Of apologies, disrespect, and beginning a discussion…

Before the House State Affairs Committee’s 13-5 vote in favor of the anti-Occupy bill, Rep. Ken Andrus, R-Lava Hot Springs, noted that he’s received lots of comments from people who thought he was being disrespectful last week when he asked a man who testified that he became homeless after his wife died and he lost his job whether he’d considered going to Washington to pick apples. “I’m sorry about that, if I was intolerant,” Andrus said. “I’ve heard frustration, I’ve heard concern, and I’ve heard anger.” But he said, “We didn’t cause this recession, Rep. Bedke didn’t cause this recession. … We’re concerned (too).” However,  Andrus said when he arrived in Boise for the legislative session and saw the Occupy Boise tents, “I felt that showed a disrespect for our public buildings and our public grounds.”

After the vote, in the hallway outside the committee’s meeting room, Occupy supporter Katie Fite sounded a hopeful note. “You heard from some folks on the committee, like Rep. McGeachin, some real compassion, I thought, coming out, some understanding,” she said. She noted that lawmakers also are hearing this session about the high numbers of Idahoans on food stamps, and considering legislation to keep recipients from overwhelming grocery stores on the 1st of each month; she also noted that Occupy Boise has invited lawmakers to an open house at their vigil site this afternoon. “I think the message of the Occupy Boise folks, I think some of that resonates across party lines in Idaho, and that a very important discussion has begun.”