Date: Tue Dec 31, 2002 5:27 pm
Subject: 2002 Year in Review - Part 1
It's been a somewhat boring year despite my personal traumas. The biggest event of the year (at least to me) was being fired from Accenture/BellSouth thanks to Donna Narducci of Atlanta Pride. The story can be found at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/QueerAtlanta/message/1363. Unfortunately, I still don't have a job after 6 months. I have not gone without a job in over 11 years and the economy is just that bad. Thank Donna for me, if you see her.
Who got harchered this year? ("Harcher" is a new term I came up with referring to a leader of an organization who is forcible removed from their position.) Steve Epstein of Enlight Atlanta and Stan Neal of Hotlanta Raft Expo both were harchered. Some deserve to be harchered while others don't - but you can decide on your own. Others need to be harchered but don't have a strong enough board to do it.
A funny thing that happened to me this year occurred at the HRC Dinner in May. I attended the event as I do every year even though I have a few issues with HRC Atlanta. It was brought to my attention by someone involved with the show that I had a special security alert posted meaning the security people were watching me in case I did something crazy. I flattered, but really! Granted, it was HRC Atlanta people that harchered me two years ago with the Gay Games bid.
Did anyone else find it strange that Atlanta Games, Inc. received the Dan Bradley Humanitarian award at the HRC Dinner and Atlanta lost the bid? From what I heard, the HRC Atlanta Steering Committee picks the recipients of the awards and Ray Hom (a member) pitched a fit to have it given to AGI. What was even more funny was Mayor Shirley Franklin presenting the award at the Dinner and for most of her speech she thought she was giving "Dan Bradley" the award. I like the Mayor and even campaigned for her but I tried to call her (and Gary Cox) before the Dinner to express my displeasure about her presenting the award but didn't get a call back. I guess I'm not HRC enough for a return call. I know one person I won't be supporting in her next election.
Speaking of the Gay Games, I am officially announcing my retirement from anything to do with the Games. Atlanta would not be in the running until the 2014 Games which will be decided in 7 years. Unfortunately, Atlanta needs the support of the state of Georgia to win and I can't see the new Republicans getting behind a Gay Games in Georgia. It's also a losing proposition since the Games never make money and would end up being an embarrassment for Atlanta (well, again!).
Looking back through my QueerAtlanta list, I find:
Georgia Equality - I strongly believe we need a statewide LGBT group and Georgia Equality is it, good or bad. I don't feel a part of this group since it is a closed, old boy (and girl) network closely tied to HRC. I found it odd that the GE booth at Pride this year was not next to the HRC mega-booth. I always thought they were joined at the hip.
Etcetera - A major Atlanta bar publication has closed and it's Atlanta's lose. I liked this publication's concise focus on Atlanta entertainment and it was easy to find out what was happening in town. It looked bleak for a while with only David Magazine around, but Hotspots came out to fill the void. Frankly, I find David sleazy and Andy Jones to be a self-important jerk (like many do). Hotspots has potential and is a very nicely produced publication. The only suggestion I can offer to Hotspots is feature local events or stories on the cover like Etcetera did. Displaying beefcake may attract potential readers but it's cheesy.
Lesbians - Atlanta has one good thing going for it - lesbians. It seems all the good things that happen in Atlanta comes from lesbians and they are a well organized bunch. The Atlanta Lesbian Cancer Initiative is a good example. It is well run and always working hard for the community.
Atlanta gay bars - It's open season on Atlanta's gay bars and I can safely say I saw it coming. Midtown is not the gay haven it used to be and the gay bars in Midtown are in the way of "straight" progress. To say there are drug deals in any bar is like shooting fish in a barrel. Our LGBT community need to stand up and be heard concerning this issue, but who would lead us? Georgia Equality and HRC say this is not their issue, but I believe it is an issue for all gays and lesbians.
SoVo Letter -
Date: Sat Apr 6, 2002 4:38 am
Subject: SoVo Letters: Former Gay Games organizer blasts bribe allegations
Letters to the Editor
Friday, 5 April 2002
Former Gay Games organizer blasts bribe allegations
To the Editor:
Atlanta Games, Inc. and Margie Archer seem to be shocked and question ethics
when it suits them. ("ATL organizers question Gay Games bid," news, March
29). The recent bid cycle for the Gay Games contained allegations of
improper contact between bidding organizations and Federation members,
something that is strictly prohibited in the Code of Ethics for the
Federation.
While the Atlanta presentation in Johannesburg was visually stunning, the
bid as a whole lacked any real substance and had holes big enough to drive a
truck through. Montreal, on the other hand, had a very concise and
well-structured bid from the beginning and deserved to win the 2006 Gay
Games.
Atlanta's lack of understanding of the bid process was apparent when a
senior member of the Federation got up during the Q & A session and
literally told off the Atlanta people for trying to tie the Gay Games to a
circuit party and a pride festival. The Federation believes the Gay Games
should stand on their own without competition other events. This was made
clear in Berlin.
I find the idea laughable that the Federation was "bribed." I have worked
with the Federation for four years and know this group to have very high
integrity. The check is a very small issue when you consider that Montreal
had contracts for $2.7 million already secured. While this raises the bar
for future bidding cities, it was not illegal under the current rules. For
Bill Philbrick to suggest it was a bribe is in very poor taste.
As for the rest of the AGI team, shocking and unethical should be second
nature after the way I was given the bum's rush in the beginning of the bid.
TOM DEMPSEY
Atlanta
Editor's note: The letter writer was stripped by Archer and other AGI board
members of his position as co-chair of the Atlanta Gay Games bid in June
2000.
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I believe the letter says it all and I haven't seen many of the losers from the bid this year. I see Margie Archer at AEN because she is one of their token lesbians on the board. I hear Ray Hom left town and only hope the city that gets him is careful in case he harchers someone again - and he most likely will!
###
Part 2 coming soon!
Tom Dempsey
Atlanta, GA
Voice: 404-685-8906
Mobile: 404-376-3958
Please use tdempsey@mindspring.com for all emails.
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