The economy is affecting everything in America, including our community. Joblessness in San Diego has now reached more than 10 percent. People, businesses and social service organizations are suffering. Let’s all be more considerate and caring about our friends and community.

I received a call from a journalist who writes for a non-gay, mainstream publication and is working on a major article on right-wing zealot James Hartline. He asked to meet with me, and I did. And let me say, “Oh boy, is this story going to be shocking.” You see, the journalist has interviewed some of James Hartline’s ex-lovers, former drug connections, prison cell mates and buddies, including neighbors and bathhouse honeys. What I heard is that these people really knew Hartline and had wild sexual encounters with him. Some claim they have had recent homo acts with him and prove it to the writer. Hartline has stated many times that he was one wild homo sex machine for 30 years. One Hartline sex-partner says he knows why “Jimmy” is not so gay anymore, and, according to him, it’s because Hartline was sloppy in bed and “hung like an ant” and was known in the bathhouses as “Jimmy the Train,” who, like McDonalds, served millions. The journalist has definitely done his homework, and Hartline’s ex-lovers and homo encounters have all checked out, unlike Hartline, who is known for lying and making statements without any facts. Recently, Hartline stated that born-female Latina and mother Carolina Ramos was a male-to-female transgender person. I agreed to talk with the journalist again when he is near completing his article, but all I can say is the real James Hartline will finally be revealed. After all, look how many of Hartline’s right-wing fellow-Christian zealots have been proved to have a double life that they tried to hide. It seems Hartline may still be “bottoming.”

Well I was a busy bee for this year’s 35th anniversary celebration of San Diego Pride. What a week! I rushed back from Nebraska and businessperson Kurt Cunningham picked me up at the airport and took me to the Holiday Inn on the Bay for the Spirit of Stonewall Awards. Former top presidential and White House aide Midge Costanza gave a rousing inspirational speech. Businessperson Sally Hall’s enthusiasm brought smiles to the crowd and Robert Gleason’s parents saw firsthand why their son is so respected and loved by our community. I am glad I brought up the idea of honoring “Inspirational Couples” in our community to Pride. Thank you San Diego Pride for implementing it. Early next morning City Commissioner Bruce Abrams and I headed for City Hall for the annual official Pride proclamation. While I and others spoke to the council, the best speakers were: Cheli Mohamed, Phillip Princetta and Linda Perine. Friday morning was the annual All Community Pride Breakfast. More than 150 people showed up, and my fellow Lifetime Achievement Award honorees Jeri Dilno, Doug Moore and I were the guest speakers, including this year’s inductee Sen. Chris Kehoe (outstanding number five honoree for this coveted award). Then I was off to speak at the press conference on “Year II” of the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel boycott. My fellow speakers Cleve Jones, Fred Karger of Californians Against Hate, Courage Campaign Chair Rick Jacobs and Unite Here, local 30 President Bridgette Browning. The boycott is now going global. Boycott the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel! Later that evening National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Deputy Director Russell Roybal, in from Washington DC, and I picked up Cleve Jones to take him to the Rob Benzon Foundation’s annual charity party at a beautiful estate that belongs in a magazine. Donald Trump’s friend Steve Miller took very good care of us, and it was definitely a “movers and shakers” party, with VIP tickets at $250. Earlier I stopped by the Caliph to present a special award to our 2009 Celebrity Grand Marshal, The Lady Chablis of Atlanta. She’s starred in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, wrote Hiding My Candy and is an award-winning entertainer. Around 11 p.m., Cleve, Russell and I decided to get a late-night meal at Saigon on Fifth and, boy, if those walls could talk. We gossiped, brought back memories and laughed our heads off ’til 1 a.m. The next morning was the parade, and I joined past Pride organizers and board members on the 35th anniversary float. John Keasler made us all sashes. My sash read 1974, and Jeri Dilno’s read 1975. Among those joining us were Carla Coshow, Doug Moore, Joe Mayer, Wendy Sue, David Manley and Connor Maddocks. I had such a great time with these respected community activists. After the parade I stopped by the Ruby Room and partied with Big Mike and Norma of F Street. Then it was off to Rich’s and its packed beach party, where I had a fun time with Nick Moede. Then it was nap time, so I returned to Shady Pines and was later picked up by Russell Roybal and Councilmember Todd Gloria. We headed to the Ruby Room and the DJ was great. Then it was off to a late dinner at Lei Lounge with State Commissioner Michael Weiss. I then went to Bourbon Street. While Todd talked to his fans in the huge crowd, Russell and I went backstage to “interview” the hunky, built dancers from Cancun. I didn’t get home ’til 1 a.m. again. The next morning I had Sunday brunch at Baja Betty’s and then checked out the San Diego LGBT Pride Festival with Bruce Abrams. During the weekend, I was taking calls from bar owners because some of them were being threatened with being shut down by some police officers for being overcrowded. After talks with city officials, it was worked out. I ended Pride 35 before Russell caught his plane back to Washington, D.C. The economy affected this year’s Pride 35, with business owners telling me some of them were 20 to 30 percent off compared to last year.

This past Pride Sunday, I hosted a private reception for Cleve Jones, founder of the AIDS Quilt and history consultant of Milk and Russell Roybal. Toni Atkins picked me up and took me to the event. The main reason for the reception was for Cleve to give a briefing on the upcoming National Equality March in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 11 and answer questions. National board members and representatives from the Victory Fund, Human Rights Campaign, National Black/Brown Coalition, Servicemembers Legal Defense Fund, National Gay and Lesbian Elected Officials Association, National Gay Chambers Association, National Pride Associations, American Veterans for Equal Rights and the National Stonewall Democrats attended the event. It was the most informative and interesting meeting. Jones and Roybal gave a speech on the state of our national GLBT civil rights movement and DC politics with the Obama administration. Thank you to businessperson Rick Ford, who hosted us at his stunning Bankers Hill home.

With all due respect Mr. Haas, I will not stoop to negative personal attacks – as you did when it came to my suggestion that Mama’s Kitchen and Special Delivery should consider merging. As chair of the City’s Human Relations Commission, I have discussed the growing homeless problem in San Diego (more mothers, children and families) with President Pro-Tem Kevin Faulconer and J. Scofield Hage, director of the San Diego Food Bank, who informed us of the dramatic increase of those in need of food. I have met with state and county officials concerning the huge government cutbacks when it comes to our AIDS agencies and social service programs. The issue of AIDS is one Mr. Hass that I have been involved with since the early 1980s (founder of the first AIDS food bank and hospice and Tijuana AIDS Fund). I respect all our AIDS agencies and their volunteers, but these are hard and difficult times that will get worse and all I have done and will continue to do is do what I can to help keep our AIDS agencies to stay open and, yes, make suggestions for their survival.