Articles tagged with: Sean Parnell
Gov. Parnell, Choose Respect for All Alaskans
Today is Governor Sean Parnell’s Choose Respect rally against domestic violence, sexual assault and child sexual abuse. It’s an important cause, and members of the LGBT community will be there, some marching with rainbow sashes. But does Parnell respect LGBT Alaskans?
The website for Parnell’s Choose Respect project includes information on the marches, local resources for victims of abuse, and something called the Safe Homes Strong Families proclamation. [The proclamation is in bold, my comments are in italics.]
“The 2010 Public Safety initiative continues our commitment to establish safe homes and build strong families for all Alaskans.”
ALL Alaskans? Since I can personally verify that LGBT people live in Alaska, that means Parnell is committed to promoting safe homes and strong families for LGBT Alaskans.
“This year, we are addressing key elements to end exploitation and harm inflicted upon minors, seniors, and vulnerable adults.”
Gay and especially transgender Alaskans are at high risk for a variety of harms committed against us and we qualify as vulnerable, especially LGBT minors and seniors.
“The initiative proposes tougher punishments for crimes against seniors, harsher punishment for criminals accused of child exploitation, increased investigation of child exploitation cases, and enhanced enforcement for registered sex offenders.”
Parnell is a big fan of harsher punishments for crimes against vulnerable people, so tougher punishments for crimes against LGBT Alaskans is right up his alley! The Alaska Hate Crimes bill (SB 11) is currently stalled in the legislature, but I’m sure it will jump forward and pass quickly when the Governor assures everyone that he supports tougher punishments.
“These efforts, combined with the progress and partnerships we made this last year, draw us closer to shifting the tide against abuse, exploitation, harm, and fear that has gripped our communities.”
LGBT Alaskans know about the harm and fear that grip our community. The fear that we can be fired simply for being gay, the harm caused by public officials when they appoint people who say our very existence should be illegal… Oh, wait. (see below)
“Last year, my administration began a dialogue and awareness effort with the Choose Respect initiative. The Choose Respect initiative included increased funding for shelters,”
Good. In addition to the women and children who flee abusive husbands and need these shelters, some are fleeing abusive partners of the same sex. This should also include increased funding for homeless youth shelters, because abused youth often end up on the streets and LGBT youth are abused and kicked out of their homes at alarming rates.
“… harsher punishment for offenders,”
Again with the ‘harsher punishment’ for crimes against vulnerable Alaskans. He’s really going to love the Alaska Hate Crimes law!
“… increased VPSOs in villages,”
Good to see more funding for the Villages.
“… and hired the state’s first Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Coordinator.”
I hope the person Parnell hired for this position has a more realistic understanding of criminal behavior than his recent choice for the panel that nominates state judges. That appointee believes all sex outside of marriage should be a crime. (Really. See below.)
“The Parnell administration will continue to take action to protect the defenseless and establish safe, strong homes. Together, we can make Alaska safer.”
Yes, Gov. Parnell, together we can protect the defenseless gay and transgender young Alaskans who are kicked out of their family homes by unloving parents and out of housing rentals by bigoted landlords simply because they are LGBT. Together we can help to establish safe, strong homes for gay and lesbian couples and their children, with the same rights and responsibilities as heterosexual couples. Together we can choose respect and take action to make Alaska safer for ALL Alaskans. Yes!
Unfortunately, I don’t think he means that.
Last week, the state senate questioned Don Haase, recent president of the anti-gay Eagle Forum and Parnell’s choice for the panel that nominates state judges. Haase kept off his resume his leadership role in the extreme conservative group, but admitted that he thought sex outside of marriage should be illegal, saying, “I think that would be up to the voters… I can see legitimate reasons to push that as a crime.”
(The judicial panel only has three members of the public, and already has one far right member: Sarah Palin appointed Kathleen Tompkins-Miller, wife of tea party Senate candidate Joe Miller, to the council in 2009.)
Let’s put the pieces together on Don Haase – the person Sean Parnell wants to pick our state judges – and LGBT Alaskans: Leader of the Eagle Forum which pushes a strong anti-gay agenda, worked against the effort to allow same sex marriages in Alaska, worked to take away domestic partnership benefits for same sex partners of state employees, worked against hate crimes protections and non-discrimination laws, and clearly does not support even civil unions. So sex outside of marriage is a crime, and gay and lesbian couples must not be allowed to get married, therefore… consensual sex between two adults of the same gender should be illegal.
This is not the way to choose respect for all Alaskans.
Last year, Parnell flew to Colorado on state money to spend the day with Focus on the Family. He told them about his Choose Respect project and other ideas for Alaska. Why? He doesn’t need their approval to start a sexual assault and child abuse prevention program in Alaska. What would a corporation that sells harmful pray-away-the-gay workshops tell the governor of another state about his domestic violence project?
The hate watch site Good As You writes:
“Focus on the Family dedicates much time to keeping same-sex couples away from adoption, foster care, and a whole host of protections that strengthen LGBT families. And of course they work every day to deny a fair shake to gay kids and/or the kids of gay parents… [They] talk only about the kind of ‘strong family environment’ that’s defined by evangelism and heterosexuality.”
This is not the way to choose respect for all Alaskans.
Back on the Governor’s Choose Respect website, Parnell has strong words for Alaska:
“As a society – as Alaskans – we must change our practice of preserving silence. And, we must promote a culture of respect that will not tolerate this conduct.
The first step to prevention is raising awareness.
On March 31st, … I’ll lead a march from the steps of the capitol to raise awareness and call for a cultural shift. A shift towards honor and respect for all Alaskans.
… I am challenging all Alaskans to step up – to march forward into a new day, when Alaskans live with hope and opportunity, rather than fear and despair. Together, we can make a difference.”
He’ll call for a cultural shift towards honor and respect for all Alaskans… WOW. If only he meant that!
As for today’s Choose Respect marches:
“And you can join me at the point of the spear. We are having the second Choose Respect march here in Anchorage and across Alaska on March 31. Last year, 18 communities rallied; this year I set a goal of 40 communities participating. Think about what it means to be a survivor of domestic violence or rape or child abuse. Imagine what it will mean to see hundreds of people marching together to proclaim ‘Enough, already! We support you. You are not alone. You are not to blame.'”
Governor Parnell, please say that to Alaska’s gay and transgender youth who are abused by their families for being queer.
I can imagine what it means – can’t you? – to a young adult standing by himself in downtown Anchorage in late June, his first time at Alaska’s annual LGBT Pride Parade, he came out to his parents and now has to live at the homeless youth shelter, or maybe he hasn’t come out yet because he was beaten by his father for being a ‘sissy’ as a kid and he’s afraid of what his father will do. Or maybe it’s a young women at her first Pride Parade, she was raped by a cousin when he caught her kissing another girl, said if she told anyone then he would tell the girls’ families that they’re dykes. Yes, I can imagine what it would mean to them to see hundreds of people marching together to proclaim “Enough, already! We support you. You are not alone. You are not to blame.”
OK, Gov. Parnell. Put your money where your mouth is. Tell ALL Alaskans who have been abused, including LGBT Alaskans, that you support us and we are not alone. Show all Alaskans, including LGBT Alaskans and those who abuse us, that together we can break the silence and choose respect. Walk the talk: Be a role model for how to choose respect by choosing leaders who respect all Alaskans. Call for a cultural shift towards honor and respect for all Alaskans and encourage the legislature to pass Hate Crimes and non-discrimination bills that include sexual orientation and gender identity. Or start small and proclaim June 2011 as LGBT Pride Month in Alaska. Do it.
Stand at the point of the spear and choose respect for all Alaskans. And mean it.
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.
Alaska is 13th state to join anti-marriage appeal
A dozen states joined marriage opponents in their desperate appeal of the federal court decision that declared California’s Prop 8 unconstitutional, even though Gov. Schwarzenegger supports the ruling and the opponents may not have legal standing to appeal. Now Alaska has become the 13th state to join the appeal. From Alaska Dispatch:
According to the Catholic News Agency (via the Anchorage archdiocese’s Catholic Anchor), Alaska Attorney General Dan Sullivan has submitted a brief, joining Alaska with 12 other states, in support of California’s Proposition 8. The measure, which is currently the subject of litigation in front of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, would formally define marriage in the state [of California] as a union between one man and one woman. Read much more, here. At first, Alaska Beat was surprised we hadn’t seen a press release from the Department of Law about this filing, but then we realized the measure doesn’t seek to define marriage as a union between one beluga whale and one Steller sea lion.
When the states originally joined the appeal, only 9 states were listed and I was relieved that Alaska was not one of them. But that was before the primary election. Now Gov. Sean Parnell is facing Ethan Berkowitz in the general election and he wants the far right behind him. Cue the Attorney General to join the appeal.
Parnell visited the anti-gay Focus on the Family this summer, and billed the state of Alaska for his travel expenses to their Colorado headquarters. Did Focus support Parnell’s campaign in exchange for promises to push an anti-gay agenda, like joining the Prop 8 lawsuit? What other anti-gay actions will he pursue if elected?
Vote for Berkowitz & Benson for Governor & Lt. Governor!
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
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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.
Alaska pays for Parnell’s date with Colorado homophobes
Gov. Sean Parnell traveled out of state this week at the request of anti-gay, anti-choice Focus on the Family to discuss their theories on domestic violence, foster care and adoption — and Alaska paid for his trip, according to two reports in the Alaska Dispatch. FotF pushes dangerous pray-away-the-gay methods, opposes any recognition of same-sex relationships, and called children raised by gay parents “human guinea pigs.”
Parnell left Anchorage Monday afternoon to travel to Colorado, where he had been invited by Focus on the Family leadership, according to spokeswoman Sharon Leighow. Although the invitation was extended by Focus on the Family, the trip was paid for by the state, and Parnell was accompanied by a state aide. Leighow said she didn’t know yet how much the trip cost.
“Focus on the Family shared many good ideas that the governor could utilize in Alaska,” Leighow said. “That was the purpose of the trip.” (We didn’t ask Leighow whether the governor has received similar invitations from, say, PFLAG or the Colorado Springs Pride Center.)
Leighow said she didn’t know whether the organization identified particular areas of interest when it invited Parnell to Colorado, but was able to say that the governor traded ideas about domestic violence, foster care and adoption with Focus on the Family CEO Jim Daly and other senior staff. Focus on the Family and its political arm, CitizenLink, are active in the anti-abortion movement, but Leighow said as far as she knew, the issue of abortion was not discussed at the meeting.
FotF’s ideas about domestic violence, foster care and adoption do not include anything positive for LGBT families. In an article against same-sex families, FotF’s Glenn Stanton drew dire conclusions from a few studies on kids in heterosexual step-parent families, declared that all same-sex families are comparable to heterosexual step-parent families, and wrote that children of same-sex parents may be at higher risk for abuse because non-biological parents have no real connection to their children.
So, we must ask, “Is it wise to enter the same-sex family experiment with a generation of children so we can learn how it will turn out?” Is it ethical to turn thousands of children into human guinea pigs? The answer must be a resounding “no.”
The hate watch site Good As You wrote last week:
Focus on the Family dedicates much time to keeping same-sex couples away from adoption, foster care, and a whole host of protections that strengthen LGBT families. And of course they work every day to deny a fair shake to gay kids and/or the kids of gay parents… [They] talk only about the kind of “strong family environment” that’s defined by evangelism and heterosexuality.
Is Parnell planning an election campaign based on taking away adoption and foster care rights from same sex parents?
