Comments on: D.C. Council candidate no longer opposes gay marriage law

By: brian / ward 5

brian / ward 5 — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 11:46:47 +0000

*If [Delano Hunter] is serious about changing his mind, let him come clean, admit to having been wrong, and go on record as supporting marriage equality and opposing the conducting of any plebiscite in which people’s rights are put to a popular vote. We have only thirteen seats in our city’s legislature. We cannot afford to fill one of them with someone who seeks to advance himself by collaborating with bigots from outside our city who seek to divide us.* – Rick Rosendall, GLAA

“The stuff in the media and blogs was not an accurate portrayal…I have been screaming this as loud as I can, ‘hey my position has not been fairly represented’,” Hunter said. “I went to the Blade because I wanted to speak to the LGBT community.” – Tim Craig, WaPo (1/13/12)

Exactly right, Rick. The homophobic mailers by NOM mailed throughout the ward puts Hunter in an entirely different category than Vincent Orange’s comment and position in the waning days of the mayoral primary in 2006.

Incredibly, Hunter is still denying his anti-gay marriage position and the NOM-sponsored bigoted mailers on his behalf — just 15 months ago.

I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for Hunter to take Rick’s advice. I doubt any LGBT activists in Ward 5 or elsewhere have heard a kind word or any LGBT-issues concern at all from Delano Hunter in the past 15 months. Hunter is not trying to convince Ward 5′s LGBT voters, as he knows we know the truth.

The reason one of Hunter’s promoters, die-hard Marriage Equality opponent, Kathryn Pearson-West, is suddenly cutting off LGBT members and debate re. Hunter on the Ward5 listserv is because of the firestorm of disbelief expressed there — by straight LGBT sympathizers, as well. This is really just a quick PR effort on Delano Hunter’s part to convince concerned straight Ward 5 voters that he’s “OK with the gays.”

This Ward 5 special election to replace Thomas is one for LGBTs throughout the city to watch. I hope GLAA will survey all the declared candidates in Ward 5, too.

A number of us are already leaning to McDuffie. McDuffie’s heartfelt, early support for Marriage Equality, his experience in Eleanor Holmes Norton’s office, plus as a civil rights prosecutor in the Justice Department all give him important assets in a ward that is yearning for ethical integrity.

By: Rick Rosendall

Rick Rosendall — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:34:27 +0000

Of course it is a lie for Delano Hunter to deny having taken a position on whether the Council should pass a marriage equality law. It is a by-now-familiar ploy to claim that he was interested only in “letting the people vote.” First, his publicly expressed animus (and the proof) has already been noted. Second, the people have voted–they’re called elections. Article 4, Section 4 of the Constitution guarantees a republican form of government; there is nothing about a right to hold plebiscites. Additionally, putting people’s rights up for a popular vote is expressly forbidden by the D.C. Human Rights Act. In any case, marriage equality has popular support in the city and every candidate who has opposed it has been roundly defeated. Some of our opponents have asked, “If you are so confident that you would win a ballot measure, why not let the people vote?” The answer is that holding such a vote is not appropriate.

The position that Mr. Hunter has staked out is too cute by half. If he is serious about changing his mind, let him come clean, admit to having been wrong, and go on record as supporting marriage equality and opposing the conducting of any plebiscite in which people’s rights are put to a popular vote. We have only thirteen seats in our city’s legislature. We cannot afford to fill one of them with someone who seeks to advance himself by collaborating with bigots from outside our city who seek to divide us. We need our elected officials to work to bring us together to address our shared challenges and make this a better city for all.

By: brian / ward 5

brian / ward 5 — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:51:53 +0000

Some Ward 5 news…

Since Lou’s story, there’s been lot of buzz in the ward. Former Council candidate, and highly vocal Marriage Equality opponent, Kathryn Pearson-West (aka, ‘KPW’) has quoted Lou’s story in full on the Ward5 Yahoo! listserv as a good reason to now support Delano Hunter. Pearson-West is now the autocratic moderator of the Ward5 listserv. To my knowledge, she has never renounced her anti-Marriage Equality position in 2009 and 2010. Last week she very deliberately announced– on the listserv that she moderates– that Delano Hunter was one of her favorite candidates to replace Thomas.

Now, apparently, Pearson-West does not like the firestorm of disbelief and listserv criticism that has replied to her and responded to Lou’s story. This evening Pearson-West has threatened to “block” Ward5 listserv members who continue to criticize Delano Hunter’s candidacy– many of who are openly LGBT listserv members. She may do it, too, as Pearson-West quietly (and without any prior notice me), blocked my commentary on that listserv last week.

Perhaps Kathryn Pearson-West thinks there are too many LGBT and their straight neighbor sympathizers voicing their opinions on the Ward5 listserv.

As background … a lot of Ward 5′s LGBTs are taking another, more favorable look at Kenyan McDuffie. McDuffie ran for the Ward 5 seatMcDuffie is a former USDOJ civil rights attorney and experience working in Eleanor Holmes Norton’s office. McDuffie is, and has been a strong supporter of Marriage Equality in 2010.

Here’s a copy and paste of Kathryn Pearson-West’s threatening response to ANC Commissioner Timothy Clark’s appeal for more fair listserv moderation, earlier this evening…

=====
— In ward5@yahoogroups.com, WKPW3@… wrote:

Re: [ward5] Kenyan McDuffie’s Bio & Resume

As the moderator, I let this free for all go on and Hunter took the abuse. You opened the door. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. I asked that people not attack potential candidates yet until people declared. No one wanted to listen or follow through. Moderation to be implemented so some will be blocked soon. Apparently Mr. McDuffie has a lot of supporters particularly on one issue and other candidates supporters are not as passionate with their attack mode.

The moderator will moderate. I work alone and set the tone. Enjoy your evening.

KPW

–
—–Original Message—–
From: timclarkdc
To: ward5
Sent: Thu, Jan 12, 2012 6:25 pm
Subject: Re: [ward5] Kenyan McDuffie’s Bio & Resume

I would expect you as the moderator to take a more balanced approach to this. Mr. Hunter is catching heat because of his actions last campaign season and his press release to the blade. This is something he brought on himself.

It’s perfectly fine if you’ve chosen to support him, but calling on other candidates to be “molested” is a bit much.

I think these exchanges show that such antics aren’t appreciated and won’t be tolerated in the ward. As Jamie said, not one of the people who’ve expressed anger and dislike for Mr. Hunter even mentioned Kenyan…

By: blue-heron

blue-heron — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:36:43 +0000

I smell a strong odor of BS

By: Stephen Clark

Stephen Clark — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:40:17 +0000

Let me be even more blunt than Rosenstein, Rosendall, and Summersgill: Nice try, bigot.

Endorse marriage equality AND apologize for the disgusting NOM mailer.

By: John Novak

John Novak — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:06:37 +0000

The only reason Delano is changing course on this issue is because this election will likely see dismal turnout and most of those who will vote are politically and socially astute and a good portion of those astute voters are members of the LGBT community. If you alienate them now you simply never win this election. This has nothing to do with what he believes. It has everything to do with him saying what he thinks people want to hear. This is far to typical and smacks of the rhetoric and lies spewed by the Thomas camp throughout his corrupt administration in Ward 5. I hope the residents in Ward 5 can see through all this to the heart of the issues and pick a candidate that will cast aside the dishonest and unethical business as usual in Ward 5 politics and really focus on make the Ward a better place to live, work and visit.

By: Barrie Daneker

Barrie Daneker — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:03:52 +0000

What Mr. hunter needs to do is support gay rights going forward and to suggest things that he will do to strengthen the laws and support for the community. Taking a new position at the 11th hr into order to appeal to a wider base of Ward 5 will do nothing for his campaign. In order to garner support in the upcoming election he would have to have some accomplishments towards advancing the LGBT agenda which he has nothing to show for the past 15 months. Mr. Hunter cannot count on support from Ward 5. We need concrete accomplishments and plans prior to giving support to a so called “reformed anti-gay” candidate. I will not be voting for Mr. Hunter and I would encourage my fellow Ward 5 residents to follow the lead of the various members of the LGBT caucus.

By: brian / ward 5

brian / ward 5 — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:16:42 +0000

LGBT residents’ response in Ward 5 (per the BrooklandGLBT listserv and Ward5 listserv) to Lou’s story about Delano Hunter’s election-season “conversion” is nearly in unanimous agreement with Peter’s, Rick’s and Bob’s comments.

But as you might imagine, Ward 5 LGBT residents’ opinions are a good bit stronger. Delano Hunter is just flatly unbelievable.

Lou reported, “Hunter said he did not take a position in 2010 and has no position now on whether the D.C. Council should or should not have passed the same-sex marriage law.”

Hunter’s assertion is just not true, and Ward 5 voters, LGBT and straight, know it. It’s only been 15 months. Who does Hunter and his backers think they’re kidding?

Delano Hunter caught on video in 2010 (@ about the 42 second marker)…
http://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2010-09-10/politics-hour
–or–
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq72sutJw24&feature=email

“I believe in traditional marriage, point blank. That’s not something I’m going to waffle on.”
–Delano Hunter
“The Politics Hour” w/ Kojo Nnamdi, September 10, 2010

In addition, Lou noted NOM’s reported campaign efforts on Delano Hunter’s behalf.

See NOM’s outrageous direct mail to Ward 5 residents on behalf of Delano Hunter in 2010 here…
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/nom-desperate-dc

By: Bob Summersgill

Bob Summersgill — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:59:43 +0000

Peter Rosenstein makes excellent points. We deserve better than this from a DC Council candidate. Mr. Hunter does not say he respects the right of same-sex couples to marry, rather he says he respects the law. He does not suggest that his previous position was incorrect or that there is any problem with voting on peoples’ rights. There is no apology or atonement. He merely acknoledges that a law he does like passed, and he’s not going to oppose it.

By: Rick Rosendall

Rick Rosendall — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:32:40 +0000

I’m glad that Mr. Hunter recognizes that our marriage equality law is settled; but as Peter Rosenstein notes, that leaves a number of questions unanswered. Years ago, another local homophobe, Rev. Anthony Evans, told me, “I don’t think you should be killed.” I appreciated the sentiment as far as it went, but I’m happy to say that the bar is set a bit higher here.