It seems that hunting season may have come early this year. But before we fall prey too quickly to the San Diego Democratic Club’s all-too-trite metaphor, let’s remember one truism. It is sometimes said that the anger we have for others is really a reflection of the inadequacies we have in ourselves.

Last week, more displaced anger over the passage of Proposition 8 was on full display at the San Diego Democratic Club (SDDC), as it called State Assemblymember Marty Block of the 78th District to task on his recent absence during the Sacramento vote on Assembly Bill HR 5 / SR 7. The bill, which passed both the State Assembly and the Senate on March 2, stated the California Legislature was opposed to Proposition 8 because it was “an improper revision, not an amendment, of the California Constitution and was not enacted according to the procedures required by Article XVIII of the California Constitution.”

SDDC members, one dressed as a duck and the others bearing duck-shaped cookies, met Block at the Joyce Beers Community Center. They explained Block’s decision to “duck” the vote violated his previous positions which had earned him a 100 percent approval rating with both SDDC and political committee Equality California. The SDDC even voted Block’s campaigns, (both primary and general) as priority campaigns which by definition means that they spent extra resources on making sure Block went to Sacramento.

But Block did not come with the proverbial (duck) tail between his legs. Instead, he proved exactly the kind of moxie needed in Sacramento. Forget the duck. He brought the guns.

With Block were San Diego State Sen. Chris Kehoe and fellow State Assemblymember John Perez of Los Angeles, two of the state’s openly gay legislators.

Kehoe, who is no stranger to the SDDC, admitted it is a “high learning curve” for the freshman assemblymember. We agree with Kehoe, that Block will have a lot of work to do rebuilding trust with the GLBT community. Lucky for him, there are many issues on the table – protecting gay youth from violence, mental health, civil rights issues – and we look forward to him standing with us, as Kehoe said he will.

Perez, one of the co-authors of the bill, seconded Kehoe’s continued faith in Block, noting that perhaps some of the anger at Block could just be a residual of the anger many in the community still hold over the failure to defeat Proposition 8.

While SDDC President Larry Baza and former SDDC Vice President Tom DiCioccio (who donned the duck costume) expressed their disappointment in Block’s absence during the vote, do they really believe that, had they been given a crystal ball back when they endorsed Block it would have foreseen the absence during the Assembly vote and, they would have endorsed Republican City Councilmember John McCann instead? We doubt that very much.

Block’s appearance at the SDDC is testament to his character. Remember, it was not that long ago that U.S. Congressional Rep. Susan Davis failed to support the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” When the SDDC called her on it, she sent her community liaison, who appeared before an equally angry club membership and explained the nature of politics and patience. That liaison is now City Councilmember Todd Gloria.

Block’s explanation, much like Gloria’s before him, was understandable – and acceptable.

“I am an attorney and a former judge pro-tem. I can tell you this sort of pressure won’t get you far with the courts and is not a good idea,” said Block. “I preferred that the Legislature pass an amicus brief (a friend-of-the-court legal opinion volunteering advice on a pending issue before a court). I believe that all people should have the right to marry, and I have always supported marriage equality for the LGBT community, but I felt this legislation was flawed.”

The real issue at hand is the current environment of “witch-hunting,” or, in this case, “duck hunting,” that leaders of the GLBT community seem to be so fixated on in the wake of Proposition 8’s passage. And what the SDDC has decided is that it is easier to scapegoat straight allies than members of our own community.

This is nothing new. Kehoe voted to endorse George Stevens as the city’s Deputy Mayor, a Baptist preacher and former District 4 City Councilmember. While Stevens was a tireless advocate of civil rights, his views did not favor GLBT rights. In fact he worked tirelessly against them. But the SDDC never took Kehoe to task for her vote.

When Toni Atkins spent $1 million of taxpayers’ money in legal fees, even though she was never charged with anything, while health care and HIV funding throughout the city was being slashed, the SDDC did not take her to task for her position.

While both of these actions heavily impacted the GLBT community in San Diego, the fact is neither Kehoe nor Atkins were given the same treatment– likely in large part, because they are members of our GLBT community. Now, there’s hypocrisy at its best.

For whatever reason, some “leaders” (we’re more comfortable calling them misinformed zealots) in the GLBT community seem to think that hunting season has come early this year, and the prime targets are our straight allies who “ducked” their responsibilities to procure marriage equality on November 8.

But good hunters know patience is a virtue. Going in for the kill prematurely simply scares the whole flock away. And the last thing we need right now in the GLBT community, is for our straight allies to flock to the hills.