3
6
Legal eagles
CA left out of pres. politics?
13
Q&A: Artist John Bankston
The
www.ebar.com
Serving the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities since 1971
Vol. 42 • No. 03 • January 19-25, 2012
Religious leaders cry bigotry
Speier confident of Dems’ chances
by Chuck Colbert
A
by Matthew S. Bajko
C
ongresswoman Jackie Speier is confident of Democrats’ chances in this election cycle as they seek to recapture the House and maintain hold of both the Senate and the White House. During a roundtable discussion with local reporters in her district headquarters this month, the longtime politician and LGBT ally defended President Barack Obama’s record as he seeks a second term amid a continued economic malaise Rick Gerharter and record high Rep. Jackie Speier unemployment. “I don’t think he is going to lose,” said Speier, 61, whose San Mateo-based district also includes San Francisco’s southern neighborhoods. “I am not saying that because I am a Democrat. I am saying that because I think the Republican primary process has exhausted virtually every candidate.” The bruising fight among Republican candidates for the GOP nomination has bolstered her optimistic view of her party’s chances. Frontrunner Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, while so far winning the early primary and caucus contests, has done so without clear majorities, noted Speier. “The fact Mitt Romney still can’t seem to garner a majority of support suggests really lukewarm support” for his candidacy, she said. She also indicated that she is not apprehensive about the prospect of having Obama attacking Congress over the next 10 months on the campaign trail. “I think the president has made it clear what he is doing; he is running against Congress. He is running against a GOP that has made it their business to make sure the economy stays in this malaise,” she said. “We’ll point to his successes, and he has plenty.” Among Obama’s legislative victories that Speier listed was the repeal of the anti-gay military policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which prevented gay and lesbian service members from being open about their sexual orientation. She also suggested that the much-maligned affordable health care See page 6 >>
Rick Gerharter
Inspired by King S
tanding in front of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank, the Reverend Fred Mayberry of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Oakland spoke to over a hundred activists who picketed the bank as part of a nationwide action highlighting income inequality and economic injustice. The January 16 event was inspired by
the ideas and actions of Martin Luther King Jr., reflecting his “I Have a Dream” speech given at the national March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. Spearheaded by African American clergy, similar actions were held at 16 locations of the Federal Reserve Bank in the U.S., marking the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
group of nearly 40 conservative religious leaders released an open letter last week that seeks to reframe the battle over samesex civil marriage as a threat to their freedom of religion. And in a new tactical twist, the signatories say their concern is not that their ministers will be forced to preside at same-sex weddings. Rather, they Archbishop say, allowing gays to Timothy M. Dolan wed would end up “forcing or pressuring both individuals and religious organizations – throughout their operations, well beyond religious ceremonies – to treat same-sex sexual conduct as the moral equivalence of marital sexual conduct.” The signatories include New York See page 9 >>
AOF looks to reboot Oscar gala by Seth Hemmelgarn
A
fter two years of turmoil, the Academy of Friends is hoping to reboot its signature Oscar gala so that it can once again distribute proceeds to HIV/AIDS nonprofits. This year’s theme is “Scandalous,” which might have applied to the organization’s last two events. In both 2010 and 2011 the benefitting organizations (they were the same except for one that chose not to participate last year) received only a fraction of the money they were expecting. This year, however, a new board chair is at the helm and he’s getting the word out that the gala, while scaled down and leaner, is on. In fact, Howard Edelman, the board chair, is encouraging people to say “Scandalous.” “It’s so much fun to say, so I suggest everyone go around San Francisco saying, ‘Scandalous,’ because the publicity would be awesome,” Edelman said in an email. Tickets, which are $250 general admission, are now on sale. This year’s gala and Academy Awards viewing party begins at 5 p.m., Sunday, February 26, and will be held at the San Francisco Design Center Galleria, 101 Henry Adams Street. After a disappointing past two galas, Edelman, who stepped in as board chair last June, is looking to revitalize the party, long known for its sexy human Oscar statuettes. He
Rick Gerharter
Guests entered the Academy of Friends annual gala more than a decade ago, in 2000. This year the organization hopes to reboot the party.
told the Bay Area Reporter Tuesday, January 17 that AOF received confirmation that AT&T will be a major sponsor ($25,000 and above) for next month’s event. Other confirmed corporate sponsors who will provide financial donations include Gold’s Gym, gaytravelbuddy.com, American Packaging, and betterbusinesscards.com. (Edelman works
{ FIRST OF TWO SECTIONS }
at American Packaging.) “Corporate sponsorship continues to be an important component of bringing the gala to life each year, along with underwriting support,” he noted. Those contributions will help pay for the party, while funds from ticket sales, the See page 9 >>