Table of Contents
Dates
With Alice
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Alice March Membership Meeting
Monday, March 12, 2007
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
LGBT Community Center
1800 Market Street @ Octavia
Topics:
Discussion on Early Endorsements
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March Co-Chairs' Report
There is no such thing as a 'quiet election year' in San Francisco. As long as I've been involved, I still thought it could actually happen. There was only supposed to be one election this year. No statewide elections. No federal elections. Just Mayor, District Attorney, and Sheriff. Alas, San Francisco proved me wrong.
The first months of 2007 have been spirited ones in our City. Our Mayor acknowledged a mistake had been made and as a result, he's seeking treatment. For days, many speculated that there would be more sweeping changes. But, we've gone back to being San Francisco…..if he hasn't had enough lately, now Mayor Newsom is under fire from conservative talk show host Bill O'Reilly for issuing a proclamation for the 40th anniversary of the adult entertainment establishment Colt Studios. For me, San Francisco should be attacked by Bill O'Reilly for – or in his words – 'for being looked upon as the moden day Sodom and Gomorrah'. Kudos to Assemblymember Mark Leno and City Treasurer Jose Cisneros for recognizing Colt Studios and not backing down. That's just one of the reasons I love this town. I'm just glad we're back to discussing the issues…..
Onto Alice business, earlier this month, the Board chose to recommend early endorsements for Mayor Gavin Newsom, District Attorney Kamala Harris, and Assemblymember Mark Leno in his campaign for the seat currently held by Senator Carole Migden. As always when the issue of early endorsements arises, we weighed the pros and cons of making the decision. In the end, we made the decision to do so. Here are just some of the reasons why:
For the Mayor, someone we did not originally support in 2003, his decision to order the County Clerk to allow same sex couples the right to marry dramatically changed the landscape of the issue forever. By doing so, Alice should strongly support Mayor Newsom. In addition to the thousands of persons partake in the Winter of Love – this writer and her partner included – thousands of people were able to see who we are and how we love in a completely different light. By defending that decision, Mayor Newsom reframed the issue in such a way that changed it forever. On top of that, he's been a good mayor by championing affordable housing, bettering our transportation system, and more.
Alice strongly supported District Attorney Kamala Harris in her bid for the office in 2003. And she's been a star. She ran on a campaign to professionalize the office and maintain a better conviction rate. She has brought in prosecutors from around the country and raised the conviction rates accordingly. Of importance to this club and to the community, she organized a conference to train prosecutors on how to handle 'gay panic defense strategies' used as a defense to murder. This conference brought together law enforcement professionals involved in cases like Matthew Shepard as well as Gwen Araujo to train prosecutors from around the country on how to handle this so called defense. She too has earned our support.
No one has been a better advocate, supporter, and friend to Alice than Assemblymember Mark Leno. From his first days in office as a Supervisor through his years in the Assembly, he cultivated relationships and mentored leaders in this organization. He sponsored legislation – the Religious Freedom and Marriage Protection Act – that would allow two persons regardless of gender to get married. He has been a progressive fighter on the environment, public safety, and more. The Board feels strongly that Leno should be early endorsed due to his longtime relationship with this organization, our members, and his record on the issues.
The vote to suspend the by laws to allow for early endorsements will occur at the March General Meeting. The vote on the early endorsements themselves will occur at the April General Meeting. Both Julius and I are open to discussing any issues these decisions raise.
Rebecca Prozan and Julius Turman
Alice B. Toklas Co-Chairs
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Reese's World: Perspectives from the Editor
Technical Difficulties
but
Why Dropping Your Cell Phone in a Jacuzzi Isn't the End of the World
by Reese Aaron Isbell, M.P.P.
I am not one who is at all adept at technology. For that matter, actually, I'm not adept at anything even mechanical.
I've always had this difficulty. When I was a kid, my father used to try to get me to learn about fixing the family car. Uh, yeah… that didn't exactly work. I would stand there, staring off into space and wondering how long it would be before we would both realize that I wasn't attuned to the situation. I would try and pay attention. I really would. And I would think to myself, "Reese, you can do this. This obviously makes logical sense. It can't be that complicated." And then eventually, my father would ask for some kind of strange wrench or something and I would be lost. No matter how 'obvious' it all was, I was lost.
And it's not like I was an idiot. I knew things. In fact, I was what you called 'book smart.' I knew a lot of things. I just didn't know how to do anything with my education. I got straight A's in school, but I couldn't figure out how to nail two pieces of wood together. My family would tease me all the time about being smart at school, but having no 'common sense.' I suppose that was true. But the reality is, it had more to do with my inability to get a handle on anything mechanical.
I was reminded of all of this over the last few weeks as I had several incidents that were par for the course in my continued comedic-tragedy in all matters technical.
It's the little things, you know… My television remote control of about 15 years died. Well, it didn't technically die; it just kinda slowly lost function in some of the buttons. Sometimes the buttons would work; sometimes they wouldn't. I began banging the remote against the wall intermittently in order to regain control. Sometimes that would work; sometimes it wouldn't. It wasn't the batteries; it was the buttons that lost power.
Now, this meant something terrible: I would have to figure out how to buy a new remote control for my life. Other regular people do this kind of normal thing all of the time. So it shouldn't be hard. But then, um, yeah. After months of banging the remote control until there really wasn't much ability left in the thing, I finally made my way to the drugstore and bought a new remote control. I opened it up at home, looked at the book of directions, and stared blankly into space. I had no idea what to do. Yes, the directions are sitting in front of me, but Lord help me; I had no idea what to do. It was a lost cause. I put all of that away, banged on my remote control again, and watched me some tellie before going to bed.
Weeks went by and I would once in a while pick up the book and the new remote and stare at them both. I kept dreaming that it would work somehow magically. Finally I started to put the obviously-sensible directions together in my mind over and over again and I kept pressing buttons for some kind of Direct Remote hookup thingamajigger. But it wouldn't work. I kept trying and trying and nothing would work. So I put it away, banged on my old remote a few times, and kept on regretting my inabilities.
And where o where was my father through all of this? There are many times I wish he were around to simply deal with these issues for me. Because I have no clue.
Years ago, my sister bought me a storage cabinet and it came 'required assembly.' I spent months on that thing and the only thing I accomplished was putting the pieces back in the box. My father came to visit one weekend months later and had the whole thing put together in an hour.
Again, I don't get mechanics and I don't get technology. My brain doesn't work that way. But other people do. And thank God for them! Because if it wasn't for them and their abilities, I would be lost.
The point of these stories is that we all have our own abilities. In this diverse world of ours, we grow further and farther as a community when we value and welcome each other's diverse abilities and backgrounds. My inabilities at anything mechanical are softened by my father's and other's abilities to be mechanical. And sometimes I in turn enhance and bring some type of assistance to other people's lives through my abilities-whatever they may be specifically.
We all inherently strengthen each other. It really does 'take a community to raise a child,' not necessarily because none of us can't on our own, but because in working together and bringing forth each of our own individual assets communally we offer something greater.
Diversity isn't about being politically correct or just some buzzword. It's a value that realizes we all enhance each other more than we may know. Our community is stronger when we value our differences and utilize their combined power for the good of our own future. (It's kinda like the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers combining their power into Megazord; it really is.) Our coordinate efforts and combined abilities make us unstoppable and strengthen our movement. That's what recognizing and valuing diversity is all about.
Reese Aaron Isbell, M.P.P.
Editor
P.S. Oh, and yeah, I did drop my cell phone in a jacuzzi this month, resulting in its departure from this world and its return to the sea. And yeah, that's pretty much the usual for me with anything technical in my life. I'm where all things mechanical come to die. But thankfully there are people who know technology and can hook me back up right away!
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Why I'm Running
by Assemblyman Mark Leno
Dear Alice Friends:
On Friday, March 2nd, at events in Marin and San Francisco, I announced my candidacy for State Senate in 2008. I am running to offer voters a change and give voters a choice. The issues confronting us today are huge, from climate change to health care for all. We need new ideas, new leadership, and new approaches.
That's why I want to reinvent the office of State Senate. I want to bring together communities of interest to work on solutions. To that end, this month I'm going to initiate and lead a series of online discussions, what I'm calling "Communities of Interest Policy" talks. These talks will bring together citizens from Sonoma, Marin, and San Francisco to exchange ideas for addressing a variety of important issues, including transportation, the environment, housing, education and health care, among others.
I also believe people deserve a responsive, respectful legislator. I believe strongly not only in what I do but the way I go about it. Collaboration, respect, inclusion have been the hallmarks of my personal life and political career. And during my announcement, I outlined a series of pledges to back this up. Bringing people together -- not tearing them down, dividing them or belittling them -- is the only way to accomplish lasting, meaningful results and change.
A few have asked me: Why are you running for State Senate? "It's because you're out of a job," they say. "It's because you have a grudge against your opponent." Neither is true. Democracy is best served when voters have a choice. Without choice there's no accountability; without accountability there's no responsibility. We need accountable and responsible leadership. A contest of ideas, styles, and substance can only help, not hurt the process. If I have anything to do about it, this campaign will not divide our community. Indeed, I believe we will only come out stronger. I'm going to run a positive campaign. I challenge my opponent to do so as well.
So the race is on. Election campaigns come and go, politicians are replaceable, but our cause endures. I want to thank you for your help and ask you for your vote and your support. I invite all of you to join with us.
Mark Leno
www.MarkLeno.com
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Who's Afraid of a Little Democracy?
by Alice member Brian Leubitz
(This article first appeared in Capitol Weekly)
Nothing has excited so many Californians like the idea of a February primary. Seemingly everybody wants this to happen for some reason or another. But, in the end, the only thing that all the political wrangling on the date of the primary really has shown us is that we need real reform for the primary process ASAP.
With all the talk of the February primary, I wouldn't blame you if you just turn the page. But wait, hear me out: I'm here to discuss local primaries.
One of the arguments for the February primary that I've seen is that we have just become the nation's ATM. I would argue that this isn't solely due to the date of our primary, but also that we have few contested elections. In many California districts, the primary is the de facto election. If you want to challenge your legislator or representative, you have to do it from within the party. Until California's apportionment process is revamped, the primary is the only outlet for change in California.
The primary, since its inception, has been a source of conflict; it creates intraparty disagreement visible to the voters, frustration for incumbents and perhaps too much power for activists. But for whatever reasons that critics protest its use, it is hard to deny that the local primary is democracy in its rawest form. Hilda Solis was able to successfully challenge Congressman Matthew Martinez by being a better campaigner and having a more effective grassroots organization.
For a more recent example, see the once mighty Sen. Joe Lieberman, who was forced to leave his party because he was hopelessly out of touch with his base. Lieberman was able to use a quirk in state election law to run as an independent, but that loophole is not available to California elected officials.
Effective primaries should be forces of change in more than just name only; they should realign the interests of the representative with their constituents.
While some primary challenges are due to term limits, see Joe Nation, or political ambition, see Barack Obama, other challenges arise out of serious gripes with the representative in question. Illinois politics offers an interesting contrast with one primary challenge that crystallized an issue in the minds of voters, and one challenge that failed to gain any traction at all. Former Sen. Moseley-Braun defeated a Sen. Alan Dixon with a campaign that highlighted Dixon's vote to confirm Justice Clarence Thomas. Sen. Barack Obama's first federal race was an ill-fated and ill-conceived primary challenge to Rep. Bobby Rush.
Here in California, in 1970, Joe Cohelan was slow to criticize the pretext for and the prosecution of the Viet Nam War. Ron Dellums challenged him over this issue, and eventually become a stalwart in the Congress by more accurately representing his progressive district. It should hardly be surprising that similar pressures upon incumbents are arising out of the disaster in Iraq.
Primaries should not be feared. Rather, we should embrace the notion that our democracy is fluid. Voters should be presented with options on the ballot. If the incumbent has satisfied the voters and adequately represents the interests of the district, he or she will win. However, no legislator should assume that they are entitled to their seat simply because they have won in the past. When given a better choice, voters may opt for the candidate who believes as they do.
Some have argued that the party label should be a shield and that we should ignore malfeasance or the candidate's position on the "issue of the cycle."
However, it demeans our democracy to say that challengers get but one shot within the party process and then there shall be no more discussion. It cuts off the conversation before we even have a track record from which to judge. The argument goes that we should overlook issues of personal and philosophical disagreement to conserve resources. I agree that resources are critical, but are they so critical that we abandon our values? Or are values so fungible in the modern political economy that we will trade them for 30 pieces of silver?
In American democracy, we are only guaranteed a few opportunities to truly speak our mind, and for most Californians, that is exclusively through the ballot box. If we only have meaningless general elections, and our primaries are uncontested, do we really live in a democracy at all?
Alice member Brian Leubitz is publisher and editor of Calitics.com, an online source of news, opinion and political discussion.
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"Impact of Don't Ask, Don't Tell
on Military Readiness and National Security"
by Alice Board Member Jim Maloney
(Alice Board Member Jim Maloney's presentation before the Commonwealth Club of California's LGBT Member Led Forum "Impact of Don't Ask, Don't Tell on Military Readiness and National Security" as read in person by fellow Alice Board Member Julian Chang on Tuesday, February 13th)
THEME: "TIMES HAVE CHANGED"
Tonight I will talk about how the environment has changed since Don't Ask, Don't Tell was enacted in 1993, suggesting the time is right for a change in the policy.
In enacting DADT, Congress and the Department of Defense assumed the presence of gays, lesbians and bisexuals would adversely affect unit morale, diminish combat readiness and compromise the privacy of heterosexuals.
It is important to note that no academic or military studies supported that assumption.
In fact, a Rand Corporation study, commissioned by the Pentagon in 1993, found exactly the opposite: it predicted no adverse impact from allowing gays to serve openly.
EVIDENCE SUPPORTING REPEAL OF DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL
Current Critical Need for Personnel
There have been well-publicized difficulties in recruiting and retention
There has been a heavy reliance on the Guard and Reserves
We have seen multiple deployments & extended deployments
Standards have been reduced to allow recruiters to meet their quotas
A recent report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) showed that nearly 800 specialists with critical skills have been fired from the US Military under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," including 322 linguists, 54 of whom specialized in Arabic.
The 9/11 Commission concluded: "the government lacked sufficient translators proficient in Arabic and other key languages" to adequately prepare against future strikes.
Polls Indicate Popular Support for Repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Gallup Polls have asked: "Do you think homosexuals should be allowed to serve openly in the Armed Forces?" The percent of "yes" votes were:
In 1992 - 57%
1996 - 69%
2001 - 72%
2003 - 79%
2005 - 79%
In the 2003 Gallup Poll, 91% of young respondents (18-25 years old) said that gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly.
Civilian Agencies with "Combat Missions" allow gays and lesbians to serve openly without adverse effects on performance
Gays and lesbians serve openly in police and fire departments across the U.S.
There has been no reduction in "operational readiness."
No problem with privacy.
Federal Agencies with "Combat Missions" allow gays and lesbians to serve openly without adverse effects on performance
Secret Service
CIA
FBI
DEA
Defense Intelligence Agency
All of these federal law enforcement agencies allow gays, lesbians and bisexuals to serve openly.
An openly gay Secret Service agent can protect the U.S. President; yet an openly gay soldier cannot protect our nation.
Experience of Foreign Militaries:
Nearly all of America's allies support gays serving openly in the military
The U.S. and Turkey are the only NATO allies still supporting a ban.
26 nations accept gays serving openly in the armed forces.
13 Allies whose troops were/are deployed in the current Iraqi conflict do not ban gays, including:
* Australia, Canada, and Great Britain
* In addition, the Israeli Defense Force, one of the toughest militaries in the world, has long allowed gays and lesbians to serve openly.
Research on the militaries of the UK, Canada, Australia, and Israel from the Michael Palm Center at UC Santa Barbara find
NO impact on combat readiness
NO decrease in morale
NO mass resignations or recruiting & retention issues from allowing gays to serve openly
Gay, lesbian and bisexual servicemembers have served "openly" in the military in previous conflicts.
Gays, lesbians and bisexuals have served openly and honorably in the U.S. military in every war, battle and campaign since the American Revolution.
According to a report published by the Urban Institute, which is based on the 2000 census data, there are an estimated 1 million gay and lesbian veterans in the U.S. today.
There are many gay and lesbian service members currently on active duty.
The same Urban Institute report estimated 65,000 gay, lesbian and bisexual service members are currently serving our country.
One-third of service members say they know another service member who is lesbian, gay or bisexual, according to a recent Zogby poll.
Many gay, lesbian and bisexual service members are currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Some of these service members are Special Forces, Army Rangers, or other individuals who have engaged in heroic acts.
Military leaders and service members are increasingly in favor of a change in policy
General John Shalikashvili, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs from 1993 to 1997 when the Pentagon adopted its "don't ask, don't tell" policy, said in a January 2, 2007 New York Times op-ed that he no longer opposes allowing gays to serve openly. He says he changed his mind after meeting with gay servicemen. These conversations showed him just how much the military has changed, and that gays and lesbians can be accepted by their peers.
Shalikashvili cited the findings of the new Zogby poll, commissioned by the Michael Palm Center at UC Santa Barbara of more than 500 service members returning from Afghanistan and Iraq, three quarters of whom said they were comfortable interacting with gay people.
This article was quickly followed by a statement from former Defense Secretary William Cohen that supported Shalikashvili's statement and recommended the current policy be reviewed.
Shalikashvili is not the first former senior military officer to change his mind about gays in the military, though he is perhaps the most prominent. John Hutson, a retired two-star Navy admiral, says he believes the nation has undergone such cultural change over the past decade that allowing gays to serve would enhance rather than undermine the cohesion of fighting units. Other current and former senior military officers are speaking out in support of change as well.
All this evidence suggests the time is ripe for a change in the current "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" statute.
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Apply for the Civil Grand Jury in San Francisco
Your Opportunity to Make a Difference!
Are you a good listener? Can you cooperate with 18 others toward a common goal? Can you keep a secret? Does the opportunity to improve local government intrigue, excite, and appeal to you?
What is the Civil Grand Jury of the City and County of San Francisco?
Grand jury service is a voluntary position. Grand jury responsibilities are generally divided into civil and criminal matters - the San Francisco Civil Grand Jury investigates civil matters. The Civil Grand Jury is the only independent investigative body in the City and County of San Francisco. Composed of 19 citizens, it monitors the performance of local government. Recent topics for investigation have included MUNI, the Fire Department, the Police Department, and the Department of Building Inspection. By serving on the Civil Grand Jury, you have an opportunity to improve local government and make a better city for everyone.
How Does it Work?
Any US citizen 18 years of age or older, who is a resident of the City and County of San Francisco, has never been convicted of a felony, and has a good working knowledge of English is eligible to serve on the Civil Grand Jury of the City and County of San Francisco. Written applications will be screened for eligibilty, and candidates will be interviewed by Superior Court Judges. They will select 30 potential jurors, and the first randomly selected 19 will sit on the jury. The remaining 11 jurors will serve as alternates. Jurors are sworn in, and begin their one year term on July 1. Civil Grand Juries accomplish most of their work in committees and report to the full Jury for approval.
If you want a rewarding experience and the opportunity to improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of San Francisco residents, the Civil Grand Jury is for you. For more information, please visit http://www.sfgov.org/site/courts and click on the link for the Civil Grand Jury. Good luck!
Sincerely,
Jordanna Thigpen
Applications must be received by Friday, April 13, 2007.
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Alice
Membership Form
Alice B Toklas LGBT Democratic Club
1800 Market Street PMB#18
San Francisco, CA 94102
Tel: 415-707-2010
www.alicebtoklas.org
Alice Reports Editor: Reese Aaron Isbell, M.P.P.
Month of March: Membership Meeting, March 12
You can now join online www.alicebtoklas.org/abt/joinonline.asp,
or fill out the application below
Membership Application
Yes, I want to join the Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club!
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will be a new member
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Please send checks payable to “Alice B. Toklas
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Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club
1800 Market Street, PMB#18
San Francisco, CA 94102
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