Supervisor Bevan Dufty Enters San Francisco Mayor's Race

San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty will file papers with the city's Election Department this morning officially entering him in the city's mayoral race, according to the Bay Area Reporter:

"Dufty, 54, has made no secret of his desire to succeed Mayor Gavin Newsom, who will be termed out of office in January 2012. Should he be elected, Dufty would be the first openly gay person to be San Francisco's mayor...With the race expected to draw a crowded field of candidates, and his decision to limit political contributions to $200 from people who either live or work in the city, Dufty said he needed to enter the race now so he could begin fundraising. He will not accept donations from lobbyists, corporations, or political action committees."

The SF Chronicle reports: "He's been in politics for two decades, working in Washington, D.C., under two members of Congress, as an aide to former Supervisor Susan Leal, and as Brown's director of neighborhood services. Dufty's got one feather in his cap already: Steve Hildebrand, deputy national campaign director for President Obama's 2008 run, has signed on as his consultant. Among his campaign's co-chairs are Assemblywoman Fiona Ma and city Treasurer Jose Cisneros."

Cisneros is also godfather to Dufty's 3-year-old daughter, Sidney Maely Goldfader-Dufty. "He said she would remain his number one priority while he juggles his duties of being a father, a supervisor, and candidate for mayor. 'I think any parent has to balance their jobs, their lives, and the needs of their child. I am confident I can do that,' he said. "

Dufty Makes SF Mayoral Bid Official [bar]
Dufty Says He's in Mayor's Race [sf chronicle]

Artist Proposes 'Harvey Milk Memorial Pink Cloud' Over SF's Castro

 

Like most public art projects, everyone seems to have an opinion about the one being envisioned for the entrance to San Francisco's Castro District, as a memorial to gay rights leader Harvey Milk. The art piece, first envisioned in 2000 but shelved for lack of funds, would be created with poles emitting steam, which would then be lit with pink lights.

The SF Chronicle reports: "Now it's back - revived by Supervisor Bevan Dufty and the San Francisco Arts Commission to add some flair to the temporary public plaza that opened last month at the intersection...Some do find the idea delightful; others say it conjures a toxic cloud that's destined to cause a car wreck. Then there are practical questions: Will the wind send the cloud cruising down Castro Street?...While many in the audience of a dozen found the idea intriguing, they had some concerns. 'I'm conflicted whether I like it or not,' said Tito Vandermeyden, artist and owner of Studio 94114. 'The place is very windy, and there will be a lot of rubbernecking. I'd like to see local Castro artists promoted, too.' Terry Asten Bennett, owner of Cliff's Variety Store and president of the Castro Merchants Association, is worried about accidents when drivers crest Market Street and find a big 'pink UFO' in the sky. 'We've had a lot of customers say, 'What in the hell are they thinking?' ' she said. But public art often does provoke, just as Milk did, Dufty said. 'I think this is a great opportunity to do something intriguing,' Dufty said."

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #482

DREAMBEARS: From this season's Britain's Got Talent.

CELL PHONE SEIZURE: White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs confiscates reporter's phone.

PAVEMENT TO PARKS: San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Supervisor Bevan Dufty unveil new pedestrian plaza at the corner of 17th and Market in SF's Castro District.

MIKA: The Brit pop singer's not so secret gig.

For recent Guides to the Tube, click HERE.

SF Supervisor Bevan Dufty Introduces Resolution Condemning Vandalism of Holy Redeemer Church

Yesterday, San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty introduced a resolution at the Board of Supervisors meeting condemning the recent vandalism at the city's Most Holy Redeemer Church:

***TEXT OF RESOLUTION***

WHEREAS, Most Holy Redeemer Church, a Catholic community established in 1900 and located within the heart of San Francisco's Castro District, is widely known as a Gay-friendly parish; and

WHEREAS, For over 20 years the community of Most Holy Redeemer Church has sustained an active AIDS support group providing direct care to persons with HIV disease and assistance to those who love and care for them; and

WHEREAS, Most Holy Redeemer Church established a Peace and Social Justice Group to reflect upon and address issues of justice both inside and outside the church, particularly in response to sexism, homophobia, racism, and the willful failure to protect the poor and underserved; and

WHEREAS, The Community Life Committee of Most Holy Redeemer is made up of various organizations in the parish that form the faith and build a deeper sense of community for all ages and interest groups in the parish and the extended local community regardless of religious affiliation; therefore, now be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco does hereby condemn the recent intimidation of Most Holy Redeemer Church and its parishoners through acts of vandalism, specifically the defacing of its exterior with spray-painted graffiti that included the names of church leaders and the depictions of swastikas; and therefore, be

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco commends the significant accomplishments and contributions made by the faith community of Most Holy Redeemer Church to the City of St. Francis.

***END OF RESOLUTION***

On Monday, the Catholic League's Bill Donohue released a ridiculous statement linking the vandalism to gays angry about Proposition 8, despite any evidence of that, and implicating San Francisco supervisors and Mayor Gavin Newsom for remaining silent. Donohue also reintroduced some of the gross distortions made by religious leaders about peaceful Prop 8 protestors and hateful acts never proven to have any connection to the gay community.

Read it, AFTER THE JUMP...

SF Politicos Recognize Boycott of Human Rights Campaign Dinner

San Francisco Supervisors Tom Ammiano and Bevan Dufty are among those local politicians supporting a boycott and protest of the Human Rights Campaign dinner in that city next month, over the organization's failure to support a trans-inclusive employment non-discrimination bill (ENDA) last year. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, "The city's two LGBT Democratic clubs support the boycott, as does the San Francisco Labor Council. Assemblyman Mark Leno and state Sen. Carole Migden, both of San Francisco, also are not attending the event."

It's a scene that has played out in New York (pictured) and other cities.

The paper reports: "On Tuesday, San Francisco Supervisors Tom Ammiano and Bevan Dufty introduced a resolution at City Hall calling for a bill that includes transgender people and recognizing the boycott. 'The Human Rights Campaign should not be human rights cowards,' Ammiano said at a news conference at the San Francisco Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center. He said the organization seems uneasy with transgender issues. Dufty said he will skip the fundraising dinner for the first time in 23 years and instead will make dinner at his home for people protesting outside the event."

Matt Foreman, former executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, will be among those protesting outside the event. Said Foreman: "What is going on here is an emperor-has-no-clothes moment. We still don't have one single federal law that protects gay people, let alone transgender people."

HRC defend its actions in a statement from President Joe Solmonese: "HRC's position is that we could not oppose - and, in fact, should support - legislation to provide crucial civil rights protections that would be brought to the House floor for a vote, even though we did not and, certainly, would not have chosen that course...At a time when our community is threatened, once again, with a cynical election-year ploy that could hurt our families, we believe that it's time to set aside our differences and fight for what we all want."

The HRC dinner, which will benefit marriage equality (the organization has already made an initial pledge of $500,000 to the Equality for All marriage coalition), takes place on July 26th at the Westin St. Francis hotel.

Activists to boycott gay-rights group dinner [sf chronicle]