My Story Behind the Crime Statistics

Something frightening happened to me yesterday. I was nearly mugged and some hoodlum almost got away with all my valuable belongings, including my computer, my wallet, and my smartphone. Fortunately, my inner Sasha Fierce was released and I beat that bitch's ass hard enough to hold onto my bag and scare the wanna-be thief off the bus.

Still, I must admit that I still feel a little frazzled today. OK, and I'm also still a little afraid of riding the 204 bus on Sahara any time soon.

So today, I have my own thoughts on the new Las Vegas crime statistics. Hell, I have my thoughts on the politics of crime in general!

First off, how could something like this happen on an RTC bus? I know, I know, it's public transportation and something like this is destined to happen some time. But come on, I've used MUNI and BART in San Francisco and it didn't happen there. I've used Metro (they use this term for transit, NOT police) in LA and it didn't happen there. I've used MTS and NCTD in San Diego and it didn't happen there. I still use OCTA whenever I'm back in Orange County... And while I sometimes run into some "interesting characters" at the bus stop and on the bus, I've never experienced a violent crime there.

So what makes RTC in Las Vegas different? Are we doing enough to keep mass transit safe here?

And why is it so damned difficult to report a crime to Metro (Vegas' police)? That thug threatened me. He nearly stole almost $2,000 worth of goods from me! And they "don't do reports over the phone"? And they "close at 8:00 PM"? WTF??!!

Am I still angry? You bet your sweet ass I am! Am I overreacting?

Wait... Am I taking this the wrong way?

Should I be afraid to use the bus? Should I be afraid to walk or use transit in "inner city neighborhoods"?

Honestly, I feel confused right now. Part of me wants to buy a gun and blow off anyone who ever tries to threaten my life and steal my stuff ever again. Part of me feels revolted by my own feelings. Again, I just feel confused.

Am I right to think about getting a gun license? Am I wrong to look suspiciously at "gangsta looking urban youth" walking my way? Am I racist? Am I going gun crazy? Have I forgotten how to function in the city?

I still feel confused.

It's easy for me to proclaim progressive values when they're just concepts, but what happens when something happens to me? Do I just become selfish? Do I forsake my better angels to engage in blind prejudice? Do I become a violent person myself?

Such is the story of my life today after experiencing a violent crime last night. I can't deny that I'm shaken. I can't deny that I clutched my bag a little closer to me when I got off the bus at Commercial Center and saw another black man. I can't deny that I really considered going to the gun store today.

I feel filthy. I feel like crap. Am I a victim? Or is this bad karma?

What's the real problem behind the spike in violent crime? Yes, perhaps Metro, RTC, and other local government agencies can do more to keep us safer. And yes, maybe we have our own problems inside us, our own violent demons, that we have to deal with. Maybe our perception of "criminal" needs to change...

Health Care: All of Nevada's Democrats in Congress Looking More Solid on Public Option

While some are still confused about Harry Reid's latest pledge to include a public option in the Senate's health care bill (while saying something about terminology that got messed up in delivery), at least we can now depend on my Congresswoman. Steve Sebelius is reporting that Dina Titus is now pledging stronger support for the public option.

When it comes to health care, Titus says she supports a public option plan now more than she did when the debate started. The competition will save money, and creating an individual mandate to buy insurance (even with caps on how much a person can be charged) will only create new customers for private companies without a public option. “I think public sentiment has started to shift” away from opposition to health reform seen during town hall meetings in the summer, she said.

This is just good news all around. Again, some are still trying to figure out what exactly Harry Reid meant. I tend to agree with Chris Bowers and dday that he meant what he said about the public option, and I'll add that I think he was just talking about all the different versions out there (the various House versions, the Rockefeller version, the Schumer version, etc. etc.). Still, he supports it and we need to back him on it.

And even better, we don't have to be confused about Dina. Finally, FINALLY, she caught up with Shelley Berkley and Harry Reid in giving her clear support for a public option! With the numbers in support increasing in the House while Reid finally, FINALLY, flexes his muscles in support in the Senate, we may yet see real health care reform with real choices for us the consumers.

NV-Sen: Is Harry Reid Being Gracious to or Overly Protecting of John Ensign?

Today's Sun has a piece on Harry Reid's continuing non-aggression pact with Johnny Casino. So is it smart politics?

“They’ve given themselves enough rope. John Ensign is the best thing to happen to us in a long time,” said one Democratic source. “We’re taking the high road, and letting Republicans do the heavy lifting for us by calling for him to resign.”

Or staying wrongfully silent on a deeply disturbing crime?

Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said, “The rest of the country knows that Sen. Ensign’s conduct was deplorable. It shouldn’t be impossible for a member of senate leadership to say so.”

The latest allegations that Ensign helped former staffer Doug Hampton secure lobbying clients “makes it a matter well beyond the senator and his family,” she said.

So Harry Reid's being polite. Do I agree with it? No, not when there's criminal behavior involved. Frankly, he just needs to let Johnny Casino have it.

Still, I understand why Reid is letting Ensign hang himself politically. Why get too involved in something that's best left for the Republicans to destroy themselves with? And as long as Reid doesn't hinder any investigation (and so far he isn't), he's not doing anything wrong.

And hey, it's not like he was the chairman of Johnny Casino's party or proudly proclaiming that he wants his support. Sue Lowden and Lil' Tark Shark still have a lot of 'splainin' to do.

So President Obama Will Be Speaking at the HRC Dinner...

Karen Ocamb just found this news.
The New York Times' Caucus Blog has more:

President Obama will speak to a gathering of gay rights activists this weekend, a day before thousands of people are expected to march on Washington in a demonstration calling for greater legal protections for gays, lesbians and transgendered Americans.

Mr. Obama’s appearance on Saturday at the annual dinner for the Human Rights Campaign, a leading gay rights advocacy group, represents a significant show of support for gay rights at a time when many prominent gay and lesbian activists have been questioning the president’s commitment to their issues.

Many gay rights activists have become increasingly vocal about their frustration over what they see as tepid support from Mr. Obama. While the president has professed support for overturning the ban on gays in the military and called the law that precludes federal recognition of same-sex marriages discriminatory, he has not engaged on gay rights issues as actively as some had hoped.

Heh. Isn't that an understatement?

OK, OK, I know that Obama and Congressional leaders have plenty on their plate right now with health care, the economy, and climate change/energy. But come on, shouldn't they at least make more of an effort to include some time to deal with the major civil rights issues of our time? If they have time for bank bailouts, they can make time for us.

Even our good ol' Senator Reid knows that it's time to get moving on LGBT equality. I just hope that President Obama meant what he said last winter in being a "fierce advocate" for equality.

Come on, The "Offense on Our Marriages" Act is still on the books. Good soldiers are being unfairly discharged for simply being honest and coming out of the closet. LGBT workers in the private sector can still be "legally" fired for coming out in as many as 43 states. Oh, and let's not forget that we have special elections next month in Washington and Maine that could very well decide the fate of hard-earned legal rights for LGBT families in those two states!

This weekend would be a great time for the President to speak up, especially on the weekend of the march. It would be sad if we had to declare that Lady Gaga is doing more for LGBT equality than the President our community worked so hard to elect.

NV-03: Joe Heck's In?

That's what Steve Sebelius is reporting. And if true, it means that Dina Titus will yet again need to prepare for a major Republican challenge.

Dr. Joe Heck is telling people he’s definitely running for Congress, not for governor as he’d originally planned, according to a source who tipped us off today.

We’ve e-mailed Heck to confirm his plans.

Heck, a former Republican state senator just barely unseated in 2006 [sic, it was 2008] announced early that he’d be challenging Gov. Jim Gibbons in a Republican primary for governor next year. But several others have entered the race, including former federal judge Brian Sandoval, who is considered the front-runner. [...]

On Tuesday, Heck asked friends on his Facebook page to weigh in on the decision. He garnered 38 comments, most urging him to run for Congress. The 3rd Congressional District encompasses the suburbs of Summerlin and Green Valley, as well as the Valley of Fire State Park, Boulder City, Searchlight and Laughlin.

Again, this means more hard work for Dina Titus. Still, she's a hard worker and I doubt this is scaring her campaign team. She's already built up quite the reputation on Capitol Hill. She should win next year, even if it means having to defeat yeat another faux-"moderate" teabagger appeaser.

Monday Morning Health Care Update

Here's the latest I'm hearing from the blogosphere:

- Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) may vote against The Baucus Caucus Bill in Finance Committee. Why? Baucus didn't even give him a real chance to propose his "free choice" amendment that would give us consumers far more health insurance choices (including a more accessible public option). (FDL)

- Chris Bowers makes a good point on why "civility" and "bipartisanship" don't necessarily guarantee us good health care, while Mike Lux's piece on the need to reevaluate government's relationship (isn't it really just coddling and bailouts?) with the private sector should remind us that the last thing we need is yet another corporate bailout... This time, of Big Pharma and the HMOs. (Open Left)

- slinkerwink has some good news and bad news on the public option's fate in the Senate. The good news? "The Mod Squad" are warming up to it. The bad news? Their versions of "the public option" are incredibly weak and unworkable. (Daily Kos)

- So discrimination against the chronically ill and people with pre-existing conditions (even ones that the HMOs fabricate) will be a thing of the past? Not so fast, says desmoinesdem. There are still holes that we need to patch in the House and Senate bills before the HMOs try to take advantage of them to continue screwing us over. (MyDD)

- And finally, I noticed an email today from Stonewall Democrats on health care. Yes, LGBT equality activists really need to care about what's in the bills, what's not, and what we need to do to ensure that reform helps all our families. (Stonewall)

That's all for now, but I'll keep an eye out for more news and keep you updated on action we need to take to get health care reform done right.

NV-Sen-B: Ensign Isn't Let off the Hook

Health Care for America Now isn't letting Johnny Casino off the hook for voting against Nevada's health care.



Good on them. Nevadans deserve affordable quality care. We also deserve to have real choices, such as a Medicare-like public option. Too bad Johnny Casino prefers to grandstand while taking so much Big Pharma and HMO money instead of doing the right thing for Nevada.

NV-Sen: Harry Reid Endorses National Equality March

Here's the official endorsement from our Senior Senator. Many thanks to Harry Reid for doing the right thing and pledging to work with us to advance our civil rights.

More Controversy on Old Vegas v. New Vegas

It seems like the controversy that exploded in the comments on the latest "Ask Mr. Sun" piece on theme casinos, and really the value of tacky "Old Vegas", has just kept raging on. Steve Friess weighed in with his take on Vegas' latest cultural setbacks/throwbacks. But possibly even more controversial, Mr. ELV joked about demolishing Fremont Street altogether over its seedy casinos and criminally awful food offerings.

Just like Wednesday, I feel like I'm caught in the middle of this struggle between the sophisticated critics and the "unwashed masses" all over again. While I actually agree with John Curtas and Steve Friess that much of the “Old Vegas” nostalgia, as embodied Downtown, is overrated tackiness, it seems that the hoi polloi prefer their Vegas old and tacky. And really, is it wrong that they like their Vegas experience cheap and trashy?

Honestly, I must admit that I liked my last visit to Fremont Street Downtown. Sometimes it just feels good to let my hair down and enjoy the simpler things in life, like walking by stripper clubs and actually putting nickels into a 5 cent slot machine. While I always have fun dressing up to go out to dinner at Ago or enjoy a bite or three at Society after seeing Le Reve, sometimes it’s nice to shake up the old routine (and save some dinero) with a good ol’ video show and footlong margarita at Fremont Street.

And besides, it’s isn’t a complete cultural wasteland Downtown. Fremont East does have some hip indie clubs, and there are a handful of culinary diamonds in the rough. Firefly's a great tapas bar at The Plaza, and Grotto is an underrated gem of an Italian spot at The Golden Nugget.

So shouldn't folks have the choice of going to gamble somewhere tacky Downtown if that's what they want to do? Contrary to what some may think, a lot of folks would probably be furious if Fremont Street bites the dust. And as I suggested earlier this week, I do think there’s a “happy medium” balance between the old Kitschy Vegas and the new Haute Vegas to be found. I like the new glamour of The Strip, but Downtown will never be like The Strip so Fremont might as well keep its kitsch and hokeyness going for all the old timers and cheapo gamblers who appreciate it.

I think one of the biggest mistakes the casinos made was in oversaturating the high-end market. It’s good for discerning travelers to have such a glut of 4 and 5-star hotel rooms available here for $100-200 per night (or even LESS if you know where to look), but it doesn't help the casino giants’ bottom lines and it’s still too costly for those traveling on limited budgets.

Same goes for food. I appreciate gourmet dining. I appreciate quality ingredients, great technique, and beautiful presentation. However, there really are tourists and locals out there that just see the restaurants as pit stops for “cheap fuel”. Believe it or not, there are people out there that like those 99 cent shrimp cocktails.

I think that’s the key here. We need variety. While we may not like the tacky offerings downtown, I do think there’s a role for Downtown as the “Old Vegas” alternative for visitors that don’t like the “New Vegas” offerings on The Strip.

Come on, this town is big enough to handle both the discerning gourmands and the cheapo fanny-packers. Let them enjoy that $7.77 buffet special and Rat Pack tribute show at The Plaza while I take in a dinner at Border Grill or Sinatra before I see Bette Midler or the new Cirque show.

Variety is the spice of life, so there's no reason why Old Vegas can't coexist with New Vegas. There's enough room to keep the kitschy themes and cheapo experience alive Downtown as The Strip keeps it classy with a continual upscale transformation. So can we all just get along and be free to experience whatever Vegas fantasies we want? ;-)

And to think, I used to live in Orange County...

My goodness, my former famous neighbors are really that empty-headed...



But no, we're not really all like that! Especially not the Democrats and certainly not the folks smart enough to pay the rent before getting more plastic surgery. ;-)

More Good Reid News Today: He's Asking Obama to Help Congress Repeal DADT

Again, it looks like our senior Senator is no slouch.

"As Congress considers future legislative action, we believe it would be helpful to hear your views on the policy," he writes. "Your leadership in this matter is greatly appreciated and needed at this time."

Reid, in the letters, also highlights the plight of two servicemen, one of whom he met when he was the keynote speaker at a recent Las Vegas Human Rights Campaign Gala Dinner. First Lieutenant Daniel Choi was a West Point grad, served in Iraq and was an Arab linguist. In April, he received a discharge letter from the Army after publicly revealing he was gay, Reid writes to Obama.

Lieutenant Colonel Victor Fehrenbach is headed for a "similar fate," Reid tells Obama. He was an 18-year Air Force vet who has flown numerous missions against Taliban and al-Qaida targets, "including the longest combat mission in his squadron's history." The government, Reid notes, has invested $25 million on his training.

He wrote both to President Obama and to Defense Secretary Bob Gates asking them to get The White House on board with taking action ASAP to repeal "Don't Ask Don't Tell", the military's ban on LGBT soliders serving our country openly and honestly. Let's hope his letters get some good attention, and that The White House will speak up soon and take action. The House currently has HR 1283 pending, so a good word from Obama can really help it move along.

And in the mean time, we can also help by speaking up ourselves. Let's keep asking Congress to get moving and pass HR 1283.

Harry Reid's Doing Good So Far, But I Know He Can Do Even Better

Heh. I love how Harry Reid takes the nasty attacks on him and turns it back on the Republicans. Yeah, yeah, I know political games are being played. But come on, at least our senior Senator is actually doing something to help us.

Still, I hope he'll do even more to help us by exposing the Senators blocking a chance for us to choose a public option and by working with good Senators like Tom Harkin to ensure the full Senate can vote to approve a health care reform bill with a solid public option.

Dear Friend,

Throughout all my years of public service, I've never apologized for standing up for Nevada. And with far too many of our citizens out of work, our economy in recession, and middle-class families concerned about their future - I'm not about to start now.

When I reviewed the health care bill currently moving through the Senate and discovered that the expanded Medicaid costs were going to hammer Nevada at a time when we can least afford it, I took action. Republicans who are attacking me for looking out for our state need to get their story straight, and stop trying to score political points at the expense of a health insurance reform effort that's brought us as close as ever to finally fixing our broken system.

As the New York Times reported, it's my position that Medicaid in Nevada has been tragically under-funded. Forcing our state to pay drastically more to accomplish reform now would only exacerbate that burden, putting health care for those that need it most - at risk. I did it in this bill, I've done it in the past, and I'd do it again tomorrow, next week, or next year. Protecting the people of Nevada is the reason I go to work every day, and that's never going to change.

Nevada has had the highest home foreclosure rate in the entire country for 31 months in a row. You and I know, it's just common sense that when the people of your state are struggling, you fight as hard as you can to help.

So in coming days you may see the pundits and partisans ranting and raving on cable TV about my work for Nevada in the Senate, but I will never apologize for standing up on behalf of the Silver State.

All the best,



Harry

SB 283: Richard Ziser Rears His Ugly, Bigoted Head... AGAIN!

Buried in today's R-J story of SB 283 becoming law today is Richard Ziser whining, moaning, screaming, and complaining that LGBT families are given ANY legal protection in this state.

Richard Ziser, who led the drive in Nevada to define marriage in the state constitution as being between a man and a woman, said no decision has been made by his Coalition for Protection of Marriage organization to challenge the domestic partnership law.

Lawyers told him it would be easier to overturn the law through a public referendum rather by going to court. But public referendums require petition gathering, which is very costly, Ziser added.

Tod Story, a board member of the Gay and Lesbian Community Center in Las Vegas, said passage of the domestic partnership law shows Nevada remains a "live and let live state."

He and his longtime partner will receive their domestic partnership certificate today.

"What same sex couples are trying to accomplish is equal rights," Story said. "We want to have the opportunity to have our relationships recognized by law and to be treated equally."

Ridiculous. Today should be a day of celebration in our community, but hateful people like Ziser always try to poop on our parade by threatening to roll back even the slightest of achievements for our community.

Give me a f*cking break! If Ziser really wants a rematch, I'm sure we're ready to beat him this time. In fact, I know we will.

It's just sad that just as LGBT families in Nevada start to receive something close to equal treatment under the law, the homophobic anti-equality extremists are always out to get us. Well, they won't succeed this time!

SB 283: Today's The Day

History and Herstory are being made today in Nevada. Finally, FINALLY, LGBT families won't be at so much of a disadvantage any longer. The state moves just a little closer toward full equality.

They’ve been together for more than nine years. Most of their time revolves around the kids: dropping off, picking up, going to games and recitals, meeting with teachers, reminding about chores and nursing colds. In the evenings, their family has dinner together and yet they still find time for just the two of them, to laugh and tease and flirt and say, “I love you.”

And today, Carline Banegas and Jodie Dearborn will be one of nearly 700 couples receiving Nevada’s first domestic partnership certificates.

In the eyes of the law, their family will be almost normal.

And fortunately, The Sun has also uploaded a video of the Banegas-Dearborn family and their thoughts on SB 283 becoming law.



I must admit that their story from "Equality Days" really put a smile on my face.

Last spring Nevada’s Legislature debated a bill introduced by state Sen. David Parks, D-Las Vegas. It wouldn’t overturn Nevada’s ban and make us one of the four states with same-sex marriage. It wouldn’t provide federal recognition for same-sex couples. But it would make Nevada the 10th state with either domestic partnerships or civil unions. It would be a legal piece of paper for couples to show doctors and bosses.

Carline and Jodie consider themselves active in the gay community, but they don’t think of themselves as activists. As Carline says, “I’m a lesbian but that’s not the only hat I wear. I’m a mom, I’m active at my kids’ school.”

They also were among the couples who traveled to Carson City in April to lobby legislators to pass the bill.

With some apprehension, they knocked on a lot of doors. Carline went into the office of Ed Goedhart, a staunch anti-tax Republican assemblyman from Amargosa. He was wearing a cowboy hat.

Carline remembers, “I went in there with my attitude, like, ‘We’ve been together almost 10 years and I’m no different than you are.’ And he’s like, ‘I know, you’re right.’

“He totally made me feel like a fool.”

A month later, after Gov. Jim Gibbons vetoed domestic partnerships, Goedhart was the only Republican in the Assembly who voted to override the veto. His was the decisive 28th vote, providing a needed two-thirds majority in the lower chamber.

Maybe if even such conservative Republicans as Goedhart can ultimately do the right thing, maybe there's continued hope for us. Hopefully as the "weddings" start today, we'll see positive coverage of families living their dreams and not so much media hype of "freak shows".

And hopefully today is just the start of real progress for our LGBT community in Nevada as our families finally start to get some of the respect they deserve.

NV-Sen: It's Official, Lowden's In. But Can She Beat Reid? Doubt It.

Oh, and I'm shaking in my boots!

One day after resigning from her post overseeing the troubled state Republican Party, former state Sen. Sue Lowden is launching her bid for the U.S. Senate. [...]

Lowden resigned from her job as Nevada Republican chairwoman Wednesday. During her tenure, she presided over a difficult stretch for the party which saw significant electoral losses in 2008. With the help of massive funding from Reid, Democrats were able to increase their voter registration over Republicans by more than 100,000 voters and build a formidable organization in the state.

Republicans also are beset by a series of difficult scandals, including Gov. Jim Gibbons' divorce, U.S. Sen. John Ensign's admission of an affair with a campaign staffer who was married to his best friend, and Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki's indictment on charges of misusing tax dollars.

Ha. And they think this person who ran the GOP into the ground will help them? Well, at least she's fairly more credible than Lil' Tark Shark. And no, that isn't saying much.

And even better yet, take a looky at how she tried to have it both ways with The R-J on Yucca Mountain.

"If Yucca Mountain is in fact over, if it is a done deal, then why are we still having hearings, and why are we still having all of this money coming in from Washington to spend on Yucca Mountain," she said.

Lowden said a blog entry she wrote in December that called on Reid to negotiate benefits for Nevada in exchange for storing nuclear waste was "to challenge Sen. Reid to stop saying that Yucca Mountain was gone, that it was dead."

Former Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., says Reid's strategy on Yucca Mountain is sound.

"He has been very successful over the years, many years, of constantly reducing the appropriation on the project," said Bryan. "I think Sue Lowden is listening to the wrong crowd when she talks about negotiating benefits."

She then tried to say that she "always opposed it", but take a look at her State Senate voting record and see for yourself her votes in SUPPORT of storing toxic radioactive waste in Yucca Mountain.

Yes, she may be the best the GOP has to offer... But that still isn't saying much. Harry Reid can and will beat any of these circus attractions Republican candidates next year.