Friday February 10, 2006 SGN.org |
 |
Volume 34 Issue 06 |
 |
|
Saturday, Nov 07, 2009
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
Letters |
|
 |
|
| CONGRATULATIONS SGN
Dear SGN, Congratulations are in order for the Publisher George Bakan and his staff at the Seattle Gay News for their role in securing equal rights for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender people across Washington State. The SGN has been at this work for 33 years. Beginning with the first issue, this weekly newspaper has been tireless in its battle for GLBT equality. The mere fact that they were publishing and distributed on the streets, helped us to win our rights in Olympia. Throughout the years, George has come under pressure from within the GLBT community to step away from its activist attitudes. You would hear it in the bars and in some social circles that the SGN should "not be so political," and "Why do they (SGN) have to be so strident?" and "It's wonderful here in Seattle, we don't want to stir things up." The win in Olympia should quiet all that noise. Seattle Gay News has united our community in its call for equality. At times it was the only place to get information about what was happening in our community. Think of the early days, when our community could not get an inch of space in the dailies or a minute of time on the evening news. The Seattle Gay News was there, telling our story on its front page, for "all" of Seattle to see. Yes, congratulations are definitely in order. Keep up the good work. Sincerely, Mike McNamara NO MORE EXCUSES FOR GAY REPUBLICANS Dear SGN, The good news is that the Bush administration and Iran are finally agreeing on something. The bad news is that the new bond between Bush and Iran, a nation that publicly hangs Gay boys and men for the "crime" of being homosexual, is based on their mutual disdain for Gay people. The United States has reversed a 2002 vote and backed an Iranian initiative denying United Nations consultative status to organizations working to protect the rights of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender people. This status gives nearly 3000 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) a voice to influence and participate in discussions among member states at the U.N. Representative Tom Lantos, a California Democrat who is co-chairman of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus and a Holocaust survivor, has written a letter to United States U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, saying the move is a "major setback" for "a core component of our nation's human rights diplomacy." In its U.N. vote, the U.S. joins such other champions of human rights as Cuba, Zimbabwe, Sudan, and the Russian Federation. It will be difficult for Bush's Gay Republican supporters to excuse or ignore this one. Sincerely, Marc Paige NEW ORLEANS SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN Dear SGN, I moved here from New Orleans 15 years ago and, coincidentally, had booked a visit back that was to begin the day after the storm had hit. While I didn't quite make it there physically. I was there - at least - in voice. My crustiest old best friend whom I'd planned to see was able to stay in touch by land line phone before, during, and after Katrina until 10 days later when the National Guard finally hauled him and the Doberman he refused to abandon along with other neighbor survivors to Mississippi in the back of a 5-ton dump truck. (Our entire shared ordeal and the phone bills are a novel unto themselves.) My trip was only delayed - I'll be there in May come both hell and high water this time. I've been bracing myself for what I'll see since August. My hopes are that the rest of our community doesn't turn its back on New Orleans until the city is convenient - once again - and that we continue to support that old painted lady who loves us no matter what. We talk among ourselves how far this country has wandered down the path to the dark side - I propose we start taking it back one city at a time starting with New Orleans. Sincerely, Andrew McCullough HELP BUILD STRONGER YOUTH Dear SGN, I want to share with you something that is very important to me: it is an organization that I believe is really making an impact in the world. In fact, I believe this organization is so important that I sit on the Board of Directors and make it a priority in my charitable giving and volunteer time. The organization is called the National Youth Advocacy Coalition (NYAC for short). And although NYAC is not a household name, thousands of young men and women who identify as Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, or are simply questioning their role in the world (GLBTQ youth) find support and care within its embrace. The young men and women whom I've met in my time on the Board inspire me each day. And I hope after you read my letter that you are inspired to add NYAC to your charitable giving this year. I would like you to make a special gift of $50 or more to NYAC. I believe it will be one of the best gifts you make for in return you will receive a world that is a little bit better. That's a bold statement, but let me explain: I was lucky as a teenager. I had a family and friends who supported me - in almost everything I did. I had parents who paid my medical bills; I had a great public school where I felt safe and was able to learn; and I always had a place to call home. But hundreds of thousands of young people don't have these luxuries. And if these teenagers decide to come out - and live out - they face seemingly insurmountable challenges impacting their health and wellbeing. NYAC recently conducted a study that found& o 64% of youth reported engaging in their first sexual experience at an age younger than 15 and 14% reported having more than 20 partners; o 20% reported being physically or verbally abused by a family member; and o 58% of the NYAC sample reported being depressed or having contemplated suicide in the six months prior to taking the survey. NYAC combats these statistics and makes the world a little better for these kids. How?... o NYAC helps GLBTQ teenagers get access to better information about health care so they can make better decisions. This year NYAC launched the first ever National Youth Health Leadership Training Institute to help empower young people to work and take positive action in their own communities. o NYAC supports local GLBTQ youth centers and safe spaces for these teenagers. NYAC works with groups from all over the country - Philadelphia; New York City; Washington, DC; Jacksonville, FL; Columbia, SC; and Detroit, MI to name a few. o NYAC lets GLBTQ youth know they are not alone by bringing young people from all over the country together at a National Youth Summit in Washington, D.C. This year, more than 400 participants gathered to learn about organizing, advocacy, community-building, and self-care. o NYAC fills a need in the GLBTQ community that no other organization does. I know you probably support other groups that are fighting for marriage rights, adoption rights, health care, etc. within the GLBTQ community. But NYAC is the only organization that watches the youngest members of the community. The youth whose voices would be lost without the presence of NYAC. NYAC also works with many other organizations in the GLBTQ community to make sure that the needs and rights of young people are always addressed. This fall I witnessed one of the most impressive showings of this last point. NYAC, in partnership with more than 35 colleague agencies, raised OVER $100,000 to make sure that LGBT youth and families had their most basic needs met following the devastating hurricanes in the Gulf states. That money is now helping young people throughout the South, but it is not helping NYAC meet the ongoing needs of young people from coast-to-coast. It is only our gifts that will accomplish that. I hope you have been inspired by NYAC and will add them to your list of organizations to support with a gift of at least $50. To give and learn more about NYAC's work, go to www.nyacyouth.org. You can also mail in a contribution directly to NYAC: 1638 R Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20009 Sincerely, Aaron Chandler NYAC Board of Directors Seattle, WA ALITO A THREAT TO ROE Dear SGN, Now that the far right has a new partner on the Supreme Court, you may be asking yourself, "where do we go from here?" First off - it is important for you to remember that Washington State is strongly pro-choice. As it stands now there are no laws restricting a woman's right to choose on the books in our state. Please help us keep it that way by making a contribution to NARAL Pro-Choice Washington today. The two most important steps we can take at this time are to ensure that our state remains pro-choice and that pro-choice activists like you and me do our part to protect reproductive rights on a national level. We do this by winning elections. Samuel Alito's confirmation to the Supreme Court poses a serious threat to Roe v. Wade and we must prepare early to make sure we win elections in November. Washington state's Congressional delegation is one of the most pro-choice in the nation. Five of our nine U.S. House members are pro-choice, along with both of our U.S. Senators. In November, we need to re-elect the pro-choice members of our Congressional delegation...and we need to elect at least one more. In order to do that we will need your help. Please make a contribution to support our work today. You may have been reading lately about how nervous right-wing powerbrokers are about the upcoming elections. They should be! This is the year we can win! The Bush presidency has been a disaster for personal privacy and freedom. Right-wing members of Congress have enthusiastically supported Bush throughout his term and they need to be retired from office. The same goes for right-wing members of our state legislature. If Roe is seriously compromised or overturned, anti-choice groups will try to outlaw abortion one state at a time. By making sure that our state government remains pro-choice, we also ensure that anti-choice groups will not succeed in our state. For years NARAL Pro-Choice Washington has been educating and activating pro-choice people across the state who have made Washington the most pro-choice state in the nation. Our activists have also made NARAL Pro-Choice Washington one of the most powerful affiliates in the nation. With your help we can grow even stronger. Please make a financial contribution today. Thank you, Karen S. Cooper Executive Director NARAL Pro-Choice Washington |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
International Readers |
  It's new!A blog created by the SGN staff so you can be heard |
|
 |
DigitalTeamWorks presents  websites for Artists looking for a great email us for more information
|
 |
Get Your Tickets |
 |
 |
copyright Seattle Gay News - DigitalTeamWorks 2006