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Mayors’ bold move on pensions

It took a hard-line anti-communist like Richard Nixon to open up China to the United States. Applying that principle — that significant policy victories can emerge from playing against type — may just lead to a coalition consisting primarily of…

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#California law #Chuck Reed #Patrick Morris #Richard Nixon #San Bernardino #Stockton

Letter to San Jose Mayor, Chuck Reed On Nonsupport for Gay Marriage

September 20, 2012

Mayor Reed, As a long-time resident of downtown San Jose (13+ years), I finally decided to move in October of 2011. The reason for moving had many reasons, but I will focus on the major one in this letter. As a poor kid from a small Ohio town that decided education was the way to a different life, I finished all of my degrees, packed my old Honda Accord, and with $600 in my pocket moved to San Jose. At the time, San Jose represented opportunity, a new beginning, and, frankly, WARMER WEATHER! ;) As the years wore on I always felt something was slightly "off" about living in San Jose. I often had to defend it to my friends from around the Bay Area. Defend it because of the crime/prostitution in the 70’s/80’. The HUGE efforts over the years to clean up the city and create strong neighborhoods and gang prevention programs were ignored by many other Bay Area residents. It is a safe place now (one of the nation’s safest – even with an uptick in crime), a happy place to raise a family, but something still never felt quite right. It was after the passage of Proposition 8 that I realized what did NOT feel right about my local community. It was the fact that San Jose was the 10th largest city in the US and yet, as a gay man, I felt invisible (as someone that grew up in rural northwest Ohio, I can say, I truly know what invisible feels like). It was with the passage of Prop 8 that I realized there were two options:

time to help change perceptions, or

time to leave.

So, I spent roughly two years after Prop 8 coordinating large mixers at traditionally straight venues downtown in my spare time as a way of making the community more visible and to show our straight peers that we were no different than they were. No different in the way we relax, the way we enjoy good food, the way we might kick back and have a beer. The point to all of this? My hope was that over time, our straight peers (and now allies/friends) would see that we're NO different than they are and that we ARE a part of the local community that pays taxes (as they do), sometimes struggle to get by (as they do), and raise kids (as they do). In your role as Mayor, it is your job to advocate for the best interest of the city. You have failed in doing so when it comes to the issue of supporting marriage equality. The bigger failure is in your reasoning for nonsupport. In the article, it stated that religion was not a factor? Then what, sir, is the primary driver for you to deny the basic fundamental right to marry to gays and lesbians -- The same fundamental right that you and your wife were able to exercise so many decades ago. Your belief in "separate but equal" reeks of the same ignorance/hatred used in the south to keep African-Americans from using the same drinking fountains/restaurants/schools, etc.. If for you, this is not a religious issue, then... What.. May I ask it is? My expectation of elected officials is that they are there to serve. To put personal bias to the side and look out for what is best for the community. If what is best is continuing your blatant discriminatory approach --- "separate but equal" --- toward marriage equality, then San Jose will continue to lose out on those bright minds, like Jeff Bezos - click HERE - that move elsewhere because of their respect for inclusion.

At a minimum, people should be outraged at the projected loss of monetary support gay marriage would bring to the local economy! -- Citing a five-year review of MA where the state brought in an additional $111 million spent on gay weddings, click HERE -- You appear to be in a rush for pension reform but not as much in a rush to explore new revenue streams? Overall, as Mayor, I can say that I am disappointed and expect better - and THIS is EXACTLY why I finally made the hard decision to leave. I hope if nothing else, my reflections will help you understand that your ignorance on the issue does NOTHING to move San Jose forward. I hope you will reconsider your decision to NOT support marriage equality and join with so many other mayors from across this nation to push for inclusion at the local level. ORIGINAL ARTICLE IN THE BAY AREA REPORTER Paul

_____________________________

CONTACT MAYOR REED:

Phone: (408) 535-4800 Mail: The Office of Mayor Chuck Reed 200 East Santa Clara Street, 18th Floor San José, CA 95113 E-Mail: [email protected]

#San Jose #Mayor #Chuck Reed #Gay #Lesbian #Gay Marriage #Prop 8 #Marriage Equality