Letters

They fear the wrath of the NRA

Dear Editor,

When the framers of the U.S. Constitution placed a provision in this incredible document, stating that we have a right to bear arms, I don’t think that they were talking about assault rifles, semi-automatic weapons and lethal bombs! The real elephant in the room that no one wants to discuss is that the NRA (National Rifle Association) has tremendous political and financial muscle; to the point that even potential presidential candidates are extremely hesitant to propose new gun control bills, less they place themselves in jeopardy of losing an election. What’s even more bizarre is that many Tea Party extremists and GOP right-wingers back and support the NRA giving credence to this madness!

You may recall that not long ago the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) openly rebuked the Tea Party when they encouraged Americans to arm themselves with guns, if necessary to take back the government from an African American president. It wasn’t long after this open rebuke that Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and other noted officials and supporters were brutally gunned down in Arizona. When asked by Gifford’s father who he felt was to blame, his reply was, “Everyone in the Tea Party!”

Brothers and sisters, events like the senseless shooting of Trayvon Martin, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and now multiple persons in this horrific Colorado massacre, is only the beginning of future unprecedented brutal massacres that are looming on the horizon. There have been 27 mass murder incidents since the 1999 Columbine shooting and given the unfortunate current political polarization of our country, as stated previously, there will be surely more of these horrific tragedies to follow.

Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York recently criticized President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, boldly stating that they need to stop making America flowery promises and be more proactive regarding gun control. We also sadly realize that Mitt Romney, being a card-carrying member of the GOP will obviously side with the NRA, at least until he inevitably flip-flops in his predictable misguided zeal to pander and solicit more votes! We, however, sympathize and empathize with President Obama for two important reasons: the first being the irrefutable fact that no matter how he weighs in on gun control, the obstructive GOP right will twist, misrepresent and blatantly distort any measure of truth and insight he offers on the issue. Secondly, we understand his reticence and reluctance in initiating strong dialogue about America’s psychotic and criminally insane love of assault firearms because he is seriously enmeshed and embroiled in the political fight of his life winning a second presidency. But be warned President Obama! We are giving you a temporary pass until after you win re-election, then we expect to see leadership on this issue and results! But the reality is that after all the dead are eulogized and laid to rest and the other critically injured are released from local hospitals, things will go back to normal unless the American people demand that Congress put in place laws that specifically state the kinds of weapons people should and should not be allowed to own.

As an African American civil rights activist, I have recently seen billionaires and millionaires funnel untold millions into the GOP in what is most likely to go down as the most expensive presidential election in history. I would like to think that money provided to potential candidates would not influence our vote, but the sad reality is that many in our country are uninformed and completely oblivious to what is really going on. Countless bloggers like me have penned numerous essays, articles and commentaries that expose right-wing hypocrisy and the NRA’s blatant misuse of power and disregard for human life (to line their pocketbooks and secretly pad their off-shore bank accounts with billions), but still Americans allow themselves to be brainwashed by repeated politically-calculated advertisements.

The reality is that we didn’t learn from the 1999 Columbine massacre and I doubt if we will learn from this either. Oh yes, there will be an outcry from the nation for a short while at least until the NRA and right-wing billionaires bombard us again with prejudicial campaign advertisements that make us believe that voting for their candidates is more important than preserving the lives of our children, friends and loved ones whose lives and well-being may be in extreme jeopardy – just because they decided to go to see a popular movie at a multiplex theater.

TERRY ANGEL MASON

GLOBAL AUTHOR

terryangelmason.com

Why I helped organize ‘Turn Your Back on DeMaio!’

Dear Editor,

My name is Jase Watson, a 20 year-old straight LGBT activist and main organizer for “Turn Your Back on DeMaio!” (TYBOD). I would like to address both the misinformation being spread by Johnathan Hale and sentiments presented in a July 19 letter written by Joey Peña.

In a comment left on the shared post of his letter made to the San Diego Gay & Lesbian News Facebook page, Hale claims that he has “documented evidence of flyers paid for by the San Diego & Imperial County Labor Council [sic] being distributed along the parade route.” I have access to that same “evidence:” Signs, not flyers, with the text “FILNER FOR MAYOR,” a backdrop of a rainbow flag and a “Sponsored by SDICLC” disclaimer at the bottom. In Mr. Hale’s July 26 letter to the community, he claims that “labor unions helped organize and fund” the event. While “labor union leaders” used social networking platforms such as Twitter to voice their support of TYBOD, no labor-affiliated individual had any involvement with organizing the actual event itself. I was the main planner who spent various hours organizing the event in the 1 ½ days before the Pride parade. Furthermore, in the spirit of transparency, the only two grassroots sources of funding were from fellow community member Larry Tow, who donated $50 and myself who made up the difference of $7, to get four large info signs printed. Mr. Tow nor I are affiliated with any labor union(s), nor were we offered any funding from labor union(s). SDICLC did NOT organize or fund TYBOD.

The purpose of TYBOD was not to “tear down” anyone or cultivate “hate.” Kurt Cunningham was the envisioner with the idea of turning backs, a tactic of protest that has been used since before I was born, after repeatedly hearing community members and allies vocally “booing” DeMaio. Kurt saw this form of protest as more respectful than “booing” and disturbing Pride-goers spaces. The event was aimed to start the conversations needed to raise awareness of the facts. Far too many in the community assume that just because DeMaio is an openly gay man, that is sufficient reason to vote for him.

While I agree that part of Pride is about having individuals show mutual respect for each other, I believe that it is naive to claim that it is the sole purpose of Pride. Pride has a special and unique meaning to each and every person, LGBT and straight alike. Mutual respect is an integral part of good relationships. Hale has made a call for mutual respect of DeMaio, but how can DeMaio be expected to receive mutual respect from the LGBT community if he doesn’t respect the community himself? DeMaio has accepted funding from various “Yes on 8” donors and other anti-gay sources. According to an email dated March 25 sent from Charles LiMandri, former legal council to anti-gay group National Organization for Marriage, to James Hartline, an “ex-gay” activist, “Carl DeMaio specifically promised me, as a condition of my support, that he would not push the gay agenda issues.” Hale stated in his letter that Carl is “a fiscal reformer who had the courage to speak out when the City tried to sweep fiscal problems under the rug.” Why then will DeMaio not do the same for San Diego’s LGBT community? Why is he sweeping our local LGBT community under the rug with such promises like the one he made to Charles LiMandri?

Joey Peña in his July 19 letter quoted LGBT champion Harvey Milk: “The only thing they have to look forward to is hope. And you have to give them hope.” Harvey Milk spoke out on behalf of San Francisco’s LGBT community, as well as LGBT individuals everywhere. After being elected to his seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, one of his first priorities was to pass a (successful) gay rights city ordinance outlawing employment and housing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Dan White was the single “Nay” vote because Harvey refused to support a zoning bill by White in exchange for a “Yay” vote on Harvey’s bill. Harvey showed integrity by standing up for what he believed in. As a public figure, one inadvertently becomes a leading figure representing the communities that they are most closely tied to.

The main reason that I helped Kurt to organize TYBOD is because it is my belief, based off published facts and claims – specifically the promise made to Charles LiMandri – that San Diego’s LGBT community can expect no hope from Carl DeMaio, and that he is not the representation that the LGBT community deserves. I wanted to help those that participated in the event send a clear message: that we will not support any candidate that accepts funding from hateful, anti-gay sources and/or makes promises to remain silent on LGBT issues in exchange for political aid, regardless of their sexual orientation.

JASE WATSON

SAN DIEGO