Dear Editor:

After reading Howard Bragman’s latest appeal to end the boycott of his employer, Manchester Grand Hyatt, now that apologies, promises, and gay-related charitable donations have been made (in the aftermath of their association with a pro-Proposition 8 donor), it seems Mr. Bragman still does not understand a few important issues.

First of all, Mr. Bragman needs to realize it is possible to forgive while continuing to boycott. Just because an apology has been accepted does not mean those who forgive must agree to do business with the hotel in the future. Mr. Bragman also suggests anyone who continues to boycott his employer is not directing their efforts toward more productive community concerns, which is another false assumption.

Additionally, Mr. Bragman doesn’t seem to realize the damage done to the homosexual community cannot be reversed by mea culpas and matching charitable contributions. After Propositon 8 prevailed, homosexuals lost the equal rights all humans deserve, and Manchester Grand Hyatt lost business as a result of the boycott. No one knows if or when homosexuals will regain their equal rights, but Mr. Bragman feels the time has come for the hotel to start receiving business from the boycotters. In other words, he doesn’t feel the hotel should suffer any longer, even though he cannot predict if or when homosexuals will cease to suffer from inequality caused in part by the actions of the hotel.

Finally, Mr. Bragman doesn’t appear to understand the realities of the competitive marketplace. If a homosexual customer has the choice of patronizing Hotel A, which made an anti-gay mistake and apologized, or Hotel B, which never made such a mistake, how can he possibly expect those who boycott Hotel A to redirect their business from an entity that has always supported them, and to give that business to an entity that regrets its recent lack of support?

No matter how many times Mr. Bragman implies that those who continue to boycott Manchester Grand Hyatt are uninformed, vindictive, or have a union-based hidden agenda, his opinions will never change the fact that San Diego’s homosexual community has too many other options available to consider giving business to an entity that wants to be forgiven for actions that continue to adversely affect anyone who believes in equality for all human beings. His plea to “move on” already has been heeded by those who have moved on to hotels that are far more deserving of the homosexual commmunity’s support.

Vincent Ripol