Sunday morning, I started getting really early phone calls from back East as my picture made the New York Times society page and was done by famed photographer Bill Cunningham who caught me at a gala GLBT charity event.
Laura Duffy has let us all down
When openly lesbian Laura Duffy was appointed a United States attorney for this region I was very proud and still am, though I’ve disagreed with some of her decisions. But this recent “plea deal” with that murdering monster Benjamin Arellano Felix who headed the most ruthless and murdering Mexican drug cartel is a disgrace.
For more than two decades this man has been responsible for the murders of countless families and innocent children. U.S. Attorney Duffy sentenced him to only 25 years in prison. Even the sentencing U.S. District Judge Larry Burns said that if he could have he would have imposed a longer sentence but Laura Duffy’s deal with this monster stopped him from being able to do it. Interestingly, Laura Duffy sentenced some of Felix’s top aides to “life sentences” but not the head monster whose bloody rule over the Tijuana drug world included more than 1,000 killings which included victims tortured and even their bodies dissolved in acid.
Yet this is the same U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy who has gone nuts and been fanatically obsessed over closing down all of our city’s medical marijuana stores.
Ms. Duffy, you have sent the wrong message to the real drug world leaders with your deal-making and shame on you. There is no excuse … period.
Harvey Milk Street … Jess Jessop Avenue … Chris Kehoe Library?
Things are going well and as planned for the possible dedication of Harvey Milk Street in San Diego, next month. Our city has named hundreds of streets after prominent civic leaders and prominent Americans, but this would be the first street named after an openly gay American hero who served in the Navy while stationed in San Diego. Harvey Milk fell in love with California, and then moved to San Francisco; but it was our city that made this Navy veteran fall in love with the Golden State … and the rest is history.
It is our hope to continue to get outstanding citizens honored in San Diego as other civil leaders, people of color community leaders etc. have been. It is our goal to some day have a street dedicated in honor of Jess Jessop, Gloria Johnson, Jeri Delino and Ben Dillingham … all who have served, not only our country (three are veterans), but our community and city (many in official capacities). State Sen. Chris Kehoe will be retiring from office this year and I believe, someday, a public school should be named Sen. Christine Kehoe Elementary or High School!
We GLBT citizens of San Diego have just the same outstanding civic and community leaders and it is time they are recognized and honored as others have been. Interestingly, there is a Neil Good Homeless Shelter in downtown San Diego named after the second openly gay candidate to run for public office. (Al Best, our first candidate should also be recognized.) As chairman of this GLBT History Task Force I want to thank you all for your support for our Harvey Milk Street campaign, especially our hard-working members and San Diego LGBT Pride.
We now need donations to cover the new changed Harvey Milk Street signs … please send your contribution to LGBT Pride, P.O. Box 34366, San Diego 92163 or for more info. call 619-692-1967. Thank you. A special shout out and thank you to Councilman Todd Gloria and his great staff.
And, by the way, I think it’s time to get a campaign going to get a U.S. Navy ship named after Harvey Milk.
Children’s Easter Egg Hunt another success
A very big hug and thank you to everyone who made our Ninth annual Children’s Easter Egg Hunt another huge success with hundreds of smiling children and their families having a great Easter Sunday at Trolley Barn Park. Co-sponsors of this annual event were the Imperial Court, The LGBT Center/Family Matters and the offices of Councilman Todd Gloria, who made this all possible and brought so much joy to hundreds of these children. Thanks as well to: The Caliph, San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, Promenade Apts., Rich’s, Lips, Bourbon St., Numbers, San Diego Rodeo, Leather Pride, Redwing D.J. Melo, William Oyos, Ben Dillingham, Nick Moede, Chris Plato, Sherman Mendoza, Michael and Billy Weiss, Tom Ketelaar, Lambda Archives, Big Mike, Allan Spyere, Erika Odessa, Kaiden, the Bears, Robert Rodriguez, Joseph Grienenberger, the Firefighters Local Union 145, the Eagle, Jackie-O, Robert Gleason, Charles Haggis, Sandra Lawhon, Frank Noblietti, Evans Hotels, Meldon Miller, Maureen Steiner, Camille Davidson, SDMEA, Rick Ford, Municipal Employees Association, Fred Townson, San Diego LGBT Weekly, Gay San Diego, Lorena Gonzalez, and big hugs to all the volunteers, especially from Family Matters (kisses to Jane and Carolina), the Imperial Court members and chairs: Empress A.J. and Emperor Tom … please forgive me if I’ve forgotten anyone … as the founder of this event it warms this old queens heart to see such love and generous outpourings of support from both the GLBT and straight community.
Comedian Robin Tyler’s special show: April 19
One of North America’s most famous, legendary and hilarious comedians will be doing a one night only show at the American Comedy Company, Thursday April 19. Yes, the one and only Robin Tyler will do her outrageous show to benefit our popular district attorney, Bonnie Dumanis who’s running for mayor … for reservations or more info. Americancomedyco.com
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.
