Daily Archives: 06/20/2010

(Community Matters) Lucky us, Susan Ghertner has the presidential suite at the AT&T Conference Center.  She’s the outgoing president of Keep Texas Beautiful and, I believe, their conference is happening tomorrow. A few friends joined Susan this evening for drinks and hors d’oeuvres.

Lew Aldridge, Susan Ghertner, Linda Lieberman Baker, Rabbi Baker

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(Community Matters) “David Boies now prides himself on upbraiding Barack Obama for not pushing to give gays the same shot at marital bliss — and misery — that people like the president’s parents got when interracial marriage was legalized.”

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(Community Matters) In this morning’s AAS, a story about Old Divisions of race & status (sorry, can’t find the link).  No way am I defending Austin or its institutions against these charges.  Most definitely East Austin and its residents have suffered & sometimes still do suffer under institutional racism.

And, I don’t believe this had anything to do with AISD’s decision on which organization to support for our “Harlem Children’s Zone Project,” here known as The Austin Achievement Zone.

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(Community Matters) Like all, I’m sure, ours has a few disgruntled, badly behaved members who misrepresent themselves as speaking on behalf of the neighborhood association, bully, withholding &/or misrepresenting information. They are childish and, from my perspective, don’t really give a damn about their own neighbors, loyal only to their zealot views.  Last night, one who had been a leader in NUNA resorted to frivolous threats because a meeting has been called to consider reversing misinformed opposition to a neighbor’s plans.  He cited concerns about unity and credibility, my response:

The real risk to “unity of this neighborhood and the credibility of the association” is over zealous, ideologically driven individuals showing *zero* respect for private property rights and indiscriminately opposing neighbors’ plans.  Of course we should be preserving the character and architectural integrity of our neighborhood, and we should be seeking compromises which do so and allow neighbors to enjoy, improve and enhance the value of their properties.  [and I should have added: while doing our part to further city goals for density, mobility and safe public spaces]

Even if there were no other compelling reasons for single member, city council districts, combating the out-of-control bullying tactics of the few bad apples in Austin neighborhood associations should be enough.

(Community Matters) Visualizing the area of the gulf spill – an interactive map

(Community Matters) Joe Jervis on cleaning up Pride

From Joe.My.God Gentle readers, I’m rerunning my annual Pride rant for the sixth year. I wrote this post in 2005 a couple of days after attending Pride here in NYC. In the following years I’ve reposted it in advance of the day in the hope of encouraging you to attend. My apologies to those that have read it before. Have a wonderful Pride. Love each other.

Watching The Defectives

Last Sunday at 12:30pm, I was in position on Christopher Street with Terrence, his glamor boys, and touring UK bloggers Dave and Darren. The Pride parade was due to round the corner any minute, but I tore off in search of a bodega, crossing my fingers that my desperate need for a soda wouldn’t cause me to miss Dykes On Bikes. Half a block away, I found a little place and ducked in, weaving through the customers clogging the aisles on rushed missions like mine. I was third in line, two bottles of Sprite under my arm, when the man in front of me spotted a friend entering the store.

“David! Sweetie! Where are you watching from? Come hang out with us on Allen’s balcony!”
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(Community Matters) I’m feeling the need to be more gay

Vodpod videos no longer available.