Loki Anderson writes -- and implies my motives are racist.
>Can't help but notice that you have posted negative
>comments regarding Neva Walker almost constantly in
>the six months since she has taken office and yet I
>have yet to hear anything from you regarding Linda
>Berglin, who also represents your area. Senator
>Berglin also votes correctly regarding GLBT issues, as
>does Rep. Walker, but I haven't seen her take any
>leadership role in your sodomy crusade either. Can't
>help but wonder why there is a different standard.
EY: Actually that's not quite true. Linda Berglin actually did take a
leadership role on the sodomy statute repeal (RASSL bill) two years ago. I
took Rep. Walker to task because she was absent on the domestic partner's
vote (I was unaware that the reason for the absence was the death of her
sister, as Matthea Little Smith pointed out on the list, at Rep. Walker's
request).
However, in regard to being responsive to constituents who use Berglin's
webform to communicate, it's like writing to a black hole. I recently
wrote Berglin's office using the web form -- and have yet to hear a
response -- (I wanted to wait and see whether the web form would work). I
also gave Linda Wejcman grief over not responding to email at the
legislators public forum about a year ago. And yes, I've criticized both
Herron and Walker on this list. I will admit that I can be a demanding
constituent -- and perhaps I am the constituent from hell.
Neva Walker does not respond to emails, but does return calls. Same with
Linda Berglin. Meanwhile, Rep. Eric Lipman of Stillwater (of all people)
responded by email within an hour to a question I raised about the sodomy
law. He said he would consider being chief author of a sodomy repeal bill.
Rep. Scott Dibble has also responded to me on this subject. I assume
Dibble will be contacting Lipman to discuss the possibility of a
Dibble-Lipman Sodomy Repeal bill. I've gotten personal responses to email
I've sent from Rep. Rick Stanek (R), Jane Kreinz (D), Linda Higgins D, Jim
Rhodes (R), Peggy Leppik (R), Rep. Kahn and House Speaker Tim Pawlenty (R)
--I just can't get personal responses to constituent email sent to the
legislators who directly represent me. That annoys me.
>The city council has far fewer opportunities to vote
>on issues that specifically address only GLBT folks.
>So Brian Herron probably hasn't amassed a significant
>GLBT voting record on which to comment. But neither
>does the Hennepin County Commission and I haven't seen
>you mention Peter McLaughlin, who also represents your
>area. When votes come up in either body affecting
>domestic partners and GLBT health related funding, I
>see them both voting correctly, but again, only Herron
>earns your scorn.
Funny you mention Peter McLaughlin -- who I've never thought much of. The
point is that McLaughlin isn't running for election right now, and Brian
Herron is. But once McLaughlin does run again, there are aspects of his
record vis a vis the GLBT community that are worth raising again. Thanks
for reminding me.
>Sorry if I offended, but I just thought there seemed
>to be a pattern. And I'm sure some of your best
>friends are black, like Peter Bell, but whether you
>like it or not, by your constant harping on Herron and
>Walker, you are representing yourself as having a
>greater problem with your black representatives than
>anyone else.
I've given alot of politicians criticism on this list -- and on the MN
Politics Discuss list. Peter Bell is not a best friend who is black. He
is a Republican I supported for county commissioner two years ago. I also
felt strongly that he was clearly the most qualified for that race.
What I find interesting is that I get accused of racism, when I have also
been the person who has forwarded items that relate to the African American
community when I get them. I forwarded the Java Noire story here -- and it
got picked up by Southwest Journal, and a reporter from City Pages
contacted me about the story. I referred the reporter to the email list I
got the story from (soul-on-ice).
Eva
Eva Young
Central
aka the Constituent from Hell
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