Dear Editor:

It’s time the Gay and Lesbian Community take some responsibility for the state of our city. If we are to mature and be truly effective we must stop giving free passes to elected officials and their organizational partners simply because they are Gay and Lesbian.

It’s always amusing to hear Toni Atkins lament the lack of parking in “village” Hillcrest as she recently did right before her approval of the 301 University Project. Her rationale to trade a 9-story building for 100 parking spots most of which would go toward visitors and its own retail spaces is disingenuous at best.

This is especially puzzling since her current Chief-Of-Staff, Jeffrey Tom, was Executive Director of Uptown Partnership (www.uptownpartnership.org) whose sole mission is to provide parking in Hillcrest. In 10 years, despite handsome salaries, a large staff, jazzy website, many volunteers and generous grants this organization has not produced 1 new parking space in all of Hillcrest.

How are they funded and where has all the money gone? And why is it so ineffectual that Hillcrest is more deserted, dangerous, homeless and hopeless with each passing day? Perhaps, it’s finally time to hold Toni and this organization responsible and let more qualified people take the lead to actually create the much hyped “Village Hillcrest.”

Steve Nossan

Dear Editor:

I am completely puzzled by your attacks against Ms. Atkins. Over the past six years she has served her District in an admirable fashion. I would have expected your publication to be leading her parade of supporters, not attacking the hand that feeds you. No lawyer worth his salt would let Ms. Atkins or any of the other Councilmembers hold an interview with you to discuss matters in litigation. Your innuendo that because she won’t meet with you she is not coming clean with the “community” is nothing more than the politics you claim you are not playing! Are you trying to play “divide and conquer” as in George W. politics in an election year? I can assure you, I don’t live in her District, but I have watched her over the years and have nothing but admiration for her careful, deliberative approach.

The Kroll report was an overpriced CYA letter for KPMG that failed to mention the reasons for the “culture” at City Hall are embedded in term limits. On the one hand, the voters want a non-political “independent” approach to electing Councilmembers, but at the same time give them a “throw-away” job of eight years maximum. Many important decisions in this City have been made by a Council of members who will not be around to suffer the consequences of their actions; the stupid carve up of the Naval Training Center being an example of this.

As for myself, I will vote for Ms. Atkins anytime. At every gathering I have attended she has received a standing ovation by her constituents so I do not believe you and Nicole speak for the GLTB community nearly as much as you think you do.

By the way, everytime I sit in the window of Urban Mo’s I look across the street and think how nice it will be to get that new building going. Last I knew, if a private property developer submitted a plan that comes within the general plan, he or she could expect approval without checking in with the GLT or the Hillcrest Gays. So belly up to the bar boy, pull your head out of your rear end and drink a little Kool Aid yourself. It will make you feel much better.

Robert L. Ingram

Dear Editor:

I am amazed to see that Hamburger Mary’s has changed it’s name to Mo’s which is a derogatory term for homosexuals. I work in advertising and I know that no ad agency or marketing person came up with that name. It’s bad enough that politicians the police and the general public call us names without doing it to ourselves. How can we ever expect straight people to stop calling us names when we can’t stop doing it to each other. When I was growing up black people were referred to by the N word on television and by politicians. It was wrong then, and it’s just as wrong today. Black people should never refer to each other using that word.

Nor should gay people ever refer to each other as Mo’s. I have gone to that bar with straight friends who like in-line dancing, and we have always had a wonderful time. They have never said, “lets go dancing at that Fag bar.”

What about a name like Urban Joe’s, Charlies, anything but Mo’s. It won’t cost much to repaint those signs. I once went to a speech by Harvey Milk at which he said. “Don’t try to seek acceptance by the general public because you’re probably never going to get it. But do seek respect and be willing to fight for it.”

Robert Brisick