Dear Editor:

I am a 19 year old latino on my own, I reside at The Centers Youth Housing Project. I was abondoned by my family when I came out at the age of 15. I then came to hillcrest to live on the streets till Febuary of 2006 when I was handed keys to my own apartment by The Center. I usually get very depressed during holiday season, due to the fact I never have a for sure place to go for thanksgiving or christmas. I do still have contact with my family, but it is extremely minimal and extremely rocky. This year I must say I had one of the most enjoyable Thanksgiving meals I can ever remember. I wanted to make it a point to say thank you to The Imperial Court de San Diego, APICAP and a very special thank you to Julia Legaspi, Nicole Murray Rameriz and especially The LGBT Community for making The Scott Carlson Thanksgiving Dinner Possible. I was planning on sitting at home all day by myself, then a friend called me and told me about the Scott Carlson Thanksgiving Dinner (I thought I was not able to go since I do not have HIV or AIDS). I then made my way there to arrive to a community of open arms that embraced me even though I do not have HIV or AIDS. I saw that people do care in which I am so THANKFUL truly. I just wanted to take the time to tell everyone who helped, donated or volunteered Thank You So much and that being supportive of events like the Scott Carlson Thanksgiving Dinner or establishments like The Youth Housing Project has a great impact on those who have nothing. In closing Thank You so much San Diego for caring. I truly felt forgotten and unloved in this world until today Thanksgiving 2006 THANK YOU!

Raymond A. Portillos

Dear Editor:

Is there any place on the web where one can purchase a sense of humor? If so, can you please send the link to Nicole Ramirez Murray?

To say that I am an “ugly man in a dress” because I jokingly put down drag queens who lip sync seems a bit like the pot calling the kettle bitter, no?

Your argument almost makes sense when a few lines are taken out of context. How convenient for you. The article in question was a tongue-in-cheek look at Thanksgiving that also featured ludicrous lines such as, “It seems like just yesterday I was in my hot pink string bikini tanning my hard body on the beach and now I’m at the grocery store flirting shamelessly with the Latino bag boy and shopping for Stove Top stuffing.” It appeared in Cybercocket, a publication not exactly known for its hard-hitting journalism. (In the spirit of full disclosure, the entire article can be read at www.cybersocket.com)

I am a comedian. It’s my job to be funny, not real. My character is an egotistical bitch. May I suggest you write a letter to Elvira complaining that she’s a devil worshipper? How about an editorial about how Homer Simpson is a bad example for kids because he eats donuts? Or better yet, point your poisoned pen at the majority of homogenized homosexuals that GLAAD (or the Nelly Nazis as I afffectionately call them) deems worthy of an award. When you try to please everyone, you please no one.

Oh, and feel free to contact the queens you cite as superior to me—RuPaul, Chi Chi LaRue or Chad Michaels—and ask them what they think of me. These talented performers are my peers and their opinions are far more important to me than that of some humorless, politically correct “writer.”

When she lived in L.A., Ru was at all my shows laughing louder than anyone.

I have written songs for Chi Chi and we are very good friends. And although I do not know Chad Michaels well, I felt a kinship and mutual respect the moment we first met. Utlimately it’s just drag, honey. Lighten up. Remember when being Gay was fun?

Jackie Beat

See www.gaylesbiantimes.com/?id=8585

Dear Editor:

It feels a little odd being impugned as an assimilationist in Eric Hufford’s Oct 26th letter to the editor because of my earlier statement that as Gay people, our sexuality is “our least significant distinguishing characteristic.” It is especially odd because my assertion reflects the views of my friend, Queer activist Albert Bell, and his friend and Mattachine Society and Radical Faeries founder, Harry Hay (both deceased), neither of whom may be fairly described as assimilationists. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Hufford’s suggestion that I ignore our sexuality and thereby somehow threaten the very essence of Queer pride results from a very narrow and uncritical interpretation of my remark. The fact of the matter is that our identity as Gay people has very little to do with what we do with our bodies. If every Gay or Lesbian person on the planet forever stopped having sex starting today, we would all remain Lesbian or Gay tomorrow. Whom we fuck has no bearing on who we are as people. Further, sexual activity is possibly the one way that we are most like non-Gays.

Sex is sex. It doesn’t really matter if it is boy-boy, girl-girl, or boy-girl-boy-girl. It is all very much the same. It does not distinguish us.

Homophobes do not oppress us because of our sexual activities, that is merely their excuse for acting out on their hate and fear. The roots of homophobia lie in misogyny, and misogyny has always been framed in anti-sexual terms. As such, when we define ourselves solely on the grounds of what we do with our genitals, we surrender our power and play right into the haters’ hands.

“Homosexual” was coined to define us as pathological beings. It is the word of the people who would return us to our closets, bolt the doors closed, and gas us to death inside. It is their word for us. It is not our word for us.

It is on that basis that I object to the term in general use, and particularly object to its derivative “Mo” as the name for the restaurant formerly known as Hamburger Mary’s. “Mo” is limiting and offensive and represents an error in judgment by that establishment’s management. Own your sexuality. Flaunt it publicly. But don’t define yourselves by it. And until they change the name, don’t eat at Mo’s.

Rev Keith W Ramsey

See www.gaylesbiantimes.com/?id=8368

Dear Editor:

I thank all of you who took the time to vote this past election. From the ballot box we retain our rights as Americans. I especially give thanks to those who supported my candidacy in what proved to be a difficult campaign, and those who voted for me and our hope to bring about real changes. I am honored by your support and faith in my abilities and intentions. It was important to voice a point of view – in some ways a more conservative point of view – not usually heard in our community.

Being the first openly gay Republican to run for a partisan office in San Diego County, it may have been inevitable for extreme forces from within both my party and the LGBT Community, both of which I’m proud to be a part of and to serve, would feel so threatened they misrepresented my beliefs with half-truths and worst. Sadly, it was a few from within the LGBT community which most misrepresented my positions on equality… But so be it, the past is just that…

Even so, although I will not be representing our district in the State Assembly next month, I can not see our campaign as anything less than a success…

We have shown the GLBT Community it is possible for a proud gay father to be an active Republican and fiscal conservative. We succeeded in showing that there are many issues important to us which are shared with all San Diegans. That it’s not necessary for anyone to run as ‘the’ gay candidate. It has been gratifying – and encouraging – to have so many of you express your support, often adding that this was the first time they voted for a Republican in many years, if not in their life.

I have also shown the Republican Party that the GLBT community truly is composed of their sons and daughters, sisters and brothers, even their fathers and mothers. I gave Republicans a real GLBT face that they not only recognized, but greeted them with beliefs - and concerns - similar to their own. And, at the same time, I caused some members of my Party to seriously consider that if the Republican party is the party of civil rights and personal liberty, do those fundamental rights not extend to all?

And we succeeded by winning the primary as an openly gay Republican against the Religious Right’s chosen candidate on a campaign of issues, not stereotypes. That their later effort to mount a write-in campaign against me went nowhere, and were soundly rebuked by my fellow Republicans. And because I won the primary, and went on to win as many votes as I did in the general election, I have not only my own seat on the County and State Parties, but also the right to appoint like-minded members to the state committee, to express the desires of all Americans for truly equal protection under our laws.

And we’ve just begun…

Ralph Denny

See www.gaylesbiantimes.com/?id=8330

Dear Editor:

Sadly, politics at its worst plays right here in our own yard.

Nicole Murray-Ramirez’s latest diatribe against Republican 76th Assembly Candidate Ralph Denny, is nothing but lies. Mr. Denny is in favor of same-sex civil marriage, always has and always will be. “Gay marriage,” which is exclusionary to the transgender and bisexual communities, is not marriage equality. Mr. Denny recognizes that abortion is a woman’s health issue and he will always do his best to protect the rights for all women to live healthy and happy lives. Mr. Murray-Ramirez’s attacks against Mr. Sterling for a lapse of judgment made decades ago is unforgivable, as those who hold Mr. Murray-Ramirez’s past prostitution practices against him. Shame on you, Mr. Murray-Ramirez for your continual lies against Mr. Denny.

Furthermore, it’s a shame that so many gay Democrats I personally know have done their best to perpetuate these and other lies against Mr. Denny. I’ll continue to encourage anyone who registers to vote to check non-party status. As much as hate and bigotry has become the face of the Republican Party, deceit and lies has become the face of the Democratic Party.

Paul Furth

See www.gaylesbiantimes.com/?id=8400