Dear Editor:

As a long time activist of our San Diego LGBTQIQAA community and activist for Same Sex Marriage Equality - fighting to repeal prop 8, let it be known that Hans Johnson and Carlos Marquez – DO NOT SPEAK FOR ME!

I do not support putting legislation on the ballot in 2012 and never will!

The time is NOW and those who are stalling action happening in 2010 need to step back and let those of us ready to do the hard work of fighting to get our civil rights back - DO what needs to be done. The majority of our community does support 2010 and the debate is over. We must move forward – NOW!!! We are Ready - Si Se Puede!

I am membership coordinator of S.A.M.E. (San Diego Alliance for Marriage Equality) one of the FIRST Marriage Equality organizations to vote to support California ballot legislation in 2010. Many more organizations support 2010: Courage Campaign, Love – Honor - Cherish, Repeal prop 8 in 2010, Yes! On Equality, Restore Equality in 2010, just to name a few. Many including people of color and Faith-Based groups ‘unofficially’ support 2010 and are waiting until the ballot language is submitted, within the next month to the California registrar of voters, before they ‘officially’ make a statement of support for 2010. For the record: Though Carlos Marquez an employee of The San Diego LGBT Center, The Center has NOT endorsed either 2010 or 2012. Marriage Equality – USA nor local ME-USA/S.D. one of the oldest LGBT Marriage Equality organizations has not endorsed either year, though they strongly support California legislation for Marriage Equality.

I encourage those concerned about Same Sex Marriage Equality and repealing California prop 8 to attend the S.D. Democratic Club discussion on Thursday, Sept. 25 at the Joyce Beers Room in the Uptown Center in Hillcrest. Meeting begins at 7pm, social time at 6:30. There will be a strong educational message why we MUST move forward in 2010.

Those of us who support restoring Same Sex Marriage Equality in 2010 please attend the Town Hall meeting on SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH from 5:00 - 7:00PM with Toni Atkins and Keynote Speaker Dr. Pat Washington at the Tubman/Chavez Center - 415 N. Euclid Ave., San Diego, CA 92114. This meeting is to elect the 3 San Diego representatives to the Restore Equality in 2010 signature gathering campaign.

California is divided into 10 regions, each region will elect representatives who will be tasked with communications to the greater statewide Grassroots Council while also coordinating outreach, volunteers and resources within their respective regions. Delegates for the Grassroots Council will be chosen at regional town hall events through the month of September. For more information: www.restoreequality2010.com/

The campaign to restore Same Sex Marriage Equality in 2010 IS happening as we speak, we ARE moving forward with the campaign – NOW! To those who are stalling for 2012, the discussion is over, we are moving forward and WE WILL have EQUALITY on the ballot in 2010. Step aside or join us, just stop fighting US - WE need everyone to win this fight for OUR LGBT Civil Rights! NOW!

Wendy Sue Biegeleisen

S.A.M.E. Membership Coordinator

Dear Editor:

I am extremely frustrated by President Obama’s inabililty to move his progressive agenda through the Democratic-controlled Congress with large majorities in both houses. In November, he won an overwhelming mandate for change, which included winning nine Bush states and sweeping in many new legislators, largely from swing or Republican-leaning districts and states. These new Representatives and Senators owe their elections to Obama, and should be willing to help him quickly enact his programs.

Obama is in an analogous position to a newly-elected prime minister in a parliamentary democracy who wins a sweeping election victory, like Tony Blair in the 1997 British election. The President should take a page from Tony Blair’s playbook. Blair proceeded to enact major planks in the Labour Party’s manifesto, without trying to reach for support from the opposition parties; he did not need them. As a result, the Labour Party enacted a popular record of accomplishments and is still in power 12 years later, having won two subsequent landslide elections.

However, rather than following in Blair’s footsteps following a landside victory, he has followed more in the footsteps of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who had to form a Grand Coalition with the Social Democrats when they and her Christian Democrats finished in a virtual tie in the last German election.

I urge the President to reverse course and start ruling as a strong, liberal Democrat who is dedicated to enacting the Democratic Party’s platform he ran on, a la Tony Blairs vis-a-vis the Labour Party’s manifesto. He should demand that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid insist on Party discipline and crack the whip on recalcitrant Democrats who resist supporting the President’s programs (e.g., Senator Max Baucus, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee). If he asserts his power and authority as leader of the Democratic Party, he can pass all of his programs without the support of Republicans, who will oppose all of his legislation, almost without exception, anyway. If he takes this course of action, he should be able to deliver on his campaign promises, and all of the newly-elected Democrats will have a solid list of accomplishments to run on at their next election.

Tedd Bunce

San Diego, CA