What do the Stonewall Democrats Have Against Women of Color?

[John Farina]

The fundraiser is being held at the home of Steve Egert. He's got a lot of hateful stuff on his Facebook page. Here's a couple of his greatest hits and the invitation. If CSD had endorsed Laura, this would have been pretty embarrassing. This is the type of person Laura has chosen to associate with and that folks like Mike, Bridget, Amy and others seem to think is just fine.

[John Farina]

After speaking with Laura, it seems she was completely unaware of Mr. Egert's racism and homophobia. She plans to take appropriate action. At least she owns up to something, unlike many of you here.

[Matthew Lee]

Wow. Have to say I am stunned at some of what is on his (Steve Egert) Facebook page. I always wonder why nobody knows how to use the privacy function that exists.

[Dan Alaimo]

After speaking with Laura, it seems she was completely unaware of Mr. Egert's racism and homophobia. She plans to take appropriate action. At least she owns up to something, unlike many of you here.

I personally like Steve. He's a nice guy and I'm sure he has a nice boat. But I wouldn't know of his "positions" if I weren't "friends" with him on FB, and I strongly disagree. I can entirely believe that is the case with Laura.

For the record, I don't block or unfriend people because of politics.

[Iris Nejedlik]

If you think that the wonderful gay little life I've carved out for myself and my partners is immoral and you want to withhold rights based on that, then you're not a good person. Full stop. And it's easier to ignore when you have that straight default white guy privilege, because for the rest of us, it's not an edgy abstract political opinion - it's our daily lives and struggles.

[Matthew Lee]

He's a nice guy

Sorry, but a "nice guy" does not post "most Muslims APPEAR to be good citizens". That is definitely not a nice guy move. That's a racist move.

[Jim O'Bryan]

After speaking with Laura, it seems she was completely unaware of Mr. Egert's racism and homophobia. She plans to take appropriate action. At least she owns up to something, unlike many of you here.

John Farina

Welcome back.


Jim

[Amy Martin]

Just for the record - I did not throw my support for Laura Rodriguez Carbone nor do I know anything about her fundraiser. I live in Ward 3 and she is not a candidate in my ward. However, I notice that CSD did endorse John Litten in Ward 3. What CSD fails to realize in their endorsements is that many people in Lakewood plan on voting for CHANGE. Cleveland Stonewall Democrats is throwing their support to the status quo candidates.

I found John Farina's comments in this post to be extremely unprofessional and not a good reflection of the group to which he belongs.

[John Farina]

Thanks for the compliment, Amy. So, you want change in Lakewood and want CSD to endorse candidates that are for change, did you participate in the process? Did you make your feelings known? I mean it's one thing to be disappointed in a group you are a part of and quite another to be critical when you aren't involved.

[Amy Martin]

Julie and I have been actively campaigning for the candidates that we support. Just because we don't belong to your group does not mean that we are not politically active.

[Bridget Conant]

Thank goodness John Farina can pat himself on the back!

After attempting a no evidence, hostile and defensive rebuttal to the original premise of this thread that the CSD are rubber stamping establishment candidates and ignoring candidates with real diversity, John, because he had no point, proceeded to call out anyone who posted here with hysterical rhetoric that anyone who disagrees with him is “hateful” and “irrational.”

Questioning whether someone is politically involved and active enough is condescending and arrogant.

Observations about the endorsements made by the CSD have been spot on and many people agreed with the original post.

[Dan Alaimo]

He's a nice guy

Sorry, but a "nice guy" does not post "most Muslims APPEAR to be good citizens". That is definitely not a nice guy move. That's a racist move.

If I saw Steve today, I would expect to have a civil conversation with him. When I got to know him, it was before his Trump enthusiasm, and before he started posting xenophobic things that appall me. Would I still stop and talk with him? Yes. Try and change his mind on some things? Maybe.

I've got three Trump people in my life now that I know of, not including lifelong Republicans:
One is an old friend from my high school class who helped organize our recent reunion.
One, who like me, is opposed to the greyhound racing ban in Florida, which means for many of us essentially the end of the breed - retired racing greyhounds being very different from AKC registered greyhounds.
One is Steve.

Intolerance on the left is no better than intolerance on the right, and so too any intolerance from mainstream Dems, or Rs who became Dems just to win office in our city.

[John Farina]

Amy and Bridget, my criticism was not of you being politically active, but of your not being willing to participate in a group you have so much to say about. If you're so concerned with how CSD conducts their business, become a part of it. When you're calling others out, I'm absolutely going to call you out. When you make comments in a public forum, you might get a response.

My defense was in no way hostile. I believe you were the first to bring on the hostility, Bridget. Maybe my comment about Lakewood folks being irrational was a bit snippy, but since you won't listen to me reason and discuss things like an adult, that's kinda how I felt at the moment. Your every response to me here has been hostile.

I'm not sure what you mean by no evidence, but Mike's assertion that CSD does not support women of color is false, a lie even. You, Amy and others seemed to agree with that. Guess what, you're wrong too. Mike also said that the club has done nothing locally, also a false statement. The club has done more than any other LGBTQ political organization locally to further the community's agenda. Including most recently getting the county to pass a comprehensive discrimination bill.

Bridget, I never called anyone her hateful except Steve Egert. You were the one who called me names. I simply pointed out your hypocrisy at being so critical of me and CSD, but having nothing to say about a candidate you apparently support having a fundraiser at the home of a racist homophobe.

I'm sorry you ladies are upset that I called you out and called you hypocrites. Guess you can't handle what you dish out.

[John Farina]

Amy, I speak for myself, not the club.

[lrodriguezcarbone]

John Farina,

Thank you for reaching out to me today and providing detailed information on Steve. The hosts of the fundraiser, who asked Steve to use his home because of a medical issue, are elderly, not on social media, and had no idea whatsoever what Steve has/had been posting online. They were flabbergasted and appalled when I informed them of Steve's viewpoints on the LGBTQIA community, minorities, and the Muslim community. I have not yet had the opportunity to meet Steve, as the fundraiser was being organized by the hosts, and although I cannot control what people choose to think or say, especially on social media, I can control where I have my fundraiser. In light of what was brought to my attention, in part, by John, I have rescheduled it for another date, time, and location. As a candidate for council or mayor for a city this size, we meet many people, often for the first time. I try my best to meet residents where they are in their experiences living in Lakewood. And given the nature of the percentage of Independents and Republicans in Lakewood, in addition to Democrats, support for any candidate is likely to be a mixture of many political ideologies. However, as a leader, one has a responsibility to reject and vilify hate wherever it exists and I condemn in the strongest sense possible, Steve's stated positions on race, gender, religious affiliations, and those who do not agree with a certain stance on politics.

With regard to the Stonewall Democrats, I felt the process was fair, but was disappointed in the outcome. I would have been very proud to have received their endorsement. I have, personally, been advocating for the LGBTQIA community in public transit, hunger, and public health for over 18 years. As I mentioned when I spoke to the Stonewall Democrats a few months ago, the LGBTQIA community faces catastrophic, and at times, life-threatening barriers to equity, especially in the healthcare sector where policy and regulations do not always adequately protect their rights, especially those who are HIV positive. However, as an ethnic minority, I agree with many who stated that unless marginalized groups support qualified people running for office from marginalized groups, the needs of those communities will never be fully brought to the table and decisions will continue to be made in absence of representation from those communities. Their choice not to endorse me will not change my views on the need to fight for the LGBTQIA community or any other marginalized communities. And, my advocacy for those communities has not, and will not, change.