‘Il Duce’ of San Diego?

I’ve been enjoying my stay in San Diego with lots of rest and catching up with friends. In a few weeks I’ll be off to Fort Worth, Texas, but I’m loving our San Diego; it’s good to be home for a while.

Mr. Luhnow, why GLBT over LGBT?

I was truly taken back, when I read the recent issue of the GSDBA’s monthly business newsmagazine. I have the highest respect for its executive director, Tom Luhnow, who has done an outstanding job in taking the GSDBA to the next level of professionalism with one of the largest memberships ever.

But, in Mr. Luhnow’s editorial page, he stated that he tried to get me to use LGBT instead of the now GLBT Historic Task Force of San Diego County. He said I would not budge. With all due respect, Mr. Luhnow, why haven’t you gotten your organization to change its tagline as, and I quote, “San Diego’s Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce” that you have used for decades. Since this is so important to you, have you ever tried to get your board to change this or have they, too, refused to “budge?”

Our nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization is still called “The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.” In the 1970s, the first civil rights organization was called the National Gay Rights Lobby. (I was elected to both national boards in Washington, D.C.)

I’ve been an activist, now, going on more than 45 years. First, we were “Homosexuals;” then, “Gay;” then “Gay and Lesbian;” then “Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender.”

I use GLBT because of its historic value. In your editorial, you never even mention that I explain this at our meeting and, in fact, one of our members, Susan Jester, founder of San Diego AIDS Walk and the first mayoral appointee, calls herself a “gay woman.” You say, Mr. Luhnow, that you have studies and data that prove your point. Well, there are many other studies and surveys that state a lot of our community just want to be called “Gay.” Some call themselves “Queer” and “Questioning.” There is no disrespect, in my usually using “GLBT.” It’s my personal choice, and I respect others’ different choices. You, sir, have portrayed me in a false light and get your own organization to change its name before you start preaching to others.

To me, we are one family and the GLBT Historic Society will continue to do its work in preserving our community’s place as other communities do. Thank you.

Why did Carl DeMaio lose the gay, Latino and black vote?

The saying goes, “Who knows you better than your own community.” Well, Carl DeMaio lost the vote of every gay, Latino and African American. In newspaper article after newspaper article, DeMaio has been called, and I quote, “Divisive, liar, psycho, bully, etc, etc.”

Even our popular mayor, Jerry Sanders, has stated that Carl DeMaio is “all bullshit.” Every GLBT elected official has refused to endorse DeMaio.

But, Carl DeMaio did carry 80 percent of the Tea Party voters and 90 percent of the radical religious right-wing.

What’s wrong with this picture? A vast majority of our GLBT leaders, including Todd Gloria, Chris Kehoe, Toni Atkins, etc have endorsed Bob Filner for mayor. Why? Because, as president of the school board, Filner brought people together; just as he did as deputy mayor of San Diego and as chairman and now ranking member of the Congressional Veterans Committee.

Some people have told me, they feel that it’s a race between Mussolini and Richard Daley. Well, we need a mayor who will bring us together and will be a mayor for all San Diegans.

Carl DeMaio has poured millions of dollars these last few years on politics and ran some of the ugliest and most negative ads ever. Carl DeMaio is Mitt Romney. Do your homework before you vote.

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.

2 thoughts on “‘Il Duce’ of San Diego?

  1. Once upon a time, Gay Men respected Lesbians and we fought together for Equal Rights. This discussion ‘Lesbian and Gay vs. Gay and Lesbian’ has been happening since the Stonewall era. After I came out in 1976 and joined the fight for Equality, I was involved in many, many of these discussions. Back then when folk used/heard the term Gay, one thought of just Gay Men. With the birth of the Feminist Movement, Lesbians began saying what about us! We are invisible in the work that we are all do for Gay rights and we aren’t seen or acknowledged. We are also Feminists fighting for the Equal Rights of Women too. Equal pay for equal work, Women’s health care, keeping our children, pro-choice, dress codes in the work place (having to wear make up, dresses, heels etc. or be fired), violence against Women – just to name a few of our Lesbian Feminist issues. Some Gay Men in that time ‘got it’ and agreed that Lesbian and Gay was the correct term to refer to our community. By listing Lesbian first – this drew attention to the additional issues Lesbians/Women were fighting for. The Feminist Gay Men also joined in the fight for Women’s Rights. Unfortunately, we have lost many of our Feminist Gay Brothers to AIDs and their Feminist views are in the minority now. In support of the idea to list Lesbian first, The San Diego Gay Center changed it’s name to The San Diego Lesbian and Gay Men’s Community Center, as did many other organizations at that time. This was before the idea of ‘all inclusive’ community and the addition of Bi, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and others…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *