A long-overdue Bent Alaska update — October 2013

Mel on Scott McAdams: The clear choice for LGBTA Alaskans

Two U.S. Senate candidates spoke at the Pride Conference this weekend, and Mel Green reviewed them on her blog Henkimaa:

Yesterday I attended the Alaska Pride Conference, an annual event sponsored by Identity, Inc. My main reason for attending this year came out of my involvement with the Alaska LGBT Community Survey; but I also got the opportunity to hear firsthand from two of the candidates for U.S. Senate, Frederick David Haase of the Alaska Libertarian Party and Scott McAdams of the Alaska Democratic Party. Conference organizers invited all U.S. Senate candidates, but neither Republican Party of Alaska candidates — official candidate Joe Miller and incumbent and write-in candidate Sen. Lisa Murkowski — accepted the invitation.

Which fit in pretty well with what has become obvious: Republican officials and candidates care little about the the issues of concern to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender citizens. Whereas Democrats, despite sometimes spotty records, do. Thus, this year’s Pride march in Anchorage saw the enthusiastic participation of two Democratic gubernatorial candidates (Hollis French and eventual primary winner Ethan Berkowitz) and Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Diane Benson… but nary a Republican candidate was to be seen. (No Libertarians that I can recall, either.)

Mel gave credit to Frederick Haase, the Libertarian candidate, for accepting the invitation to Pride Conference. However, she was not impressed with his argument against hate crimes laws that protect our community and his reference to our “lifestyles.” Her opinion of Haase was shared by others who heard the speech and posted unfavorable comments on their Facebook pages.

When Scott McAdams stepped up to the podium, he began with the message “Vote your values, not your fears,” and gave a brief math and history lesson explaining why Lisa has very little chance of winning (similar to the Tom Begich presentation on Moore Up North.) Then McAdams turned to LGBT issues, Mel reports:

But if in fact he does win, what does Scott McAdams have to offer LGBTA voters? He told us that if he is elected, he will sign on as cosponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and as a cosponsor of a bill to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT). He also registered his unequivocal support for other federal legislation which advance equality under the law for LGBT citizens, such as repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA; extended to cover same-sex couples by Pres. Obama).

During the Q&A period, Mel was also impressed by his stands on other issues, like early childhood education and drug treatment for drug/alcohol-involved crimes. She concludes:

What sealed it for me was when McAdams said “Sovereignty begins with the individual. Freedom begins with the individual.” Most LGBT people spend a good part of their lives fending off the violative behavior of those who insist that we are supposed to be something other than who and what we are: attacking our sovereignty and freedom at our very cores. When McAdams said that, I knew that he & I see eye-to-eye: & that he respects, in a way I’ve seldom seen expressed by any non-LGBT political candidate, the integrity of who we are as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

Aside from that, he was also very personable, and has a great sense of humor. I really really really like this guy.

Learn more about him at his website, and also see the other three segments of the October 9 “Moore Up North” featuring an in-depth interview with him: Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4. (Part 1 was the portion with Tom Begich already [linked] above.)

I urge all LGBT people, and all our allies who care about LGBT equality, to vote Scott McAdams for the U.S. Senate. For us, and for Alaska.

Thanks to Mel for reviewing the U.S. Senate candidates at the Pride Conference. I encourage everyone to read her full post HERE.

Photo by Mel Green: Scott McAdams, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, at the Alaska Pride Conference 2010.

Today is National Coming Out Day

Sara’s News Roundup 10/10/10

Alaskans Together annual gathering on Oct. 10

Former Alaskan speaks to Pentagon on DADT and gay partners

Fairbanks ex-Air Force sergeant sues Rapid City, SD

“Given the city of Rapid City’s unwillingness to acknowledge the wrongful and unlawful acts done by Officer (Jeremy) Stauffacher, (Det. Tom) Garinger and other members of the police department, we have no choice but to file a lawsuit against the city of Rapid City in federal court,” [Newsome’s attorney Jeffrey] Fransen said.

Newsome’s case first came to light in March, when the American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota sent a letter to Mayor Alan Hanks alleging the police department had violated Newsome’s privacy and constitutional rights by sharing information about her sexual orientation with Air Force officials.

In the March 19 letter, ACLU executive director Robert Doody asked the police department to pay damages and issue an apology to Newsome, along with reprimanding the officers involved in the incident and changing department policy to ban the release of information about military members’ sexuality.

The incident in question occurred Nov. 20, 2009, when officers, in the course of serving an out-of-state felony arrest warrant on charges of grand theft for Cheryl Hutson, noticed an Iowa marriage certificate with Hutson and Newsome’s names on it at their home.

That detail was included in the police report, a document that Garinger later shared with the Office of Special Investigation at Ellsworth. Stauffacher was also involved in the arrest.

Newsome was discharged from the military in January. Under the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, service members cannot be asked about their sexual orientation, but evidence of homosexual behavior is grounds for discharge.

The ACLU of South Dakota got involved in February, when it filed a formal complaint against the police department for its role in Newsome’s discharge.

Police Chief Steve Allender responded with an internal investigation March 19 that concluded no department policy had been violated by providing the police report to base officials. Allender said it was long-standing policy to share information with the Air Force when a service member’s conduct is potentially criminal.

Sara’s News Roundup 10/3/10

Ellen on bullying and gay teen suicides

Education Dept. recognizes October as LGBT History Month

“For a community deprived of its history, GLBT History Month teaches heritage, provides role models, builds community, and recognizes extraordinary national and international contributions,” said Ora Alger, LGBTA Employees at ED President, U.S. Department of Education.

“GLBT History Month is an educational project,” stated Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director, Equality Forum. “We are delighted to have the U.S. Department of Education recognize and celebrate our community’s history month. We salute GLSEN, GSA Network and Campus Pride for promoting, with Equality Forum, GLBT History Month to over 6,000 high schools and colleges.”

A choice, not an echo

Thanks to Caleb Pritt for reviewing the candidates for Alaska Governor & Lt. Governor in light of LGBT and other issues! -Editor

* * *

by guest blogger Caleb Pritt

Alaska’s voters, especially the GLBT Community, have a clear and distinct choice when it comes to the Governor/Lt. Governor’s race this year: Ethan Berkowitz & Diane Benson.

In one corner is Sean Parnell & Mead Treadwell and in the other, Ethan Berkowitz & Diane Benson. There are more than just issues that directly affect the GLBT Community. There are Quality of Life issues, and issues that affect Alaska’s future.

On all these issues, there is one team that is the choice for Alaska: Ethan Berkowitz & Diane Benson. With one, you have in the Governor’s office not just a former nominee for Lt. Governor & U.S. Congress, but a former member of the Alaska State House of Representatives from 1996-2006, where he was Minority Leader. With the other, you have a woman whose mere election makes Alaska historic as Alaska becomes the first state to elect a Native American woman to the highest elective office ever held in this nation. You also have a fierce advocate for the GLBT Community who was not afraid to stand with other advocates against anti-civil rights legislation whether it’s before the Anchorage Assembly or the State of Alaska.

There’s also the OWN A PIECE OF THE PIPE Plan that Berkowitz-Benson are offering to help build the illusive Natural Gas Pipeline. Bill Walker may have unfortunately lost the GOP Primary for Governor, but if you support an All-Alaska Pipeline, or any type of pipeline for Alaska, then Berkowitz-Benson is your choice.

There also has to be a fundamental question asked about who is in this race for Alaska’s interests, not their own personal self-interest? The choice is still Ethan Berkowitz & Diane Benson.

When it comes to GLBT issues, Sean Parnell has been a demagogue if not an outright ignorant individual on recognizing the right of ALL Alaskans to be afforded their basic civil rights. Let’s not forget that this is the Governor that had Alaska taxpayers pay for him to meet with Focus on the Family, a group known for being homophobic. Also, Parnell as well as Treadwell embraced Proposition Two which doesn’t do much to notify parents as it imposes the state’s ability to tell a woman what she can and cannot do with her body. Parnell also has condemned homosexuality more than once. Parnell even committed Alaska’s money, that could be spent on a natural gas pipeline, to a frivolous lawsuit challenging the Health Care Reform bill. This is not a precedent, btw Libertarian-minded readers, as I hardly would hold my breath waiting for Parnell to challenge not lifting the DADT Ban, for instance.

Mead Treadwell supporters have offered a weak response that “Mead is really supportive of the GLBT Community but he can’t be open about it.” Really, because being a supporter for the GLBT Community never stopped Arliss Sturgulewski when she was in the Alaska State Senate and twice the Republican nominee for Governor. It never stopped Jay Hammond either when he was Governor and opposed the anti-gay rhetoric of demagogues like Tom Fink.

When it comes to the gas pipeline, Sean Parnell gave away millions of Alaska’s dollars to a company without any guarantee they had to do anything. No guarantee of an All-Alaska Pipeline, Trans-Canada Pipeline, anywhere Pipeline. Parnell gave them the money and they have rewarded his campaign with donations. In fact, his campaign spokesperson is married to one of Shell’s Executives. But hey, there’s no link of impropriety, is there? I mean the Governor of Alaska, Sean Parnell, would never suggest Quid Pro Quo with the wealthy oil executives and corporations. No….he just takes care of them, not Alaska.

Also, the paint on the office door of the Lt. Governor’s office was not dry before Sean Parnell tried to run for U.S. Congress. Mead Treadwell meanwhile sought a coveted and key position in the Barack Obama Administration, then when it was politically expidient, he threw President Obama under the bus to gain support of Republican conservatives and hide the fact that his paycheck came from Barack Obama. Then again, Mead Treadwell threw Lisa Murkowski under the bus to gain support of the “conservative” groups in his bid for Lt. Governor.

In 1964, Barry Goldwater’s slogan was “A Choice, Not An Echo” to show he stood for something. One has to wonder where that true conservative’s desire to stand for something is lacking in the modern-day representation in Alaska otherwise known as Acting Governor Sean Parnell. Luckily, the two progressive candidates for Governor & Lt. Governor are providing Alaskans with a choice.

In the end, to quote Diane Benson, it’s time for the People of Alaska to come first. This race is not about Democrat v. Republican or Tea vs. Coffee. It’s not about Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender v. Heterosexual. No, the race for Governor & Lt. Governor is about Alaska and Alaska’s future. One team has a plan while the other has just talk. One team has a record of earning their way to where they are at, while the other team is just some politicians. One team is about Alaska, and the other is about preserving their own political power.

The choice is clear Alaska: the All Alaska choice in November is Ethan Berkowitz for Governor & Diane Benson for Lt. Governor.

Check them out yourself at Ethan Berkowitz for Governor & Diane Benson for Lt. Governor.

On November 2nd, vote for Alaska….vote for Berkowitz-Benson.

****

Disclaimer: The author served as the campaign manager for Diane Benson in her successful primary bid for Lt. Governor. A primary that Benson won with 71%, incidentally.