Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

This came into my box today.  How creative!

  What better way to do this than to raise $9,999.99 in support of Wingspan's work in the coming year, while sending a message directly to Mr. Stock that this money was raised because of his support for anti-LGBT ballot measures.

If you make an online donation of $9.99 or more, Wingspan will mail a postcard to the CEO of Cinemark Theaters, stating that a donation was made to Wingspan in his name.

Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, your donation is worth twice as much!

Our anonymous donor will match your donation, dollar for dollar, up to $4,999.99. Please help us maximize this opportunity to support YOUR community and YOUR center by making a donation online today!

Apparently, Milk is showing in a Cinemark Theater in Tucson. 

Ledcat and I caught Milk last night in Squirrel Hill.  The movie is just wonderful and you should definitely go see it. One line in particular stands out to me: 

If you want political change, you have to tell the truth for a change.

This is right after Milk realizes that the mighty-mighty gays with money (the owner of the Advocate) are going to play ball with the powers that be, so he takes his movement back to the students and the grassroots.  And thus begins his “come out, come out wherever you are” storyline. 

After reading the comments the past few days, it seems there's some latent anger at how decisions are being made and some unhappiness with the deciders.  Posting anonymous snarky comments is one thing.  Doing something to be part of change requires that you come out and use your name and state your case.  If you think the Mayor isn't being well-advised by those who took the initiative to form a relationship with him — tell the truth.  Talk with your own City Councilperson and share your perspective on LGBT issues.  Call your own County Councilperson and explain how the new legislation will impact your life.  Then, and this is the critical part, tell the people in your life who are part of the mainstream community to do the same thing.  Tell them — your family, your friends, your neighbors — about the discrimination you've experienced, the slurs you've endured, the lack of opportunity you face.  Tell them the wonderful things about your gay community. 

I think it is unfair to simply point your finger at any one individual, especially anonymously.  I agree that the coziness between the business community and the Ravenstahl administration is disquieting.  But who else is doing what?  Who is to blame, really, but ourselves?  We squander opportunities.  Perhaps the looming recession creates additional challenges. 

I know some of the charges are leveled at me.  I do have a bias – I don't admire, respect or trust our current Mayor and I am skeptical of what's going on behind the scenes on this issue.  I've been on high skeptical alert since the whole Domestic Registry came to light in the context of a woman of privilege being able to buy access for $350.  Nothing I sawy on this blog will ever generate that kind of access. 

But it has attracted people who use words like bombastic and reference the Founding Fathers.  What a delightful change.  And as the commenter mentioned, 60ish people joined my Facebook group to recruit nominees.  That's uplifting. 

I am about 75% convinced the Mayor's office won't ever answer my qestions.  I am nominating people anyway because I want to say that I tried.  I've got two people in mind and I'm talking to a third.  I've had a few folks contact me privately, folks I would never have thought about.  Wouldn't it be great to send it dozens of nominations?

I am trying to tell the truth.  I dislike the way Gary Van Horn has organized this council.  I've told him that.  But I also recognize that no one else took the initiative to do so.  I was contacted about this months ago by someone who asked me to help and then dropped the ball, as s/he has done in the past.  Gary picked up the ball and ran with it. Nothing wrong with that.  But we've reached a crossroads where the larger community has been invited to be part of the dialogue.  Let's not drop the ball now and then cry foul when someone else picks it up. 

But I don't dislike Gary.  I'm somewhat of an opportuny seeker myself so perhaps we are kindred spirits.  Please try to stay focused on the issue.  The little jabs are just ridiculous and keep the issue in the background.  That serves no one except the folks with a little axe to grind.

I've been reviewing the stats on this post … we've been lined from PageOneQ, Pam's House Blend and my very first post on DailyKOS.  People are voting in the polls.  Links are coming in from the Facebook Group.  Join if you are on Facebook. Keep the momentum going and prove my skepticism wrong. 

This has been a great dialogue with nultiple perspectives.  Very nuanced and that's a testament to the importance of the story.  Keep it up, folks!