Thanks for article on hotel and DP benefits
I want to thank Dallas Voice for bringing up the issue of domestic partnerships in the upcoming hotel vote ("Would proposed Convention Center hotel offer DP benefits?" Dallas Voice, May 1).
Regardless of how you feel on the issue of building the hotel, it is up to us as an LGBT community to bring gay equality issues to the front burner.
We may have some allies on the Dallas City Council, but we should always remember there are now no gay or lesbian councilpersons. If we don’t raise these issues, no one else will.
I feel a bit queasy hearing leaders in our community telling us to trust Omni Hotels to do the right thing on DP benefits. It has been my experience that organizations owned by right-wing Republicans usually don’t think about our rights too much.
Additionally, it disburbed me to hear Ed Oakley diss a "New York Union" ("Keep Dallas moving forward: Vote no on Props 1, 2," Dallas Voice, May 1). I would remind him that unions have the best interests of the men and women who do the heavy lifting at such hotels. Mayor Leppert should have included them in the fight for a city-owned hotel. Labor unions were some of the first organizations to include gay rights in their platforms. They did it when it was not popular, and deserve our respect.
The fact that there is a GLBT Chamber of Commerce speaks loudly about the commitment of the Dallas Chamber of Commerce to our goals of equality.
Sometimes to move forward, you must become a "one-issue" person. With the level of disrespect that is shown to us by the Republican controlled state government, this has never been more true.
I hope your paper continues to be another voice in the debate over equality.
Dallas
No! I do not think so, Dallas has never inforced or ever helped anyone on gay equality issues, or rights. But we do have the the non-discrimination Law on the Dallas City Books. That is It!
If any one can tell us otherwise, please let us know.
James In Dallas