Archive for Gordon Smith
We Do
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I had the honor today of escorting committed couples to the Register of Deeds office, where they applied for marriage licenses. They were denied these licenses because their relationships are not recognized by the State of North Carolina. From Campaign for Southern Equality (CSE):
At 12 PM on October 3, 2011, Reverend Kathryn Cartledge and Elizabeth Eve, her partner of thirty years, requested a marriage license at the Buncombe County Register of Deeds Office in Asheville, NC. They were joined by two other couples – Autumn Trama and Amanda McKenzie, and Loraine Allen and Amanda Hilty – as well as a group of sixteen supporters including Representative Susan Fisher, Representative Patsy Keever, Asheville City Council Member Gordon Smith, Asheville City Council Member Brownie Newman, and Reverend Joe Hoffman.
Each of the three couples was denied a license because current North Carolina law forbids issuing a license to same-sex couples. They were prepared for this response, and will be back again to request a license on another day as part of the WE DO Campaign, which calls for full equality under the law for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. Organized by the Campaign for Southern Equality, the campaign involves over a dozen couples’ requesting licenses between October 3 and 14, 2011 in Asheville, NC.
“The issue here is that North Carolina laws do not treat people equally, even though we are all equal children of God. The couples taking part in the WE DO Campaign are doing so as an act of conscience, an act of faith, saying these laws are immoral and unjust and they must change,” says Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, Executive Director of the Campaign for Southern Equality and a candidate for ordination in the United Church of Christ.
The We Do campaign will last through October 14th, culminating in an interfaith blessing for committed couples on the steps of the Buncombe County Courthouse and a march to the Register’s office to call once more for equal rights. If you are in a committed queer relationship and want to get involved, just click here to get started.
Coverage from WLOS
Asheville Citizen-Times
Dogs and Cats Living Together
Posted by: | CommentsAt the privately run group blog known as “Scrutiny Hooligans”, a controversy has erupted, spilling over into a Congressional campaign, Asheville City politics, a political community, the local twittersphere, and the lives of the bloggers.
The brouhaha began when the Administrator of the site, deemed “sovereign” by the other front-page writers, including City Councilman Gordon Smith, chose to disallow a frequent commenter, community activist Barry Summers, from posting to the site. The administrator, who chooses to remain anonymous, took this action after Mr. Summers made frequent attacks on one particular writer, Michael Muller, former campaign manager for Carl Mumpower and Bill Russell, after Muller’s comments about Joe Minicozzi and Mayor Terry Bellamy.
Congressional candidate Cecil Bothwell leapt into the fray to admonish the site’s Administrator and everyone else involved. The Administrator retorted with some harsh words for Mr. Bothwell, who is also an Asheville City Council member. The hullaballoo has exploded into a full-on display of Blogdrama.
The Administrator, according to Smith, has, “released the reins”, leaving the site adrift on the waters of the Asheville blogosphere. The site has always operated without editorial control, but this is the first time it has been absent an administrator.
Scrutiny Hooligans has operated for over seven years and has become the Asheville home for off-color political commentary regarding area goings-on. Frequent commenters’ reactions have ranged from outrage to confusion to mild annoyance to apathy.
We will have to await the next chapter in this cyberruckus to determine whether it will have lasting political impacts on the Asheville blogosphere, inter-Council relations, congressional politics, and the well-being of the Scrutiny Hooligans community.
Scrutiny Hooligans invite everyone with an opinion to fire away.
The Path Forward
Posted by: | CommentsToday your NC Senate will decide whether to send a referendum enshrining bigotry into our Constitution to a May ballot. Yesterday your NC House voted in favor of doing so. Reps. Fisher and Keever were against it, and Rep. Tim Moffitt was with the majority.
These are the remarks I gave last night to hundreds of people who gathered in Pack Square to hold vigil on this process and to offer support to one another. These are a couple of dark days in North Carolina, when representatives choose to offer up the rights of their consituents to a popular vote.
Your Street Preacher Experience
Posted by: | CommentsIf you went to Bele Chere, you were able to enjoy food, music, art, beer, heat, community and all manner of entertainment to enliven the soul and enlighten the mind. You also had amplified street preachers in your earholes. I’ve been getting some email on this, and I thought it would help if you would let me know what you saw and heard.
Some of the public are able to employ amplification without being festival-approved performers. Is this an issue for you? I’d like to know what effect this type of activity has on your festival experience.
Thanks.
One Year In – The Wins
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Photo by Jason Sandford
December 8th will mark one year since I was sworn in as a member of your Asheville City Council. It’s been a learning curve like no other in my life. Thanks for all of the support that’s been offered by friends and all of the prodding that been offered by others. I’ve managed to help get a lot done in this first year, and I’ve still got a ways to go. My colleagues on Council and staff have been patient and helpful as I’ve learned the ropes.
This week I’ll offer some different ways of looking at what’s been accomplished this year. The Wins, The Vote Spreads, and The Chronology will be featured in separate posts to give everyone various ways at looking at what’s what. I reviewed the minutes of all the Council meetings through Nov. 9 and recorded the stuff that I thought would be helpful for my personal reflection as well as your public reflection. It won’t be perfect, but it’s the best you’ll get anywhere.
Today’s chapter, The Wins, focuses on those things that made good on my campaign promises as well as several bonus items. I haven’t gotten everything done yet, but some big strides have been made.
When elected, I promised to try to make Asheville more affordable and more sustainable. I promised to work to increase multimodal infrastructure. I promised to make Asheville more welcoming to her LGBT citizens. I promised to help balance the budget and protect our progressive priorities. After the jump, you’ll find my list of The Wins.
Proud
Posted by: | CommentsCross-posted from the good folks over at Mountain Xpress:
I’ve been to a lot of Gay Prides in my time….but ya know what? For me, this one was the best. It wasn’t the biggest or the most outrageous or even the most…gay. But it was full of love and full of joy and beauty and full of well…Pride. I was proud to be there. I was proud of my friends. And I was really, really proud of Asheville.
Not on the sidelines anymore…Blue Ridge Pride takes its rightful place in downtown Asheville:
Click on the photo above to see a whole big gay gallery! photos by Michael Muller
Walk Like A Man (the video)
Posted by: | CommentsDo you recognize anyone? Let us know. And be sure to watch it all the way to the end. It’s a damn hoot.
Top Thirteen Local Political Stories of 2009
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Pic lifted from Jason Sandford
With all these Top Ten lists floating around the internets, I thought I’d toss another reflective log on the fire. Add your own top stories in the comments, and you get bonus points if you put together a Top Ten Local Political Stories of the Decade.
Buncombe County Commissioners and Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce come out in support of I-26 Alternative 3. After the strong design work from the Asheville Design Center and unanimous support from the City Council, it looked like our community might move the mighty DOT to create something that actually works for Asheville. When the CoC and 3 of 5 County Commissioners swung in the direction of Alternative 3, further delay was guaranteed.
See the rest in ReadMoreLand…Â Â Â Read More→
