Table of Contents
Dates
With Alice
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Alice Membership Meeting
and Endorsement Vote on Proposition D
Monday, April 14, 2008
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
LGBT Community Center
1800 Market Street @ Octavia
Update and Discussion on Anti-Marriage Equality Statewide Initiatives
Vote on Proposition D
(Alice inadvertently left Proposition D off the ballot during March's endorsement meeting and will be voting at April 14th's membership meeting. The Alice PAC has recommended a "Yes" vote)
Susan Leal Celebration
15 Years of Public Service
Thursday, April 17
5:30-8:30 pm
Don Ramon's
225 11th Street
Join Alice as we celebrate with our friend Susan Leal and others for her 15 Years of Public Service.
Alice GOTV Field Activities
Alice continues our tradition of aggressively supporting our endorsed candidates. The Field Committee is planning weekend actions every weekend in April, May, and that very first weekend in June before the June 3rd election. Contact fieldcomm@gmail.com to signup. See below in the newsletter for more detailed information on how you can help us get out the Alice vote.
Alice Marriage Equality Day in Sacramento
Alice is joining our friends at Equality for All in helping to stop the anti-marriage equality signature gatherers around the state from putting such proposals on the November ballot. Alice members will be traveling to Sacramento on Saturday, April 12. Please join us! Contact fieldcomm@gmail.com for more information on joining the Alice team on April 12th in Sacramento. Also see below in the newsletter for more details.
Support Tom Ammiano
Wednesday, April 16, 5:30PM
Medjool, 2522 Mission Street
Supervisor Tom Ammiano is our long-time San Francisco Democratic leader who has served the city nearly three decades as a teacher, civil rights leader, educator and Supervisor. Join Alice and the LGBT community on the 16th to help send Tom to Sacramento and ensure that he has a strong leadership position! Tickets: $50 Young Dem, $75 Individual, $150 Host
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April Co-Chairs' Report
A Dangerous Kind of Unselfishness
Forty years ago, on April 4th 1968, Martin Luther King was assassinated in Memphis. He had gone there to support sanitation workers who were striking for better wages and working conditions. He was 39 years old.
The night before he was killed, King made his final speech. We know it as the “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech, but King spoke of many things that night. As he moved toward the concluding paragraphs that would bring immortality to that night and that speech, King recounted the parable of the “Good” Samaritan, a member of the small, despised Samaritan minority who stopped on a dangerous road to help a non-Samaritan who had been brutally victimized by thieves. Imagining the thoughts of those who had passed the injured man without stopping to help him, King said the following:
You know it’s possible that the [others who had passed] looked over that man on the ground and wondered if the robbers were still around, or it’s possible that they felt that the man on the ground was merely faking, and he was acting like he had been robbed and hurt in order to . . . lure them there for quick and easy seizure. And so the first question that the [others] asked was “If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?” But then the Good Samaritan came by and he reversed the question: “If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?
That’s the question before you tonight. Not “If I stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to my job?” Not “If I stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen all of the hours that I usually spend in my office every day and every week . . . ?” The question is not “If I stop to help this man in need what will happen to me?” The question is “If I do not stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to them?” That’s the question.
Today in our community, we struggle with many issues: Who are we? Who is a member of this community? Should we fight for marriage? How do we feel about a transman choosing to bear a child?
Forty years ago in Memphis, King called upon all of us to “develop a dangerous kind of unselfishness.” He called us to give ourselves to the struggle for justice until justice is achieved.
So . . . even if you believe that marriage is an antiquated institution or, for whatever reasons, would not choose it for yourself, work with Equality for All to defeat those who would deny each of us the right of choice. (Consider joining the Alice “Decline to Sign” contingent that will be traveling to Sacramento on April 12.) If you question whether the “T” in LGBT belongs, consider whether those stone-cold butches who did as much as they could to live as men and those drag queens at the Compton Cafeteria and Stonewall Riots were fighting for the rights of all of us when they fought for themselves. In honor of the life and work of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and all of those who came before us, let’s together work toward developing our own dangerous kind of unselfishness.
Julius Turman and Susan Christian
Alice B. Toklas Co-Chairs
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Alice June 3rd Endorsements
The Alice membership has endorsed the following candidates and issues on the June 3rd ballot.
| Elected Officials |
| Congress, District 8 |
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Congress, District 12
April and June elections |
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| Senate, District 3 |
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| Assembly, District 12 |
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| Assembly, District 13 |
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| San Francisco Superior Court |
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Democratic County Central Committee
District 12 (Westside) |
Tom Hseih
Mary Jung
Hene Kelly
Trevor McNeil
Jane Morrison
Melanie Nutter
Connnie O'Connor
Matt Tuchow
Jim Weixel
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Democratic County Central Committee
District 13 (Eastside) |
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Reese's World: Perspectives from the Editor
Grammaristocracy: 'Ain't''s in the Dictionary, Ain't It?!
by Reese Aaron Isbell, M.P.P.
My 9th Grade English teacher Mr. Brooks had a deep baritone voice; he walked with a steady purposeful attitude; his smile was as big as could be. Mr. Brooks loved his students with a huge heart. However, he never messed with no sass or trouble or rule-breaking. And he was a stickler for the rules.
Nows, I 'member one time we were having an important debate in class over whether we all could use the word 'ain't'. Now, bein' where I'm from 'ain't' just 'ain't' some random colloquialism. 'Ain't' is a religion. Along with many other twangy, ghetto, run-down, ole-school, country-livin', all-colorful language which makes my people who my people is. (oh... 'whom' my people is, sorry)
Now, Mr. Brooks wasn't havin' none of this debate. He said 'ain't' IS NOT a proper word. I tried to argue with what I thought was the clearly right answer back: "'Ain't''s in the dictionary, ain't it? Well, ain't it?!"
That's when he told me that the dictionary was full of improper words that were often used in conversation but were not proper language for English.
Well, I ain't never had no use for rules. Why cain't we all just get along and be happy with lovin' one another with whos we is and not whos we tryings to be all the time? I never ain't had no use for none of that high and mighty highfalutin' rigamarole with peoples trying to pretend theys better than me or others just cuz the way we talk, or write, or live.
But as I grew up, I have learned that sometimes the rules of grammar are not really there to hurt me. I figured out that the rules can be there to guide me in to being heard and fully understood in the larger world of global communication. This allows us all logically to communicate in one understandable form.
This don't mean I ain't one for bendin' and breakin' a rule a time or two. And rules need to sometimes be broken. But it is important for one to note the setting within which one is-- not to stifle my creativity or independence, but to guarantee further understanding and growth. And if I'm in a setting where 'ain't' is the rule of the conversation, then I ain't gonna be stoppin' myself from lovin' my ain't's. And, well, sometimes, even when I ain't in the right setting I still likes to speak mys mind the ways I likes to do.
We Queers love to break rules. In fact, much of our existence is about breakin' and bendin' over... um, rules. And we ain't wrong to break 'em when they're wrong. We are not wrong to live our lives as we are. We are just as right as anyone else living their lives they way they are. There just have unfortunately been many centuries of anti-Queer laws put on the books by anti-Queer authorities who want to say we're wrong. And the tyranny of the majority has kept our full lives from being part of the rule-making.
However, unlike the tyranny of the grammaristocracy who put together the grammar rules many centuries ago as well; social, political and legal rules are mighty different. Frankly, bendin' our society's conventions are often the only way to live our lives and to be heard and seen.
Now that we are suddenly in the midst of joining in the rule-making by having open-LGBT politicians we are finding new ways to allow for our lives to be lived as they are- through legislation supporting marriage equality and other supportive measures. And we can show how the old imperial rules hurt us, and help those in the majority recognize that we need to be heard as we are, not just through the lens of the majority.
And ain't that they way it should be?
Reese Aaron Isbell, M.P.P.
Editor
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Alice Field Update, Part 1: Help Get Out The Alice Vote
Alice now has its full slate of endorsements for the June election and is ready to roll! We will continue our tradition of aggressively supporting our endorsed candidates and positions with a strong Field Campaign led by our fabulous Field Co-Chairs Rodney Clara and LaMonte' Bishop and Member extraordinaire Larry Handerhan. Contact the Field Committee by emailing fieldcomm@gmail.com and get involved in this exciting political season!
The Field Team wants to hear from you, and to know what interests you have in joining Alice in the field this spring. Volunteer field activities will include:
tabling
flyering events
phonebanking
precinct walking
...among many other opportunities to register voters and support Alice's endorsements.
If you would like to help volunteer for these efforts, please contact our Field Committee team by emailing fieldcomm@gmail.com to let them know of your interests (as mentioned above) and for more information.
The Field Committee is planning weekend actions every weekend in April, May, and that very first weekend in June before the June 3rd election.
Let the Field Committee know your availability by emailing fieldcomm@gmail.com for the following Saturdays and Sundays for tabling and flyering specifically:
April 5 & 6
April 12 & 13 (note additional special plans for April 12th below
April 19 & 20
April 26 & 27
May 3 & 4
May 10 & 11
May 17 & 18
May 24 & 25
May 31 & June 1
The Field Committee also is working with our endorsed candidates and campaigns to solidify a coordinated list of further volunteer activities and would love to contact you specifically as these details are finalized about how you can help Alice. Please let us know your general interests by emailing fieldcomm@gmail.com. Alice is strong because of you!
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Alice Field Update, Part 2:
Help Stop the Anti-Marriage-Equality Initiatives
Saturday, April 12
Alice is joining our friends at Equality for All in helping to stop the anti-marriage equality signature gatherers around the state from putting such proposals on the November ballot. Alice members will be traveling to Sacramento on Saturday, April 12. Please join us! Contact the Field Committee by emailing fieldcomm@gmail.com to signup for April 12th! More details follow:
Saturday, April 12
Sacramento Meeting Location:
SEIU-UHW Union Hall
1911 F Street (19th & F)
Sacramento, CA 95811
From the Campaign:
The "Decline to Sign" campaign is pretty simple, here is a general overview:
1) Training - All the volunteers get trained on what the main message is of the campaign is, the strategy, how to educate voters, and gather pledges of support. We also go into detail on how to handle potentially uncomfortable situations and how to deal with the paid signature gathers and their significance in this campaign.
2) Field - Volunteers always travel to specific locations in groups with a experienced coaches. Most of the locations have paid signature gathers that carry the "limits on marriage" petition, so our initial goal is to inform the public that the petition is unfair and please don't sign. Team coaches do the more aggressive work of directly dealing with negative paid signature gatherers, and handle any store management situations that may happen while out in the field. Ultimately, our strategy is to get the signature gatherers to stop collecting signatures on the "limits on marriage" petition or leave from the locations we are at, either way we are helping to repress the amount of signatures collected to get this initiative on the November ballot; 1.1 million signatures are needed by April 19 for the "limits on marriage" initiative to qualify.
3) Debrief - After the shift we all head back to the UHW Union Hall, to tally up our group's pledges, volunteers and share our experiences. Water and food and snacks will be provided at this point.
Other information-
The first part of our meeting will consist of training on how to educate and connect with voters and supporters, so please arrive early.
We will always travel in groups and have a trainer to coach volunteers at every location canvassed.
Be prepared for the possibility to be in the sun for periods of time
Snacks, water and dinner will be provided.
Morning and Afternoon Shifts available:
10 AM-3 PM - Coffee & bagels in AM; snacks at PM return
12.45 PM- 6 PM - snacks at 1; pizza & snacks at PM return
Carpools and/or shuttles may be available from Bay Area to Sacramento
Thanks for your support!
Contact the Field Committee by emailing fieldcomm@gmail.com to signup for April 12th!
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Alice Letter to Mayor Gavin Newsom
March 24, 2008
The Honorable Gavin Newsom, Mayor
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
Room 200
San Francisco, CA 94102-4689
Dear Mayor Newsom,
The Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club has been a longtime and enthusiastic supporter of your administration. We both admire and appreciate the work you have done on behalf of the LGBT community, especially your brave leadership on gay marriage. Because of your continued advocacy for LGBT issues, we were both surprised and disappointed to learn that your staff recommended that you not allow the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Historical Society to spend $250,000 during this fiscal year or for an indefinite period thereafter. We urge you to reconsider this decision and allow the GLBT Historical Society to use this seed money, which is critical to its efforts to establish a permanent home in the Castro for the country's first-ever GLBT Historical Museum. Moreover, we encourage you to place the GLBT Historical Society into the 2008-09 budget so that it will not be vulnerable to mid-year cuts that could jeopardize the organization's growth toward true permanency as a key institution and tourist attraction for our city.
We are at a critical juncture right now as the GLBT Historical Society is in the process of seeking a site for its permanent home and rolling out a much larger campaign to develop a permanent site. The seed money which was to be provided by the Mayor's Office was a key component to the success of the early planning for this effort, resulting in exponentially more private money to support this work in the coming years. Specifically, this money will allow the Historical Society to open a temporary space in the Castro just as the release of the movie, "Milk," focuses international attention on the neighborhood. This is a rare opportunity for the Historical Society to leverage an unprecedented level of interest in San Francisco's LGBT history and secure support for a permanent home.
We understand that the City faces difficult decisions in this year's budget. However, a small and timely investment now will create long-term dividends for the Historical Society, the Castro, and the City. A study by the Convention and Visitor's Bureau found that LGBT tourists are a significant source of revenue and that an LGBT museum would increase tourist traffic significantly. A feasibility study found that the museum itself would attract up to 70,000 visitors annually. This would surely benefit local merchants and bring new tax revenue to the City.
We also call upon you to join with members of the Board of Supervisors and place the GLBT Historical Society into the main budget for the City in 2008-09. The institution, a singular gem for San Francisco, has flourished for over two decades without direct budgeted funding from the City. With its dynamic growth in the past five years, the GLBT Historical Society has proven its potential to become a truly permanent museum, research center, cultural destination, and archives. Even in this time of economic uncertainty--perhaps especially in this time--it is vital that the Mayor's office and the City devote planned and substantial funding to the organization.
The GLBT Historical Society is a remarkable institution that is unique to San Francisco. Its extensive collections are an important reminder of the LGBT community's long struggle for equality and of San Francisco's trailblazing role in that struggle. Its exhibitions highlight the progress we have made as a community and give people an opportunity to reflect on the challenges we still face. As an organization dedicated to furthering the rights of LGBT people, we strongly support increasing the visibility of this vital community institution.
Sincerely,
L. Julius M. Turman and Susan B. Christian
Alice Co-Chairs
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club
CC: Phil Ginsburg (via U.S. Mail)
Nani Coloretti (via U.S. Mail)
Alex Randolph (via U.S. Mail)
Paul Boneberg (via U.S. Mail)
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Former Alice Co-Chair Rebecca Prozan on Barack Obama Delegate Race
Alice Members,
I seek your support to become a pledged delegate for Senator Barack Obama to the Democratic National Convention in Denver.
I need your help to make this happen.
As active and knowledgeable as we are about politics, I've had to explain to many what this vote is all about. So please allow me to describe this complicated process:
On February 5th, Californians voted in the primary election. California delegates are decided proportionally, that is by the percentage of the vote. Each congressional district will be sending three men and three women to be 'pledged' delegates at the convention. By being pledged, they are committed to vote for Obama or Clinton. The California Democratic Party has announced that there will be 2 female delegates and 1 male delegate for Obama, and 2 male delegates and 1 female delegate for Clinton from the 8th Congressional District. Registered Democrats who live in the community elect those delegates. That's where you come in.
To qualify to vote, you'll need to be a registered Democrat who lives in the 8th Congressional District (Nancy Pelosi). If you don't know if you live in the 8th District, click this for a general map. If you live closer to the border and need a more specific map, click here.
The vote will occur on Sunday, April 13th. Registration will begin at 2pm and you may vote and leave. The process will begin at 3pm. There will be a pre registration which will make it easier if you would like to vote and leave. Obama's vote will occur at 350 Rhode Island in Potrero Hill at the SEIU 1021 Hall.
55 people have filed to run, and there are two female slots allocated by the Democrats. For more information on that process, look here.
Why vote for me?
First and foremost, San Francisco should send lgbt representation to the Democratic National Convention. I hope I've made you proud during my tenure as Co-Chair. If elected, I will represent the lgbt community with Pride and Passion. And I'd be honored to be that representative.
For those who don't know me, I have been involved in local politics for over 10 years, working as a Special Assistant to Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr., a legislative aide to Supervisor Bevan Dufty, and currently as an Assistant District Attorney for District Attorney Kamala D. Harris.
During this time, I've been actively working in various democratic clubs, party efforts, and community organizations. I've headed such organizations as Alice, the San Francisco Young Democrats and the California Democratic Party's LGBT Caucus. More community related activities include co-chairing BALIF, an LGBT Bar Association. I have served on various boards and commissions, like the Jewish Community Relations Council, LYRIC (Lavender Youth Information and Recreation Center), the City's Recreation and Parks Commission, and the Elections Redistricting Task Force.
Senator Obama named me to serve on his lgbt leadership committee. I took an early and active role in his campaign, coordinating surrogate speakers, organizing press conferences and events in Northern California.
Why Senator Obama?
Senator Obama included our community in his campaign inauguration speech, on the stump, and addressing the African American community on Martin Luther King Day. His commitment is clear. In his own words,
"While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect."
I hope to see you on April 13th at 350 Rhode Island. The line begins at 2p, and you must be in line by 3p to vote.
Barack Obama Caucus
Sunday, April 13th
350 Rhode Island Avenue
2pm
Be sure to check out my website: www.rebeccaprozan.com for information as it develops. There will be some kind of event after the vote takes place.
If you have any questions, email me at prozan@gmail.com or call me at 415.377.0538.
And I appreciate your consideration!
Rebecca Prozan
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Former Alice Co-Chair Laura Spanjian on Hillary Clinton Delegate Race
Alice Members,
Senator Hillary Clinton has shown time and again her commitment, respect and willingness to fight for the LGBT community. She is determined, hardworking and knows how to work with people, on all sides, to get things done. She is a fighter, she learns from her mistakes and she cares deeply about our country, public service, and our community.
She has marched with us, spoken at our dinners, knows and has worked with our leaders, and has backed our issues. This is why I have been working for almost two years to support this amazing candidate for President.
And it is why I ask for YOUR support for my candidacy to become a pledged delegate for Senator Hillary Clinton to the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August, 2008.
Delegates to the national convention are decided proportionally. After California voted on February 5, it was determined that there would be 3 pledged delegates for Clinton and 3 pledged delegates for Obama. On the Clinton side, one female and two males can win; and on the Obama side two females and one male can win.
To do that, I need you, if you are a registered Democrat and live in Congressional District 8 (that's Speaker Pelosi's district), to show up and vote for me on Sunday, APRIL 13. The voting is quick and should not take more than one hour.
Why you should vote for me?
LGBT representation at the convention is very important to our community, and to the democratic party. I served with honor as the co-chair of Alice, ending my tenure in 2006. I currently serve on the boards of Equality California and the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund. I am also a member of the SF Democratic County Central Committee.
But most importantly for this race, many of you know of my passion and hard work on behalf of Senator Clinton- I have never cared so much for a presidential candidate! And that gets me excited and willing to work non-stop.
Specifically, I serve on Clinton's National and California LGBT Leadership Committees. I traveled to Iowa (for 6 weeks), Texas and parts of California to campaign. I organized numerous LGBT-specific and northern California fundraisers. I coordinated LGBT press conferences and GOTV activities. And I spoke at many Clinton rallies, becoming known for my Hillary cheers to warm up the crowds!
I respectfully ask for your vote on April 13!
Hillary Clinton Caucus
Sunday, April 13
San Francisco Plumber's Hall
1621 Market Street
2 pm
Please call (415-235-6048) or email me (lspanjian@yahoo.com) to RSVP. Please note that you may only attend one caucus on the 13th, either for Clinton or Obama.
Thank you so much for your support. It will be a great honor to represent the San Francisco LGBT community as a Hillary Clinton delegate.
Very truly yours,
Laura Spanjian
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Register to Vote
The deadline for registering to vote for the June 3rd election is May 19th. If you need to re-register due to moving, or know people who need to register, please contact us at info@alicebtoklas.org or go to the secretary of state's website to register online.
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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 April: Membership Meeting, April 14
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!
__$35 Regular
__$100 Supporter
__$250 Sponsor
__$500 Champion
__$20 Special Needs
__Other
__I am renewing my membership __I
will be a new member
__I am a registered Democrat
Name ______________________________________________________________
Address _____________________________________________________________
City ____________________________________State: ______Zip: _____________
Phone: Day __________________________Eve: _____________________________
Email: _________________________________________
Please send checks payable to “Alice B. Toklas
LGBT Democratic Club” and mail to:
Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club
1800 Market Street, PMB#18
San Francisco, CA 94102
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