Dear Candidate Faulconer:
You were recently spotted eating with an LGBT leader at a restaurant in Hillcrest. According to the people sitting at the booth next to you, you were being counseled on how to get the LGBT vote. The fact that you were asking for counsel around the LGBT vote illustrates that your record with respect to LGBT issues certainly has not been inspiring.
Remember, you voted against a resolution by City Council to support same-sex marriage. Then after Mayor Jerry Sanders’ leadership in moving marriage equality forward, you finally found the intestinal fortitude to do the right thing. Leadership is about doing the right thing first, not after the coast has been cleared by someone else. It is always of concern when you work with someone daily, yet you want to deny them civil rights. What did you say to your fellow Councilmember Toni Atkins when you cast that vote against her equality?
To be fair, you did vote for the City Council resolution that urged voters in San Diego to vote against Proposition 8. It was the perfect opportunity to speak out on behalf of LGBT equality but you remained silent. We appreciated your support but we also want advocacy. LGBT equality is the civil rights issue of our time and you cannot stand on the sidelines.
As a Republican, you know how maligned my community is by your national leaders. Whether it is John Boehner, Eric Cantor, Mark Rubio or Chris Christie; they all have stood in the doorway to prevent marriage equality or the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which provides employment protections for the LGBT community.
So you want the votes of the LGBT community. Let me lay out a game plan for you to even be considered. You must repudiate the anti-LGBT policies of your party – publicly. You must break with your major supporters like homophobe Doug Manchester. A simple statement like, “Many people who support me are just wrong with respect to LGBT equality. We may agree on many issues, but we don’t agree about the civil rights of the LGBT community.”
You must own your previous lack of compassion and understanding around the issue of marriage equality. I am glad that you have evolved, so we want to see advocacy. How about advocating against the repeal of the California Transgender Student Law?
As you know, California is the first state to pass a law detailing the rights of transgender K-12 students. One of the provisions gives transgender students the choice of playing on either boys or girls sports teams. It also allows them to choose which restroom they want to use.
Gov. Jerry Brown signed the law, AB1266, in September and it goes into effect Jan. 1, 2014. The goal of the law is to reduce discrimination against transgender students. Candidate Faulconer, perhaps you can lend your support to help combat the proposed referendum to repeal these protections. The signatures have already been collected, but a simple statement saying you think San Diegans should support the law could go a long way to getting the LGBT votes that you so desire. Unless you disagree with the law.
I know that your supporters think that if you can peel off some of the LGBT support of David Alvarez, you might get to the Promised Land. Your actions and policies will get you votes, not photo opportunities at LGBT events.
The politics of the LGBT community have come a long way baby.
STAMPP CORBIN
PUBLISHER
San Diego LGBT Weekly
Open letter to Kevin Faulconer – part 2 coming in January.
Gee I wonder what “LGBT Leader” that may have been?
Certainly couldn’t be Carl DeMaio, as Carl only pulled in barely 30% of the 92103 precincts in the Mayoral 2012 election, and certainly couldn’t be considered a leader of our community either could he?
Perhaps his boyfriend publisher Johnathan Hale, who drops Faulconer’s wife’s name like she was on a par with Nancy Reagan?
Perhaps one of the SDGLNs minions, who somehow have claimed impartiality in the last election after plastering their website with ” BooHoo Carl Lost” editorials and commentaries?
I only wish Corbin you had named names and get this out totally in the open for everyone to know instead of gossip and inference.
I predict a similar outcome for Faulconer in the heavily gay 92103 neighborhoods at the polls.
Stampp,
Mr Faulconer is only concerned about misleading and misrepresenting the truth to get votes from those voters who are not really paying attention. He saw no need to clarify the lack of funds in his supposed $1billion surplus his TV ads revealed. The money is not there and he admitted that this was the case when I asked him to pull the fraudulent commercial where Jerry Sanders boasts of the misrepresented surplus. Insteadhis response was to cock his head and say “Now why would I do that?” Well Mr Faulconer, it is the right thing to do. Integrity is important to all San Diegans.
The LGBT community deserves Mr Faulconer’s attention and compassion throughout his career, not just when it is convenient for his political gain. Stop misrepresenting yourself, Mr Faulconer. Respect is earned and integrity is pinnacle in this mayoral election. I am a Republican and you have not earned my vote.