Bloodbath

Despite the electoral bloodbath visited upon us by the Republicans which will make it more difficult to pass anti-discrimination legislation at the State and Federal Level, the first openly trans-gender person, Victoria Kolakowski, has been elected judge and Kim Coco Iwamoto won reelection to her seat on Hawaii's Board of Education.

Prop 8, August 2010

Officially known as The California Marriage Protection Act, a somewhat misleading title, this California Ballot Proposition passed in the November 2008 elections and consequently became a California Constitutional Amendment. This Amendment would restrict marriages recognized in California as only those between opposite sex couples. And it would be challenged in The United States District Court for the Northern District of California with a ruling in August of 2010.

The Amendment fails the Rational Basis test.

In the case Perry et al v. Schwarzenegger A Federal Judge in California, U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker, wrote in his opinion that "Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license,...".

Prop 8 denies a singled-out group of Due Process and Equal Protection.

Voyeurs Books

I have a virtual book store. Voyeur's Books, and
Voyeur's Bookstore. These website provide reviews of books and DVDs. It is Houston's newest gay bookstore and is intended to meet the needs of gay adults everywhere. I am stocking the shelves with the finest books.

Transgender Unity Banquet

Houston Transgender Unity Banquet May 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Houston Transgender Unity Banquet is May 1, and the Houston GLBT Political Caucus is proud to support this event as a platinum sponsor. We still have tickets left at our table, and are offering them at $60. Joining us will be Vice Mayor Pro Tem Ed Gonzalez. Please contact president Kris Banks at kbanks@thecaucus.org if interested or for more information. What: Houston Transgender Unity Banquet Where: Sheraton Brookhollow, 3000 North Loop West Freeway When: Saturday, May 1, 2010 - 6:30 pm

Antonio Hernandez

Antonio Hernandez AUSTIN, Texas: — A Republican Texas lawmaker plans to introduce a tough immigration measure similar to the new law in Arizona, a move state Democrats say would be a mistake. Rep. Debbie Riddle of Tomball said she will push for the law in the January legislative session, according to Wednesday's editions of the San Antonio Express-News and Houston Chronicle. blogs.chron.com/texaspolitics/

GLBT Civil Equality: David Greer

Carl, As you know, GLBT Civil Equality is an issue near and dear to me. Hopefully, my suggestions will be received in the spirit that they are intended; that is, that GLBT civil equality runs the risk of becoming a political "hot potato" the closer these issues come to the mid-term elections. All letters should be COPIED to the POTUS because the Whitehouse is quietly BACKING AWAY from the President's COMMITMENT TO END DADT THIS YEAR, AS PROMISED. The most logical means of repealing DADT is to insert the necessary language into the Defense Authorization. The House Armed Services Committee will be addressing the authorization in the next two weeks and the Senate Armed Services Committee will be addressing it in the next three weeks. WE CANNOT RISK LOSING A DADT REPEAL BY FORWARDING STAND ALONE LEGISLATION. Health Insurance Reform was attached to defense spending and that was an issue irrelevant to national security. On the other hand, what could be more RELEVANT to national security than retaining hard working, dedicated patriots/service members that are being expelled in numbers that rival the Bush Administration's (see SLDN for numbers)? Getting the repeal of DADT in the Defense Authorization Act will require SIXTY VOTES to have it removed via filibuster by the Republicans and Blue Dog coalition. Failure to do so and leaving it to stand alone legislation will kill DADT in its tracks. The SLDN (Servicemembers Legal Defense Network) has started sending daily letters from discharged service members to the Whitehouse. This campaign started YESTERDAY (4/27). Here is a link to the campaign: /www.sldn.org/blog/ Our President campaigned that he would be a "fierce advocate" for GLBT Civil Equality, going so far as to make the bold statement that GLBT Equality would be AS IMPORTANT TO HIS ADMINISTRATION as health care (insurance) reform, the economy, "bail outs", job creation, etc. That means that we should have seen SOME movement/support from the Whitehouse in the first fifteen months. What we have seen is the signing of the Matthew Shepherd Act and the extension of SOME benefits to GLBT federal employees (a fraction of 1% of GLBT citizens nationwide). Yes, signing the Matthew Shepherd Act was important, but it is important to keep in mind that this legislation was LARGELY COMPLETED before last November's election. To learn more about this administration's lack of willingness to move proactively for the GLBT community and to learn more about recent events, specifically regarding DADT, please reference these recent articles: This first link is a "mother lode" of information, in that it is the main "hub" of Towleroad's coverage of DADT (note: there are articles that HRC will take great exception to, particularly the articles regarding Dan Choi and GetEQUAL, both of whom are far more proactive in getting the message to the Whitehouse than HRC.) http://www.towleroad.com/dont_ask_dont_tell/ http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0410/Dont_Ask_advocates_worry_about_timeline.html?showall# http://www.rollcall.com/news/45597-1.html http://www.lgbtpov.com/2010/04/rep-barney-frank-on-enda-dadt-and-how-lgbts-should-lobby-like-the-nra/ http://www.advocate.com/Politics/Washington_D_C_/View_from_Washington_Why_Wait/ http://www.dcagenda.com/2010/04/26/pelosi-plans-dont-ask-repeal-vote-this-year/ http://web.me.com/natashadillon/DADTRepeal/Political_Targets.html http://web.me.com/natashadillon/DADTRepeal/Talking_Points.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alexander-nicholson/the-lgbt-communitys-raise_b_551932.html Our once-in-a-generation window of opportunity could come to a close in the upcoming mid-terms. WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO "WAIT" any longer. The time for action is NOW. We are in danger of completely losing our majority in the House and current polling shows that we should expect to lease at least FOUR seats in the Senate. Are we willing to wait another generation to be treated equally? I'm not. Respectfully, David Greer Austin County

HRC Houston Gala

HRC Houston Gala Project Equality HRC Gala in Houston Annual HRC Houston Gala Dinner May 22, 2010: HRC Houston Gala Dinner at the Hilton Americas. Become a Dinner Sponsor Donate to the Silent Auction Register as a Table Captain Buy a Recognition Page

This is the 13th annual Houston HRC Gala.

Lane Lewis

Lane Lewis is the 42 year old elected Democratic Executive Committeeperson for Precinct 0448 in Oak Forest, in the heart of Senate 15. He is an educator and neighborhood activist and was recently a candidate for Houston CIty Council District A taking the Republican to a run-off and in the process garnering the support of the Democratic Party, elected officials, labor leaders and neighborhood activists. Lane is now running to become Chair of Senate 15 along with his ticket mate, Tarsha Hardy of Precinct 0164 who is running for Secretary. Neither of these offices have incumbents seeking re-election. This is the ONLY party position that Lane is running for and he solicits and needs your support. A MESSAGE FROM LANE LEWIS Candidate, Senate District 15 Chair Dear all, It has been several months since the end of my bid for the honor of representing the City of Houston’s District A. During my travels across District A, I met countless individuals and families that where excited about the prospect for the future; they were also concerned that their interests were not being represented and wanted to be more involved in having their voices and concerns heard. I encouraged them to get involved on a local, state, and national level. Heeding this advice, I am running to serve as your Senate District 15 Chair. In order to win we must organize. We must identify our priorities, ask how we make those priorities heard, and how we get individuals elected that speak to our priorities. The answers are simple, but the solutions are complicated and difficult: it will take time, organization, and dedication from District 15 residents. Our priorities can be identified through regular District 15 meetings; we will be heard through a new web site; and we will expand our database of volunteers and voters while creating a PAC to fund our activities. I ask you for your vote this Sunday, May 2, 2010 at 2:00 pm, at Chateau Crystal, 2517 South Gessner, Houston, TX. 77063. All precinct chairs elected during the March primary or April run-off must be sworn in at this meeting to vote. I look forward to seeing you and thank you in advance for your vote of confidence. Sunday May 2, 2010 2:00 p.m. Chateau Crystal - 2517 South Gessner, Houston, TX. 77063 (near the intersection of Westheimer and Gessner in Woodlake Square) Sincerely, Lane Lewis Candidate for Senate District 15 Chair

Convention 2010

Dear Convention Delegate or Alternate, As the Convention draws closer, we want to let you know about some great opportunities available to you and your club, organization or business. The deadline to submit a Caucus Request Form is Friday, April 23rd at 5pm. If you are interested in hosting a Caucus at this year’s Convention please do so now. Due to the limited meeting space at the American Bank Center, submission of a Caucus Request Form does not guarantee meeting space will be provided, so the sooner you return your caucus request form the better. Exhibit Booths are a great way to show your pride for your county or senate district, or share your issue agenda with Convention attendees. Booths are for sale at a discounted price for Democratic clubs and organizations. They are not only an excellent way to promote your Democratic club or organization, but are great advertising for any business. To reserve your Exhibit Booth today, please fill out and return the Exhibit Booth Application. Finally, a word about Program Ads: they provide a level of exposure second-to-none and are a great way to advertise for your local Democratic club or an upcoming event! Every Convention guest receives a program, making them the key piece of memorabilia attendees keep. Ads range in size from 1/8 page to an entire page. Buy your ad by returning the Program Ad Application. Please note that Booth and Program Ad rates will increase by $100.00 effective May 15th. We hope you’ll take part in some of these fantastic Convention opportunities. Don’t forget to check our website for updated information – including the tentative Convention schedule, details on the Silent Auction, and info for Texans who want to be Convention volunteers. If you have any questions, feel free to call the TDP Convention staff at (512) 478-9800. We look forward to seeing you in Corpus Christi! Your friend and fellow Democrat, Boyd L. Richie Chairman Texas Democratic Party P.S. Want to interact, get news and share your views at Convention in a whole new way? Sign up for our new text message program – when you arrive in Corpus Christi, you’ll already be connected to receive the latest updates, take instant polls and more. Sign up today!

Equality Texas

-- PLEASE FORWARD FAR & WIDE, Thanks --

Texas Conference of the Equality Across America Network

Unite and Fight: Strategizing for LGBT Equality

May 21-23, 2010 -- Austin, Texas -- Austin Community College, Eastview campus
eaaTexas.org* http://eaatexas.org>
&
Harvey Milk Day March & Rally, Texas State Capitol, Saturday, May 22nd

The fight for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender equality is heating up.
Come join other activists and Equality Across America as we debate, discuss,
and strategize how we can carry on the fight here in Texas. Our one single
demand: EQUAL PROTECTION in all matters governed by civil law in ALL 50 STATES!

Confirmed featured speakers:

Nik Maciejewskihttp://equalityacrossamerica.org/about/Bios.html#b6>

(Equality Across America interim governing board),

Zoe Nicholson http://www.onlinewithzoe.com>

(author and longstanding activistfor women's and LGBT equality),

and more TBA.

Registration is $15 or $10 with student ID.
Registration is free for volunteers (volunteer assignments are first-come, first-served).

Details (registration page coming soon):

http://eaaTexas.org

Co-sponsored by: GetEqual-Dallas, Equality Across America-Houston, Equality
Now-Austin Community College, Equality Rising-Austin, International
Socialist Organization, jaysays.com, Join the Impact-Austin, Movimiento
Estudiantil Chicana/o de Aztlan (UT Austin), Queer LiberAction-Denton, Queer
People of Color and Allies (UT Austin), Qwee, Texans for Peace, Travis
County Green Party, and a growing list of activist organizations.

To get involved or co-sponsor, email: texasEAAconference@gmail.com

Click here http://equalityacrossamerica.org/conference> to find out more
about the Equality Across America network and
its 2010 regional conferences.



"The work begins anew, the hope rises again, and the dream lives on." -- Sen. Kennedy, August 2008

The Mayor of Castro Street

When it comes to being queer, there is a sixth-sense that lets you know you are different early in life. I can speak to it personally. And Harvey Milk was no different in realizing and yet hiding his sexuality since childhood.

If you saw the movie, you have to read the book. And if you didn't see the movie then you really have to read The Mayor of Castro Street, -by Randy Shilts.

I remember discovering this title on the spine of a book that was not to remain on the shelf for long. I was browsing in a bookstore near the street that is Jose Castro's namesake in San Francisco This street now possesses a permanent honorary mayor. I purchased the book and took it with me on the return flight back to Houston.

I read about Harvey's childhood and high-school years on the plane, and about the harassment by the Chicago police. These were the days when you could be arrested for indecent exposure for being shirtless in a public park. Archaic laws were selectively enforced, such as a law stating that male swimmers had to wear swimsuits extending from the navel to the thigh. (As mentioned by Randy.)

Events became history quite dramatically in the late 1970s. Diane Feinstein announced "Today San Francisco has experienced a double tragedy of immense proportions. As president of the Board of Supervisors, it is my duty to inform you that both Mayor Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk have been shot."

Randy writes that Harvey new about the active gay liberation movement in pre-Hilter Germany circulating petitions for equality. And Harvey new, of course, the ultimate fate of homosexuals in Nazi Germany. And he knew about the fate of the Jews.

Harvey guarded the secret of his sexuality throughout much of his life. There was constant and open antisemitism in addition to the burden of the secret of his sexuality.

Randy Shilts gives us a view into that era; Harvey grew up during World War II, after all. He went to college during the 1940s and graduated in the early 1950s. See Far from Heaven, a movie that portrays the forced-closeted lives, lives dictated by homophobia, of homosexuals during the 1950s. I will never forget the scene with Frank's weeping as he tells his wife he was arrested for "loitering" in that movie. (Frank was closeted and cruising at that point in his life.)

Returning to The Mayor of Castro Street: Harvey's jaunts into New York City, starting at a very young age, were motivated by his love of music. The trips provided him the opportunity to discover gay romance, and, the means to its end; Central Park. "Four years later Seventeen-year-old Harvey Milk was arrested in a similar sweep in a Central Park cruising area: the police arrested the shirtless men they found there whom they suspected were gay, charging them with indecent exposure. They ignored the family men standing nearby with their shirts off but their children in tow." -Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the making of the male gay world.

We read about the urban environment necessary, at that time, to pursue a gay life. And we are taken back to the cruising of the 1940s. This was a time when Judy Garland was still performing. Men would be arrested for "loitering" around public restrooms.

One can only imagine living with Harvey's double-bind.

Pleasure can be discovered accidentally. This was a time when it almost had to be. That is only one part of the tragedy in Harvey's life. There is pleasure mingled with sadness.

There is the pre-history that ends up being so important to the final occurrence of history on that fateful day in the late 1970s. The events appear to happen so suddenly.

Randy writes the story of the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in the U.S. Harvey had been shunted into paddy-wagons along with other harassed homosexuals in New York, long before his political career began. He would be concerned about gay rights later in life.

Harvy Milk lived in New York, and then San Francisco. He worked as a teacher but was fearful of being outed.

The Black Cat Bar was a bar in San Francisco. "The Black Cat was at the center of a legal fight that was one of the earliest court cases to establish legal protections for gay people in the United States. " - wikipedia.

Oscar Wilde said: "Its and odd thing, but anyone who disappears is said to be seen in San Francisco. It must be a delightful city and posses all the attractions of the next world."

Randy's book mentions the Briggs Initiative in California.

The Mattachine Society: in New York, part of the Gay Rights movement of the 1950s and 60s, was an early group whose purpose was to protect and improve the rights of homosexuals. It was inspired by a petition for presidential candidate Henry A. Wallace.

And the Band Played on, Conduct Unbecoming, and Familiar Faces Hidden Lives are Randy Shilts' other books.

GLBT Petition Face Book page

Visit my GLBT Petition Face Book page. -Jim

Bill White was just previously the Mayor of Houston. Bill is campaigning to become the next governor of Texas, leaving the job of mayor to the competent Annise Parker. To put it mildly, Texas has a lot of serious problems due to the decade-long mis-management of the current sitting governor. On Bill White's website there is an article pertaining to the quality of education in Texas:


Numbers don't lie: dropouts cost Texans and Texas dearly. -"In recent days, the media, education experts, and even a Republican State Representative echoed Bill White's critique and challenge of Rick Perry's false dropout numbers. Regardless of what some are calling Perry's "head in the sand" approach, the economic costs associated with Texas' students dropping out are astronomical."

Rick Perry: Fact vs. Fiction on Education, Dropout Problem

Texas has a serious drop-out problem. The long-term costs are tremendous both personally and financially and fiscally. Read Lisa Falkenberg's article in The Chronicle.

"n the face of years of research showing the rate upwards of 30 percent, and as high as 50 percent in some large urban districts, Perry's camp insisted it was only about 10 percent." -Lisa Falkenberg's article in The Chronicle.

"Since Rick Perry is continuing the strategy of sticking his head in a hole and ignoring real problems, Democratic Candidate, Mayor Bill White, sent out some information today informing the Governor of the real problems facing Texas dropouts.
" -Mat Glazer, Burnt Orange Report.

"The Bill White Campaign provided Texans some cold, hard facts on the state of public education in Texas: Rick Perry has failed our children." -

Rick Perry Creates His Own Dropout Rate. Follow the preceding link and download the pdf to read it for yourself. If you care about Texas, this is the sort of information you should have.


"The dropout rate can be calculated in various ways causing confusion among policy makers and analysts." -The ABCD's Executive Summary (the pdf).

"A recent study by researchers at Texas A&M’s Bush School of Government and Public Policy found that actual dropout rates could be nearly double what TEA reports."

Read the Texas Supreme Court Case: Shirley Neeley, Texas Commissioner of Education Et. Al. v West Orange-Cove Consolidated. Argued July 6, 2005. Determined whether the funding of Texas schools violates the Texas constitution. The West-Orange Cove Consolidated School District et al were the plaintiffs in this case. The public school system in Texas cannot achieve a "general diffusion of knowledge." as required by article VII of the Texas Constitution due to the fact that the school system is underfunded. (California has the same problem, but, there it is due to prop 13 and other voter initiatives.)

"A general diffusion of knowledge being essential to the preservation of liberties and rights of the people, it shall be the duty of the Legislature of the State to establish and make suitable provisions for the support and maintenance of an efficient system of public free schools. " -Texas Constitution, Art. VII.

There is not equal access to educational funds. Is public education achieving the general diffusion of knowledge the Constitution requires? The district court found in favor of the school districts, but not for the inefficient operations (funding.) The legal battle is continuing.

Texas has a little over 4.3 million children in public schools.


http://www.billwhitefortexas.com/

JIM

Ellen’s Campaign Kick-off

You are cordially invited to make

Ellen’s Campaign Kick-off

even sweeter by stopping by

The Chocolate Bar

Rice Village

2521 University Blvd.
April 25, 2010

from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.

Special guests:

Mayor Annise Parker

and

Mayor Richard Rothfelder

Show your support for Ellen!

Bring your family and friends.

Enjoy some delicious, delectable treats.

And take home your Ellen Cohen t-shirts and magnets.

See you Sundae, April 25!

*******************************

I live just a few blocks from University Village. This is a fabulous chocolate bar boarding the vibrant shopping village where there is plenty of parking and delightfull little shops. Not to mention a micro-brewery.

-Jim

Ellen Cohen

Volunteer to help the Ellen Cohen campaign. ellencohen.org. Ellen Cohen has a challenger in November, as I was told at The Caucus meeting this April. We need to re-elect this State Representative who respects our cherished ideals, looks out for the interests of Texas, and strives to make the local economy work for all of us.

Join them for the campaign kick-off at the chocolate bar; the in-place for political discussion unless you are not into that sort of thing. Then it is just chocolate. I believe it is the chocolate bar at Rice Village; where commerce in merchandise is joining commerce in ideas.

Re-electing Representative Ellen Cohen is an excellent idea and a worthwhile project if you want to volunteer. I have spoken to Ellen in Austin personally. She worked hard and was effective in her capacity managing and directing The Women's Shelter.

It was a heck of a drive to Austin, but worth it. You can only get so far without getting involved in politics. Also, the Redbuds were blooming. (The grow in the craggy terrain of California as well.) Also, they are purple, not red.

Ellen Cohen cares about historical accuracy in schools for our children. And if that doesn't send you to the Chocolate Bar I don't know what will. Ellen is an effective leader.

ellencohen.org/

GLBT Petition Face Book page

Dear Everyone:
Thank you for joining this face-book page: GLBT Petition. (Find it on face book) This is a face-book page dedicated to inspiring people to make the world more GLBT friendly.

At The Caucus I have been hearing about Yolanda Jones and Houston mayor, Annnise Parker, working to make Houston more hospitable for Trans-gender persons. More specifically; Annise has been signing Executive Orders.

I remember from the days I lived in San Francisco there was this thing called: Dining Out For Life. For those who may be in San Francisco, or are just visiting, please go to the restaurants that give a portion of their proceeds to help organizations that assist people with AIDS. There is a Dining Out for Life icon on my face-book page.

The Montrose Counseling Center, located in that other beautiful city called Houston, is another non-profit that does help GLBT people.

But most of all, ask your elected representatives if they support the petitions that was authored by Equality Texas and was on their web site available to download. (And I did download it.)

I downloaded the petition for Equality. They had some others as well. Hopefully, these petitions are making their way into the Democratic platform. Last year was a good year in Austin, according to the Equality Texas president at The Caucus (or whatever his title was. I was too distracted by the cute guy sitting next to me. It wasn't my partner, he never goes to these meetings.)

Click on the Pride Houston icon on my face-book page, or go to their website. Or, better yet, have pride in who you are. And be that person every day. That is the point of this, after all.

Life isn't a dress-rehearsal. We aren't back-stage at the opera. (The Houston Grand Opera in this town by the third coast.) We aren't in the orchestra pit, either.) Our feet are planted on Terra Firma and so are our liberal ideals.

Dine Out for Life, take part in this delightful San Francisco tradition. Or volunteer for Dining Out for Life. What better way to make the world a better place; one portion at a time. And what a city for restaurants. Legendary. You'll want to discard your return ticked from you jaunt to San Francisco. (They have used and new book stores to suit any taste or language.)

And remember, in a democracy you get to fire your representatives if they don't represent you.

Unfortunately Harvey Milk was assassinated and that is a permanent part of history. Once the ink and blood are spilled their mark can never be altered. But the story can be told again and again.

And it wasn't just part of a fiction and melody and Aria of Opera. In real life there is struggle too. But Harvey's ideas weren't killed. So read the book or see the movie: Milk.

-and be inspired to be yourself.

Healthcare for all

http://www.texastribune.org/blogs/post/2010/mar/22/tribblog-abbott-explains-health-care-lawsuit/
The Texas Tribune has an article where Abbott explains the constitutional challenges to the Washington health care legislation just passed and signed by Obama which seeks to solve the health care crisis throughout the U.S.

UTMB-Galveston Now a Texas Medical Center Institution

This is posted on Ellen Cohen's Website. Originally the article is from:
http://texasmedicalcenter.org/root/en

“Remember, it’s not the Houston Medical Center, it’s the Texas Medical Center,” Wainerdi said. “It belongs to all of us.” -Read the article on texasmedicalcenter about the growing medical center. Ellen Cohen appreciates how important the medical industry is to Texas, and, Texas' working families.

RONDA WENDLER

"The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston this month became the 49th institution to be named a member of the Texas Medical Center in Houston."

-By RONDA WENDLER Texas Medical Center News

The official link to the University of Texas Medical Branch: http://www.utmb.edu/

"The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) is a component of the University of Texas System located in Galveston, Texas, United States, about 50 miles (80 km) southeast of Downtown Houston." -wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Texas_Medical_Branch

UTMB Receives Strong Support from Legislature

"Between the Legislature’s appropriations and the other funding made possible by those appropriations — $450 million from FEMA, $130 million from insurance proceeds, $200 million from The Sealy & Smith Foundation and $50 million from the Social Service Block Grant Funds — UTMB will have approximately $1.4 billion available for restoration and expansion of facilities and services in coming years."

The 81st Texas Legislative session
Senate Bill 1 - $566.5 million in general revenue funding for UTMB, an increase of nearly $109 million over the previous biennium

The Supplemental Appropriations Bill (HB 4586) - makes funding available immediately, gives UTMB an additional $150 million to match FEMA’s $450 million for Ike-related mitigation and repairs.

House Bill 51— authorizes $150 million for a new hospital building on the campus that will restore UTMB’s inpatient capacity to pre-Ike levels.

The Sealy & Smith Foundation - $200 million grant.





-Jim

The Caucus Endorsements

Judge, 234th District Court: Tanner Garth
http://tannergarthforjudge.com/

Judge, 270th District Court: Lee Arellano
http://www.arellanoforjudge.com/
-"If I am fortunate enough to win the primary and general election I pledge to be a fair minded and even handed jurist, using all of my experiences to assure JUSTICE FOR ALL."

Judge, 308th Family District Court: Bruce Kessler
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kessler-for-Judge/277291366158?v=info
(The above link is to Facebook)
-"Bruce Kessler is the only candidate who is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, indicating special competence in the practice of Family Law."

Judge, 311th Family District Court: Deborah Wright
(I was not able to find a link that seemed appropriate)

Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3, Place 2: Denise Graves
(Sorry, I am still looking for a good link)

This link is to an article in The Baytown Sun. Apparently, there were four Democrats vying for the spot for justice of the peace on the primary ballot. Now, for all of the above endorsed positions, we are in a Democratic primary runoff. Hows that for photo-finish politics?

I was honored to attend The Caucus meeting where some of these endorsements took place. Some meeting time was set aside for advocacy. For instance, we are supposed to be returning our Census forms.

The meeting I went to was held the first Wednesday of March. And you are welcome there, even if you are not a member. Memberships to The Caucus are inexpensive. Even I can afford the dues. And they do so much for the GLBT Community.

It would be easy for anyone to become a member of The Caucus and help guide this organization forward. Its easy, and, its a great place to meet GLBT-friendly candidates face to face. Plus, as I like to tell my friends, non-profits are the best place to meet nice people because they are the ones who tend to care about the community. After all, they are volunteering.

Technically, they are non-partisan, but, there are a lot of Democrats and not too many of anyone else.

Go to the Democratic convention and join one of the resolutions committees. Help guide the Democratic leadership forward. It is called democracy for a reason. And we need you to be there.

James Legare

"The race for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3, Place 2 will certainly go to a Democrat, as no Republican candidates filed to run. Voters at the Democratic primary contest will effectively choose the only candidate on the ballot come November. " - The Sentinel

Nile Bailey Copeland

The following was e-mailed to me:
ast night's election results were indeed mixed. We all knew this being an election that someone had to prevail. We just never knew how the numbers would fall.

Please take a moment and consider the amount of work all of these candidates have done, and the voters they have touched. Send a candidate a personal email or personal Facebook message, I guarantee that it will be well received.

Last night, I heard from one candidate with regards to the party infighting that this was indeed the worst year for such and the candidate feared it had the potential to hurt us in November. In my humble opinion, the biggest danger is that it potentially polarized some of our voters and may continue to do so. As such, a voter said this morning they were so unhappy with the results that they will be getting voters to switch sides and cast a vote on the otherside (R). That comment has prompted me to send this email out... Please, if anyone reading this email is considering such tactics, please consider this:

These candidates, including myself, have worked long and hard for every vote we received and we are proud and honored for every vote, all the support, encouragement, and love from our friends, families, and colleagues but to hear voter(s) wanting to switch sides and vote or even donate to a Republican candidate is a huge disservice to every minute we have been in the car driving to events, talking with voters, speaking to groups, juggling our schedules for family, work and our campaigns, and working endless hours at the polls in the sun, rain, and wind with some of the best poll workers in the state.

Do not give up just because your candidate is not still in the race we have a lot of work ahead. Please remember, there are candidates going into a runoff who do not get a break. The "Political Groundhog Day" has deemed they will have at least 6 more weeks of hard campaigning. I do not hesitate for one second when I say that the Harris County needs more Democratic Judges! and that is a fact. However, we will never get there without your support. We need it more than ever and trust me you do not know how honored we are when we receive it from you.

Finally, with one election behind us, we have two hard elections ahead of us: the runoff and the General Election in November. We have more work ahead of us but lets have fun on the way. Now, I want to put every Democratic voter out there to the task of electing as many Democratic Judges as possible. I also put every Candidate to the task of staying active and helping organizations that have given so freely of there time and support to us.

Sincerely
Nile Bailey Copeland

Houston Area Stonewall Democrats

Houston Area Stonewall Democrats met tonight to consider endorsements in the Democratic Primary Runoff scheduled for April 13, 2010. HASD is proud to announce that 60 of its 73 previously endorsed candidates ( 82% ) either won their respective races or made it into the April runoff. The following candidates are endorsed by HASD in the Democratic Primary Runoff:

TANNER GARTH - Civil District Court 234

LEE ARELLANO - Civil District Court 270

BRUCE KESSLER - Family District Court 308

BRAD MORRIS - Family District Court 311

DON COFFEY - Justice of the Peace, Pct. 3, Place 2

In other club business, HASD elected officers for the coming year. The following members were elected unanimously:

PHILLIP MCNUTT - President

CHRISTOPHER PLATA - Vice President

DR. LARRY PONDER - Secretary

VIRG PARKS - Treasurer

NEW OFFICERS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 8, 2010

Media Contact: Brad Pritchett
Director of Communications, HSYD
713-898-9734

HOUSTON STONEWALL YOUNG DEMOCRATS ELECT NEW OFFICERS

Houston, TX - This evening the Houston Stonewall Young Democrats (HSYD) elected a new executive committee to lead the organization through the next year.

Houston Stonewall Young Democrats hold elections each March for its executive committee.

The 2010 elections were held on Monday, March 08, 2010 at the Stag's Head Pub.

The following members were elected to represent the membership on the board:
Robert Shipman - President
Shaun Nelson - Vice President of Political Affairs
Hunter Cauble - Vice President of Community Affairs
Brittani Williams - Director of Membership
Brad Pritchett - Director of Communications
David Page - Secretary
Andrea Ward - Treasurer

"I am excited to work with the new board of HSYD to help continue building upon the successes we have had in past elections," said new President Robert Shipman, "We are ready to work hard for our endorsed candidates and help pro-equality Democrats make sweeping accomplishments in and around Houston."

The Houston Stonewall Young Democrats is a group of Houston-area young progressives, aged 14 to 40, whose focus is to educate the GLBT community about the issues affecting them, to mobilize the community to get out to vote on Election Day for fair-minded Democrats, and to fight for GLBT civil rights while leading the Democratic party to continue improving its record on issues important to the GLBT community.

Harris County Guidelines

Attached is a copy of the report prepared by Dr. Rea for delegate status in Senate 17. This process applies to each and every Senate District within Harris County and its guidelines must be used.

REMEMBER - Because it has been decided to use an open process, individuals who voted in the Democratic Primary on March 2, but did not attend their precinct convention, may still attend the Senatorial Convention, participate and run for delegate or alternate to the State Convention.

I was there and believe that some really good things are happening in the party.

All of the Senate District conventions will be open. If you voted in the Democratic Primary you can go to the senate district caucus and petition to be admitted to the precinct caucus and become a delegate to the state convention of the Texas Democratic Party. I explained it to the precinct chairs and am attaching it for your information.

It is an exciting time to be a Democrat in Harris County.

Ron
Nominations Committee Process Report for SD 17
March 20, 2010
Ronald B. Rea, Ph.D., Co-Chair of At-Large Nominations for SD 17

1. The 2010 convention will be an open convention. Anyone who voted in the Democratic Primary on March 2 may sign in and be seated as either a Delegate or Alternate whether or not they were selected as a Delegate or Alternate at the Precinct Convention, unless the precinct already has its full entitlement and provided that the Precinct Caucus votes to add them to the caucus. For each delegate there is one alternate slot allocated to the precinct.

2. After transitioning Alternates to Delegate status at the initial precinct caucus to fill all of the Delegate positions to which the precinct is entitled, the precincts will be able to add delegates and alternates from persons signing in who were not selected as either a delegate or alternate at the precinct convention on March 2. Provided the full number of delegates to which the precinct is entitled is not present at the time the Temporary Chair convenes the Convention, the precinct may caucus to add delegates until the entire precinct allocation is reached. Persons signing in at the SD convention who were not elected delegates or alternates at the precinct convention may be added by a precinct caucus. The precinct caucus secretary (or chair) will submit a report to the Credentials Committee asking that the caucus elects be added to the convention roll and receive credentials permitting them to vote on matters brought before the convention.

3. If the precinct elects its full allotted number of delegates and alternates, persons who sign in at the convention who are not elected as a delegate or alternate to the convention, may still submit their request to be a delegate or alternate to the state convention to the At-large nominations committee. Forms will be provided in each precinct packet to record the delegates and alternates elected at the precinct caucus. In addition the precinct packet will include forms for persons not selected as either a delegate or alternate at the precinct caucus to petition the Nominations Committee to be nominated as a delegate or alternate to the state convention.

4. Each precinct or paired precinct is entitled to a delegate. The number of delegates to which each precinct is entitled is determined by dividing the number of votes that the precinct cast for the Democratic Party candidate for Governor in 2006 by 180. Precincts that did not cast at least 180 will be paired with other precincts so that each paired precinct may select delegates and alternates by the same formula.

5. The excess number of votes over 180 that each precinct cast for the Democratic Candidate for Governor are allocated to an at-large pool and totaled so that the SD may receive the total number of Delegates to which it is entitled. The excess number of votes from the precincts is divided by 180 with the sum being the number is the number of delegates that the nomination committee will select to assure balance in the delegation.

6. To determine the profile of the at-large delegates, a tally is made by the nominations committee for each of the fairness attributes to be considered in balancing the delegation. The fairness attributes that are considered are:
Age 35 years or younger
Ethnicity
GLBT status
Disability status
Gender

7. The Nominations Committee makes its report to the Convention. The convention may elect to approve the report or may entertain nominations from the convention. In making nominations from the floor to replace a delegate, the persons making the nomination must specify by name which of the delegates nominated by the nomination committee is to be replaced by the person being nominated from the floor.

8. Upon completion of the process of nominations from the floor, the entire delegation must vote to ratify the delegation.

9. The convention must elect the delegation chair.

Women’s History Month

March is Women’s History Month so here is Herstory of this SDEC.
Chair Boyd Richie made it clear in his opening remarks that 2010 is about Texas , not Washington DC . We need to carry this message to all Texans. “Obama has nothing to do with the cronyism in Austin ….or skyrocketing utility costs in Texas .” This is a fight for Texas . “Pelosi didn’t orchestrate the Trans Texas Corridor.”

The Resolutions Committee Report was the focal, female and fun part of the meeting. The fun? A resolution to encourage the entertainment industry in TX. “Why shouldn’t Westerns be filmed in TX?” declared Dr Teal to a lot of amusement. “Why should there be a movie about Huntsville with pointy mountains in the distance?”

The female? A resolution that Texas Democratic Women will be honored at our 2010 Convention. Chair Boyd Richie noted that he is a member of Texas Democratic Women.

The focal? The resolution to allow Democrats to distance themselves from the self named “LaRouche Democrats.” There was much discussion centering on inclusion. Donald Bankston made it very clear that we should not have to endorse or support anyone who campaigned on an impeach Obama platform. “We don’t have Republicans, KKK or Nazi’s” was applauded.

Driving Texas on a gorgeous spring day leads the mind to wondering. First to mind - all the wonders of living in Texas . Next the wonder of the future compared with other states. That led to wondering about the 2010 election and census. Redistricting has long term consequences. Longer than 10 years. When we vote, we are messin’ with Texas . It’s no small hill of beans we are divvying up. It IS our hill of beans.

So in March (Women’s History Month) when you see the bluebonnets, remember Texas is not just those hardy masculine images that come immediately to mind. Texas needs us to take care of her. Please explain to all you meet that the spring Census and fall Vote matter.


Joy Demark, sdec for sd 7
13043 Taylorcrest
Houston, TX 77079
713-467-3056
713-302-0987

State Convention

The State Convention is June 24 - 26 in Corpus Christi

“What it means when the last bookstore closes...”

The following was e-mailed to me: (James Legare);

In the spirit of National Women’s History Month, Latinovations would like to acknowledge the great accomplishments of Latina women and thank Linda Chavez-Thompson for her contribution.

Laredo, Texas, with a population of 250,000 now has the distinction of being the largest city in the nation without a bookstore. B. Dalton’s bookstore shut its doors for good on January 16th. Put another tombstone in the predominantly Hispanic south side of San Antonio now that Waldenbooks has left, leaving no bookstore for miles.
We’re not looking for pity here in Texas, but we are waiting for Republican leaders to recognize that this is an economic crisis of our own making.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, by the year 2014, 2 million jobs will be created in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
A bookstore would sure come in handy.

But despite the bragging of Governor Rick Perry and Lt. Governor David Dewhurst that Texas is creating jobs, the reality is one out of three students are walking out of our high schools without a diploma. Among Latinos, it’s one out of two.
But dropouts are just a symptom of a broken system — a system that has already failed our children before they’ve even entered the first grade. Parenting Magazine, not your typical political reading I realize, recently spelled out the epidemic that is the early literacy crisis:
“While a child growing up in a middle class neighborhood will own an average of 13 books at any given time, low-income communities average about one book for every 300 children.”

By the way, not only do Hispanics now make up over 50% of public school students from kindergarten through second grade in Texas, but one out of every two Hispanic children lives in poverty.

So if the Republican leadership doesn’t want to listen to a lifelong labor organizer and the daughter of a cotton sharecropper, they should at least listen to their own advisors. Steve Murdock, the former state demographer and Bush appointee, warned years ago that, “our fates are intertwined and related. How well our non-Anglo citizens do in Texas is how well Texas will do.” (Amen.) Murdock explains that because educational attainment is faltering, average wages in 2040 will be lower in constant dollars than wages in the year 2000.

For those who don’t know my story, I was forced to quit school in the ninth grade to help support my family in the cotton fields of West Texas. It’s ugly work. So when I got a chance to work as a bilingual secretary for the local labor union, I took it. Twenty-eight years later, I was the first woman of color to serve as the Executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO. After a lifetime of working to lift wages up for working families, I’m not going to sit idly by as Republican neglect of education — from pre-K to college — drives wages down.

I realize Texans are known for their big talk. But the outside world needs to know there is some truth to the Texas myth. Because when you’re born in the Lone Star State, you just grow up believing the sky is the limit. It’s true for this daughter of a cotton sharecropper. And in today’s economy, it can still hold true for any Texas child with a book in their hand.

Linda Chavez-Thompson is the Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor of Texas. In a career devoted to fighting for better wages for working families, Chavez-Thompson served twelve years as Executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO, the first woman and the first person of color to serve in that position. President Bill Clinton appointed Chavez-Thompson to serve on his Race Advisory Board, as well as on the President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. The daughter of a cotton sharecropper, Chavez-Thompson has devoted her campaign to increasing economic opportunities through education. To find out more, or to support her campaign, visit www.electchavezthompson.com.

La Plaza


--
Saludos,
La Lisa Hernandez
361.558.5068 mobile
Lalisahernandez@gmail.com

...And that was it. I will add my opinion:
The Democratic Party is the one viable party for improving the lives of the residents of the GLBT Community in Texas.

I would hate to live in a city with no bookstores of any kind.

2010 convention

1. The 2010 convention will be an open convention. Anyone who voted in the Democratic Primary on March 2 may sign in and be seated as either a Delegate or Alternate whether or not they were selected as a Delegate or Alternate at the Precinct Convention, unless the precinct already has its full entitlement and provided that the Precinct Caucus votes to add them to the caucus. For each delegate there is one alternate slot allocated to the precinct.

2. After transitioning Alternates to Delegate status at the initial precinct caucus to fill all of the Delegate positions to which the precinct is entitled, the precincts will be able to add delegates and alternates from persons signing in who were not selected as either a delegate or alternate at the precinct convention on March 2. Provided the full number of delegates to which the precinct is entitled is not present at the time the Temporary Chair convenes the Convention, the precinct may caucus to add delegates until the entire precinct allocation is reached. Persons signing in at the SD convention who were not elected delegates or alternates at the precinct convention may be added by a precinct caucus. The precinct caucus secretary (or chair) will submit a report to the Credentials Committee asking that the caucus elects be added to the convention roll and receive credentials permitting them to vote on matters brought before the convention.

3. If the precinct elects its full allotted number of delegates and alternates, persons who sign in at the convention who are not elected as a delegate or alternate to the convention, may still submit their request to be a delegate or alternate to the state convention to the At-large nominations committee. Forms will be provided in each precinct packet to record the delegates and alternates elected at the precinct caucus. In addition the precinct packet will include forms for persons not selected as either a delegate or alternate at the precinct caucus to petition the Nominations Committee to be nominated as a delegate or alternate to the state convention.

4. Each precinct or paired precinct is entitled to a delegate. The number of delegates to which each precinct is entitled is determined by dividing the number of votes that the precinct cast for the Democratic Party candidate for Governor in 2006 by 180. Precincts that did not cast at least 180 will be paired with other precincts so that each paired precinct may select delegates and alternates by the same formula.

5. The excess number of votes over 180 that each precinct cast for the Democratic Candidate for Governor are allocated to an at-large pool and totaled so that the SD may receive the total number of Delegates to which it is entitled. The excess number of votes from the precincts is divided by 180 with the sum being the number is the number of delegates that the nomination committee will select to assure balance in the delegation.

6. To determine the profile of the at-large delegates, a tally is made by the nominations committee for each of the fairness attributes to be considered in balancing the delegation. The fairness attributes that are considered are:

Age 35 years or younger

Ethnicity

GLBT status

Disability status

Gender

7. The Nominations Committee makes its report to the Convention. The convention may elect to approve the report or may entertain nominations from the convention. In making nominations from the floor to replace a delegate, the persons making the nomination must specify by name which of the delegates nominated by the nomination committee is to be replaced by the person being nominated from the floor.

8. Upon completion of the process of nominations from the floor, the entire delegation must vote to ratify the delegation.

9. The convention must elect the delegation chair.

Bill White and Prop 2

”These are the kind of politics that remind one of baying at the moon.” -unknown.

Rick Perry, Republican, is running for a third-consecutive four-year term as governor of Texas. He assumed office when George W. Bush resigned before his presidential inauguration. (George Bush leaving was a great blessing, but, our dire problems in Texas continue, read on.) Rick Perry is now the darling of the Tea-Party and State Sovereignty Movement. His enthusiastic embrace of these groups was to provide the much needed margin, a little over 1%, necessary to beat his challenger in the Republican primary, Kay Bailey Hutchison (a more moderate Republican who also has a poor record on LGBT issues.).

"We can't afford 14 years of one person appointing every state board, agency and commission." -Kay Bailey Hutchison, also "To make a political point, we turned down half a billion in federal money, sacrificed it to other states, and now we're borrowing three times as much and sticking Texas businesses with the tab" -Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Rick Perry turned down federal money from the stimulus package (from Washington D.C.) that would have extended unemployment benefits; sacrificing the needs of those who are struggling financially in order to pander to the social conservatives. He will hang the future of Texas on a whimsical argument with an ambitious interpretation of the 10th amendment.

Bill White, who supports civil unions instead of marriage for same-sex couples, has won the Democratic nomination for the governor's race. He spoke out against Prop 2 in front of GLBT advocacy groups. Prop 2 banned same sex marriage and civil unions.

Read the Dallas Voice: dallasvoice.com/

Census 2010

It is critically important for members of the GLBT community to return their Census so that we may be counted. It only comes once every 10 years. Don't cheat Houston out of Federal funds that it would otherwise receive. Mail it in.

Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus

“The Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus (TSDC) will celebrate its 10th anniversary as the officially recognized LGBT Caucus of the Texas Democratic Party at the Texas Democratic Convention, which will be held at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi on June 24-26. We invite all LGBT Democrats and allies to begin making preparations now to join us in Corpus Christi!" - texasstonewalldemocrats.org

Link: http://www.texasstonewalldemocrats.org/

The informed citizen is our best defense. -unknown.

HGLBT Pac

I went to the HGLBT Pac meeting 3-3-2010 and got to vote for which judges the Caucus would endorse for the 270th civil district court seat, and the 311th family district court seat.

Roberts Rules of Order were followed, as they always are at these meetings, impeccably. Kris Banks ran the meeting, the current president of HGLBT PAC.

Yesterday, I went to a small caucus convention for the democratic party after voting in the primaries and I get to go to the precinct convention for my precinct. A resolution I brought from the Equality web site passed after I read it. These are progressives.

Jolanda Jones, Houston City Council at large position 5, (at the HGLBT Caucus meeting) told of how she is trying to help a trans-gender person on her staff who is being harassed for using the ladies room. There may be an executive order from Annise Parker as a policy decision. Joland Jones is a tall, black, stylish, beautiful woman who speaks her mind -and has been endorsed by the caucus again and again. And she keeps winning.

Precinct Convention Training

Go to your precinct convention and help influence the Democratic party to be more progressive. You can influence your own party and your voice and vote will be heard.

Attend a precinct convention training session Sunday.

The Houston GLBT Caucus is joining with members of Harris County Young Democrats and Houston Stonewall Young Democrats to offer "Texas Two-Step Precinct Training" Sunday at 1pm-3pm at the Harris County Democratic Party Headquarters, 1445 North Loop West, Suite 110.

What: Precinct Convention Training
Where: HCDP Offices - 1445 North Loop West, Suite 110, Houston, TX 77008
When: Sunday, February 28, 1:00pm - 3:00pm

Introduce Pro-Equality Resolutions

Election Day, March 2nd, is rapidly approaching, but not only is it Election Day in Texas it is also the day to attend your precinct convention. After voting, return to your precinct's polling location at 7:15pm to caucus. The GLBT Caucus is urging you to attend your precinct convention and to help promote equality by introducing pro-equality resolutions at your precinct convention. Approved resolutions ultimately determine your political party's state platform. You can help shape the party platform by participating in the resolution process. It is important to attend because the precinct convention approves resolutions that can, ultimately, determine the state party platform. The convention also elects delegates for the next level in the convention process, the Senate/County convention. Our friends at Equality Texas have put together a list of pro-equality resolutions you can introduce at your precinct convention.

Also, please follow the link to pro-equality resolutions.

HGLBT PAC

Voting March 2nd in Harris County

The Following is from the GLBT PAC in Houston:

Precinct Caucus Training
Time to Texas Two Step Again
Vote in the 2010 Primary, then attend your Precinct Convention &
Introduce Pro-Equality Resolutions

Connecticut Politics

The Democrats retire a once popular incumbent to retain a Senate seat in the general election. Click on the following link for a Mother Jones article on Chris Dodd.

I was recently reading the Mother Jones Article on Chris Dodd


The Democrat's filibuster-proof majority of 60 in the Senate has seemed mythical; like a unicorn sighting around the Smithsonian, or funding for W. Bush's No Child Left Behind. I guess it was always based on fuzzy logic or new math. (Non-Democrats were being counted as Democrats minus the conservative Democrats.)

There is another Senator from Connecticut who has been dictating the terms of Obama's health-care reform bill which is beginning to read like the fine print in an adjustable-rate mortgage. Joe Lieberman, the once-Democrat who lost the democratic primary, and then ran as an independent, has been using your healthcare as his own personal body shield. He caucuses with the Democrats, but he is officially an Independent Democrat. (Not a Democrat) He voted to prohibit Federal funds for abortion services by voting for an amendment to the healthcare bill that has this restriction. (see Project Vote Smart). This will disproportionately hurt poorer women.

The financial melt-down, a predictable result of laissez-faire economics has resulted in the populace grasping for scape goats. It doesn't matter if you are no more guilty than the other senators. True, Dodd took money from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Who wouldn't have on Capitol Hill?

-Jim

California's Prop 8 Appeal

(Spring 2010)

I was recently reading a TruthOut Article on the latest news on California's Prop 8 Federal Appeal.

California's Prop 8 is being challenged in Federal Court to reverse the decision of the California voters which resulted in taking away the right of same-sex couples to marry. Prop 8 is a California Ballot Measure passed in November of 2008. It represents the latest tyranny of plebiscite government; The California voters have become the lawmakers making a mockery of representative government. A California Supreme Court ruling legalized same-sex marriage, however, the voters stripped same-sex couples of this right by voting for prop 8 which won with 52% of the voters. A subset of a subset of the population thereby eliminated the rights of an entire group of people.

The Straight Slate

Louie Welch, and the supporters of the "Straight Slate" ticket played on fears of employment rights for homosexuals (supported by Whitmire), and AIDS. In this most recent election we witnessed the Straight Slate Redux. A group of conservative pastors, lead by Steven Hotze, organized. And a large number of anti-gay flyers were mailed out, to mobilize on a negative emotion. Gene Lock accepted Hotze's endorsement.

You have to read the Shoot the Queers: Equality Article

Annise Parker was endorsed by Equality Texas and Texas Equity Pac. The Shoot the Queers article is an appeal to voters to do their civic duty and choose the most qualified candidate. And vote.

We lost in New York, when same sex marriage legislation did not pass, and Maine, the Maine Gay Marriage Law was repealed. But then we won in the Deep Red of Texas.

Note: HIV infection is considered to be a pandemic by the World Health Organization.

Deep Red Texas

You must read the nytimes article on the 1985 vote in Houston

Kathy Whitmire won the election for Mayor of Houston in 1985 despite the Homophobic rhetoric. She was the good mayor Annise Parker will be. I do not think that Parker's victory was inevitable, though, by any stretch of the imagination. She had an army of volunteers and less money than the other candidates. Although, Brown's endorsement certainly helped.

Economic downturns are cyclical. In 1985, though, the AIDS epidemic was entering full swing. Kathy Whitmire's opponent was hoping to play successfully on those fears.

Kathryn Jean Whitmire was a professor at the University of Maryland, College Park. She was the first female elected to Houston city government. And like Parker, she was City Controller.

Unicorn sighted near Smithsonian

As dangerous as prognosticating is, I predict that Attorney General Martha Coakly will win the election necessary to ensure that the Democrats retain their filibuster-proof majority, despite what little they have done with it. I have seen the mythical unicorn near the Smithsonian, I believe in the return to the age of Camelot, and that our society is healing. Our capacity for stupidity may be coming to an end. There is only so much of it we can afford.

For those who haven't heard, Attorney General Martha Coakly is running in the Massachusetts state-wide special election and it has become like a photo-finish, neck-to-neck kind of race. Boston Globe Article on Coakly Race

Martha Coakly's campaign website: marthacoakley.com Give what you can to help her.

The voters of Massachusetts have spoken. A Republican who campaigned to filibuster Obama's health-care reform to death won the election.

**Update: I was wrong.