Issue 32 Volume 37
Celebrating 36 Years!
vancouver pride p. 15
ask michael p. 18
latino film fest p. 25
Seattle Gay News
FRIDAY August 7, 2009 FREE! 25¢ in bookstores & news stands
SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
LGBT teen center Ed Murray comments; Ref. 71 attacked in Tel Aviv signature count, week two courtesy 365gay.com
by Shaun Knittel SGN Staff Writer
After the Referendum 71 sponsors turned in 137,689 signatures July 25, the formal count to verify them began immediately. So did a giant guessing game. Do they have the signatures they need? How many are valid? Amid the counting, the Washington Secretary of State’s office has been transparent in their release of information, and some of Washington’s higher-ups have already weighed in on possible outcomes.
Vote yes on Ref. 71
ED MURRAY COMMENTS “The current rate of invalid signatures reported by the Secretary of State’s office in the R-71 signaTel Aviv youth being treated after shooting attack August 1 ture count gives me great hope that by Shaun Knittel appeared quietly in the small base- the referendum won’t make the ment room about 10:40 p.m. dur- ballot,” said Senator Ed Murray in ballot. R-71 asks the voters to apSGN Staff Writer ing a weekly gathering of LGBT a statement released August 6. prove or disapprove of Senate Bill 5688, which grants registered In what activists are calling “Is- teens. According to a witness, the same-sex domestic partners the rael’s deadliest crime again ho- teens were listening to music and NUMBER CRUNCHING mosexuals,” a masked gunman sharing their experiences with Late last week, the Secretary same rights and responsibilities slipped into a community center discrimination when the gunman of State’s office completed a raw as married couples in Washington for Gay teenagers in Tel Aviv on opened fire. count of the voter signatures that State. The bill would have taken “I thought it was a joke at first, were submitted by sponsors of effect July 26, but is now on hold August 1 and sprayed the room with automatic M16 rifle fire, kill- but he immediately opened fire,” R-71. The numbers stood at 14 while the R-71 signature-by-siging three people and wounding at percent more than the minimum nature check is pending. Since the beginning of the verileast 10 others. needed to place the domestic The gunman, dressed in all black, see tel aviv page 19 partnership law on the November fying process, both sides of the
R-71 issue have sent observation teams to Olympia. “The verification process is a governed part of the referendum process,” said Josh Friedes, Washington Families Standing Together campaign manager. “We’ve had a wonderful team of volunteers who’ve been trained by our incredible volunteer leadership team, led see Referendum 71 page 20
July 24 Capitol Hill street Candidate David Bloom attack, victim asking questions
SGN exclusive file photo
ey!” he says with a smile. “I talk to people – working people – who are worried about keeping their jobs, or they may have lost their jobs, they may have lost their homes. They can’t give me $700. Our challenge is to raise the money we need to stay competitive.” “Sally is defining herself as the Downtown business candidate,” Bloom continues. “The core of her support is there: The Alki Foundation. The General Contractors Association. The Realtors Association.” Bloom shakes his head. “I’ve been at this for 30 years as an organizer, and I know who those people are.” Bloom is running against Bagshaw, neighborhood activist Dorsol Plants, Amazon.com executive Brian Carver, and Thomas Tobin for City Council Position 4, the
David Bloom
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Seattle City Council candidate David Bloom is philosophical about hearing his principal opponent described in the media as “frontrunner Sally Bagshaw.” “Sally is definitely the frontrunner when it comes to raising mon-
by James Whitely SGN Contributing Writer
On July 24, David Gonzalez and his friend Robert Harkins were walking east on E. Pike St. from R Place when Gonzalez was beaten and kicked by three men less than two blocks from Broadway. Gonzalez considers this to be not just an anti-Gay, but anti-Latino motivated attack. According to Gonzalez, he and Harkins spent the early part of the night at R Place dancing with friends. Gonzalez began to get tired, so the two men decided to leave. Both Gonzalez and Harkins say they left at approximately 11:00 p.m. Harkins, who is in his mid-50s, and Gonzalez, who is in his mid20s, proceeded to walk towards Harkins’ parked vehicle on E. Pike St., between Harvard and Boylston. As they were passing the Honey Hole, a popular restaurant and bar on E. Pike St., someone from a group standing outside the businesses voiced an anti-Gay slur that was indistinguishable to Harkins. see david bloom page 16 A second taunt from a woman then
echoed the man’s sentiment, allegedly saying, “there goes a pretty boy walking with his daddy.” Gonzalez reacted by walking up to the group demanding an apology. Gonzalez now realizes he may have appeared threatening. He is tall and well built, but maintains that even though he was, in his words, “tipsy,” he was just asking for an apology. A man about Gonzalez’s height and build stepped between Gonzalez and the woman, ultimately David Gonzalez the day after the attack shoving Gonzalez gan kicking Gonzalez, calling him back. Gonzalez stumbled and fell to the sidewalk, a “faggot” and “spic.” It was at this and the situation quickly got out of point that Gonzalez’s initial aggressor and the woman left. hand. see attack page 16 Allegedly, three other men becourtesy david gonzalez
on LGBT issues