Dear Editor:

In his column in the April 29 GLT, Nicole Murray-Ramirez writes that State Assembly candidate Tricia Hunter “supports domestic partnerships and gay unions.” It should be pointed out, however, that Hunter, a Republican, is publicly opposed to same-sex marriage. A better choice to represent our community is Democrat Lori Saldaña. Lori has repeatedly spoken out in favor of full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals and couples, and Lori publicly supports same-sex marriage. If we want a representative who will vote for our full equal rights, then we should elect Lori Saldaña to the State Assembly in the November election. Lori is endorsed by the San Diego Democratic Club, which is specifically dedicated to achieving full LGBT equality.

Stephen Whitburn

President, San Diego Democratic Club

Dear Editor,

Several weeks ago, while watching the afternoon news on Channel 15 (a rebroadcast of KGTV’s noon news), I was horrified to see a commercial for Already Out Bail Bonds of San Diego.

The commercial shows a handsome white man in a small cell with a big African American man and a Latino. As the copy was being read, the camera focused on the distressed face of the white man as the African American and Latino blew air kisses to him and felt up his leg. I was appalled that a television station like KGTV would even consider accepting that kind of advertisement.

The commercial is not only offensive to me as a gay man, but is also racist, portraying members of their community in stereotypic roles as thugs and jailbirds.

I have reported the commercial to GLAAD in the hopes that something could be done to remove this offensive commercial from the airwaves. I also wrote to the advertising director of KGTV’s webpage, thesandiegochannel.com to express my displeasure with the commercial. I have yet to get a response.

The Gay Community needs to stand up to organizations that perpetuate old stereotypes, not only for the LGBT community, but also for the African American and Latino communities.

I urge you to call, fax, write, or email KGTV to voice your disapproval of this advertisement.

Richard Logsdon

Dear Editor:

“How in good conscious could any of us…reelect someone who would attempt to curtail the very rights and freedoms guaranteed us in the constitution?” To some that might be a tough question to answer. To others, it might be easy. For me, I fall into the latter part and think how could I not vote to reelect.

How in good conscious could I vote for someone who in 19 years of public service is a strong supporter of raising taxes; voted to raise gas prices as much as $.75 per gallon; wants to create 10 million jobs in four years while his family business employs most of its workforce overseas; or one day is proud to own several SUVs and then the next day claim that they are owned by members of his family and not him.

How in good conscious could I vote for someone who fell to peer pressure and threw his ribbons or his medals (which after 14 yrs of military service I did NOT know that they were interchangeable) over a wall in protest of the Vietnam War; or voted against every major weapons system that are currently being used to protect our soldiers all over the world.

How could I vote for someone who stated that Saddam Hussein must be removed from power then retracts his position when it happened. How could I vote for someone who voted against the 87 billion dollar spending bill, but only after he voted for it.

I am amazed how narrow minded and selfish people can be when they vote for elected officials based only on “what’s in it for me?” I was raised to think of how my vote and my actions might affect all of those around me. There are so many issues that are important to me and so far, only one candidate stands up for those that which I think are the most important.

I find it truly offensive when I am forced to defend my position and to whom I chose to vote for. I would never question your right to vote for whom ever you want to Mr. Schoenbart, so do not question mine.

Scott T. Sleeman

Dear Editor:

In last week’s issue, Bill Lullo wrote to express being “afraid of John Kerry,” professing ambivalence about his choice for President in the upcoming election. He seems to think that John Kerry has no positions clearly defined.

I suggest that Mr. Lullo is being disingenuous, and is not listening to Kerry or paying much attention to Bush.

I invite him and any other undecided voters to check Kerry’s website where the candidate’s positions on many issues are clearly stated. True, some of Kerry’s campaigning has an anti-Bush flavor, but considering the ruinous state Bush has led us to, it is Kerry’s patriotic duty to point out the deficiencies of this administration. Getting Bush out of office is more important than any other single issue facing this nation.

How Mr. Lullo could possibly be afraid of John Kerry and not of George W. Bush is incomprehensible. Kerry’s record shows he is a valuable and honest Senator who can be trusted, to look out for the rights and welfare of ordinary Americans.

Bush has, in less than four years, created deficits in the national budget that should frighten any Republican. I fear Bush’s Patriot Act – it denies basic rights guaranteed by the Constitution. I fear a president who wants to amend the Constitution to enshrine discrimination against me and my partner of 29 years. I fear Bush’s destruction of the long-standing good relations between this nation and many allies due to his single-minded determination to start a war that was unnecessary, based on false premises and for which no significant military preparations had been made. I fear the environmental damage promised by Bush’s decisions to gut the EPA’s power in favor of businesses that would rather pollute than preserve. I fear a Commander-in-Chief who has so poorly understood the importance of the Geneva Conventions that he has fostered an atmosphere of laxity in the military’s discipline, leading to torture of prisoners of war, that has allowed this country’s moral authority to be damaged beyond repair for decades to come. I fear a president who cannot recognize the importance of sacking his secretary of defense. I fear a president who was elected, not by the people, but by the partisan Supreme Court. I fear an administration that has infiltrated that Court to the extent that one of its justices refuses to recuse himself in matters involving his hunting partner, Dick Cheney.

Bush has accomplished one thing I would have thought impossible – he has made me nostalgic for the presidency of Richard Nixon. Yes, Nixon was a crook, but his crimes and misdemeanors were paltry compared to the outrages being perpetrated on us now.

Philip Darby