The Most Poignant PRIDE Yet

This was a bittersweet weekend for us. We had the opportunity to reconnect with old friends, meet some new friends, amd remember someone who's made such a huge mark in our lives.

On the eve of Sevcik v. Sandoval's day in court (at the Ninth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals) and just after a remarkable series of advances for transgender civil rights, Las Vegas PRIDE weekend came and went. It was a time for celebration of recent progress, as well as a time of reflection on the challenges that still lie ahead.





Friday night's parade offered quite the exciting line-up. Communities of faith, Cleve Jones & Culinary 226, a host of local businesses, and even a few Las Vegas Metro Police officers (!!!) participated in the parade. Also riding in the parade were State Senators David Parks (D-Paradise), Pat Spearman (D-North Las Vegas), Kelvin Atkinson (D-North Las Vegas), & Justin Jones (D-Enterprise), along with Assembly Member James Healey (D-Enterprise), Lieutenant Governor candidate Lucy Flores (D), NV-03 Congressional candidate Erin Bilbray (D), and State Senate candidate Teresa Lowry (D).

Along 4th Street in Downtown Las Vegas, all these people marched in solidarity with Southern Nevada's LGBTQ community and our continuing struggle for full civil rights. They came to show their respect for our community and ask for our support. Doesn't it feel nice to receive this kind of respect?







Then came the Saturday festival. And yes, there were festivities all throughout Clark County Government Center's amphitheater. There were also some elected officials coming back to meet voters. And there were volunteers registering voters. There were families coming in to soak in the sun, along with young LGBTQ Nevadans coming in for a safe place to express themselves.





The whole weekend was a thing of beauty. When I first moved here to Southern Nevada five years ago, one of the first activities I did was Las Vegas PRIDE. So I always experience a rush of emotions around this time of the year every year. However, this PRIDE was the most poignant one for me yet.







I came to know Sandy Eddy quite well over the years. We both served on the Stonewall Southern Nevada board together. And during our time on the board, she became one of my "Vegas adopted mothers". She really meant that much to me, and to all the other people who came into her life.

Last Thursday, Sandy suffered a stroke and was rushed to the hospital. She didn't make it. Yet even at life's end, she kept giving of herself. Several of her organs are about to be donated to those in need. And during this time of mourning, she's brought back together those who had recently drifted apart.



Las Vegas PRIDE was one of the many community events Sandy made sure to do. That's why I ultimately felt compelled to go this past weekend. Even though I initially didn't even want to pull myself out of bed Friday morning, I knew Sandy would kick my ass if I didn't pull myself together and go. She always made sure to go where she was needed.



Sandy Eddy may no longer be with us physically, but I could feel her spirit with me at PRIDE. And I figured she would have been happy about everyone who turned out for the parade, all the activity at the Stonewall & PLAN booths at the festival, and all the other people at PRIDE who were there to serve the greater community.

This was a bittersweet weekend for so many of us. But with so much more to do, Sandy would want everyone to press forward. So we will. (Yet in the spirit of giving that Sandy embdodied all the way through to her very last moments, now's a great time to reach out & help her family during their time of grief.)

NV-Sen/NV-03: Heller's & Heck's "Bad Romance"

Earlier this month, many Southern Nevadans had themselves a "fabulous gay old time" at Las Vegas Pride. Yet while many political candidates came by to court local LGBTQ voters. However, there were some notable absences. Perhaps most notably, Dean Heller and Joe Heck (and their "Team Nevada Shadow GOP") were MIA at Pride.

Hmmm, I wonder why. Could it be?

1. Heller has opposed marriage equality and even domestic partnership benefits for same-sex couples —but no longer wants to talk about it. In 2006, Heller said on his campaign website that he “supports traditional marriage between one man and one woman and will work to defend Nevada values in Congress.” This year, he reaffirmed his belief that “marriage is between one man and one woman” and said he “would not support changing that.” But, he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal, “I don’t want it to be the issue in the campaign. I truly don’t want this to be the issue.” He also voted for a 2007 amendment restricting the District of Columbia government from using any federal funding to provide domestic partnership benefits.

2. Heller voted against Hate Crimes protections for LGBT Americans. In both 2007 and 2009,he voted against adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the federal hate crimes laws.

3. Heller thinks it should be legal to fire someone just for being gay. He voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in 2007, which would have banned employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

4. Heller opposed letting LGBT servicemembers serve openly. He voted against Don’t Ask Don’t Tell repeal twice in 2010. In 2009 he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal he supported continuing the discriminatory policy.

5. Heller has been a total zero on LGBT equality. Over the course of the 110th and 111th Congresses, the Human Rights Campaign rated him as voting against the interests of the LGBT community 100 percent of the time.

Notice Heller's downright flippant attitude toward Nevada's LGBTQ families.



Now contrast this with Shelley Berkley and her steadfast commitment to securing equality for all Nevada families.





As we've discussed before, Mitt Romney is leading Dean Heller, Joe Heck, and the rest of the G-O-TEA in embracing teabaggers' bigotry and doubling down on endorsing wrongful discrimination. They're doing this because they still think they need to shore up their "TEA" fueled base. Yet while they're doing this, they're alienating the rest of our increasingly diverse and multicultural state. And with the newest CBS/New York Times poll showing a strong national majority favoring marriage equality, it's quite likely that Nevada voters are trending quickly towards embracing equality as well.

Joe Heck may still be calling marriage equality "a distraction" while he & Dean Heller dutifully stand by the G-O-TEA agenda of belittling and even endangering (!!!) LGBTQ Nevadans, but they increasingly look anachronistic and incredibly out of touch. Just contrast Heck's cold and downright rude remarks with John Oceguera's heartfelt support for marriage equality and full civil rights for LGBTQ Nevadans.



This is a bigger problem for Nevada Republicans than Dean Heller, Joe Heck, and their slick campaign consultants want to admit. And this is the real reason why Heller and Heck refuse to talk about it. But as long as they keep trying to hold down Nevada's LGBTQ families, a growing and strengthening number of Nevada voters may ultimately decide to just hang up on them.

#VegasPride 2012: The Parade (& The Candidates Who Joined Us)

There's just something special and something awe inspiring about Las Vegas Pride. Is it the glitter? Is it the the variety of wardrobes? Is it the backdrop of Fabulous Downtown Las Vegas? Or is it simply the people, the diverse array of people coming together to celebrate who we are, where we've come, and what lies next for our LGBTQ community?



As you can see below, we had quite the parade last night. And what made it all the more special were the guests who marched with us. It will make you wonder who's really a "political liability".







Both John Oceguera and Steven Horsford rode in the Las Vegas Pride Parade with HRC Las Vegas and our local Stonewall Democrats. And both candidates were more than happy to greet the parade watchers and share not just their standard campaign pitches, but also their promise to support full equality for Nevada's LGBTQ families. Oh, and did I mention they were riding by a bunch of "militant marching gays" who were dancing to the likes of (the late great) Whitney Houston and Lady Gaga? This was truly a sight to behold.

And what made this even more amazing was the fact that both Horsford and Oceguera face competitive Congressional races. Remember the days when many swing district Democrats preferred to shy away from "controversial issues"? Obviously, Horsford and Oceguera had no "controversial issues" with coming to Pride and openly proclaiming their support for LGBTQ equality. This really showed how far both national and Nevada Democrats have come, as well as the strong character of both candidates present.







In addition to Oceguera and Horsford personally marching/riding with HRC & Stonewall in Pride, Shelley Berkley (NV-Sen), Dina Titus (NV-01), and President Obama's Nevada campaign all had strong representation at Las Vegas Pride. And again, all campaigns were so proud to march with HRC & Stonewall and tout their pro-equality records. I guess now that the Democratic Party has made a bold move in embracing marriage equality and the LGBTQ community in full, Nevada Democrats are now making good policy into good politics.

Oh, and by the way, no prominent Nevada Republicans were to be found at Pride last night. Is this what they mean by saying they're "silent on social issues"? Well, it's not like Mitt Romney, Dean Heller, Joe Heck, and Danny Tarkanian really have anything to be proud about when it comes to LGBTQ outreach.

And that, my friends, was Night 1 of Las Vegas Pride Weekend in the heat of the 2012 election cycle.

So President Obama Isn't the Only One Evolving.

Well, this is a much welcome change. Now that President Obama is completing his evolution on marriage equality, the political world is scrambling. And yes, it's even happening here in Nevada.

"As a gay man, it means a lot to me personally, because this is a president I've supported since he was a candidate and is somebody that I believed in and continue to believe in," said Chris Miller with the Clark County Democratic Party. "He continues to do things, not just for the gay community, but the entire country. That makes me want to stand with him even stronger."

Homosexual Ron Viotue and his partner of 42 years are applauding the president for his decision to support gay marriage as well as his repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell last year.

"He kept saying by the end of his first term, and I thought he (was) blowing smoke," he said. "It's never going to happen, and it did. This man has a lot, a lot of courage."

Ron and his partner began living together in the 1970's and had a private ceremony. The pair now owns an income tax business in Las Vegas. They're hopeful after so many years of helping married couples claim credits and deductions, they'll eventually get the same benefits they are currently denied.

At Southern Nevada Stonewall last night, soon to be State Senator Tick Segerblom (D-Las Vegas) made more news by announcing plans to introduce a constitutional amendment to repeal Question 2. If it's passed by the next two consective sessions of the Legislature, then it can go to the voters for approval in 2016. State Senator David Parks (D-Paradise) also noted that marriage equality may come to The Silver State even sooner if Lambda Legal's federal law suit challenging Question 2 succeeds. Even our US Senator, Harry Reid (D), is evolving.

It's really amazing to see how we've progressed as a country... And as a state. Just twenty years ago, an anti-sodomy law targeting LGBTQ citizens were still on the books. (It was repealed in 1993.) Just three years ago, SB 283 domestic partnerships were on the verge of becoming law. Just last year, AB 211 transgender inclusive ENDA became law. And now, Nevada is closer than ever before to fully stepping into the 21st century. Oh, the places we'll go.

However, it looks like at least some folks here would rather stay in the past. Governor Brian Sandoval (R-Still Scared?) reaffirmed his support for marriage discrimination, along with the RNC and likely G-O-TEA Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney (R-Always Drinking Too Much TEA). Apparently after devolving for so long, it will take them a whole lot longer to evolve.



Still, it's great to see that marriage equality is quickly becoming less of a "deadly wedge issue" and more of just basic common sense, as it really always should have been.

SD 1: John Lee Gets a Primary Challenge. And I Honestly Didn't Know About It.

Honestly, I did NOT know this was coming. When I was at Stonewall on Wednesday to listen to John Lee discuss his experience in the Legislature and answer questions about his record, I had no clue that Southern Nevada Stonewall's new Vice-chair was preparing to challenge him in the Democratic Primary in the new SD 1.

And now, it looks like Senate Democrats are in for a real Battle Royale. On one side, the Senate Caucus will have to decide how to defend John Lee in the primary. He is the incumbent, after all, and the caucus typically favors incumbents first.

But on the other hand, a number of progressive activists will probably be jumping behind Pat Spearman. Considering his past votes on matters of LGBTQ equality, the environment, education, and more, the grassroots left hasn't ever had a very good relationship with Lee. Tensions have been rising in the last few legislative sessions, so perhaps this was bound to happen at some point.

I'm sure there will be talk of how this affects the Senate Caucus. The fact of the matter is that this is how the ("small d") democratic process works. Primaries happen. And if Pat Spearman didn't do this, someone else might have announced.

Still, I just hope folks on both sides of this emerging divide remember to look at the bigger picture. Regardless of what happens in this primary, there's a big election coming in November. And not only is partisan control at stake, but so are the environment, workers' rights, education, LGBTQ equality, tax reform, and so much more.

I honestly didn't even know about this until Jon Ralston tweeted it. And I had no clue on Wednesday that this was going to happen. I'm confident that Stonewall will be fair in its endorsement process, as no endorsements have even been issued yet. I just hope that the larger progressive activist base will really think this through and make sure that whatever happens in this primary doesn't harm larger efforts to make a positive impact on the Legislature in this fall's election.

John Lee Speaks... To Stonewall (And Gets a Surprising Response!)

We were all waiting for this. This was the big night. For the first time ever, John Lee appeared at a Nevada Stonewall Democratic function.





Yes, I can wait a moment while you try to put your head back together after it exploded.

OK, are you ready now?

So John Lee spoke at length on Nevada's legislative process, and of the state of our economy today (which I'll get to in a future story). But this morning, I want to give Lee a chance to explain for himself his past opposition to SB 283 and AB 211.



Honestly, I was surprised. He neither apologized for his votes nor tried to really rationalize them. He basically just said that they are what they are and he is what he is.





John Lee said flat out that he believes marriage should be restricted to straight couples, but I just asked him about SB 283, which is not even marriage. It just affords some basic rights, benefits, and responsibilities to Nevada families that are easily given to everyone else. I understand John Lee is "pro-family", so why not at least allow these families to have the same rights that he and his wife gave?



An actual constituent of John Lee then asked him about his vote last session against AB 211, the transgender inclusive workplace non-discrimination bill. Lee had said earlier that no one from Stonewall even bothered to talk to him, but she corrected him and stated she did schedule meetings with him in 2009 regarding SB 283, and in 2011 regarding AB 211. Now I realize that it was a mistake for many progressives to totally shut down lines of communication with Lee, however not everyone was doing that. And despite hearing from constituents and activists who did schedule meetings with him, Lee still voted against AB 211. Did he need to see this?



Or does he need to hear from more Nevadans who have experienced workplace discrimination first hand? How hard is it to understand that it's wrong to fire someone from a job just because of one's identified gender?

Well, at least John Lee came to Stonewall last night to hear our grievances. I'll give him credit for that. (No really, I will!) And hopefully now with lines of communication between Lee and local progressives, he'll take some time to reconsider his take on matters of LGBTQ equality.



Interestingly enough, another candidate stood up later in the meeting and briefly discussed his own first hand experience.



Steve Parke is running for Assembly District 21 in Henderson and Silverado Ranch. (Disclaimer: He's also my neighbor.) And like John Lee, Steve Parke is also "pro-family" (he has a wife and two kids) and LDS. And he explained so well both the legal and moral case for marriage equality. In just his one minute of speaking, he blew away the audience... And hopefully, helped Lee start on that path of reconsidering his take on matters of LGBTQ equality.

Between Lee coming to Stonewall and the introduction of new Legislature candidates there last night, my hope for next session is being renewed.

More from Sheila Leslie, Stonewall, & Our Adventures in Reno

In case you didn't get enough fun from our adventures in Reno last night, here's some more material that I couldn't fit into my SD 15 diary from this morning. Last night at the Northern Nevada Stonewall party in Reno, Sheila Leslie gave a powerful speech explaining why she's running.



And we had even more special guests come and rally the base in Reno last night. Clark County Democratic Party Chair Chris Miller, Washoe Democratic Party Chair Dorie Guy, State Treasurer Kate Marshall (D), Washoe County Commissioner Kitty Jung (D-Reno), and famed UNR economist Elliott Parker were among the very special events at the Stonewall party last night.





And by the way, the official count for last night's party is now just over 50!

I'm now in Carson City for the Nevada State Democratic Party Central Committee meeting. I'll have updates from that at my Twitter @atdleft this afternoon, and I'll have a fuller roundup here at the blog tomorrow morning.

Here's to lovely Northern Nevada!

Why Are Northern Nevada Democrats So "Fired Up & Ready to Go"?

Last night was interesting. In case you didn't my Twitter or Facebook feed yesterday, I made the 8 hour drive from Las Vegas to Reno with some great progressive friends. And once I arrived here, I got busy checking out the #nvp2 scene!

I first stopped at Sheila Leslie's campaign kickoff party in Downtown Reno. And let me tell you, the house was packed! I was really pleasantly surprised by so much Northern Nevada progressive energy packed into one room, as well as the huge outpouring of community support for Sheila Leslie.

I had a chance to talk with some locals there last night, and they gave some background on what to expect up north this year. They know Leslie faces new challenges in the new SD 15, but they also sounded quite confident of her ability to win this fall. Between her consistent record and Greg Brower constantly shifting between "moderation" and "tea party" crazy (depending on which election he's running in!), they sense West Reno voters will opt for the former. Let's hope they're right.







But wait, that's not all! After Sheila Leslie's kickoff, I headed over to Northern Nevada Stonewall Democrats' commnunity celebration in West Reno. We also saw Sheila Leslie and Assembly Member David Bobzien (D-Reno) here. Oh yes, and none other than Ross Miller, Nevada's Secretary of State, came by to give the group a full rundown of what his office has been up to. Believe it or not, he flew all the way (back) here from LA yesterday to make our party! He gave a rousing speech on the progress made on LGBTQ equality in the last 20 years, as well as what needs to be done to make Nevada a better place for all families.



David Bobzien also gave a wonderful speech on how the Legislature works and why Legislature elections this year are so important.



All in all, I was quote impressed with Washoe County Democrats and their astonishing energy. When media pundits like Jon Ralston ask how Nevada Democrats are supposed to conquer "the enthusiasm gap", this shows that Democrats probably already have. So far, 2012 really seems to be looking up for Nevada progressives hoping for a better 2013.

#SOTU2012 in Las Vegas

Last night's State of the Union speech was quite the event... But Washington wasn't the only city where fireworks were flying. I was at the Clark County Democratic Party's and Nevada Stonewall Democrats' State of the Union watch party in Downtown Las Vegas. So was Fox 5.



And as you can tell, local Republicans here were upset. OK. What else is new?

Take a look at the photos here. The crowd Downtown clearly wasn't upset. Clearly, the folks inside were fired up and ready to go!







Actually, the excitement began on Saturday, when over 12,000 Democrats caucused. And considering this was technically uncontested (President Obama won over 98% of delegates available), it's quite impressive compared to both the Republican (which was also uncontested) AND Democratic (which WAS contested!) Caucuses of 2004. The base turned out, and the base is getting excited.

And plenty of local Democratic luminaries turned out for the festivities. NV-01 candidate Dina Titus, SD 11 candidate Aaron Ford, AD 21 candidate Steve Parke, Las Vegas Municipal Judge candidate Jerry Tao, and Nevada State Democratic Party Executive Director Zach Zaragoza were among the heavy hitters who joined Clark County Democratic leaders and Stonewall members for this special event. But again, look at the above video and photos. The room wasn't mostly full of politicians. The room was filled with everyday grassroots activists who truly breathe life into the party.

And that's what made last night extra special.

And What About That Other Caucus? (You Know, the Democratic One!)

Lately, you've been reading a whole lot about the action on the G-O-TEA side both here and elsewhere. And of course, that's because their primary field is still contested and awfully unsettled. But last night, I attended a caucus training... For Nevada Democrats, held by Southern Nevada Stonewall.







Why?

Well, here's the secret. As Zeke pointed out back in October, the whole purpose of a caucus is party building. And ever since 2008, Nevada Democrats haven't stopped doing that. And after looking at the game plan for January 21 and beyond, it's clear that the NSDP has been thinking about how to regain momentum after all the Republicans' fanfare inevitably whimpers off.

Let's face it, Nevada Republicans have assured their caucus won't mean anything after February 4... And now, there's a chance it won't mean anything BEFORE February 4! They can't settle on a uniform time and set of procedures. They won't do anything but toss ballots into a box. They won't even be trying to "rally the troops" and sign them up to volunteer at caucus locations. It looks like the NV GOP has settled for nothing more than a glorified straw poll.

Nevada Democrats, on the other hand, are constantly bugging local volunteers to get on the phone, knock doors, do voter registration tables, and bring as many eligible Nevada voters as possible to caucus locations. Democrats will be spending at least two hours at the caucus discussing the candidates, policy platforms, party organization, and volunteer opportunities. Local candidates will also be heard from on the 21st. All in all, the Democratic caucus model looks to be another opportunity to gin up enthusiasm and further strengthen the already reviving Obama campaign.

In the coming days, I'll be writing more about that supposedly "boring" Democratic Caucus and explaining exactly why it's anything but "irrelevant" or "dull".

Stonewall Democrats' Equality Days Closing Luncheon

SDCSN did the closing luncheon for Equality Days yesterday at The Carson Nugget in Carson City, right after everyone was down in the legislative chambers.





Special guests included Courage Campaign's Rick Jacobs, legendary LGBTQ equality activist and labor organizer Cleve Jones, and newly elected Nevada State Democratic Party Chair Roberta Lange. Take a gander at the above videos and feel the power of those spoken words!

LGBTQ Equality Takes Center Stage at OFA Nevada

Last night, I dropped by Organizing for America's Las Vegas office. They do "Community Action Nights" every Wednesday, and this week it was all about LGBTQ equality. Oh, joy.











Actually, there was room full of people ready to discuss important issues, then take action. When OFA calls their weekly event their "Community Action Night", they really aren't kidding.

While there was plenty of talk of policy, many also stayed to share their own stories and get working. Stonewall Democratic Club of Southern Nevada Communications Whiz Laura Martin started preparing her own story to write on why many straight folk care about equality for all. Others were outside calling neighbors and fellow Nevadans about what we just learned. Nevada Stonewall Democratic Caucus President Chris Miller even took to the phones himself to talk to fellow Nevada voters!







As we've talked about here before, there are still so many issues that need to be addressed, such as workplace discrimination, marriage rights, bullying, and health care. I was pleased to see the local, grassroots arm of the DNC actually having that conversation on these very issues at the local office.

I hope we continue to see more of this in the future.

Dina Strikes Back?

(Sorry for the shaky video quality... Again, multitasking!)

So what's next for Dina Titus? Well, you tell me. Here she was at Stonewall last night.



She certainly isn't taking a break! That's for sure.

So what's next? Was I really all that wrong last week? I guess it all depends on what the final lines look like. ;-)





Dina Titus isn't one to give up. She's a fierce competitor, coming mightily close last fall in a race that most thought Joe Heck had wrapped up by then. She may never be an "insider favorite", but she always finds a way to rock the establishment anyway.

Nope, she's not going away.

Larry Brown for a Change?

I must admit it. I was surprised last night... In a good way. Watch.



Larry Brown has made a niche for himself as "The Budget Hawk", but there's much more to him than just that. He's been busy meeting voters throughout Las Vegas... When he's not ruffling feathers at the Clark County Fire Department or shooting down proposals for a Downtown "Red Light District".

What is he thinking? Does he expect to actually take this job seriously?



Larry Brown said some interesting things at Stonewall last night. Let's see if he actually can take Las Vegas in a new direction.

Bob Coffin at Stonewall, on Why He's Running for LV Council

Bob Coffin has never been one to "go along to get along". He prefers to do what's right and let the consequences follow. That sturdy resolve of his was on full display last night.

Here's the video of Bob Coffin at Stonewall last night:

Las Vegas Mayoral Candidate Chris Giunchigliani Comes to Stonewall

Chris Giunchigliani, aka "Chris G", recently made an announcement that surprised many... And perhaps an announcement that some didn't want to hear.



But she's in, and she may really shake things up as Mayor.

Last night, Chris G came to Stonewall and discussed her plans for Downtown, her efforts to build more community in Vegas, and why she pushes to ensure all communities in Las Vegas, including our local LGBTQ community, are heard.

Here's the video.

NV-03: Dina Titus Comes to Stonewall BBQ, Reminds Us Why She's Awesome

Yes, my dears, that was really Dina Titus talking with us on Saturday at our Elect Equality celebration barbeque on Saturday! Since we all know Stonewall throws the best parties and Team Titus does the best BBQ, we figured it was also a good excuse to party it up in my 'hood here in Henderson. ;-)

No, but seriously, we were so excited to see Dina win Elect Equality, and in turn all the help we'll be receiving from National Stonewall. No one deserves it more than Dina, someone who's never hesitated to stand with Southern Nevada's LGBTQ community whenever we've needed her. And with "Tea Party, Inc." spending their corporate patrons' millions on the anti-equality Republicans running here, it's good to see the grassroots forces for equality come in and make sure we reelect proven allies and heroes like Dina Titus.

Oh, and we had some more special guests there! Derek brought in a live DJ. State Senators David Parks and Joyce Woodhouse came over to party with us. So did Assembly Members Mark Manendo and Paul Aizley.

Not that long ago, we LGBTQ Americans were maligned as "cockroaches" of our society, scum of the earth who respectable people were not to be seen with. It's amazing how far we've come over the years... But we still have much further to go before we reach full equality. That's why it's critical for us not to forget how important this election is, and to remember who our real friends are. These people are our friends and family. These crazy people are not.