Finally more and more Americans are waking up to the fact that Iraq is a “Vietnam II”…. It is time NOW to bring our troops home… almost 2,000 have already been killed…. We must all begin to speak out and get our young men and women out of there.

I am very proud of our community for the over 200 people who turned out for last week’s mayoral debate at The Center, co sponsored by the Gay & Lesbian Times. Moderator Michael Portantino did a solid job, and handled all the candidates fairly. The majority of the crowd was for Donna Frye, but Jerry Sanders held his own and has obvious support in our community.

My suggestion is that these candidate forums invite only the top three or four contenders (by the most recent poll numbers), as some of the candidates, we all know, have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning.

Our GLBT community has become a very important and powerful constituency, and the attendance of frontrunners Frye, Sanders and Steve Francis proved it.

This past Monday morning, I actually woke up at 6:30 a.m. for a 7:30 a.m. breakfast in the Gaslamp Quarter hosted by mayoral candidate Donna Frye…. It was a meeting of some of our city’s most well-known Latino leaders, as well as political and community activists, and Frye was very well received.

You cannot help but respect and admire Donna as she truly is about “people power,” and understands the problems of common citizens and families (she used to do everything from bussing tables to being a maid). I gave her a financial contribution, and I believe that every GLBT citizen who can (yes, even those supporting Jerry Sanders or Steve Francis) owes it to her to send a campaign contribution for her courageous stands on same-sex marriage, needle exchange, the Boy Scout land lease and compassionate marijuana use. Her actions against so many closed City Council meetings and her approach to opening up City Hall for all citizens makes her truly one of the most populist and “power to the people” candidates in San Diego history.

Yes, I still have not officially endorsed Donna, Jerry or Steve because my number-one concern is who will turn this city around in the financial mess it is in, and I’m not sure at this time who that candidate is.

In a major setback for Donna Frye, the only council member that supported her for mayor in the last election has withdrawn that endorsement. Many times Toni Atkins publicly addressed Frye as the “truly elected mayor,” but now there are no such high praises.

Rumors are that Atkins will endorse Jerry Sanders if he makes it out of the primary, which many feel he will. State Senator Chris Kehoe has, at this time, still not endorsed Donna Frye, either…. Our two other elected GLBT officials have endorsed Jerry Sanders.

Mayor of La Cañada Flintridge and candidate for state Assembly Anthony Portantino was attacked recently in one of his local city papers for being a candidate who is “promoting homosexual policies” and for being a strong advocate and supporter of GLBT issues.

Anthony, the younger brother of our own Michael Portantino, was the guest of honor in San Diego at a GLBT fundraiser for his campaign a few months ago. I spoke with Mayor Portantino, and he said he would not back away one inch in his belief that all Californians should have full equality.

As the close vote on a recent GLBT equality bill has proven, we need all the friends and allies we can get, and Anthony Portantino deserves our full support.

Look out San Diego, as MM Productions is planning 2005 Pride events all weekend long that will knock your socks off, and where all the hot men will be. Friday, July 29, there will be a dance cruise, and another boat will be a leather cruise. The main event will be at the new House of Blues, with DJ Kimberly S. ’til 4:00 a.m. Popular Michael Mack will be your host for the hottest Pride parties in San Diego…. For tickets or more information, call (619) 291-0173.

The many friends of popular bar owner and community contributor Robi Cox are throwing a birthday bash for him next Tuesday, June 28, starting at 8:00 p.m., and you’re all invited… there will be food, entertainment and lots of fun and surprises (this is not a benefit). Coco LaChine, Franceska, Dr. Greg Scott and I will be your hosts…. See you all at Bacchus House next Tuesday night.