Dear Editor:

We have just experienced an historic election; the first African American was elected to President of the United States. I was overjoyed, and wasn’t sure that this would ever happen in my lifetime.

But, this election was bitter sweet for me and many others from the gay and lesbian community. California’s Proposition 8 became our Achilles’ heel. The most upsetting fact for me was that 70 percent of California’s African Americans voted to ban gay marriage. African Americans know personally how discrimination and bigotry can damage the soul of our citizens.

Where is Jessie Jackson? Where is Al Sharpton? Why aren’t they outraged? Why does civil rights become a question only of skin color?

I am proud to have cast my ballot for Barrack Obama. We now have a President that remembers what America is about – life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I’ve never experienced a more moving speech in my life than that of Obama’s acceptance speech. I was extremely encouraged on how he made it a point to include every American, including gay America.

This is a time that we should all be rejoicing and uniting together. But as a gay American, I wonder when we will live in a country that is not separate but equal. I hope that some day soon – in my lifetime – I can truly believe that “Yes We Can”.

Hampton Shaddock

Dear Editor:

On April 11, 2008, Arnold Schwarzenegger here in San Diego announced to the world at the Log Cabin convention: “I will always be there to fight against that (Proposition 8).” At the time, he got a thunderous applause and a standing ovation from the audience. Only if we knew what a crock of hot air that was! I cannot tell you how disgusted and sickened I am by the deliberate inaction of Arnold Schwarzenegger. He made no active and visible effort, nor did his wife, to go out there and educate voters and sway minds away from voting in discrimination. As the chief executive of this state, where was Schwarzenegger since April publicly on this equality issue? He hid behind the state budget impasse for as long as he could as if he could not chew and walk at the same time! He had ample time to act on his promise and to quite effectively sway in 15 percent, 10 percent or even a mere 5 percent from Yes to No on 8. He offered absolutely nothing of substance beyond his lip service. Honest, decent folks in positions of power do not wait to be asked to engage in and to comment on basic human rights in danger of being stripped away from a huge segment of society. As far as I am concerned, neither Schwarzenegger nor his state-recognized spouse Maria Shriver has the moral compass nor the basic courage to stand up and speak the truth, on their own without being asked, coached, begged or enticed. I cannot wait until their good riddance out of Sacramento!

Mike Karim

Dear Editor:

I held a sign that said “Mormon Hate Out of My State” at the rally and march in San Diego on November 8, 2008. The “No On 8” campaign approached me and said they were concerned about my sign because the message targeted a specific faith which was against their campaign message of “love and equality.” They asked me to take down the sign and I refused.

Call it what it is – the Mormon Church, among other churches, was a leader in funding the Yes campaign, funding deceptive ad campaigns, and they stripped millions of Californians of their civil rights. Mormon contributions account for more than $20 million of all donations received in support of Prop 8. It is not Mormon bashing to point out facts – this is fair game in politics.

This is not bigotry against a specific religion; this is criticism against a powerful force.

Adria Stephanchick

Dear Editor:

As we redirect our anger, hurt and disbelief over the passage of Prop. 8, we need to look at how we in the GLBT community do things. I hope we will include in our review of last week the spontaneous turnout of 10,000 people on Saturday to march for equality. This event was started by a few people with cell phones and emails. It was fantastic. It causes me to wonder if we can take a lession from that Saturday event and change the type of Pride Parade we have in 2009. Maybe having thoursands of people in the street, marching behind a Pride banner of “Equality for All,” will be more effective and meaningful than the group/business-oriented Pride Parade we’ve had. I don’t know. Just a thought.

Bob Boyd

Dear Editor:

I have never been more proud of my community than I have been in this past week. To see the numbers of people turning to stand up for what is right is awe-inspiring and brought me to tears more than once. Though it saddens me a bit to see some of the battered wife syndrome going on as well. At the march on Saturday a friend of mine had made a sign that said “Who Else Does Your God Tell You To Hate,” and he was asked by one of the volunteers to take the sign down because it doesn’t go with the message of peace and whatever else the “organizers” of the march wanted. When we told him it was our First Amendment right he once again asked for the removal of the sign. People voted yes because of their fear of god and gay sex. Yet we are being asked to not bring god into the post election discussion? Doesn’t that ignore the big pink elephant in the room? I saw someone on MySpace say “My friends dying of AIDS didn’t get their meds through peace and happiness.” Maybe it’s time we go to the LDS temple in La Jolla or Skyline Church on Sunday and make our voices heard to those who voted yes. Have them explain to their children why they endorse hate while at the same espousing love for ones neighbor.

Sister Iona Dubble-Wyde

Dear Editor:

During the No on Prop 8 March on Nov 8, 2008, my partner and I, jean huy tran, were in a smaller group that went on a jaunt through North Park, rather than with the rest of the 7000 people that went to Morley Field. We left the park that was the “end” of the march along with a few hundred others and walked north, turned right on University, then left on 30th, up one block, then left again, back to University, then west on University all the way back to where the Water Lady store is. The motorcycle officers just let us keep going, making sure we were safe. They would roar ahead to the next intersection, block it off until we were moving through it, then take off for the next intersection. The crowd at the front was very much on edge … emotional, loud and almost aggressive. SDPD did a great job with this “mob”. I think things could have easily gotten out of hand if the police had decided to create a barrier to the group’s progress, or tried to be more aggressive. The officers that were present did a great job of assessing the situation and adopting an appropriate stance to the situation. Someone made a very good call on the spot, and diffused what could have been a disaster. I can remember a time in San Diego when things would have gone much differently. I am proud of our police department. The fantastic leadership and training shows through. Please express my gratitude to those officers who handled a trying situation so diplomatically. They are truly America’s Finest!

Steve Sallis

Dear Editor:

As much as I despised the tactics of the Yes campaign, the fact is their message hit a cord with moderate to conservative White and Latino Californians. At that juncture, we could not capture enough time nor money to catch up effectively. Of course, I am livid that our campaign “executive committee” ran woefully shortsighted, nor had any considerable seasoned and aggressive Sacramento or Washington political experience (until much later on).

But sooner or later, as a community we need to calm down and learn from our mistakes politically, strategically and organizationally and there will be a better day. Where do we go from here is up to us, not the Yes voters.

First, I like to say any policy fights with the Church (i.e. tax exempt status) at this time would be a wasteful one. There are petitions circulating around urging the revocation of the tax exempt status of the LDS; this is an exercise in futility. As a matter of law, the Church of the LDS did not violate the IRS code.

As I see it, we have two paths to consider. Currently, the California Supreme Court is hearing arguments to void Proposition 8 (led by Munger Tolles & Olson) that are legally sound and socially significant for consideration for a trial on the merits. I am afraid what Andrew Sullivan says is correct. He writes: “In my opinion, this brief makes a very good legal argument which, in a non-political context, would be pretty persuasive. However, we have here a hyper-political context, and I think the courts will have a very hard time overruling Prop. 8. Still, I think this is a responsible brief – if a dangerous and risky political move.”

First path: the ascendancy of a black man as President was not built in a day. If we use the same Referendum process, it must be done so in a politically feasible year – and only after we learned from our mistakes (which are more then a few), organize a grassroots effort (learn from Obama), and swarm a grassroots program through LA, San Bern, Riverside and San Diego counties. By changing the numbers in these counties would we realize opportunity. Identify the hard Yes and the hard No vote and work from there. But the fact remains, non-church going Yes voters are not ready to accept, nor understand, the issue from a civil rights perspective.

The second way is to take this new Constitutional Amendment, together with FL and Arizona and appeal to the United States Supreme Court on 14th Amendment grounds – which would be a less arduous road and less costly – but I suggest not in the next year or so, perhaps we will have changes to the top Court – hopefully on the Federalist side.

Folks we really need to take this time to think about where and how we want to proceed, not becoming emotionally intertwined with hating the Church or anyone for that matter - who doesn’t see it the way we and our supporters obviously do. Our time is not here yet.

Tom Mullen

Dear Editor:

I’d like to ask a favor from all of the people who voted to take existing marriage rights and protections away from their fellow Californians. For just a moment, set aside the arguments about school curricula and church exemptions and any other debatable campaign rhetoric. All I ask is for you to sit quietly for 10 minutes and envision the conversation when someone you love unconditionally – such as a child, a sibling or a parent – tells you with complete joy in their eyes that they have been blessed to find their soul mate; the person with whom they believe they are meant to share their lives, dreams and hopes with. Exactly what are the words you are going to use to explain to them why that, even though you fully embrace and respect the relationships of their opposite sex family members, you will neither embrace nor respect their relationship in the same manner; and that you have already denied them the right to their life, their hopes and their dreams. And then think of any children they may have, be they your grandchildren or nieces or nephews, and tell me again exactly what words you are going to use to comfort them when they come to you scared and ask you why you voted to deny them the same rights and protections of their cousins who just happen to have opposite sex parents have and in which they take great comfort. If Tuesday’s election taught us anything, it’s that hope, inspiration, dignity and respect should always trump fear, deception and political rhetoric. While you are sitting around the Thanksgiving table with you family in a few weeks would be a wonderful time for you to think about all this. Thank you. And God bless all of us.

Bob Bagnall

Dear Editor,

As an HIV positive gay man I am not at all surprised by the passage of Proposition 8. The same bigotry, intolerance, and prejudice displayed by the good citizens of California in the voting booth is the same bigotry, intolerance and prejudice that I and other HIV positive gay men have experienced within San Diego’s gay community. Bigotry and intolerance come not only in the form of Constitutional Amendments, but also in small and subtle ways.

Recently, at a local gay bar, a person I had just met pointed to someone at the other side of the bar and said “stay away from that one he’s positive.” Then there was the party I attended where someone raised his glass and toasted “to being HIV negative.” The other day someone said to a positive friend of mine “for my luck I will meet the man of my dreams and he will be positive.” And of course one need only read a few personal adds to realize that most gay men want nothing to do with those of us who are positive. I could continue.

Discrimination will now be enshrined in the California Constitution and the fundamental right to marry will again be denied to us. I feel I should be angry, upset or sad. I am not. The prejudice that I have experienced as a positive gay man in this community has numbed me. The callous words I have heard directed at those of us living with HIV, especially harsh from the younger generation of gay men – the generation that did not have to bury friend after friend at the height of the epidemic – have stung to hard. If I am sad at all it is because I cannot feel or share in the grief of the community over the passage of this hateful amendment because I no longer feel part of this community.

For those of you who have and continue to speak derogatorily about those of us who are HIV positive – under your breathe, behind our backs, yet right in front of our faces - perhaps you can take comfort in knowing that the majority of Californians are just like you.

Jack Hogan

Dear Editor:

Recently, San Diego LGBT Pride listed their annual grant and sponsorship cycle payouts on their website through their E-Newsletter. The organization granted out approximately $117,000 from the annual celebration’s proceeds. I was shocked to see the disparity in amounts that were given out to various organizations. To start, The Center received $68,036.00 in total. Not only were they given a general grant of $47,000, but an additional $21,000 was given to support specific Center programs or events. Of course The Center does incredible work for our community but I was shocked to see that large sum, compared to what some other organizations received.

Other grant amounts ranged from $2,000 to “Balboa Park”, to the very bottom of the list – the SDSU LGBT Resource Center, which received $30. Just above that was UCSD’s LGBT Resource Center, which received $32. Diversionary Theater gets $45, Front Runners & Walkers got $62, and the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force gets $75. Other organizations fared a bit better, all getting over $100, but the disparity is obvious.

What is an organization like Diversionary Theater going to do with $45? And poor SDSU with $30? I just feel like it is a slap in the face to these organizations by giving them such small amounts… at least $100 would say “we value your work and are giving you what we can”. I’m not sure who makes this decision or how the money is divided up but something is wrong when our local universities get $62 combined and our major theater arts organization gets $45, out of a pot of $117,000. I encourage these organizations that were shorted to return their grant “check” back to Pride with a strongly worded letter.

Anthony Garcia