A long-overdue Bent Alaska update — October 2013

Ossiander’s politics of division, round 2

It’s not enough for Assembly Chair Debbie Ossiander to try to block the presentation of an award from the Imperial Court because she thought it was from the Diversity Dinner, and then be curt to the Anchorage residents presenting the award, as Bent Alaska reported last week. Now she’s answering complaints about her bad attitude with divisive attacks.

“When a viewer named Mark e-mailed his displeasure at Ossiander’s ‘dismissive and condescending attitude’ and ‘efforts to prevent the presentation of the award,’ he got an acid reply,” reports the Alaska Ear column in the ADN. “Debbie apparently thought he was part of the presenting group, although Ear is told he wasn’t.”

The Ear quotes Ossiander’s response to Mark:

Our meetings are for our agenda… not for you to make your statement…. You apparently believe you merit special treatment above others who have to wait, so you found a way around the rules. I did not appreciate it.

“OUR” agenda? “YOUR” statement? Since a majority of assembly members voted in favor of the ordinance and accepted the Imperial Court’s award, who is Ossiander calling YOU?

Whoever YOU is, we are all the same — we all belong to one organization, we work together on everything (if only!), and apparently no one outside of that group would ever support us.

She uses the word you/your five times in that short quote and makes four accusations against YOU: making a statement, wanting special treatment, not waiting your turn, and breaking the rules. That’s a lot of anger over a 1 minute 20 second presentation… unless the accusations are really how she feels about the equal rights ordinance.

“Special treatment” is strikingly like “special rights.” After all that testimony, she still doesn’t get it.

But “special treatment above others who have to wait?” We sat through weeks of ordinance hearings with homophobic religious fanatics, waiting all summer for the ordinance to pass. We’ve been waiting for legal equality in Anchorage for over 40 years, and because of her, we’re still waiting for the basic protections that other minority groups receive. It’s absurd to think that we’re wasting her time with a one minute award.

Grady Jenkins, who presented the award from the Imperial Court, wrote that it wasn’t really a political statement, but “an acknowledgement of who our true heroes are.”

Heroes. The leaders who stood for fairness and equality, the allies who support civil rights for everyone, despite the threat of consequences. True heroes.

Ossiander isn’t the only Assembly member with a bad attitude toward some of the people she represents. Bill Star also showed his temper at the meeting, according to a comment from Tim. Jenkins presented the award, the Court members left the room, and Tim describes what happened next:

The ever so pleasant Assembly member Bill Starr jumped all over me after the ICOAA’s presentation to the 7 assembly members who voted for Ordinance 64. I guess he assumed because I was sitting in the row behind the wonderful ICOAA folks who did the presentation that I was involved. It is the seat I sat in almost all summer — that’s just where I plop down when I’m at the assembly meetings now.

He said he thought the presentation was improper and in poor taste. I informed him that I had never met any of the folks who did the presentation nor am I a member of ICOAA and that his rant might be better directed at the folks who made the presentation. He asked that I pass his comments along to them. I think I will have to write a formal response to Assemblyman Starr telling him MY thoughts on HIS actions, and by the way… I thought the presentation to the “fabulous 7” was outstanding. That was the main reason I attended the Assembly meeting Tuesday evening.

Assembly member Starr made the same mistake Ossiander did in assuming that all gay people in Anchorage know each other and belong to the same group. There couldn’t be more than one gay group in Anchorage, could there? And he wants Tim to find the Imperial Court of All Alaska and pass along the rude comments, instead of contacting them himself. I guess no one has introduced Starr to Google search.

Like Tim, I too have a place in the Assembly room where I sat all summer, waiting for equality. The time will come. Until then, we have our friends, our heroes, and our dignity. Not even the Assembly Chair can take that away.

Alaskans Together choosing Statewide Goals at Annual Meeting, Oct.11

Pride Conference asks "What is Important to Queer Alaskans?"

Anchorage Rally for the National Equality March

6 Things Alaskans Can Do This Week for LGBT Rights

“to let our elected leaders know that now is the time for full equal rights for LGBT people. We will gather. We will march. And we will leave energized and empowered to do the work that needs to be done in every community across the nation.

“Our single demand: Equal protection in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states.”

Gay AK: Singing, Marching, Donating, Writing and Leading the Way Forward

This Week in LGBT Alaska 10/2/09

Juneau

SEAGLA Social Fridays (6-8 p.m.) for GLBT people and our friends over 21, at The Imperial Bar, downtown.

Fairbanks

Pump House Wednesdays, LGBTA social at the Chena Pump House, starts around 9 p.m.

Mat-Su Valley

Mat-Su LGBT Community Center in Palmer is open M-F 5-8 p.m. (except 6-8 on Wed.) The social group meets Wednesdays, 5-6 p.m. at Vagabond Blues.

Anchorage

Mad Myrna’s Diva Variety Show, with MCs Daphne DoAll & Duchess Paige, 9 p.m

Side Street Saturdays, an informal meetup for LGBT writers, at noon in Side Street Cafe.

Womyn’s Dance at the Snow Goose 10/3 doors open at 7:30 p.m., $5 donation requested.

Sunday worship, 2 p.m. at MCC Anchorage.

Gay, Joyous and Free AA Meeting, Mondays 6 p.m. at the GLCCA.

October is Gay History Month, National Coming Out Day

Ossiander bristles at Imperial Court award

The scene was too familiar: people entered the Assembly Chambers a few at a time on Tuesday evening, looked around and chose seats. One man wore a bright red shirt. But the ordinance hearings were over, the equal rights ordinance passed 7-4 then was vetoed by the new mayor who sat at the end of the curved Assembly table. There was one more loose end to tie, one more thank you to the Assembly members who stood for equality and fairness. One more award to present. The Imperial Court honored them with the Raymond Jorgenson Memorial Award at Coronation and were here to present it in person.

But first, the mayor wanted to speak. He thanked everyone at the Assembly meeting for attending his “Unity” Dinner. He mentioned the keynote speaker (GOP-fundraiser Lynn Swann), the number of people attending (400), and that the money raised from the dinner will support “diversity events” all year. He did not mention the amount of money raised or what diversity events would be sponsored by the city.

The moment was awkward only partly because a quarter of the people in the room represented a gay organization and recently endured a summer of hearings on an equal rights ordinance that the mayor vetoed right before the start of his Diversity Month. He may not have known they were there, but he certainly knew that several of the Assembly members attended the sold-out True Diversity Dinner instead of his union-picket-line-crossing “unity” night.

There was more business, then Assembly member Elvi Gray-Jackson donated her personal comment time so The Imperial Court could present the award to the seven Assembly members who voted “yes” on the ordinance. The Court announced the award winners at Coronation during Labor Day weekend, along with their other annual awards and scholarships. Gray-Jackson said that the last Assembly meeting of Diversity Month was an appropriate time for them to present this award…

…but Assembly Chair Debbie Ossiander interrupted, saying that it should have been presented at the Diversity Dinner (although the Court did not organize the dinner) and she had already rejected their request for time. Gray-Jackson persisted that it was her time, and Grady Frank Jenkins presented the award on behalf of the Imperial Court of All Alaska.

Now, aside from Ossiander’s negative tone toward a community group that was trying to give Assembly members an award, she didn’t even bother to know which group was presenting the award before she objected. It’s as if she thinks there could only be one gay group in Anchorage and they must be responsible for all gay-related awards and events – including the Diversity Dinner, which was organized by a heterosexual couple who have never been involved with the Imperial Court. It’s not like the names “True Diversity Dinner” and “Imperial Court of All Alaska” could be easily confused. It was a “they all look the same to me” moment.

Or maybe she’s upset because Anchorage Baptist Temple hasn’t given her an award for being the deciding vote against the override.

Grady kept cool under pressure and made his statement to the Assembly:

This award is from The Imperial Court of All Alaska, the largest and oldest gay and lesbian organization in Alaska and one of the oldest in the nation. We wanted to thank you all for your courage in dealing with Ordinance 64 this past summer. It was very difficult and we appreciate the time that you all took. By unanimous vote, our organization, at our Coronation Ball which occurred three weeks ago, voted to present a plaque to the seven members of the Assembly that chose to vote “yes” on Ordinance 64. This is named our Raymond Jorgenson Memorial Award and we present it to Patrick Flynn, Elvi Gray-Jackson, Matt Claman, Jennifer Johnston, Sheila Selkregg, Mike Gutierrez, and Harriet Drummond. We appreciate the time that all of you took on this ordinance this year. Thank you.

And immediately, Ossiander jumped in, “Thank you. Moving on,” and had to pause for the clapping before saying, “the next order of business…”

Grady gave the awards to Claman and Gray-Jackson, who read them, smiled, and passed them down the table to their colleagues. The Assembly members moved on to other business and the Imperial Court members left the room.

But that wasn’t the end of Diversity Month for the Assembly. Anthony Wilkerson planned to address the Assembly on Workplace Discrimination issues during the public comment period. Tony is the Alaska State Coordinator for the national Workplace Bullying Institute, and he was also disappointed in the mayor’s veto of the ordinance:

It’s unfortunate that the Anchorage Mayor vetoed this measure to guarantee equal rights for all, but this should not stop those that have fought thus far…. I will be addressing the Anchorage Assembly in regards to discrimination and harassment that is currently not protected by Federal Laws. I would ask that you come in support, and help make Anchorage safe for all to work; free from discrimination and harassment, thus making Anchorage safe for all to pursue the American dream of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

I left before Wilkerson’s address, but I wonder if Ossiander objected to him as well. Just another one of those darn diversity people.

No Unity Without Equality: A Diversity Dinner to Remember

At the True Diversity Dinner, the progressive community of Anchorage celebrated diversity and equality with a dynamic mix of Native Alaskan culture, democratic politics and gay civil rights.

When Mayor Sullivan vetoed the equal rights ordinance two weeks before the start of his Diversity Month and changed the name of the main event from the Diversity Dinner to the “Unity” Dinner, John and Heather Aronno (of Alaska Commons and the good version of SOS.Anchorage) and a few people they met during the ordinance hearings discussed an event to protest the mayor’s lack of appreciation for diversity. After a few hectic weeks of planning, the result was the True Diversity Dinner, a celebration instead of a protest.

Here’s a run-down of the evening’s planned, unplanned and many inspiring moments:

The Native dance troupe Masingka set the tone of the evening with their stories and songs of life in Alaska, while the guests ate delicious food from the Snow Goose buffet tables.

Assembly member Elvi Gray-Jackson, looking regal and towering above the crowd in her heels, was the first to say the line that echoed throughout the evening: equality is for e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e (she spelled it out.)

Diane Benson gave an impassioned speech about stopping the abuse of women, children and Native Alaskans.

Steven Alvarez performed his rousing song “See What Love Can Do” with backup by the doo-wop girls, his daughter Sarah and friend Shelly.

Reverend Marquita Pierre, of the Alaska Center for Spiritual Living, kicked butt. (Can I say that about a preacher?) She spoke about being treated differently based on the color of her skin, and how we treat people as “other” based on many kinds of differences, including sexual orientation. She said, “There can be no unity without fairness; there can be no unity without equality” which is the quote I used for the title of this post. Then she called for us to move to a better place regarding diversity – not tolerance (we can tolerate bad things) or acceptance (things that are only OK) which value people despite our diversity, but we can learn appreciation, for the gifts we each offer our family and community, because of our diversity.