President Paul Wrubel introduced a "really special person" as the day's speaker, Congresswoman Jackie Speier, 14th District, California. He began with some general information about her: she is a Democrat, has been with the California State Senate,  and in 2008 took her House of Representatives seat. She was born in San Francisco into an apolitical family that included a survivor of genocide in Armenia, was named for Jackie Kennedy (Onassis), earned her college degree at the University of California, Davis and was pronouncd by President Paul to be a "terrific, one-of-a-kind representative."

 

For her part, Speier happily noted that, given an excuse to come to the Coastside, she'd be there.  She was accompanied by District Director and aide Brian Perkins.

 

President Paul asked that questions from the listeners be put on cards and passed up to her. She began by noting Half Moon Bay Rotarians' contributions to their new public library. Then, noting that "this county is a remarkable place," she reminded the listeners to remember that when they see incidents like this week's events -- pipe bombs mailed to someone the sender disliked, the Kentucky resident who shot two African Americans and the shooter who killed 11 Jews at a Shabbat service. "All of us know, this isn't our America," a sentiment we all  need to step up and articulate, she said emphatically, remarking how events were indicative of what she called "a seismic shift going on."  This kind of  thing isn't good for our country, where people have the right to differing opinions, she said.