ACTION: Anchorage Mayor appoints homophobe to school commission during LGBT Pride Month – Contact the Assembly
UPDATE: The Assembly heard our concerns and voted on June 22 to postpone Bronson’s appointment indefinitely! Happy Pride Week to all.
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What was he thinking?! Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan appointed rabidly anti-gay Dave Bronson, founder and president of the Alaska Family Council and long time member of Anchorage Baptist Temple, to sit on the School Budget Advisory Commission – and he tried to sneak Bronson through the Assembly confirmation vote at last night’s meeting, while progressive Assembly member and PrideFest 2010 grand marshal Elvi Gray-Jackson is out of town.
Bronson is the guy who threatened then-Assembly Chair Debbie Ossiander last summer, saying the AFC would blame her personally for the failure to stop the gays if Ordinance 64 passed. He even highlights his anti-gay activities in his resume, reaching back to his role in the 1994 repeal of the previous equal rights ordinance to show why he thinks he should be on the School Budget Commission.
As for his finance background – none. His education degree – zip. His kids’ experience with the Anchorage school district – nope, they were home schooled. What are his qualifications? According to the resume he submitted for the school position, he leads a bible ministry, is a retired pilot, and has spent the past two decades being a professional homophobe.
Last night, the Assembly voted 6-4 to postpone the confirmation vote until their next meeting, on Tuesday June 22, when all members will be present. Yes, that’s right, they might confirm this hater four days before Alaska’s PrideFest!
Please contact the Assembly today and oppose Bronson’s appointment: wwmas@muni.org for the whole Assembly, and HERE for the list of assembly email addresses and phone numbers.
Also contact Mayor Sullivan and ask that he withdraw the appointment: mayor@muni.org and (907) 343-7100.
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Addendum, 6 Feb 2011: The resume submitted Bronson submitted for the position is no longer available on the Municipality of Anchorage website. However, a post at The Mudflats from 8 Jun 2010 lists the “qualifications” he presented in his resume:
- Member of the Anchorage Baptist Temple since 1992
- Founding board member and current Chairman of the Board of the Alaska Family Council
- Volunteer Coordinator for the Repeal of the Homosexual Ordinance, Municipality of Anchorage 1994
- Officer District 30, Republican Party of Alaska
- Leader AWANA Children’s Bible Ministry
- With Alaska Family Council helped lead the effort against MOA O-64 [the 2009 Anchorage equal rights ordinance]
- With Alaska Family Action, helped lead Alaskans for Parental Rights parental notification petition drive