This is precisely why we need a nonpartisan glbtiq organization that endorses candidates both in the city of Minneapolis and in the state. Stonewall DFL will ONLY endorse DFLer's whether they are the better candidate on glbtiq issues or not.
They also are as interested, if not more interested at times, in party loyalty over substantive support of glbtiq community issues and concerns. These are not criticisms of Stonewall as they are fulfilling the role they are engineered to play- to work within the DFL on glbtiq issues and within the glbtiq community on DFL concerns. This is true of Log Cabin Republicans and Lavender Greens as well. The local glbtiq community deserves a nonpartisan glbtiq endorsing organization that can put the community's interest ahead of those of party. I do believe that the glbtiq community has gotten alot more done in the last 4 years in terms of city council policy in part due to community activists, openly gay city councilpeople being elected, support from both Greens and the DFL to reach out to the glbtiq community pushing one another forward in friendly competition, etc. Many of the advances in city policy issues would not have occurred without RT's support and those advances specific to glbtiq community concern were more numerous and broad than anything accomplished under Sharon's watch(though the glbtiq community was not pushing as hard in those years so you can't say she wouldn't have supported advances that she was never asked to support). Both Sharon and RT have been very supportive of glbtiq community organizations in their statements and actions. By contrast, can someone tell me what MacLaughlin has done in his position as a county commissioner to support the glbtiq community's specific concerns rather through policy or just presence and statements? He's not exactly comparable to Dorfman in this regard. David Strand Loring Park --- Eva Young <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I talked to some of the people who were at the > Stonewall DFL > endorsements. I have a few things to add to Robert > Lilligren's account: > > Robert Lilligren: > In the mayor's race Rybak was not found "acceptable" > by SDFL. Speeches were > made in favor of this action citing his disregard of > the party endorsement, > past work against DFL endorsed candidates, and > deliberately dividing > communities (the police chief debate was used as one > example). No speeches > were made against. An acceptable rating by the > caucus is perquisite to > endorsement. McLaughlin was found acceptable and > endorsed. > > 1. The woman who made the motion to find Rybak > unacceptable was Lisa > Vecoli - who used to be Peter McLaughlin's assistant > at the county > board. She raised the issue of Rybak not being > willing to abide by the DFL > endorsement as the reason. > > 2. CM Gary Schiff raised the issue of the Police > Chief. > > 3. Rybak wasn't present - and neither were any of > his supporters who knew > enough to defend the mayor, when Schiff spoke to the > caucus. Rybak came to > the event - but only stayed for about 10 minutes. > > Dyna sez: > > Note the double standard- if Don Samuels > can be forgiven for the > sin of defying the DFL endorsement, why can't RT? I > dropped my support for > RT after his taxpayer funded puff piece, but he > doesn't deserve this > insult. RT has been an unwavering supporter of the > gay community, even > attending a Stonewall DFL fundraiser after SDFL > endorsed his opponent in > 2001. To deny him an "acceptable" rating and put him > in the same class as > the Michelle Bachmans suggests that SDFL is still > trying to avenge the > defeat of Sharon Sayles-Belton. > > Tamir Nolley writes: > Do Stonewall members really believe in the civil > rights and human dignity > of all people, or do they actually quietly support > police brutality? > > EY: I don't think it's fair to say that Stonewall > supports police > brutality because they had concerns about the way > that Rybak handled the > police chief appointment. At the same time, I agree > with Dyna Slyter's > assessment of the vote to find Rybak "unacceptable". > I've never understood > why Stonewall even asks whether candidates plan to > abide by DFL > endorsement. It seems to me that Stonewall's job is > to screen candidates > for their positions on GLBT issues - and weed out > anti-gay democratic > candidates. > > I also hear that Annie Young is considering running > as a Green in the Ward > 9 race. Annie - you are on this list - can you > confirm or deny this one? > > Since Peter McLaughlin has agreed to abide by DFL > endorsement, my guess is > should he show weekness at the convention, his > delegates will walk and have > someone call quorum - in the same way quorum was > called during the > convention 4 years ago - and that was by the SSB > forces to prevent an > endorsement for Rybak. > > The question is whether Rybak as an incumbent has > energized the grassroots > troops he energized so effectively last time. > > > Eva Young > Near North > Minneapolis > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://lloydletta.blogspot.com > > "You do not have the right to never be offended. > This country is based on > freedom, and that means freedom for everyone - not > just you! You may leave > the room, turn the channel, express a different > opinion, etc., but the > world is full of idiots, and probably always will > be." --Article II of the > Bill of Non-Rights. > > > REMINDERS: > 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at > http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a > member is in violation, contact the list manager at > [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. > > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: > http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: > http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused > Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: > http://e-democracy.org/mpls > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - You care about security. So do we. http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
