A long-overdue Bent Alaska update — October 2013

The election is finally over. Well, not quite.

The election is finally over. Or… not quite. With 432 out of 438 precincts reporting, the front-runner in the hotly contested U.S. Senate race is “Write-in Votes” with 41.0% of the vote — nearly 7 points ahead of Tea Party-leaning Republican candidate Joe Miller (34.2%). Democratic candidate Scott McAdams, who consistently polled with the best “favorables” — i.e., people liked him better than either Murkowski or Miller — nonetheless drew only 23.74% of the vote counted so far.

Scott or Lisa? Values, not fears

With Scott McAdams gaining in the polls and Tea Party Joe slipping, LGBT democrats and undeclareds don’t have to vote for Lisa M out of fear of Joe. We can vote for the candidate who supports equality and can win, the only candidate who will vote to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell: Scott McAdams.

Two months ago, when Joe won the primary and Lisa announced her write-in campaign, LGBT Alaskans were divided between Lisa and Scott. We agreed that we had to stop Joe, but disagreed on which other candidate had the best chance of beating him.

When DADT came up for a vote in the Senate, we flooded Lisa’s office with calls asking her to be the moderate Republican she claimed to be and vote for the repeal. When Lisa confirmed that she would have voted with the GOP filibuster to block the repeal if she’d been in D.C for the vote, we learned that LGBT Alaskans are not important to her. We gave her a chance, and she brushed us off.

But the real tipping point for many voters was Lisa’s speech in honor of Rev. Jerry Prevo, a baptist minister who built his reputation by spreading lies and hate against gays. The man bragged that his main legacy is blocking gay rights in Anchorage. And Lisa honored him!

HERE is a sample of anti-gay hate spewing from Prevo, a sermon he gave last summer against the equal rights ordinance, including the long list of insulting names he repeatedly calls us. (If you’re not familiar with Prevo, follow the link and watch the video so you know first hand why Lisa’s tribute to him is so disgusting.)

Lisa fawned all over this hater at the 39 year anniversary of his career at the temple of doom, Anchorage Baptist Temple. (Did I mention that they do exorcisms on gay kids? Really!)

Watch Lisa’s tribute to the leader of anti-gay hate in Anchorage:

“It is such an honor and a real delight to be with so many here today… So much of what we’ve seen that has been good and strong has been built right here at the Anchorage Baptist Temple by Reverend Prevo… We thank you for what you have given our community – the guidance you have shown, and the love for so many. Continue it for another 39.”

Enough to make you sick.

Where was Scott McAdams that weekend? Scott spoke at the annual LGBT Pride Conference, impressing us with his support of equality and fairness for all Alaskans. Lisa didn’t attend.

The good news is that we don’t have to settle for Lisa out of fear of Joe. We can vote for someone who will vote for us, someone who has a real chance of winning if we pull together. Vote your values, not your fears: Vote for Scott McAdams.

Turn back the tide

– a guest post by Caleb Pritt on Alaska’s candidates for U.S. Senate

The upcoming U.S. Senate race in Alaska is important for more than just electing someone. It could be the one vote that matters for more than just Alaska, but our country as well.

Imagine if you will for a second a U.S. Senate where the likes of Jeff Sessions, Jim DeMint, and Tom Coburn are joined by the likes of Joe Miller, Ken Buck, Christine O’Donnell, Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, Sharon Angle, and Mike Lee. All these Tea Party types if they make it into the U.S. Senate will be backed up by at least twenty other ultra conservatives who are already in the U.S. Senate.

Now subtract Joe Miller and add in the name, Scott McAdams. He’s Mayor of Sitka. He’s a school teacher & a fisherman. He’s married with kids but not ashamed to embrace all Alaskans, including the GLBT Community. McAdams doesn’t boast and honestly he’s not doing this for himself. He could have remained Mayor of Sitka. I know Scott. I know the idyllic and beautiful town he is leaving behind. In fact, I was there, before anyone, when he began to think about running for U.S. Senate. He’s a good guy and like Ted Stevens who was Uncle Ted, Scott will become Brother Scott. He’s like the best friend who stands by you and will be there for you, because he’s your friend. Most of all, Scott McAdams has one major quality that Joe Miller does not have….Scott McAdams has integrity!

Politically speaking, turning back the Tea Party movement means preserving Hospital Visitation Rights, Inheritance Rights, Hate Crimes Statutes, Adoption Rights, etc. It also means preserving the Economic Security of our nation. Whether you consider yourself Democrat, Republican, or Independent, the track record of the “conservatives” is an economic policy of writing a proverbial hot check. Deficit spending, usually spent on nation building (see: Iraq & Afghanistan) or increased Defense Spending. But that doesn’t mean higher pay for our Armed Forces….it means larger financial contracts for defense contractors like Lockheed Martin & Boeing, who donate to Republican members of Congress.

Joe Miller likes to make it seem simple, and Lisa Murkowski does as well, because they talk about “Less Government” and “Personal Choice.” It sounds good but it’s really Cotton Candy political ideology. It tastes real good but it’s nothing but fluff.

Taxes are what fuels government. When you pay taxes you are investing in stronger Police forces, better equipped Fire stations, higher salaries for our Armed Forces, better roads, cleaner water, cleaner air, better schools. Taxes are needed for those things you want. It also means better health care. Yes, Joe Miller & Lisa Murkowski like to talk about health care as a personal choice and we should be able to go where we want.

Guess what, under Health Care before reform, that meant that a cancer survivor (like myself) or anyone else with pre-existing conditions could not get health care coverage. Trust me, in Eagle River, I went into a dentists office. I was told I would have to pay cash upfront. Oh yeah, did I mention I was in pain and needed immiediate care? But I couldn’t get health care coverage because I am a cancer survivor and even the state programs offered will not cover pre-existing conditions. So I had to pay $375 up front to get relief from pain.

You may like Lisa Murkowski. I like Lisa, and she was wonderful for Veterans, and though tainted in how she got to the U.S. Senate, she was a better than average Republican. But at this point, as a Write-In, she won’t make it to win. Even Wally Hickel, the great Wally Hickel, in 1978 with pre-printed stickers still only got 28% and didn’t win as a write-in. Are you going to tell me Lisa Murkowski is more popular or can do what Wally Hickel couldn’t? I don’t think so. Let’s be real.

Do I mean to say Scott McAdams will vote the way we want to see him every time? All I know is I know Scott McAdams is genuine. He will vote for Alaska. He will vote for the best option for Alaskans. And he showed as Mayor that he will not deficit spend. He has said he would vote for lifting DADT. But more important, Scott McAdams will not let basic civil rights be taken away, if he’s in the Senate.

The most important point is that this Senate race will be close. It will be extremely close. Can you imagine the importance, in a close race, while Miller & Murkowski fight for the “conservative” vote, if one of the key constituencies that elects McAdams is the GLBT Community? Can you imagine the signal our community will send? Sarah Palin is pushing Joe Miller for her own personal and political gain. Lisa Murkowski is doing a write-in for her own personal and political gain. Let us join together, in the GLBT Community, to elect Scott McAdams for Alaska’s own personal and political gain.

Check out Scott online at: http://www.scottmcadams.org/. If you can, volunteer, donate, but most of all, VOTE!

Scott McAdams is the All-Alaska choice. On November 2nd, bubble in and vote for Scott McAdams for U.S. Senate!

Federal Judge: Stop Enforcing "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell"

TO ALL PARTIES AND THEIR ATTORNEYS OF RECORD:

This action was tried by Judge Virginia A. Phillips without a jury on July
13-16 and 20-23, 2010. The Court filed a Memorandum Opinion on
September 9, 2010 (Doc. 232), and an Amended & Final Memorandum
Opinion, and Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, on October 8, 2010.
For all the reasons set forth therein, the Court:

(1) DECLARES that the act known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” infringes
the fundamental rights of United States servicemembers and prospective
servicemembers and violates (a) the substantive due process rights
guaranteed under the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, and
(b) the rights to freedom of speech and to petition the Government for redress
of grievances guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States
Constitution.

(2) PERMANENTLY ENJOINS Defendants United States of America
and the Secretary of Defense, their agents, servants, officers, employees,
and attorneys, and all persons acting in participation or concert with them or
under their direction or command, from enforcing or applying the “Don’t Ask,
Don’t Tell” Act and implementing regulations, against any person under their
jurisdiction or command;

(3) ORDERS Defendants United States of America and the Secretary of
Defense immediately to suspend and discontinue any investigation, or
discharge, separation, or other proceeding, that may have been commenced
under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Act, or pursuant to 10 U.S.C. § 654 or its
implementing regulations, on or prior to the date of this Judgment.

(4) GRANTS Plaintiff Log Cabin Republicans’ request to apply for
attorneys’ fees pursuant to the Equal Access to Justice Act, 28 U.S.C. §
2412; and

(5) GRANTS Plaintiff Log Cabin Republicans’ request to file a motion
for costs of suit, to the extent allowed by law.

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

Former Alaskan speaks to Pentagon on DADT and gay partners

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.

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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.

Sara’s News Roundup 9/26/10

Court rules Air Force must reinstated lesbian major