A long-overdue Bent Alaska update — October 2013

What does PRIDE mean to you?

TODAY: Alaska PrideFest Parade & Festival – Join the Party!

The ordinance one year later (video)

PrideFest parade route, performers and activities

Denali Moose Scat Race benefits Interior AIDS

ARAMARK parks and resorts is kicking off their season with the annual Moose Scat Scoot Race. Thanks to the community’s previous donations and assistance, our staff can continue to bring various recreational and social events to Denali. The goal of this event is to raise funds for the Interior Alaska AIDS Association.

This year’s Moose Scat Scoot will take place on Saturday, June 26, 2010 inside Denali Park. The race consists of a half marathon bike/run, 5k run/walk, and a 1/2 mile fun run/walk. There will be an entry fee of $25 for each runner, with sponsorships to raise money for the Alaskan Interior AIDS Association.

We hope that you will consider donating items to provide us assistance with prizes and merchandise that will go toward participants and winners, as well as helping provide friendly benefits for the community. Your contributions will be one huge asset to the race and any donation will go directly to the Interior Alaska AIDS Association.

For further consideration, any business which is able to provide prizes and items in the amount of $200.00 or more will have the benefit of displaying their business’ name screen-printed on the back of the event T-shirt.

Assembly passes PrideFest resolution, shelves Bronson

The Anchorage Assembly unanimously passed a resolution supporting Alaska PrideFest at Tuesday night’s meeting! Then the Assembly scored a second Pride Week victory by voting to indefinitely postpone the appointment of Alaska Family Council chair and professional hater Dave Bronson to a school commission.

Time to thank our Assembly members – the longtime advocates, the new members who supported us, as well as the conservatives who stood up to Prevo in support of Alaska Pride.

The PrideFest resolution introduced by vice-chair Patrick Flynn welcomes Alaska PrideFest 2010, recognizes the contributions of the LGBT community to Alaska, and “encourages all residents to enjoy this celebration.” The Diversity Parade and Pride Festival is on Saturday, June 26 starting at 11 a.m.

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
AR NO. 2010–200

A RESOLUTION OF THE ANCHORAGE MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY WELCOMING ALASKA PRIDEFEST AND ENCOURAGING THE RESIDENTS OF ANCHORAGE TO CELEBRATE OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY.

WHEREAS, Anchorage is richly endowed with a great diversity of people, cultures, religions, sexual orientations, and languages; and

WHEREAS, the strength of a civil society is measured by the level of outreach, participation and engagement of all its members in the social, economic, and political activities of the community; and

WHEREAS, Anchorage is a more welcoming and stronger place as a result of the inclusion and celebration of so many diverse communities within our greater municipal community; and

WHEREAS, along with others, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities have made significant contributions through active involvement in the Alaska economy, and the cultural, social and civic life unique to Alaska; and

WHEREAS, Alaska PrideFest 2010 is a 10-day celebration involving various non-profit, social, and business organizations hosting special events at venues throughout Anchorage from June 18—27, 2010; and

WHEREAS, on Saturday, June 26, 2010, Alaska PrideFest 2010 activities include the Celebrating Diversity Parade through downtown Anchorage and the PrideFest Festival featuring live entertainment, vendors, food, friends, fun and carnival activities on the Delaney Park Strip; and

WHEREAS, although residents of our community may disagree on issues, Anchorage benefits from the ongoing dialogue, awareness, and celebration that builds bridges and strengthens our interdependence as an Alaskan community;

NOW, THEREFORE, the Anchorage Municipal Assembly

WELCOMES Alaska PrideFest 2010

and encourages all residents to enjoy this celebration themed “2010 A Pride Odyssey.”

PASSED AND APPROVED by the Anchorage Assembly this (22nd) day of (June), 2010.

Good work, Anchorage Assembly. THANK YOU!

Ossiander defends position for man who threatened her *UPDATE: Bronson shelved*

UPDATE: The Assembly heard our concerns and voted to postpone Bronson’s appointment indefinitely! Only Birch and Starr voted against the postponement. Kudos to Ossiander for standing up to Prevo this time.

—-

Tonight, the Anchorage Assembly will vote to oppose or approve Mayor Sullivan’s appointment of Alaska Family Council chairman and ABT member Dave Bronson to a school commission. Please remind the Assembly to oppose this inappropriate choice: wwmas@muni.org.

A Bent Alaska reader wrote to the Assembly about Bronson, and forwarded a strange response from Debbie Ossiander:

Dear Assembly Members,

Please reject the nomination of Dave Bronson to any position on any board, commission, or committee in the municipality. His open letter to Debbie Ossiander (during the 2009 AO64 hearings) alone should disqualify him from consideration. He has clearly declared himself to have highly politicized and rigid views which would preclude him from working productively with the wide variety of officials and citizens of our city.

On the other hand, his resume shows that he is clearly qualified to pilot an airplane if any such municipal need should arise.

Thank you

On Friday, the reader sent an update saying, “Can you believe her? I got responses from others agreeing, one from Ernie Hall saying thank you for your letter, and this,” an odd response from Ossiander:

thanks for the note…I do want you to know that there are no qualifications listed anywhere for this advisory volunteer committee. Historically it has been filled by anyone who is interested and willing to serve. Their sole responsiblity is to write and advisory letter on the ASD budget. I believe it is a 9 member committee and still has several vacant seats.

No comment on Bronson’s inability to work productively with the Assembly, his anti-gay activism and political extremism, or his dislike of diversity – diversity that exists in the Anchorage school system and is reflected in the ASD budget.

Would Ossiander really give a city position to someone who threatened and blamed her personally for the downfall of Anchorage? Here is a quote from Bronson’s open letter to Ossiander during last summer’s battle for an equal rights ordinance:

Madam Chair, when Catholic Social Services (CSS) and Latter Day Saints Social Services cease operations because their faith compels them to adopt children to heterosexual couples only… you, personally, will be to blame. When religious schools close their doors because in obedience to their faith they simply cannot allow practicing homosexuals or transsexuals to teach their children… you, personally, will be to blame. I wonder why you think Anchorage is now such an evil city that it must undergo such a radical transformation just to assuage your guilt that someone you may know and care about is being treated terribly by someone who is simply exercising their right to be ignorant. Mind you, your ignorance, demonstrated by a vote for AO 64 will be far more harmful to many more individuals that you can imagine… and you, personally, will be to blame. Whether you intend these catastrophic consequences to happen or not is simply meaningless. The language in AO 64 is clear and it will cause exactly what I have articulated.

And she would approve him for a city position? Wow.

KTVA on PrideFest 2010 (video)

KTVA Channel 11 in Anchorage reported on the week of events for Alaska PrideFest, with video and interviews from Saturday’s Annual Gay Memorial Service and clips of last year’s Pride Festival. The intro reads: “A bevy of businesses will host special events around town celebrating PrideFest – a ten-day lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender community celebration.”

NOH8: I am Human (video)

Miss MeMe’s Glee-themed promo for HIV Testing Week (video)