Mary Franson, a Republican state legislator in Minnesota, just got owned by a bunch of high school students.
The Alexandria Area High School is located about halfway between Minneapolis and Fargo, ND and has an active chapter of Minnesota High School Democrats that wanted to meet with their state representative to address their concerns about local issues.
Unfortunately for them, Ms. Franson had a different idea about the responsibility of elected officials to meet with constituents who did not share her views or political affiliation. Franson and the AAHS group shared twitter messages as the students tried to get the state representative to meet with them for a dialogue.
It did not go well.
Today, Rep. Franson deleted her Twitter account.
Luckily, one of the co-organizers of the National March For Truth, Holly O’Reilly, captured the exchanges as screenshots before Franson’s account disappeared, and we can present her tweeted description of the back and forth exchanges between Franson and the student group here as an example of how politicians should not treat the people they nominally serve.
I'd like to introduce you to @RepMaryFranson.
Mary is a state legislator in the MN House of Representatives.
I'll leave this introductory tweet so you can take a guess as to which party she represents in Minnesota.
(Thread)#SaturdayMorning#AMJoy pic.twitter.com/cBzd2WvaU9
— Holly O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) December 16, 2017
Now, while it's true that these young Democrats support @RepMaryFranson's opponent, Gail Kulp, Mary is still their voice in Minnesota.
That's why they tweeted this to her. ❤️#SaturdayMorning#AMJoy pic.twitter.com/LczJud3d8D
— Holly O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) December 16, 2017
Well, @RepMaryFranson doesn't seem to believe that she represents anyone but Republicans in her district, as evidenced by the exchange below. ????????????#SaturdayMorning#AMJoy pic.twitter.com/JZc3IhQrb1
— Holly O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) December 16, 2017
Then, @RepMaryFranson said something I'd love to get your opinion about: is it a legislator's responsibility to *only* meet with groups that agree with her world view?
Or is it her responsibility to meet with all of her constituents? ????????????#SaturdayMorning#AMJoy pic.twitter.com/JbWHXBlZyp
— Holly O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) December 16, 2017
This was the high schooler's reply, which is amazingly even-keeled.
If it had been me, there would have been at least 4 expletives sprinkled throughout this statement. ????#SaturdayMorning#AMJoy pic.twitter.com/xCyUweH6Np
— Holly O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) December 16, 2017
Here's the thing:
If you don't want to meet with ALL of the people in your district, @RepMaryFranson, then resign.
If you don't want to be put on blast on Twitter, don't argue with high schoolers and make THE MOST RIDICULOUS STATEMENT I've read today.#Saturdaymorning#AMJoy
— Holly O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) December 16, 2017
Update: Mary Franson has deleted her Twitter account, and y'all have raised $4,000 for her opponent, @GailKulp_MN. Great job, team! ❤️❤️❤️https://t.co/KOz3Re8hu5
— Holly O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) December 16, 2017
If Franson may have thought that by deleting her Twitter account she could destroy the evidence of her lack of understanding of the responsibilities of her job, she is now decidedly corrected.
If you share this article, you’ll be able to spread the word of her fecklessness far and wide and help ensure that her political career goes no further than it already has. Be our guest. The students at the AAHS chapter of Minnesota High School Democrats will surely appreciate it.
