In this weeks copy of Gay Chicago Magazine
To the Editor:
I am a resident of the 49th Ward. I assume your paper may have already contacted the four candidates for alderman to determine an endorsement. My guess is that even the biggest homophobe candidate would hedge his bets and say the right things when contacted by a GLBT publication if it meant getting elected - that’s the nature of politics.
If you want a more unvarnished peek on where they really stand, take a look at their official responses to a recent aldermanic survey at www.rogerspark.com. One of the questions was:
“Rogers Park and Edgewater are often noted for being ‘diverse’ neighborhoods and communities. This is often one of the main reasons many people choose to live here. What does this mean to you and how might you maintain this diversity?”
It’s very telling that only one candidate’s response mentioned the GLBT community. So I looked at each candidate’s official campaign Web site. Again, only one discussed the GLBT community. In both cases, that candidate was Don Gordon. That certainly helps me narrow down the choices.
Rogers Park is nationally recognized for its diversity. Yet three of our four aldermanic candidates didn’t mention the GLBT community at all when it would have been easy to do so. Their election season silence is profoundly unsettling.
I have attended two candidate forums and heard much about the value of diversity when it comes to race, income and home ownership. Yet no official questions were posed about the GLBT community. None. So when the audience question segment came, I asked the candidates what they knew about the history, demographics, strengths of and challenges facing the Rogers Park GLBT community.
One candidate (Adams) seemed uncomfortable and didn’t even use the word gay or lesbian in his response. Another (Ginderske) immediately returned to his key campaign issue - the lack of affordable housing - and noted that gays were being displaced from Boystown. The incumbent (Moore) discussed his support for equal rights and cited examples like bereavement leave. I can’t take issue with Ginderske’s and Moore’s responses as far as they went. However, both viewed the GLBT community through the victim lens. Aren’t we more than that?
Only one candidate addressed the entire question. Gordon cited compelling demographics suggesting that anywhere between 15 and 25 percent of the ward is GLBT and explained how that information impacts his policies on economic development, crime prevention, etc. Gordon then proceeded to introduce his gay campaign manager as well as several GLBT friends in the audience. Mr. Gordon’s response was as three-dimensional as the GLBT community.
Being gay-friendly and valuing diversity in all forms is a great foundation for any campaign. But it doesn’t mean much if you can’t deliver basic services or offer a comprehensive and exciting vision of the future. Gordon brings impressive credentials as a businessman and lakefront activist as well as an energy, engagement and focus on local issues that have been missing from Rogers Park politics for far too long. Read his positions for yourself at www.dongordon.org.
I’m just a regular guy who got interested in this election over the mundane issue of a missing speed bump. But once I did, I discovered that there was only one good choice for GLBT voters in the 49th Ward - Don Gordon for alderman.
- TONY HALFORD, CHICAGO
5 comments:
I'd like to comment on Tony's letter.
Gay Chicago Magazine does not endorse candidates for public office. That's been my father's policy and I'm staying with his format.
We do however accept the candidates press releases, letter's to the editor, such as Tony's, event photos and advertising.
This way the candidate can tailor the message to the GLBT community the way they want to. This way the GLBT community decide who the best candidate for them, as Tony did.
If the other two candidates would like to advertise (two candidates in the 49th ward already are), call Dave at 773-327-7271 ext 103.
hey craig, i'm a senior majoring in sociology at Northwestern, writing my thesis right now on field research I did in Rogers Park, and you have a place in it, as virtually the only person who challenges Moore at his community-input-eat-and-then-vomit-back-out meetings. do you have an email address I can contact you at? as far as I know, you haven't provided your email address anywhere, and I'm new to this blogger thing.
I haven't been able to attend any of the recent 'debates,' so thanks for all the coverage. keep it going - when's the next one?
I think you should run for alderman someday since it seems like you provide info that people would never otherwise know about.. and so someone could then write a blog criticizing you! ha!
thanks,
lurker turned poster,
-Robert Teng (rteng07@geemail.com...actually gmail but I don't want ppl spamming me)
Thanks for joining in Robert. I just tried to emai you and it doesn't work. Try mine.
craiggernhardt@comcast.net
To regular guy.
The candidates claim maintaining diversity and affordable housing for all blah...blah...blah...
However. They know where their pockets are lined and in the 49th ward it's not yet the GLBT community. It is instead the corrupt landlords of so-called affordable housing...aka subsidized housing which by the way is not affordable housing. It is essentially welfare. Make your vote count and vote for who you think is the most honest. Hard I know. Are any of them really honest?
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