoys doing (and I think she'd be okay with me saying that) but she's a wonderful artist, so she wound up illustrating some postcards that we then printed and sent to voters. And actually, postcard writing is a great way to communicate with voters without having to talk to anyone. Any skills or hobbies that might be useful to campaigns?
4
5
3
u/GenericOnlineName Iowa Nov 21 '18
How annoyed are you that Reynolds won? I know Hubbell wasnt the best but man... I hope Reynolds shows herself to be better than what she has been.
I'm super glad we got people like you, Axne and Finkenaur and Sand elected though. That makes me feel hopeful.
3
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Yeah, it's definitely tough. I really wish we had flipped the Iowa House at least. The fact that they still have a trifecta is going to be really hard and wind up hurting a lot of folks. That being said, I don't think the outcome was too much of a surprise. Reynolds is very likeable and unemployment is 2.5%. Those are strong headwinds.
5
u/arfbrookwood Nov 21 '18
Dude, take my energy and do all the good you can! You make everyone better just by being you.
→ More replies (1)
5
-4
u/MolecularRoy Nov 21 '18
Do you think a bakery should be forced to cater a ritual they don't agree with?
Should they be forced to decorate a cake with artwork that expresses an idea they find abhorrent?
31
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
I think if you're going to offer your services to the public, you should - like every other business - comply with public accommodations law that protects people from marginalized backgrounds. I also don't like the idea of forcing somebody to cater a same-sex wedding that was against their religious views. Generally speaking, in America, people should be free to do what they want as long as it doesn't harm other folks. But on balance, I think our public accommodations laws create more freedom than they restrict, and I don't think handing out a license to discriminate on the basis of an immutable characteristic is a good idea.
-12
u/MolecularRoy Nov 21 '18
I agree. As far as my 2 questions are concerned, is it:
(1)yes; (2)yes
(1)yes; (2)no
(1)no; (2)yes
or
(1)no; (2)no?
13
u/phoenix25 Nov 21 '18
This is silly. You structured the questions so any yes or no answer could be twisted to make him look bad.
16
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
In both cases, it depends on whether the action is covered by public accommodations law and/or non-discrimination against marginalized identities. The law is clearly a blunt instrument when it comes to protecting marginalizes folks, but it's what we've got.
→ More replies (1)6
u/barfing Nov 21 '18
Why ask a complicated question and demand a simple answer? If you're unwilling to consider context, you don't deserve an answer.
2
u/The_Brat_Prince Arizona Nov 22 '18
Are people being forced to decorate cakes with artwork against their beliefs? You should not be allowed to discriminate by refusing to sell a product to gay people that you would sell to anyone else, but that's different from making someone decorate a cake with things that are against their beliefs.
2
u/Startreker243 Nov 22 '18
Little late to the party, but I had the pleasure of being introduced to Scouting for Equality during the 2017 National Jamboree. It's definitely not an easy thing to change Scouting as a whole, but what do you say is the biggest impact of seeing the policies of the BSA shift so much? And also, how do you feel scouting will be impacted by the departure of the Mormon Church and the addition of girls in scouting?
2
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 22 '18
All good! And that's great to hear. We are glad to continue to maintain a presence at Scouting events, and I hope we can keep doing so into the future. I'm on the Board of Directors now, so I'm not involved in a day-to-day role, but we've got a great team of folks running the group today.
Answering your question, I think the biggest impact is that it's going to prolong the life and appeal of BSA. I am a big fan of them opening up co-ed units. It's going to be a game-changer, especially with their growth demographics. I think the addition of girls will outweigh the departure of the Mormons, overall. And I think the BSA is glad, in some respects, that the Mormons are gone. They had a lot of influence within the organization that many people within BSA resented. I am bummed that those youth won't have access to the Scouting program.
0
u/neuromorph Nov 21 '18
enjoy your lifetime of tax payer medical care, senator.
13
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
I actually have to fill out the paperwork for benefits later this week. I haven't looked at it just yet. And I'm not even sure if it's lifetime or if it's just while I'm in office. The Senate pays $25,000/year and you're in session 4-5 months/year, so I'm definitely not going to get rich as a legislator!
3
u/neuromorph Nov 21 '18
it may be different for your state. But at the national level, it is lifetime.
please keep us updated.
5
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Really? Even one-term Congressmen get lifetime health insurance? Maybe I'm naive, but I didn't know that.
And yeah, I'm trying to shed some light on the process! Following me on Twitter is probably the best way to follow along.
1
u/farlack Florida Nov 22 '18
Yeah but is it $25k a year, plus per diem? I was looking at certain areas and you’re paid... $130 a day plus $200 per diem for example.
Wikipedia says it pays 60k. What’s up with the 25k?
→ More replies (1)9
-7
u/Yes_Your_President Nov 21 '18
Why should girls be able to join the Boy Scouts but boys shouldn't be able to join the Girl Scouts? Is this what equality looks like to you?
34
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Well, the Boy Scouts decided to open their doors to girls because they wanted their program to be a good fit for the whole family. They were hearing from a lot of their growth demographics (especially Hispanic families) that they wanted a one-stop shop for the family to join. So they have decided to have co-ed units. I think it's probably a good move. My younger sister growing up really wanted to be a Boy Scout and do Boy Scout stuff, because she didn't feel like the Girl Scouts were a good fit.
More than anything else, I think it's good for young folks and families to have the freedom to choose. If there's a boy who is more interested in the Girl Scouts, it would be great if they had options for him. The Boy Scouts decided it was the direction they wanted to move in, and the Girl Scouts haven't made a similar choice. But those are free choices that they feel are in the best interests of their respective memberships.
→ More replies (1)7
2
u/rowanway Nov 22 '18
I wanted you to know you are someone to look up to.
What would you say to people who want to get into politics but don’t have a political based secondary education? How do I start?
2
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 22 '18
I appreciate that! And as a matter of fact, you absolutely do not need a political-based secondary education. I started off in engineering. In order to catch up, I'd encourage you to read a couple of political science books. (Democracy for Realists is a good place to start.) The other thing you should definitely work on is getting involved with your local party. Find your local county Democratic party and start volunteering. Reach out to recently retired politicians and ask if they could get a coffee (or even better, a beer) to talk politics. Just having to get up to speed on your local politics is often a lot of work but it's important to do.
14
u/StrangeResearcher Nov 21 '18
I looked at Scouts for equality, and am surprised there isn't a focus on equality for atheists, who are still banned. There are far more atheists in this country that LGBTQ, so why the unequal treatment for them?
→ More replies (1)-3
u/9FlynnsInAGorka Nov 21 '18
Im pretty happy to see Zach hasnt taken this bait
32
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
Ha, I actually responded like an hour ago, but I tagged the username and I just realized the comment was automatically deleted because of an /r/politics rule. I don't think it's bait. There are a lot of folks who would benefit from a more inclusive BSA.
-9
u/billingsley Nov 21 '18
Serious question - was the crying fake? It seems like you broke down in tears as soon as your speech reached its planned climax. Seems a little too cinematic for me.
14
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 21 '18
No, not at all. I was just passionate. There were a lot of people in the room who had it out for families like mine, and I had the chance to stand up for my family and families like us. No surprise I got emotional.
2
u/notmybloatedsac Nov 22 '18
congrats...at what point or how fast did special interests approach you once they knew you were going to win?
second question, when you sell out the future of Iowa youth for selfish financial gains, will you think it was worth it?
→ More replies (1)
2
u/Sports-Nerd Georgia Nov 21 '18
Hey Zach, thanks for all you have done fighting for equality in scouting. I’ve been very inspired by you for years and was so happy that you ran for office. Can’t wait to see what’s in your future!
→ More replies (1)
-4
u/Jack3ww Nov 22 '18
So you wrote a speech about growing up mormon and reddit made it popular good for you
2
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 22 '18
Ha, I know a lot of people feel the same way. Lots of folks saw the video of my speech, but not as many people know what I did next, which is, I think, the much more important thing than just my speech.
Advocacy in Iowa — I wound up leaving the University of Iowa for ~18 months to travel all over the state doing advocacy work with One Iowa and working with the campaign to protect the Iowa Justice and Judges who were up for retention. (There were three judges targeted in 2010 by anti-gay groups.) As part of that, I got to see a lot of the state I hadn't been to before because we were in a lot of small towns, where those kinds of conversations were really needed.
Self-reflection and communication — I wrote a book about growing up with lesbian parents in the Midwest that was largely a reflection on the values I was raised with and my time being in the Boy Scouts, which had a policy of discrimination against parents like mine. I don't know if this is a "qualification" per se, but the process of deeply reflecting on your life, thinking about your personal story, actually putting those words on paper — you go through a lot of self-reflection, which anybody who is running for office should do. And a huge part of this job is communicating with voters (like I am doing right now!) so having written a best-selling book is, I'd argue, a big advantage there.
Co-founding and leading Scouts for Equality — My biggest qualification, hands-down, is the work I did as co-founder and the executive director of Scouts for Equality. Basically, after the book came out, I had this big platform — the "15 minutes" were still ticking — and I decided I wanted to use it to create some real change. The Boy Scouts of America had discriminated against gay people formally since 1978 (and informally before that) and defended it all the way up to the Supreme Court. I decided I wanted to change that. It wasn't easy. Just a few weeks after we launched SFE in June 2012, the BSA very publicly doubled down in July 2012 saying they weren't going to change the policy. But we kept at it. As Executive Director, I had to learn how to write a strategic plan, how to raise money, how to hire staff, how to manage staff, how to be a spokesman in the press, how to fill out all the paperwork, etc. I learned a ton. And with a lot of help and hard work, we won a near-total victory within about three years. And that's the advocacy and leadership experience I'm hoping to take to the Iowa Senate.
Small Business Owner — I've started and run a couple of different (very!) small businesses. When I was a freshman in college, I started and ran a peer tutoring company that hired high school students to tutor other high school and junior high students. (And we paid them $15/hour before it was cool.) Today, when I'm not busy with politics, I run a partnership with my sister that designs and manufactures playing cards. She does the art, I do all the business stuff. We're not going to get rich doing it, but it's a lot of fun working with my sister and supporting her dream to work as a professional artist.
1
u/Ancellax California Nov 21 '18
Senator,
First of, congratulations on your win! I'm sure Iowa is fortunate to have something like you! I also applaud your efforts as an LQBTQ rights advocate.
Now, from what I understand Iowa is currently undergoing a mental health crisis. As this being one of the main points of your campaign I'm sure you already have some sort of plan to tackle this, does this plan include combating the stigma of mental illness?
→ More replies (1)
7
u/wildfyre010 Nov 21 '18
No questions.
You’re a good guy with the right attitude and I’m glad you won your election. Do right by Iowa, and consider - if it’s right for you - running for national office in the future.
We need young, smart progressives from diverse backgrounds to be a voice for the American people.
6
u/yakovgolyadkin Europe Nov 21 '18
I hope it's not a problem, but I don't actually have a question, just wanted to say I love seeing what you've become and where you're going. Your speech in 2011 was incredibly moving, seeing you win your race was really the highlight of election night for me. Congratulations on the win, and I look forward to seeing where you go in the future.
1
1
u/BigfootPolice Nov 22 '18
How does it feel to get less upvotes and far fewer comments than a shitty drive by media assault on President Trump? Just curious since this echo chamber sub says that it is the will of the people. They just put their money where their mouth is by being so quiet.
→ More replies (1)
0
u/BigWar0609 Nov 22 '18
I sent you a very personal PM a long time ago and was completely ignored. So thanks for that
2
u/ZachWahls Iowa Nov 22 '18
Hey there- the reddit message user interface is pretty awful. I found a message from BigWar1701 (I don't know if that's you?) that I responded to, but maybe that wasn't you? As I look back through, there are a lot of messages I wasn't able to respond to. I always wish I had more time to respond to folks.
1
u/BigWar0609 Nov 22 '18
I never got a notification, but I see that you did reply. I am very sorry for the mix-up, wish you the best in your political career. You seem a very stand-up, reasonable guy, and our government can really use more of you :-)
→ More replies (1)
2
u/ecdmuppet Nov 21 '18
Hi, Zach!
In your opinion, how can this country return to a state, politically, where winning and losing elections no longer hinges upon which side is better at misrepresenting the opinions and goals of their oponents?
My biggest frustration with politics is that all too often, instead of people saying what they believe and debating on the merits of their ideas, our candidates try to assign opinions to their opponents that reflect poorly upon them as candidates and as people.
More often than not, their opponents don't actually hold those opinions, and the opinions are either strawman misrepresentations, or views drawn from the fringes of the ideology that person believes, but very few people on that side adhere to at all.
These days, it seems like the left wing of our politics has little argument other than, "Our opponents are all racist omniphobes", and the right wing has nothing but, "Our opponents hate America and want to destroy it!".
But most conservatives don't hate anyone; they simply don't believe that it's ok for the left to push rules based on their subjective morality on the whole country, any more than the right used to do so when they were the moral majority. They want states to decide issues when there are controversies or irreconcileable differences.
Just like the vast majority of liberals don't hate America at all! They only see problems in the world that they think our public policy can be used to solve. The whole purpose of the US Constitution is to "form a more perfect union", so why should there be anything wrong with making changes that are needed?
It seems like too often, instead of talking about these concepts seriously and amicably, with the left and right working as partners in the solutions to our problems, the two sides devolve into name calling and misrepresenting one another.
How do we fix this?
3
u/ineverreadit Nov 21 '18 edited Nov 21 '18
Hello Zach! I do believe that was my submission "19 boy owns courtroom for gay rights" haha. It was the link of the day. I had seen it on Facebook and it legit brought a tear to my eye. With 3 openly gay relatives in a time when it wasn't yet legal to marry the one you loved, your speech especially touched me. I'm happy for you.
What are your top 3 priorities for your state and do you hope to keep climbing the political ladder?
Here's the post. https://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/gicch/19_boy_owns_the_courtroom_while_defending_gay/?utm_source=reddit-android
3
u/brianfit Nov 21 '18
One of the greatest activist speachs EVER. I use your video to teach activists Marshall McLuhan’s motivational story technique: story of self, story of us, story of now. It brings the house down every time. But I’ve always wondered: were you trained in that structure and consciously using it, or did you happen upon the formula by chance? I see it constantly among great communicators, some of whom have never heard of McLuhan and simply know how to spin a motivational story. Others got the memo. Which was it for you?
5
u/teenytinybaklava Nov 21 '18
I just wanted to say I remember you! I was 12 years old. You were so important to me learning about the LGBTQ community and eventually accepting and coming out myself. Thank you so much! I wish you and your moms the absolute best.
1
1
u/lpreams South Carolina Nov 22 '18
Why is the Iowa House Democrats YouTube channel running ads on their videos?
→ More replies (1)
2
u/lisarodriquez Nov 22 '18
I am a 64 year old female, I was diagnosed of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 2008 (MRI), my symptoms started out with severe fatigue, poor balance, numbness, double vision, heat intolerance and anxiety. I was unable to go back to work, I tried Betaseron for about 6 years. Tried every shot available, all made me sick. In November 2015, I started on Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Herbal formula from Natural Herbal Gardens, the treatment worked incredibly for my MS condition. I used the Natural MS Herbal formula for a total time period of 3 months, it totally reversed my Multiple Sclerosis. I had a total decline of all symptoms including vision problems, numbness and others. Sometimes, i totally forget i ever had MS. Visit Natural Herbal Gardens web-site ww w. naturalherbalgardens. com. I am very pleased with this treatment. I eat well, sleep well and exercise regularly. My attitude is extremely positive.
2
u/Doctor_Jan-Itor Nov 21 '18
I don't have a question, but just wanted to say that I probably can't count the number of times I watched that video back when I was coming out. It was a terrifying time, but knowing that there were good people like you out there made it a lot easier. I am sure I am not the only person you have helped in this way without ever even meeting, so from all of us, thank you so, so much.
I can tell from listening to you talk in public that you're a very intelligent, confident individual, and always suspected I'd hear your name again doing big things. Even though you won't need it, I wish you the best of luck!!
Sincerely,
-one thankful and now very emotional gay dude
2
u/HookahGay Nov 22 '18
My wife and I had our baby boy in 2011, and were deep in the trenches of new motherhood and worries, not only about having a child, but being a two-Mom family in a world where everything was so uncertain. It’s no surprise I cried the first five times I watched this video. The first time we showed our son and told him “he has two moms too” our son’s eyes lit up like Christmas—it was very special seeing him see himself in another person. Thank you. Thank you a million times over for every person your words reached and every heart your words changed.
2
u/astronomolly Wisconsin Nov 21 '18
Hi Zach, I'm a little late to the AMA party, but I wanted to say that it's so cool to see young people - people my age - running and winning in elections. My dad was actually a legislator in the Iowa House for six years. If you are interested in any advice or anything, I'm sure he'd love to chat and I can give you his email. Between your story and his, I'm feeling really inspired to look into running for something in the future.
2
u/shankopotomis Nov 21 '18
Thanks for setting this up and congrats on the win! Great to see a West alum making an impact.
What do you plan to do to push for environmental improvements in Iowa? Specifically, our issues with water quality and unsustainable agriculture? And what do you think are the most important environmental issues here? Iowa is moving in the wrong direction and most people don't realize how horrible our state is environmentally.
2
u/LeMeuf America Nov 22 '18
No question, I just wanted to say that I saw your speech in 2010 and it really affected me. Thanks for standing tall and speaking your truth to an imposing audience. I’ve occasionally thought of you and your family since then, and it’s so nice to see that you continue to be the change that you wish to see in the world. You must make your mothers very proud.
2
u/Zeldukes Iowa Nov 21 '18
Zach,
This is great.
I am from Iowa and your speech back in 2011 made me feel proud of Iowans. That you are now a part of the state legislature makes me even more happy to come from Iowa.
Does this make you the first child of a gay couple to become a senator in the state of Iowa? The nation?
Keep up the great work.
2
u/redbluegreenyellow Nov 21 '18
I don't have a question, but I remember your video. It had such an impact on me that I remembered it immediately seven years later. It was one of the first things I saw on Reddit. I'm so incredibly happy that you decided to run (and that you won!). I look forward to seeing what you accomplish!
609
u/ecafyelims Nov 21 '18
I took the time to find the original Reddit posts when this went viral. Unless I'm mistaken, these are the two posts from February 2011, and nearly eight years later, I'm happy to see that they are both still upvoted on my screen:
I remember it wasn't long after this went viral, I was attending our annual extended family Christmas party (yes, our Christmas party was in February). My Uncle Bob (very Catholic) was spouting how terrible it is to allow homosexual marriage and how it's even worse if homosexuals are allowed to adopt children. He'd rather children orphaned than corrupted by two moms.
He said those words with blind hate in his heart, and the heads bobbled in agreement around the room. Usually I avoid these topics like the plague. The Catholics in my family take their faith seriously, and it's a heated argument to even question the Church's position on a topic.
This time was different. I used your video like an invitation, "It's funny you say that, Uncle Bob. I just saw a video of a guy who was raised by two moms. Check it out." The family circled around and I turned my volume all the way up. Even though most of my family in the room couldn't see you clearly on my phone's tiny screen, your words and your passion connected with their own humanity and empathy.
I hear my cousin say, "He was raised by two moms? Well, they did better than a lot of straight parents I know." Others acknowledged truth in those words.
The air of the room changed from admonition to compassion, and I posed Uncle Bob's own words back to him as a question, "Do you really think that he would have been better off orphaned?" He answered with only silence, but as he broke our eye contact, his hubris gaze changed into something very close to shame. Just like that, you won the room.
Don't get me wrong, my Catholic Aunts and Uncles still hate homosexuality, but they are much more empathetic towards LGBT people.
It's clear that the Catholic Church still opposes LGBT, but do you see this opposition personally? and has this opposition been softening in recent years?