SoVo Letters (+ mostly my comments)
http://www.sovo.com/2008/9-26/view/letters/9222.cfmComments by Tom Dempsey:
The SoVo letters were pretty interesting this week but I wanted to add some personal observations:
Log Cabin Endorsement - While I agree the next administration will see 2-3 appointments to the Supreme Court, this is a country of checks and balances. McCain or Obama cannot force an appointee since they must get approval of Congress. Plus the country is changing so who is to say any one person would be for or against gay and lesbian rights.
Many of the positive changes for the LGBT community have occurred under the last Bush administration. The sodomy laws were overturned, same-sex marriage is breaking out all over the country and DADT is routinely ignored in the military (though still a problem if you go on 60 Minutes) - so the last eight years have not been the "Gay Holocaust" many were predicting in 2000. There are rumors of gays and lesbians serving in the current administration - and many Republican families have gay/lesbian children.
I applaud the existence of LCR to promote gay and lesbian rights in the Republican party although I don't agree with them.
I cannot support a candidate that doesn't stand up for my rights - and neither Democrats or Republicans do so openly. So neither will get my presidential vote and they shouldn't get your's. Don't be another token group.
Cotillion - This was another black eye for Atlanta and I totally support Laura Douglas-Brown in her editorial. I do fault AID Atlanta on this issue by continuing to stay involved with Cotillion and taking their money. This showed a major disrespect and lack of understanding of the lesbian community. Not even the black-tie HRC Dinner requires dresses.
My suggestion is if Cotillion is an annual event hold a competing event next year with the proceeds going to a more respectful organization (like AIDS Survival Project) who need the money.
As a gay man who toured the world over the years promoting Atlanta (for the Gay Games) I was surprised when I was asked if we were still lynched in the streets (yes, but that happens everywhere) - and if we wore shoes and ate dirt. Many in the world still think of Atlanta as the Old South.
Orange - Yes, Ben Elliot is scum and deserves to be in jail - especially for killing Hoedowns - but I went to Clemson University and LOVE the color orange so stop dissing the orange! Orange is very visible so I can see why prisons use it (and some use pink now to degrade prisoners!) but I would like to see the retro black and white stripes come back.
Pride - I do not know Deirdre Heffernan but do know it can be tough talking to the press sometimes ("People can be so mean" was my horrible quote years ago in Southern Voice talking about Donna Narducci) but that "Russian roulette" thing was just bad and made little sense. Unfortunately, we can't go back and change the print.
I do wonder about anyone on the Pride board since I know from experience how Donna Narducci only allowed her friends and supporters (cronyism) to be "elected" and wonder who is in charge of Pride now. Non-profits are not democracies and usually have the same power plays and struggles of any organization. We cannot vote change in these groups and normally wait till they fail for new leadership - or they go away like Hotlanta Raft Race.
But Pride is important and the LGBT community in Atlanta needs to come together and demand non-partisan change and oversight. The fact that Narducci was in charge for over 15 years in unbelievable since most organizations put term limits on leadership to encourage change and growth. There experience is valued but new blood is always good. Atlanta Pride is suppose to represent the community but issues like the Coors controversy and summer vs fall scheduling were largely unanswered by entrenched leaders like Narducci.
It's time to come together and take back Pride. Instead of a lottery, we should demand the city look at the number of participants and award the park according to those numbers. I'm not sure if Pride or the Dogwood festival is larger, but cannot see Screen on the Green given the park over Pride. (Doesn't Screen on the Green run all summer?) And Peachtree Road Race can easily move without little impact.
Tom Dempsey
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