I have been informed that individuals invited to the LGBT luncheon with Luke Ravenstahl are not being required to make a campaign contribution.  They are invited to do so, as their discretion.

I don't know all the ins and outs of these sort of invitations, so I'm going to take this information at its word.  What I must do is also assume that my original source acted in good faith and perceived the invitation language in a different way.  That's for them to sort out.

I stand by the rest of my post.  LGBT leaders attending a campaign fundraiser for Luke Ravenstahl strains creduality in light of his failure to move one single inch closer to gay-friendly positions during his tenure as Mayor. It just gives him further ammunition to say that he has broad based LGBT support. 

Attending a meeting with the Mayor in his capacity as an elected official is a different animal, particularly when you hold him accountable for his promises.  Where is the gay liaison?  Where is the gay advisory committe?  Where does he stand on gay civil protections and domestic partnership benefits under a City-County merger? 

The private campaign meetings (apparently, 4 not the 2 I reported earlier) are not generating results for our community.  Does it make sense to make financial contributions or lend your name to a campaign under these circumstances?  Is is the responsible thing to do when you represent our community?  I say the responsible thing to do is to ask the Mayor to take one step forward and take action before you support him. 

That's my opinion.  Yes, I am stirring up the pot.  I do it all the time.  But you -- you the supporter of Luke, you the letter writer from Braddock, you the person who took on a leadership role in the GLCC or the PrideFest committee -- you put the pot on the stove.  I am following a long tradition of pot stirring -- stirring that took groups of Pittsburghers to DC marches, stirring that got PrideFest up and running and then up and running again, stirring that codified civil protections in City law, stirring that grew a phone line into a community center, stirring that brought thousands of gay people out of the closet. 

I just use a computer instead of wooden spoon.  I'm not out to attack anyone personally and just this morning took down an anonymous comment that slandered someone in our community.  This isn't about attacking anyone.  It is about a dialogue.  Sure, I get the ball rolling with my thoughts and opinions. But blogging is a wonderful resource and it would be great to see more folks in the LGBT community doing it. 

Have a great weekend!