« Go back a post || Return to G-A-Y homepage || Haul tail to next post »
11/04/2009
Trying to smile
Through the unbelievably dark cloud that was Maine, many of us struggled to see the silver linings that are Kalamazoo and Washington state. Now the Victory Fund's Chuck Wolfe lets us in on a few more:
It was tough to watch what happened in Maine, but that painful loss is not the whole story of last night. We're winning right now in Washington state, and voters in Kalamazoo overwhelmingly embraced equality in their city. And of the 79 openly LGBT candidates the Victory Fund endorsed for 2009, 50 are winning as of this morning and another six have advanced to runoff elections.
This was a year when LGBT candidates broke through in places they had never won before. Now Detroit, Akron and St. Petersburg will have their first openly gay city councilmembers. Chapel Hill, North Carolina elected an openly gay mayor. And in Houston one of CNN's "Top 10 Races to Watch" went our way.
Last year the Victory Fund set a goal of helping Annise Parker become the next mayor of Houston, and the first openly LGBT mayor of one of America's largest cities. Last night she took a huge step toward victory, finishing first in a crowded field of candidates and heading to a final runoff election in mid-December.
I'm so proud Victory Fund supporters like you were a big part of this victory. But we're not done, so I can't celebrate for long.
With less than six weeks until final voting in this historic election, Annise faces one last opponent, a corporate lawyer with deep ties to Houston developers.
Annise's campaign is different. It's always been about the rest of us - people who need our elected leaders to be our voice in government. She's asked us to support her groundbreaking campaign so she can be that voice. And what a voice it will be.
But mark my words-the national attention this campaign received in recent days will generate another kind of attention. Now that Annise is this close to becoming the first-ever openly gay mayor of one of America's largest cities, the anti-gay industry is on alert and scheming to block this progress. So I'm asking you to join us in the home stretch to defend Annise and drown out the lies they'll try to spread.
Annise recorded a special video message just for Victory Fund supporters who've had such an amazing impact in this race. Watch it. Get involved. Help her achieve this historic victory and don't let extremists derail our progress.
This has been an extraordinary year. We're going to end it celebrating if you'll stand with us, with Annise, and on the right side of history.
Yours in Victory,
Chuck Wolfe
Victory Fund President and CEO
Chuck Wolfe: About last night [Gay Politics]
*Watch a special thank you video recorded by Annise Parker [Victory Fund]
Your thoughts
Thanks for this Jeremy., and everything you do, of course.
Nice pic of you from last night... posted by Louise, will email.
Comment under 365 GAY blog re Annise.. one person wrote, who care about these piddly gay elected officials. So I posted Chuck's letter there too.
....and my other comment was to the effect that the 'good' they do is to be VISIBLE, in their home communities, working hard for ALL their constituents in whatever role they are elected to. We must admit, many many people DO NOT KNOW any gay people.
These are VISIBLE GAY NEIGHBORS, concerned about all the things that straight community member are.
We can never have enough of them at work for us. True ONE Harvey Milk could spread his fame and flame far an wide, simply by his personality and courage, but we need every gay person in whatever capapcity they function to stand up for themselves in their communities before most will see that 'teh gay agenda' is NOT the bogeyman NOM makes it out to be.
Posted by: LOrion | Nov 4, 2009 12:07:53 PM
University of Maine numbers came in as 81% for gay marriage and only 18% against. That is the future America is heading towards, I just wish it would get here sooner
Posted by: dragon8888 | Nov 4, 2009 12:20:31 PM
As a cautiously optimistic resident of Washington state, I find it hard to celebrate my state's steps towards equality while others are being demonized and having their rights taken away. Don't stop fighting, we'll get there!!
Posted by: Sam | Nov 4, 2009 1:49:00 PM
Sam: We're all (cautiously) celebrating your state's win as well! I'm sorry it had to get masked behind such a hunk o' nasty.
And yes, we will all get there.
Posted by: G-A-Y | Nov 4, 2009 1:51:52 PM
comments powered by Disqus
