Letters

"THREE DINKY PARAGRAPHS" Three dinky paragraphs on the death of Heath Ledger [Farewell to a much-loved movie star, 1/25/07]? The superhero that brought man-on-Jake action to primetime moviegoers worldwide? The man that made even the hardest male guise dwindle to gushing sobs with his soul-sizzling performance? Guess your coffee run was more important that day. Love you, Heath. David Wakefield CAUCUS FOR OBAMA Editor, As we caucus, we are fortunate that either Democratic candidate will make a major difference for our country; I think Obama has the edge and should be supported. Frankly, on Gay issues Clinton and Obama might likely be about the same. However, on other issues important to all citizens, Obama is clearly the more progressive - as shown by their contrasting position regarding our getting into the Iraq war. We can hope that Obama will continue his phenomenal growth of consciousness, evolving further on LGBT issues (such as marriage equality). Certainly, this is more plausible than expecting Hillary to do so, since she is likely to replicate Bill's pandering and insincerity (e.g., Gays in the military). She is neither visionary nor flexible. In Africa, where I am currently working and playing, as well as in Europe and beyond (according to colleagues), Obama's candidacy is generating enormous enthusiasm for the US. How nice not to hear foreigners repeatedly running us down! "Change" is the mantra and clearly Obama is the one. Caucus for him! Phil Bereano Professor Emeritus Department of Technical Communication University of Washington DAVID MIXNER ENDORSES OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT [In a blog entry Sunday at http://www.davidmixner.com, longtime political stragtegist, LGBT acvtivist, and '92 Clinton campaign advisor announced his endorsement of Barack Obama for President.] In Turkey Hollow, we don't like to move too quickly. In these hills, we take our time before making big decisions like buying land or choosing who we are going to support for public office. People in the Hollow take their politics seriously and once they make their mind up, it is almost impossible to shake their loyalty. In Johnny's barbershop, the locals passionately debate presidential politics. Others converse about the campaign down the street at Peck's Market. Citizens in the Hollow deeply love their country, and they are concerned about who will lead it. So, when my choice for President failed to move forward, I was tempted to sit back and slowly reflect on who best represents my values and beliefs. However, given these troubled times and the closeness of the race, I realized that I had to decide quickly who I will vote for this coming Tuesday. With careful reflection over the last several days, I have made up my mind. On Tuesday, I will enthusiastically vote for Senator Barack Obama for President. The major factor in my decision to endorse Obama is the war in Iraq. To put it simply, he was right from the beginning. He opposed this war from the start, while Senator Clinton initially supported it and continues to defend her record today. Senator Obama had the judgment to understand what a folly it would be for this nation to invade and occupy Iraq. Imagine if Senator Obama had been President when the Iraq crisis started years ago. Hundreds of thousands of people would still be living, American families would still have their sons and daughters, our young would not be learning to walk without their limbs and our country would have a healthy economy. Obama continued his good judgment when he opposed the Senate resolution naming Iran's army a terrorist organization. He knew that it would only empower Bush/Cheney to take military action in Iran. Much to my dismay, by voting for the Bush/Cheney resolution, Senator Clinton proved that she still doesn't understand the mistake she made in supporting the Iraq War. I want someone with Senator Obama's beliefs and values making our foreign policy. Senator Obama gives me hope again. In many ways Obama is what I thought Bill Clinton was going to be in 1992. Obama is a person with a transcendent vision of post-partisan politics, who might heal this nation and bring us together. Obama's rhetoric rises above the anger and hatred that has seeped into American politics during the last decade, and he is asking us to seek a better world. He is asking the American people to build and not to tear down. He is asking all of us to join him in seeking peace and taking care of our neighbors. This nation desperately needs to be healed and Obama is the person to do it. Senator Obama is bringing us together again. Not since Senator Robert Kennedy in 1968 have I seen such an amazing coalition like the one Senator Obama has brought together. Amazingly, he has motivated our young to become involved in the process. How heartening it is to see thousands and thousands of our young filling arenas to cheer someone running for President. How heartening it is to see Obama bring black and white together. Time and time again, he has reached across party lines to build a powerful coalition of Democrats, Republicans and Independents that can take us to victory in the fall. Senator Obama is qualified to be President. There is absolutely no question in my mind that Senator Obama is Senator Clinton's peer on substance and policy. Clearly, he is not only ready on day one to be President, but he also will be right on day one! Obama has surrounded himself with some of the best minds in the country. He has the ability to inspire us to make sacrifices and to serve our nation. The Senator has one of the best minds in the country. Like President Kennedy, he and his family will make us proud to have them in the White House. So, with great enthusiasm, I embrace Senator Obama and am allowing myself to dream and believe again. It sure feels good. David Mixner WHAT A COMMUNITY! Seattle is blessed with a variety of venues for its Gay community throughout the area. Each week, listings of activities are published so Gay people have opportunities to remember context, dates, and times. The meetings have attracted many people locally with everything from square dancing to nude body exploration. Without a doubt, Seattle is blessed with so many different activities for its Gay community. We're very lucky. Buzz Flowers Callaway HOLD CLINTON TO OBAMA'S STANDARDS Hey folks at SGN, Your reporting on Barack Obama's association with anti-Gay ministers is slightly troubling to me. It's not that, as a community, we shouldn't ask the Senator to be our active supporter. I stand for that - it's that your spotlight misses Hillary Clinton's ties to Bishop Eddie Long and accepted a campaign donation from him. It's possible as well that Clinton hired Pastor Harold Mayberry, an anti-Gay preacher, as a consultant. Why are you calling Senator Obama out and not Senator Clinton? More importantly - what precisely is a Gay issue? When the DEA started to close the medical marijuana dispensaries in San Francisco by sending letters to the landlords of the dispensaries, Hillary endorsed hearings but Senator Obama committed to a much stronger stance and said that, if elected, he would call off the DEA by issuing an executive order protecting the dispensaries. Terry Kennedy, a Gay activist SGN highlighted, knew those dispensaries were a Queer issue. Those dispensaries provide life-giving medicine that combat wasting to people taking toxic cocktails to save their lives. Is the war a Queer issue? Ask any dyke who needs a wheelchair and is turned down again and again because Medicare is tightening its budget due to the war's insane daily waste of taxpayer money. Ask any Queer who has kids who need the public libraries, which get closed down at an alarming rate across the country as we pay for this endless war. Ask any Lesbian of Arab descent or Queers of good conscience appalled by torture. Ask any dyke who gives a damn about oil consumption and sustainability. Ask Queers affected by horrible immigration policies & I could go on forever & damn, ask the Queers in Iraq. Minister Gwen Hall knew well that this war is a Queer issue. Hillary has been soft on this war. Senator Obama took a much firmer stance. She let us down on health care. In my opinion, she'll be better than a Republican - better than Romney G-d only knows. But is she a better friend to Queers than Obama? Is she not courting that same conservative religious vote which has infected so many communities which used to vote overwhelmingly liberally - including my own (I am Jewish) - and Hillary has courted the conservative vote in my own community. Perhaps you could write about that and how it influences both New York and Florida politics. I urge us all to look beyond the hype and to broaden our outlook on what is a Gay issue and to keep demanding that the democrats protect our interests. But let's not be monofocused about what those interests are. And SGN owes it to Senator Obama to hold Senator Clinton to the same standards to which you are holding him. Best, Naomi Finkelstein IMPERIAL COURT MISUNDERSTANDING To the Editor of the Seattle Gay News, I am writing to you today, in response to a letter recently submitted regarding the upcoming "Women's Summit" being sponsored by the Imperial Court of Seattle. There has been a misunderstanding regarding who is able to attend this historic event - a very unfortunate misunderstanding. Who may attend? Anyone who is self-identified as female. The Court System is in the midst of its "Renaissance Era," evolving, changing and learning. As a part of this process, many meetings, conferences and summits are being held across the continent, so that members of the Court System can share their experience, strength and hope with each other and with the ICC leadership. Topics include regional issues, women's issues and Transgender issues. This is a growth period for the ICC, and an exciting one at that. Women throughout history have been discriminated against and not treated equally with their male counterparts. This is also true in the Court System. The Women's Summit in Seattle is being organized in order to bring these issues to the table for discussion and to effect change. During a period of one or two days, one cannot address every subject that may be relevant - it would be impossible. This is why the subject matter during this summit is limited to the female experience in the Court System and another summit will be organized to discuss the transgender experience. I regret that such a grave misunderstanding could occur out of this historic event, and am hopeful that this letter will help to clarify the facts. As our beloved Founder, Empress I Jose, the Widow Norton has taught us over the years: "United we stand; divided they pick us off, one by one." Yours in friendship and service, Empress Panzi President of the International Court System of the United States, Canada and Mexico IMPERIAL COURT APOLOGY Dear Editor, I would like to take this time to respond to concerns raised about an upcoming Summit on Women in the International Court System being held on February 16, 2008, in Seattle. This Summit is sponsored by The International Court Council and is being hosted as part of the annual Coronation Weekend of The Imperial Court of Seattle. Seattle was approached in late October to be the first city to host a Women's Summit. There will be others across the United States and Canada. This is the first of several, in anticipation of learning the ways to involve women and how women can affect change within our Court System. In the early discussions with The ICC National Spokesperson and Queen Mother, Nicole the Great, I was asked to provide two local women to facilitate and plan the event. One was from Seattle and one from Everett. A third woman was added from Portland. From these initial conversations we were told this Summit would be by women, for women, and about women and not include any Transgender issues, as that would be covered in a later summit devoted solely to issues faced by the Transgender Community. In relaying this information to the committee, it is clear that there was a mistake made of implying that no Transgender women could attend. For that we apologize. It is clear that we are a community that faces enough discrimination that we do not need to appear as if we condone this action by ourselves. This was never my, nor the International Court Council's, intention. We welcome everyone and hope that all who identify as female attend. We are trying to learn and grow and we look on this as an experience that will defiantly shape our future not only in the International Court System, but here in Seattle as well. For more information on attending The Women's Summit, please visit our website: www.imperialcourtofseattle.com. Sincerely, Madison Lane-Weston President, Board of Directors, Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle & Corresponding Secretary, International Court Council