Let us all move forward and, yes, accept the decisions made by the majority of the 2012 election voters. I turn in this column before Tuesday night not knowing any election results.
Dear Mayor Filner:
I’ve known you since the 1970s. We all know you have some really rough edges. Our city now badly needs a “kinder and gentler Filner.” Do bring Nathan Fletcher into your administration as you said you would and, yes, reach out to Carl DeMaio and his supporters.
Be fair, balanced and supportive of working families and unions but extend your hand and meet with our business establishment.
Leave all the political baggage and attacks behind you. You won. You’re the mayor. Look forward not into the past. You have the chance to unite us. Be more of a gentleman. In electing you, San Diegans have decided to continue to be a more progressive city and to continue to celebrate all of its diversity. Become the great mayor we, who supported you, know that is inside of you.
Dear Bob: If you have lost, thank you for your decades of public service and being a leader among leaders when it comes to civil rights for all. I look forward to your marriage to Bronwyn Ingram. (Love her!)
Dear Mayor DeMaio:
Congratulations and I was glad to see in this past Sunday’s Union-Tribune under your family: “in a committed relationship with Johnathan Hale.”
That being said, it seems that our city’s community of families: Latinos, blacks, police and firefighters’ families etc. and your very own GLBT family did not support you.
The Union-Tribune has stated that “DeMaio matured more during the campaign.”
You have a chance to prove everyone wrong by being a uniter, not a divider, and bringing and welcoming everyone and every community to the table.
I believe everyone and, yes, every community will give you a chance.
As you know, this is not a conservative Republican city, so become a role model for a new generation of San Diegans.
Dear Carl: So you lost. You’re young and you ran a focused and brilliant campaign.
I see a Republican congressional seat in your future and a dream come true for you … marrying Johnathan.
Gov. Barbara Roberts at 2013 Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast
It is with great pleasure that I announce the keynote speaker for the 2013 Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast, not only one of the first ten female governors in the nation, but the first elected governor of the great state of Oregon: the Honorable Barbara Roberts.
She has become a nationally-recognized and respected leader and advocate when it comes to women’s and civil rights.
Gov. Roberts led the fight opposing anti-gay initiatives in the 1990s and has served on the national board of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).
Roberts also served as Oregon’s secretary of state and lieutenant governor.
I had the sincere honor to present Gov. Barbara Roberts, state Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and state Treasurer Ted Wheeler national civil rights awards last month and can tell you she is one inspiring and outstanding public speaker and she is also just absolutely fabulous and fun.
One of the most down-to-earth and true governors of the people I’ve met.
So, mark your calendar: Friday, May 24 2013, the annual Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast.
Bonnie Dumanis
Many of us remember when Bonnie became not only the first openly GLBT elected superior court judge, but the first elected GLBT district attorney in the nation.
We remember how she was attacked by the “radical right” as a “suicidal lesbian.”
Dumanis has not only been always open and proud to make history as a Jewish woman and lesbian but married her wonderful partner Denise.
As a judge she started the special “Drug Court” which became a national role model and most welcomed by the recovery community.
The office of district attorney has always been about “law and order” and Bonnie has never hidden her views and stands – some that I have publicly disagreed with, including some of hers, and yes, Mayor Sanders’ endorsements.
But to say she is like Mitt Romney, and that she has not supported GLBT equality issues is totally untrue as her decades of civil rights stands and leadership, when it comes to our community, people of color and women, is unmatched in the history of the office of district attorney of San Diego County … period.
Anti-Defamation League 2012 dinner
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) will soon celebrate its 100th anniversary and, personally, I have loved, respected and admired the work and dedication this human rights organization has been doing this last century, as the ADL has indeed made a difference for all Americans.
County Commissioner Bruce Abrams and I attended their annual dinner at the La Jolla Hilton Hotel and keynote speaker, World War II veteran Leon Bass, was truly inspiring.
As a young 19-year-old African American soldier, his experience helping liberate the Buchenwald camp changed his life forever.
It was nice seeing and talking to Congressman Brian Bilbray, Assemblymember Marty Block, Assembly Majority Leader Toni Atkins and her partner Jennifer Le Sar, Airport Authority Chair Robert Gleason, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, mayoral candidate Bob Filner and many others.
Border Angels’ awards dinner
It has warmed my heart to see how Border Angels has grown in love and respect since 1986. The Barrio Station’s community hall was packed with almost 1,000 supporters this past Saturday night.
Border Angels’ truly Christian mission is to reduce the number of deaths of children along our state’s border through the simple placement of life-saving water stations in the hot desert where thousands have died.
For many of us the true “hero” of Border Angels is its founder/director, Enrique Morones whose devotion to saving lives has been recognized by countless well-deserved human rights honors and awards, including one of Mexico’s highest presidential recognitions.
It was great to see Border Angels supported by the Coca-Cola Company, Assemblymember Toni Atkins, AT&T, the Catholic Church and the San Diego Union-Tribune.
It was also great seeing and talking to college Sen. Juan Vargas, college Boardmember Maria Senor, Steven Whitburn, A.J. Turner and many more.
GSDBA mixer: Nov. 15
Those good people at the GSDBA have a special mixer coming up Thursday Nov. 15 at West Elm (Mission Valley West), 5080 Mission Road.
They urge you to bring a new blanket or children’s toy for the gay community’s oldest holiday toy drive, “Toys for Kids” (founded in 1974).
Special thank you to the GSDBA boardmembers and its hard-working executive director, Tom Luhnow.
Dear Ann Garwood and Nancy Moors
I wear many community hats: gay and Latino activist, columnist, fundraiser, political advisor, drag queen, city commissioner and, yes, an emcee – for more than 45 years.
Everyone knows that my drag emcee-style is like Don Rickles, Joan Rivers and Lisa Lampanelli. Most of my emceeing is for benefits, charity fundraisers, political and civil rights events – which I do 98 percent for free!
I’ve been doing Nightmare on Normal Street for more than a decade and, once again, you have attacked me, but this time called me a “racist.”
It is interesting that in one of the issues of your Hillquest Guide you profiled me and called me the “gay community’s best orator.”
I’ve decided not to go negative and attack you … so I’ll see you next Halloween night with your usual video recorder. Have a nice day!
Nicole Murray Ramirez has been an award-winning columnist since 1973, and a Latino and gay activist for well over 40 years. He is currently a city commissioner and has served the last five mayors of San Diego. He is also a national board member of the Harvey Milk Foundation and chairman of the International Court Council of the USA, Canada and Mexico. Nicolemrsandiego@aol.com
