Well fans and foes, my new Web site and blog are still being worked on and will be up soon. POP! POP! POP! (People, Opinions and Politics) will definitely be up next week. I promise in my column next week I will have my site name and all the information about the launch of POP! POP! POP!.

Maybe this is a generation gap issue or something. First, younger gays started using the word “queer” to describe themselves and now some are trying to use the word “faggots” to self-identify. I think these words send mixed signals to straight people. I come from a time when these words were used as hate speech against GLBT individuals by straight people. For many people who have been beaten and killed by homophobes, these were the last words they heard. Black people and black organizations do not use the “n” word to describe themselves. As chair of the city’s Human Relations Commission, I am being asked by teachers, school officials and city leaders why people in our community use the words “queer” and “faggot,” and then turn around and demand straight people be reprimanded for using the same words. These words are considered hate speech by many school officials, but now even attorneys are telling me the case can be made to not classify the words as hate speech because members of our community use them to describe themselves. I respect and love the energy and openness of our younger GLBT generation, but I and many of the elder members and seniors in the community who were around in the ’60s and ’70s do not like these words and have been very hurt by them.

The stately Queen Mary in Long Beach was the site of the 27th annual Lambda Democratic Club’s Human Rights Banquet. I was honored to be asked to present an award and give a speech in honor of longtime Latino/gay activist Frank Rubio, president of Consolidated Association of Pride (CAP). I also presented an award to the beautiful Denise Penn, a respected and outstanding journalist. Both Denise and Frank have been dear friends for a long time. This event was great, with an almost sold-out room. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom was also honored and I had some great conversations with him. He is, of course, looking to run for governor.

Long Beach’s GLBT community should be proud, as I’ve seen it grow since the ’70s, when it was a sleepy Navy town, much like San Diego. Now, it’s a beautiful, diverse city. Congratulations to all the Lambda Democratic honorees!

Another of my longtime pals, the founder of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, Cleve Jones, will be celebrating his 42nd birthday this Saturday, Oct. 11 (rightfully, on National Coming Out Day!). I had a conversation with Cleve this past Monday in Palm Springs, where he lives, and we had a great time talking about many of our longtime friends and different events. Though Cleve is a historic national figure in our community, he has always kept his sense of humor. Cleve will be in the film Milk, based on Harvey Milk’s life, which will be released soon. Also, Cleve will be in San Diego on Dec. 13 to receive the first annual Lambda Archives Lifetime Achievement Award.

This past issue of the Gay & Lesbian Times, the cover story was about GLBT History Month and focused on 31 remarkable people/heroes of the GLBT community and movement. All names were provided by the Equality Forum board of directors, and only three of the honorees were people of color. None were Latino or Asian Pacific Islander. What’s wrong with this picture?

Trust me, white GLBT people weren’t the only ones to shape our community and make a difference in the movement. At Stonewall, there were mostly people of color and the first openly gay person to run for public office in America was Latino.

Yes, right here in a North Park Catholic church on Sunday, a priest at mass told his parishioners it was their “moral duty” to vote “yes” on Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that would ban same-sex marriage. When he asked if anyone was voting “no” on Proposition 8, a straight, married woman named Raquel stood up, and the angry priest zeroed in on her. He told her fellow Catholics to pray for her. I had a talk with Raquel and will be giving her information on a more progressive Catholic church. The cold, hard fact is, every Sunday priests, ministers, preachers and reverends are urging their congregations to vote “yes” on Proposition 8.

Our brothers and sisters who live and work in the North County (and there are thousands!) will be celebrating National Coming Out Day this Saturday, Oct. 11, in Oceanside, and I urge you all to support them from 3-7 p.m. Bravo to the North County LGBT Coalition for all its leadership and hard work. For more information on this wonderful event, visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com/links/1085. Isn’t it great that our community is everywhere?

Lots of people showed up at City Hall this past Tuesday when the City Council named it Midge Costanza Day in San Diego. Among the VIPs were Mayor Jerry Sanders, former Congressmember Lynn Schenck, and many deputy district attorneys and city leaders. Midge is truly a historic figure in our nation, and was one of the first women to be named a special assistant to the President of the United States of America (under President Jimmy Carter). She was also the first woman to have an official office in the West Wing of the White House. She has served governors and senators, and a number of other public officials, including Robert Kennedy, and she has devoted her life to social justice for all, in particular equality for women.

Midge Costanza is truly a living legend and we all love her!

This year’s Nightmare on Normal Street on Halloween Night (Oct. 31) will give away big prizes, including $1,000 to the costume contest winner and 10, yes 10, $100 F Street Bookstore gift certificates will be given to 10 costume contest participants. Plus, there will be more cash and prizes!

Community activist Ian Trowbridge successfully won a restraining order protecting taxpayers’ interest and money Monday blocking the $100,350 severance pay that was going to be paid to Carolyn Smith, the fired president of the Southeastern Economic Development Corporation. Smith had granted $872,404 in bonuses and extra pay to herself and SEDC staff, unbeknownst to city officials.

Join Rivers will be on stage at the Birch North Park Theatre performing her one-woman show “A Brief Intercourse” at 8 p.m. The show will benefit “No On Prop 8” to raise funds to defeat the November ballot initiative to ban same-sex marriage. VIP packages are available and include a meet and greet and photo with Rivers, as well as dinner at Hawthorn’s Restaurant and Lounge and VIP seating. General admission ticket prices are $53, $78, $103. Birch North Park Theatre is located at 2891 University Ave. For more information and a link to purchase tickets, visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com/links/1085.