LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
Speak Out |
All throughout the campaign people have asked me, "How do you feel?" Since this whole thing started I feel like the luckiest man in Rehoboth Beach: lucky to have so many supporters and wonderful friends; lucky to have a family that always stands by me; and lucky to have a partner in Wayne, who has been so understanding throughout this entire campaign process. I've always felt this waythe campaign just helped underscore the depth of it. I want to make a couple of dedications. First of all: I'd like to dedicate the campaign to my parents. They instilled in me the pride and place of who I am and why I am here. I'm proud I could carry their name in this campaign for leadership. As an openly gay candidate, I want to dedicate the Election Day to all gay people in the state who might be struggling to understand who they are. I want them to know that not too far away they have friends in Rehoboth Beach. I ran openly and despite the outcome of the race, I know that the 9 vote margin proves I was part of something important. I didn't campaign on gay issues; I campaigned on broader community issues. But it is wonderful to know that we can be, in fact, we are, such a rich part of what makes Rehoboth Beach a community in the first place. Please, know that I am so grateful to each and every person who voted and who registered to vote and became active. That's important to all of us. Of course, to those who voted for me, I'm doubly grateful! I'd like to also thank the folks at City Hall, City Manager Greg Ferrese, Pam Beckman, Donna Moore, and Dawn Johnson who were always there with an answer to my questions. I'm pleased with the results of the election. Of course I wanted to win, but there is great consolation in knowing that through the process so much good was done. Voter registration was up, absentee voting was up, and, despite a hazardous waste spill that closed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and rainy weather, voter turnout was up as well. We had a successful Open Forum moderated by professional journalists that brought the issues to the citizens in an unbiased manner. And even with the turmoil surrounding election related issues there are signs that the Rehoboth Beach Homeowners Association appears to be weathering the storm. We should all be proud of these accomplishments. So what's next? We stay involved. We hold our elected officials to the task of working for us. I'm still going to be watching and advocating for neighborhood preservation programs that meet all of our needs, a downtown revitalization that makes sense for Rehoboth, and solutions to the issues surrounding traffic congestion. I hope you'll stay interested too. As for running again in the future, F. Scott Fitzgerald once said that in America there are no second acts. I want to say I don't believe him. In this country I know that if we want to, as individuals and as communities, we can wake up any morning to begin writing and living a new second act. So we'll see how the second act of this play takes shape. Thank you all, not just for the votes and the hard work, but for being a daily part in my life and each others' lives here where we make our home, or home away from home, Rehoboth Beach. Mark Aguirre Thank you for your votes. I appreciate the opportunity to serve the people of Rehoboth Beach for the next three years. Although the election was incredibly close, all the candidates stressed the need to continue with the downtown revitalization process and neighborhood preservation. We cannot do either job well without input from you. In the near future the commissioners will decide on the design of the entrance to Rehoboth Beach for years to come. Throughout the campaign many of you expressed your opposition to a roundabout. I hope that you will attend our meetings to express your opinions. If you cannot make a meeting please send a letter. Your input is vital in this process. In the campaign I promised to work for neighborhood preservation. To find fair and equitable solutions that preserve the character of our neighborhoods while allowing property owners to improve their homes, we must work together. As the commissioners look at each of our neighborhoods, I will make sure you are kept informed, that you are given an opportunity to share your ideas, and that the commissioners will listen. Throughout the campaign I invited the people of Rehoboth Beach to call me with any questions or concerns. The invitation stands. I am always willing to speak to or meet with you to discuss the issues facing Rehoboth Beach. I look forward to hearing from you. Richard Sargent I'd like to thank all the voters of Rehoboth Beach for allowing me to serve another term as city commissioner. You know how enthusiastically I look forward to the next three years, especially to realizing our dream of downtown revitalization. I chose to run a simple campaign. I don't believe in signs cluttering our distinctive neighborhoods and think that door to door campaigning is somewhat intrusive. Therefore, I invited everyone to five "Sunday Social Meet and Greets" at local restaurants and spoke to many people who stopped by as I painted a mural on the facade of Browseabout Books. I gladly participated in both candidate forums and took any opportunity, when out and about in our city, to express my views and listen to those of other concerned citizens. Most of you also received a letter from me, once again stating my mission and willingness to serve. A heartfelt thank you to Stoney Lonen, La La Land, Summerhouse, Sir Guy's and Cloud 9 for wonderful Sunday afternoon events. Thank you to The Bake Shoppe and Caf Sol for trays of delicious food for our election day workers and supporters. Thank you also to my financial supporters. It is a pleasure to be a resident of Rehoboth Beach and to have such caring friends and neighbors. Those of us who have chosen this city for our home or "home away from home," realize that dedicated people have worked hard to develop, protect and nurture it through the years. I hope we can all work together to insure the future of our charming, traditional beach town. I greatly appreciate all of your support. Patti Shreeve Before arriving in Rehoboth Beach in June, I already felt like I was coming home. Wintering in Palm Springs, CA and enjoying the openly gay friendly atmosphere certainly spoiled me. Finding the same situation for the summer would be, I thought, a difficult task. Having to head east for the spring (checking on some family matters), a friend in Palm Springs heard that Rehoboth Beach was another attractive lesbian and gay community. I checked my handy lesbian guide, turned to the Rehoboth Beach, Delaware page and found an extensive listing ranging from CAMP Rehoboth to restaurants, clubs and other exciting businesses. It seemed this might be a comfortable place to stay for the summer, so I called CAMP Rehoboth. Sometimes, as I have found in my travels, hotline numbers are no longer in existence, but fortunately, when I called CAMP Rehoboth, Kathy answered. She presented a pleasant, friendly and warm greeting, making me feel a stranger no more. She answered all my questions and then some. I was inquiring about restaurants in the area for possible employment during the summer. Along with her information over the phone, she also mailed me a directory of the local restaurants. Her help to me is very much appreciated. Having someone as personable and caring as Kathy handling the calls, is most comforting, especially when traveling to an unknown destination. I appreciate Letters, full of wonderful ideas, happenings and great meaningful articles of interest. I feel that CAMP Rehoboth is a great organization of hard working men and women making Rehoboth Beach a safer and "coming home" type of community. I commend you all for the special services you provide for family and friends. So, even though, it was a road less traveled for me, "coming home" to Rehoboth Beach proved to be a great summer. You will be remembered in my timeless journey. Hitting the road again after labor day. Thanks for who you are. Letitia Napolitano After spending a week over the past three summers in Rehoboth Beach, it looks like we're moving into your neighborhood. I want to thank you and the staff of Letters for your on-line newsletter. I'm a life-long resident of Southern California, and am facing major culture-shock. Reading Letters, and the issues you've archived, is helping me figure out what my life will be like. Thank-you. Sharon Woody Citizens in Maryland will have to focus very clearly on the lives of gays and lesbians over the next year and a half. Many groups will try and influence opinion and paint varying pictures for the public to see. There are two reasons why Marylanders must be allowed to make choices based on their conscience and not on innuendo. One is the constitution and the other is children. Let's start with children, not an easy subject to broach considering how the detractors of gay and lesbian civil rights try to paint gays. Let's bring to light the lives of gay and lesbian school aged children. Do Marylanders realize how these kids are 2-3 times more likely to plan or commit suicide or seven times more likely to be assaulted at school? How about gay and lesbian student drop out rates hovering close to 30%? What about gay and lesbian students twice as likely to have property stolen at school or being twice as likely to have sexual contact against their will? Our schools have a serious problem that is not being addressed. Our society has not wanted to discuss these issues because we have not even settled the debate about gay adults. But as school aged children and their parents begin to hold school systems accountable for the lack of protection and lack of services, these issues will quickly be linked together. The fact remains that gay and lesbian civil rights, whether for gay students or gay adults, revolve around constitutional rights. For detractors such as Take Back Maryland and the Christian Coalition the issue is about sex and sexual behavior. These detractors do not want an open and frank discussion about sexual identity and orientation. As students sue school districts across America because of the lack of these discussions and the violation of rights we will find that civil rights for gays will grow out of decisionary law and not necessarily out of the winds of popular sentiment. But gay and lesbian students and adults cannot wait for our country to slowly walk through its "moral evolution over time." Case law is growing over school districts not protecting gay and lesbian students, and that gives a solid foundation for supporting the gay and lesbian civil rights bill passed by the Maryland General Assembly this year. Protection for adults must go hand and hand with protection of children. So kids in schools are getting beat up, they drop out, commit suicide and school systems do nothing because those kids are gay. Nothing is done to address the statistics mentioned above. School systems address these problems for every imaginable subgroup or minority. Juries are now beginning to award damages to students whose constitutional rights are denied because of harassment because they are gay. Schools, teachers and parents must address these inequities or be held legally responsible. The law firmly stands behind protecting and education based on sexual orientation. Advocates say gays should make the best use of the legal structure in their battle. First is the legal Call to Neutrality, which encompasses Freedoms of Speech, Privacy and Association. Second is the Call to Equality which asks questions involving suspect class, gender and political participation. Third is the Call to Reason and whether the "open lawful presence of gays and lesbians undermine fundamental widely respected social institutions." Last is the Call to Empathy. This legal area asks whether moral theory and reason are adequate enough to capture the complexities of love and whether or not people should suffer adverse legal consequences based on membership in a group. In the end these decisions on how to feel, act and vote for Marylanders will be based on their ability to sift through conflicting messages they will receive on TV, in the mail or in their churches. Will it be a message of constitutional rights? Will it be a frank discussion about sexual identities and orientations? Will it be about protecting children at school and adults at work and home? Or will it be about sex and only sex. James Ireton, Jr. On Saturday, August 11, I attended two important functions in Rehoboth. First, friends gathered at the Sussex Street home of Mark Aguirre to thank him for all the effort he put forth in running for city commissioner. Second, I attended a fundraiser at the home of Dr. James D'Orta for Maryland Congressional Candidate Mark Shriver. Although thunderstorms prevailed, both were warm, successful events where concerned citizens came out to honor and support these gentlemen for their commitment to us. I've run for public office and there is no nobler cause. Please get involved in our process. Your personal commitment to understanding the issues in your community, state and nation are so very important and will have a direct result in the outcome. Register to vote and then vote your convictions to make the fabric of our great land work for all of us. Herb Russell |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 11, No. 12, August 24, 2001. |