Anchorage Gay Rights Measure Is Set Back by Mayor’s Veto

[Ohio Joe]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/18/us/18alaska.html?_r=1

Mayor Dan Sullivan, of Anchorage, does not believe in equal rights. He thinks it is just fine to discriminate based on sexual orientation. Fuck Him. Please visit the LGBT Civil Rights and Activism Group here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=412x128

To see what I told the douchebag and also to get his contact information and give him some shit of your own. Douchebags like this need to know they are being watched and that we do not approve.

[Blue_In_AK]

1. Thank you, Ohio Joe...

We still have the opportunity to convince the one sort of wavering "nay" vote on the Assembly to help with an override. The original aseembly vote was 7-4 in favor, but 8-3 would override the veto. Perhaps with a tiny bit of tweaking of the measure she could be convinced to do the right thing -- I remember when she was on the school board she advocated for protections for gay students and teachers, but something about this particular ordinance just didn't sit right with her. This has been a very contentious issue here since early in the summer.

My feeling from talking with people is that most people in Anchorage don't have a problem with the ordinance, but we have a very vocal minority of religious right nuts who wouldn't accept an anti-discrimination ordinance in any form ... our own little local teabagger/birther/deather faction.

Sullivan's veto is very bad for this city's reputation, though, and a slap in the face of the good, forward-looking people here, of which there are many.

[Ohio Joe]

2. Do you know who the swing vote is?

I'll dig up the contact info and post it so people can email her words of encouragement to do the right thing :D If not, I'll get all of their info and email them all :D

[Blue_In_AK]

5. Her name is Debbie Ossiander.

Here is a link to the Anchorage Daily News article regarding the Assembly's vote: http://www.adn.com/front/story/895268.html?storylink=pd

I was trying to find the quote where she said, when she cast her no vote, that she realized it was hurtful and that there were some members of the audience whom she couldn't look in the eye. She was obviously conflicted about her vote, and from the sound of this article, it wouldn't take much to flip her. This piece from Progressive Alaska might be helpful to you, too http://progressivealaska.blogspot.com/2009/08/monday-coverage-of-sullivans-civil.html

and all recent posts here at Bent Alaska http://www.bentalaska.com/ .

I would just ask that you be respectful to Ms. Ossiander, as I'm sure you intend to be. As I said, I think she was conflicted, and we don't need to antagonize her since this matter may come up again soon. It's not a battle we're giving up.

[Ohio Joe]

7. Definitely

I completely understand that the goal here is to get her to do the Right thing, NOT to antagonize her even remotely. In writing the Mayor, he already cast his lot and I had no problem letting him know how un-American I felt he was by doing so. I can also be a suck-up with the best of them when trying to sway people :D I'll be composing my email shortly and will update in the activism forum when I've sent it

[Ohio Joe]

4. Activisim Forum is now updated with Assembly contacts - nt

[joeybee12]

3. The city of Anchorage is set back by electing a putz...

...not the only city to do so, but certainly a minority.

[ccharles000]

6. k/r

[Ohio Joe]

8. Shameless kick

:D

[Nikki Stone1]

9. K & R

:kick:

[Ohio Joe]

10. One more kick for the night crowd - nt

[Ohio Joe]

11. Kick for the morning crowd - nt