Tag Archives: gay politicians

Multi-millionaire OUT NYC Hotelier Ian Reisner Who Hosted Ted Cruz: “Gays Are Cheap, Gays Are Entitled”

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OUT NYC

 

“You know, it’s so ironic — I wanted to build kind of a community center in the gateway to Hell’s Kitchen, which in 2008–2009 was already a gay place and now it’s even gayer. Very close to Broadway. We decided there’d be so many different ways to give back to the community. We show gay artists there. For gay performers, we have let this cabaret club go on for three and a half years. And you don’t make money when you let drag queens in on Tuesday night and 30 people drink at $10 a drink and you have to pay five people to watch over the place. You don’t make money … My only point is, this has not been a profitable venture. Gays are cheap. They’re frugal; gays are frugal. Let me retract that … gays are entitled … Do you know how challenging it is to make a penny off a gay person? I’m gay, I don’t pay cover. I’m gay, where’s my comp drink?[Everyone laughs.] No, I’m being serious! The Out NYC has not shown a profit yet.” – Ian Reisner, in a New York Magazine joint interview with Mati Weiderpass.

Oh keep digging, by all means!

In related news……..

Yesterday on the Facebook page of the NYC Council’s LGBT Caucus, they call for a continued boycott of OUT NYC, and all Reisner and Weiderpass properties.

STATEMENT – LGBT CAUCUS – NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL

“Owning businesses that cater to the LGBT community comes with a heightened level of responsibility. For the proprietors of the OUTnyc and Fire Island Pines, hosting anti-LGBT politicians like Senators Ted Cruz and Ron Johnson in their home – for whatever reason – was the height of irresponsibility. We hope that the events of the last week send a message to businesses that serve our community: you cannot make money from our community and support those who don’t support our basic civil rights.”

LGBT Caucus – Council Members Daniel Dromm (Queens), Corey Johnson (Manhattan), Carlos Menchaca (Brooklyn), Rosie Mendez (Manhattan), Ritchie Torres (Bronx), James Van Bramer (Queens)

‪#‎BoycottFIPOut‬

Comedienne Andy Dick Arrested For Sexually Assaulting Another Man [VIDEO]

Openly Gay Rhode Island House Speaker Resigns After FBI/IRS Raid On Home & Office

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BUSTED

Openly gay Rhode Island House Speaker Gordon Fox who was criticized by LGBT activists for pushing for civil unions rather than marriage in 2011 has resigned his leadership position and will not seek reelection after the FBI in conjuncture with the R.I State Police and and the IRS conducted a raid on his home and office taking boxes of evidence with them.

“Because of the respect I have for all members of the House of Representatives, I am resigning as Speaker,” Fox said in a written statement emailed to reporters. “The process of governing must continue and the transition of leadership must be conducted in an orderly manner.” The 52-year-old Providence Democrat, who became the nation’s first openly gay House speaker in 2010, said he planned to serve out the remainder of his term through the end of the year, but that “my personal focus going forward will be on my family and dealing with the investigation.” 

Col. Steven G. O’Donnell, superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police stated that police investigations often result in joint operations and federal charges, especially “if it’s any type of corruption case or political person.” In such cases, he said federal prosecution is often preferable because “the guidelines are better for the punishment.”

He declined to disclose why the authorities are investigating Fox, and whether Fox is the target of the investigation or merely someone with evidence of crimes committed by others. But he said the former speaker is not in the dark.

“Fox knows what’s going on,” O’Donnell said. “He’s certainly aware of what happened” Friday and why it happened.

New York LGBT Politicians DEMAND Obama Act On Russia’s Anti-Gay Human Rights Abuses

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Sochi Russia gay

A group of gay and lesbian New York state legislators and NYC politicians including NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn, state Sen. Brad Hoylman, Assemblywoman Deborah J. Glick, and Assemblyman Matthew Titone are demanding that President Obama respond and demounce Russia’s crackdown on LGBT people and cancel an upcoming meeting with Vladimir Putin.

Dear President Obama:

We write as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) elected officials from New York City in anticipation of your deciding whether to continue or cancel plans for an upcoming diplomatic trip to Russia to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. While you are considering whether to cancel that trip in light of Russia’s decision to give asylum to Edward Snowden, we also urge you to consider the country’s horrendous treatment of members of the LGBT community and its clear human rights abuses aimed at our community. Russia has become a country that persecutes anyone who might be LGBT or supports gay rights.

As then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on behalf of your administration, “Gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights. It should never be a crime to be gay.” Given that President Putin and Russia have enacted laws to criminalize gay people and supporters and deny human rights to their LGBT citizens, they should not be the beneficiary of any trip by your office until they fully restore all civil rights to LGBT people in their country. Recent actions taken by the Russian government have led LGBT citizens to face not only a society that is intolerant of their basic civil rights, but also a country that would imprison them for declaring support for their own fundamental rights as humans. This has promoted an atmosphere of hate where gay people fear for their own lives and safety. Police are allowed to arrest foreigners who are considered gay or pro-gay and detain them for up to 14 days. Under their new law, as a pro-gay supporter even you could be subject to arrest and imprisonment while in Russia.

Mr. President, you will remember that in December 2011 the White House released a presidential memorandum directing executive officers and agencies that deal in foreign affairs to address human rights abuses against LGBT people abroad and to pressure foreign governments to decriminalize homosexuality. Now it is time for you and your administration to directly act on this memorandum. The LGBT community and its allies in Russia are under attack and the victims of clear human rights abuses. We urge you to stand in solidarity with us. Refuse any diplomatic mission to Russia until President Putin stops these abuses now and agrees to make Russia a country that proudly supports its LGBT community and its allies worldwide. We expect nothing less.

Other N.Y. political signatories  include Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell, Assemblyman Micah Kellner, and NYC Council members Jimmy Van Bramer, Rosie Mendez, and Daniel Dromm.

Both President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have been silent about the atrocities being perpetrated against Russia’s LGBT community

Log Cabin Republicans’ Changing Of The Guard; Will They Now Stop Being Counterproductive?

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News came today of the infamous Log Cabin Republican leader R. Clarke Cooper has decided to step down with no discernible mention as to why the change is being made. Could it be the result of campaigning for now two republican presidential candidates that failed miserably along with the general decline of the party? Who knows for sure but it was apparent that changes needed to be made within this contentious group.

There are reports that Cooper had already made this decision back in August although there are rumors that his stepping down is a surprise. Cooper also sites the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell as the biggest accomplishment of his tenure as leader:

I say that from a personal perspective, from a policy, organizational, institutional perspective, but also externally. I think probably the thing that … really touched me the most in my time at Log Cabin is Bush administration colleagues and Army colleagues being so supportive … and so congratulatory once the repeal succeeded

,It’s one thing to call for change, and it’s another thing to step up. Walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Take a more active role in state and party politics. LCR has an important role as an ancillary group. But more importantly, LGBT Republicans need to take official roles in their state parties. They need to seek roles in the national party, and they need to run for office. That’s where positive change will occur.”

Yes Cooper, saying you want change and being change are two totally different things. And so is working with leaders and politicians that actively work against change yet you still support them. Anyway, though no new leader has been chosen, chairman Gregory T. Angelo of New York will the interim leader and had this to say:

There has never been a more exciting and historic time to be a gay Republican-with the wind at our backs following four referendum victories for the freedom to marry last November and the United States Supreme Court soon to rule on marriage equality, 2013 could mark a turning point in the fight for equal rights for all,

First, I find it hard that they can attempt to take any credit when pretty much every candidate they backed DID NOT SUPPORT EQUAL RIGHTS. Seems kind of pompous and detached from reality. There were many organizations both large and small, that contributed to this election cycle’s victories and even suggesting that they were a direct cause of it is ludicrous.

Again I say that I do believe we can work with some moderate republicans that support and advocate for equal rights. Even though we may differ in opinion on other policies of government, I can work towards that with them. What I cannot and will not support, is when log cabin republicans actively support candidates that actively target and campaign against equal rights. It’s counterproductive. And there is no way in hell that I will support anyone, regardless of political affiliation, that does not hold those values of equality that our nation should be working towards.

New Jersey To Consider “Ex-Gay” Reparative Therapy Ban After California’s Passage

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Coming hot on the heels of Governor Jerry Browns signing into law a bill that bans ex-gay reparative therapy on California minors.  Openly gay New Jersey Assemblyman Tim Eustace says that now  he will introduce a bill similar to California’s ban  to the New Jersey State Senate.

“I see it as a form of child abuse,” Eustace said. Being gay “is not an illness, so what are they fixing?” “Conversion” or “reparative” therapy has been discredited by all major mental health organizations, according to the American Psychological Association. Since parents may force their children to undergo the therapy, the state should protect them, Eustace said. The bills will face stiff resistance from the New Jersey Family Policy Council, a group that opposes gay marriage. Government should not interfere with parental decisions, said the group’s founder and president, Len Deo. “The American Psychological Association has been very ‘progressive’ in their viewpoints. I would say there are thousands who have utilized this therapy that have left the gay lifestyle,” he said. “Assemblyman Eustace now becomes the parental authority for all . . . kids? Give me a break,” Deo added. “A kid can’t get a tattoo in New Jersey without a parent’s consent. To take the flip side on this and take away the right of the parents on this issue is ludicrous.”

There has been no word from New jersey Governor Chris Christie’s office on whether if such a Bill were to pass if he would sign it into law.

Gay Man Elected Minority Leader of Colorado House

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Photo source: Wikipedia
Progress. From Gay Politics and the Denver Post:

Democrats in the Colorado House of Representatives have elected an openly gay man to lead their caucus, meaning he could become House Speaker if the chamber flips back to Democratic control next year.

Rep. Mark Ferrandino of Denver, who co-sponsored a civil unions bill this year that failed to pass in the Republican-controlled House, said he will work to put Democrats back in charge of the nearly evenly divided chamber.