Anti-gay activist for El Paso council
Anti-gay activist for El Paso council
Anti-gay activist for El Paso council
Anti-gay activist for El Paso council
Robin McGehee, gay activist confront
Robin McGehee, gay activist confront
Robin McGehee, gay activist confront
Robin McGehee, gay activist confront
Robin McGehee, gay activist confront
Robin McGehee, gay activist confront
Calif. bill would create annual Ronald Reagan Day
The Associated Press had this item today:
(Sacramento, Calif.) AP – California is one step closer to establishing an annual day honoring Ronald Reagan, the former president, governor and actor.
The state Senate on Thursday unanimously passed a bill designating Feb. 6 as Ronald Reagan Day. It encourages schools to spend the day commemorating Reagan’s life and accomplishments.
The legislation, which heads to the Assembly, is one of three Reagan-themed bills Republican lawmakers hope to pass before Feb. 6, 2011. That would have been the 100th birthday of the conservative icon, who died in 2004.
Ronald Reagan Day would be the third special day of recognition in California dedicated to an individual.
The first honors conservationist John Muir. Last year, lawmakers honored Harvey Milk, a gay activist and former San Francisco supervisor who was gunned down at city hall in 1978.
***
That’s what the AP had to say. This is from an old article up on SF Gate [1]:
A significant source of Reagan’s support came from the newly identified religious right and the Moral Majority, a political-action group founded by the Rev. Jerry Falwell. AIDS became the tool, and gay men the target, for the politics of fear, hate and discrimination. Falwell said “AIDS is the wrath of God upon homosexuals.” Reagan’s communications director Pat Buchanan argued that AIDS is “nature’s revenge on gay men.”
With each passing month, death and suffering increased at a frightening rate. Scientists, researchers and health care professionals at every level expressed the need for funding. The response of the Reagan administration was indifference.
By Feb. 1, 1983, 1,025 AIDS cases were reported, and at least 394 had died in the United States. Reagan said nothing. On April 23, 1984, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced 4,177 reported cases in America and 1,807 deaths. In San Francisco, the health department reported more than 500 cases. Again, Reagan said nothing. That same year, 1984, the Democratic National Convention convened in San Francisco. Hoping to focus attention on the need for AIDS research, education and treatment, more than 100,000 sympathizers marched from the Castro to Moscone Center.
What do you think, readers? Should gay and lesbian Californinans be fighting this bill the way that others fought the Harvey Milk bill? Or was Reagan such an important president that it should stand?
[1] http://articles.sfgate.com/2004-06-08/opinion/17428849_1_aids-in-san-francisco-aids-research-education-cases
Friday Watercooler: Big Bank Brother and Power to the People
• Don’t take it lying down! It looks like the crushing defeat of the Marriage Equality bill in New York State has spurred some righteous advocacy. Gay activist, Tim Gill has formed a new political action committee, Fight Back NY, whose sole purpose is to aggressively target New York state …
Bouncer beats man for dancing with man
A NYC bouncer is accused of punching and kicking a gay activist for dancing with another man.
NH radio host, blogger’s gay Dem attack condemned
(Concord, NH) A conservative Republican radio host, blogger and self-described citizen journalist is apologizing for calling New Hampshire’s Democratic Party chairman derogatory gay names – comments his party and a leading gay activist are condemning.
Doug Lambert called gay Democratic Party Chair Raymond Buckley offensive names while a webcam was streaming …
Russian gays express disappointment in Clinton
(Moscow) Russia’s leading gay activist said Wednesday that he was disappointed that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton met with an outspoken foe of gay rights during her two-day trip to Russia and did not decry homophobia in the country.
Clinton attended a ceremony unveiling a statue of Walt Whitman at …
