Spitzer, Bloomberg, and Marriage
February 7, 2006
To the Editor:
Although I can’t speak with expertise about all the legal points made by both sides of the same-sex marriage debate (Spitzerphrenia,” by Anthony M. Brown, Feb. 2-8), I do know this: Just about all of our statewide elected leaders (Senators Clinton and Schumer, Albany leaders George Pataki, Sheldon Silver, and Joe Bruno) having come out against marriage equality. Eliot Spitzer’s unequivocal support of gay marriage sounds pretty damn good to me.
While Mayor Bloomberg has also voiced this same support for the LGBT community, the mayor’s actions speak louder than his words. He went out of his way, as Gerard Cabrera pointed out (Blaming Lawyers to Cover a Flip-Flop,” Feb. 2-8), to sic his lawyers on the appeal of Judge Ling-Cohan’s decision. He also vetoed the Equal Benefits Bill and the Dignity in All Schools Act, crucial legislation that would have greatly benefited our community.
The attorney general’s actions are vastly different. He took an oath to defend the laws of New York State regardless of whether he agrees with them or not. To do anything less would be unethical. The greatest point in all this is that come November, Eliot Spitzer will be the most progressive governor in New York history on LGBT issues, including marriage, and will significantly alter the statewide and national landscape for the better. The Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn has yet to make an endorsement in the governor’s race, but certainly, Eliot Spitzer’s on-the-record support of gay marriage will be strongly in his favor.
Gary Parker
Co-President, Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn
No Need for Stage Fright
February 6, 2006
To the Editor:
While the misunderstanding at the Stonewall Democrats of NYC (SDNYC) January meeting caused some short-term consternation and displeasure, I want to clarify the situation reported in Gay City News’ Briefs article, “Dust-Ups in the AG Race” (Feb.2-8).
Sean Patrick Maloney remains a member in good standing with SDNYC and continues to be a strong contender for our endorsement for attorney general. We respect Sean’s inspiring leadership, integrity, and commitment to advancing an agenda of equality and social justice, and wish him well with his campaign. He and I have traded apologies for any miscommunication that may have occurred and both his campaign and SDNYC hope to move forward.
Dirk McCall
President, Stonewall Democrats of NYC Broken Backed Filmgoer
January 18, 2006
To the Editor:
I was pleased to read David Noh’s reaction to “Brokeback Mountain” (“Closeted Romances” (Jan. 12-18). I sometimes feel oddly alone about this movie, particularly being a gay man who can’t appreciate all the hoopla about some supposedly groundbreaking film about our lives. I felt suddenly whooshed back to pre-liberation, as if we never demanded that new stories about our lives be told; as if we never said that we were sick of gay tragic love stories where the homo ends up alone, or dead, or worse yet beaten to death. I agree that it is a straight vision of a gay love story, and they couldn’t bring to it the nuances a gay team could have. It wasn’t very homoerotic either, and I also agree about their peculiar love-making which only straights would envision. “Tongues Untied” was a true groundbreaking film about 15 years ago or more, and this is the best Hollywood can dream up? It’s rather depressing actually.
Thank you for having the courage to voice your undoubtedly unpopular opinion.
Garrison Botts
New York City
WRITE US!
Please address letters to the editor to
Or fax them to 646-452-2501
Or mail them to 487 Greenwich St., Suite 6A, New York City 10013.
You must include your phone number, which will be use for confirmation purposes only. The editors reserve the right to edit all letters due to space constraints.
gaycitynews.com
