#VotePetrelis & Campos for Assembly Signs Blend Well 
By Todd Swindell and Michael Petrelis

Our union-made window signs arrived this week and we've begun distributing them to friends and supporters in District 8, and we'll arrange to get you one if you contact us.

Our addy is Petrelis4Sup2014@aol.com and the phone number is 415-621-6267. We've also amended out hashtag to a much more direct message and it's now: #VotePetrelis. Please share it via your social media.

The Inkworks Press of Berkeley produced a 11"x17" vertical version and one that is 17"x11" with a horizontal design, both at a very affordable rate and with quick turnaround too.

As many of you know, we're not crazy about Supervisor David Campos and we won't get into the reason why here, but we won't be taking the no endorsement route in the Assembly District 17 race simply because he's not delivered on many issues of deep concern to us.

We find Supervisor David Chiu to be a candidate too beholden to Mayor Ed Lee and big development interests, with very mediocre progressive credentials and accomplishments.

Campos will get our vote this election season and we're displaying his campaign signs under ours in our home windows. Frankly, we think the signs blend very well together.

Weekend Woof #90: Fab Folsom Fellas & Oral Sex

Last Sunday's annual Folsom fetish street fair was one of the best, for me, regardless of the lack of sunshine. Since I wore my rainbow burqa, the gray skies made it possible to wear the outfit and now sweat too much.

As always, I ran into friends and made new acquaintances, enjoyed all the male eye candy parading around and snapped lots of photos.

Handed out hundreds of #VotePetrelis cards and posed for countless pictures in my burqa holding a Petrelis campaign sign. Let's get to the photos!

This was the hottest oral sex scene I saw all day. And how was your Folsom Fair 2014?

Follow the Rubles: HRC & LGBT Russian Groups 
By Todd Swindell and Michael Petrelis

Recently, gay researcher and writer Brian M. Heiss wrote to remind us that it's been just over a year since American LGBT activists and organizations got angry and in the streets to protest anti-gay laws in Russia, and to commence a number of fundraising efforts.

You may wonder what this and our recent posts about the Human Rights Campaign have to do with our District 8 Supervisor race, and the response is we're writing these posts on our campaign site to show how we deliver accountability at the national and international level.

We've excepted from Brian's email to bring you his key points and questions. All of the groups mentioned, along with Russian gay organizations, will be made aware of these questions and if we hear from them, we'll share their responses. Brian writes:

June 30, 2014 marked one year since the Russian Federation anti-gay legislation banning the "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations to minors" became enacted as law. However July 21, 2014 marks the first anniversary of Harvey Fierstein's NY Times Op-Ed titled "Russia's Anti-Gay Crackdown" (tinyurl.com/NYT-Fierstein-Gay-Russia).

With the one year anniversary of America's gaining awareness of Russia’s anti-gay law, I thought it might be appropriate to revisit the impact that the collective efforts here in the US had to help make a difference in the lives of our LGBT brothers and sisters in the Russian Federation. No one has been more effective and dedicated than you, Michael, in pushing for accountability and transparency by the US-based groups who solicited donations from our community with the promise that our donations would directly support Russian Federation-based LGBT organizations and individuals.

Aside from issuing press releases on the first anniversary of the enactment of the Russian Federation anti-gay law (tinyurl.com/HRC-One-Year-Gay-Russia); it seems that the organizations, so quick to solicit donations for the LGBT communities in the Russian Federation, have largely forgotten about the fight for equality in Russia since the closing ceremonies of the Sochi Olympics.

I prepared the material below in hopes that you might reach out to your contacts to hopefully gain answers to these important questions:

1) HRC and Arcus Foundation:
HRC and Arcus Foundation together formed the Russia Freedom Fund (www.russiafreedomfund.org).

Q: How were the groups able to circumvent the Russian Federation’s Foreign Agent Law and fulfill the promise to supporting local Russian Federation-based organizations that have been effective at combating discrimination and violence?

2) HRC:
HRC's December 19, 2013, press release states it was the “first contribution to the Russia Freedom Fund in the amount of $100,000” from the funds raised by the “Love Conquers Hate” campaign (tinyurl.com/HRC-100K-Gay-Russia).

Q: Has HRC and the Arcus Foundation made additional contributions to the Russia Freedom Fund? If so, in what amount(s) and when?
Q: What are the total net proceeds from the sale of the “Love Conquers Hate” t-shirt?
Q: How much money was raised by donations to the “Love Conquers Hate” campaign excluding net proceeds from the sales of the t-shirts?

3) Russia Freedom Fund:
In an email to Michael Petrelis on January 24, 2014, regarding transparency and accountability related to HRC’s $100,000 donation to the Russia Freedom Fund, Julie Dorf from The Council for Global Equality wrote: “The specifics of how money will be disseminated will not be made public for the safety of the recipients” (tinyurl.com/Dorf-Petrelis-HRC-100K).

Q: Without identifying specific Russian-based LGBT organizations that have received funds from the Russia Freedom Fund, might Dorf be so kind as to provide examples of how financial assistance from the Russia Freedom Fund has empowered or impacted Russian Federation-based LGBT organizations or helped move the needle toward equality in the Russian Federation?

4) Principle 6 Campaign: American Apparel, AllOut & Athlete Ally:
On December 2, 2013, AllOut and Athlete Ally announce that they have partnered with American Apparel on the "Principle 6 Campaign" (tinyurl.com/AthleteAlly-AllOut-AmApparel), a clothing line highlighting the non-discrimination clause of the Olympic Charter [and] “majority of the proceeds from the sale of clothing will go support the Principle 6 campaign and directly to lesbian, gay, bi and trans (LGBT) advocacy groups in Russia fighting discrimination and anti-gay laws.”

Regarding [the proceeds], in late January 2014, Wesley Adams of AllOut shared with Petrelis this info: “Closer to Sochi, we'll be making an announcement about how much money we'll be donating to LGBT groups in Russia from the sale of Principle 6 apparel" (tinyurl.com/AllOut-Petrelis-Accountability). No announcement was made prior to or during [Sochi and questions remain]:

Q: How much money was raised through the sale of Principle 6 apparel?
Q: If so, what LGBT groups in the Russian Federation received funds from the Principle 6 Campaign?
Q: If you do not wish to identify the specific groups, might you please share the amount of money to date that the Principle 6 Campaign has donated to LGBT groups in the Russian Federation?

Follow Us & Our Fab Fotos on Twitter
By Todd Swindell and Michael Petrelis

Since Facebook does not allow for more than one photo to be shared in each post, and we're not crazy about their album function, we're used our Twitter feed to showcase various friends, voters and supporters posing with our #ILikeMikeSF sign

If you don't follow us at https://twitter.com/MichaelPetrelis, please cruise on over there now and start following us.

Even if you choose not follow us, check out our feed's great collection of fabulous folks demonstrating their backing of our alternative candidacy.

The feed is also where we opine about non-campaign issues from our unique activist perspective.

When you tweet about our campaign or the photos, please be sure to tag everything with the #ILikeMikeSF and let's light up Twitter with awareness for our candidacy.

Here's our good pal Larry, we go back to our New Yawk days together in the 1980s, striking a pose and showing a smile while holding up our sign.

SF Pride Candidates, My Questionnaire & Engagement

The reform slate of candidates who in 2013 waged a full-on campaign to engage publicly with the old board of directors organized many tactics for communication including a town hall meeting (tinyurl.com/2013-SFPride-Reformers). Unfortunately, none of those reformers who were elected to the new board and are up for reelection this Sunday, and the facilitator of the town hall, replied to my questionnaire earlier this week.

But let's focus on the positive and the response from Don Wagda, who wasn't on that slate, joined the board this year and seeks reelection:

(1) Do you favor immediately giving the membership full control of the monthly members' meetings (setting the agenda, facilitation, taking of minutes, etc), with details about transferring control from the board to the members to be decided at public meeting?

Wagda: I'm all for it, so long as there is enough support among non-Board members to sustain the effort. There needs to be coordination with the Board and its committees to codify and implement these changes, and to ensure that the general membership doesn't take any action that would exceed the scope of its legal authority. These changes won't be easy, and I don't think they can happen "immediately." In my mind, the December 2014 general planning meeting is a realistic deadline for implementing some set of the currently circulating proposals.

(2) Do you favor holding one public meeting in early June for the executive director, board members and the membership to collectively determine the lineup of contingents for the SF Pride Parade?

Wagda: I support dialogue through a forum on this topic, especially since this is an area of widespread concern among SF Pride stakeholders. The Parade Manager is uniquely positioned to discuss the many factors that need to be juggled in the formulation of the lineup. I think such a meeting would become unmanageable, however, if actual decisions had to be made in that context. As an alternative to your 'collective determination' approach, I would support decentralization of the parade lineup process from the current 1-2 decision makers, to perhaps a committee of the Board. I also would support reserving a certain number of slots in the first 1/3 of the parade for nonprofit/activist groups, which would be selected by lottery or by vote of the membership.

(3) Do you favor making the amounts paid by each SF Pride Parade 2014 and future contingents transparent and posted on the web?

Wagda: I think we need a parade fee waiver policy that sets/limits the number of fee waivers available each year, makes public any fee waivers granted by the Board and requires the Board to set forth the reason for each waiver granted (e.g., financial hardship, new participant etc.). Otherwise, our parade entry fees are already pretty transparent to my understanding. Regarding sponsorship arrangements, I would support assigning and publicly disclosing dollar thresholds for each of the sponsorship categories/levels (which we already publish without the dollar amounts). Due to various contractual commitments already in place re nondisclosure, any of these changes would have to be for 2015 onward.

Thanks, Don, and you've certainly earned my vote. Here's the response from David Currie, also not one of the 2013 reformers:

"I will respond to your questions if asked at the general membership meeting."

Michelle Meow is also on the current board and was the reform town hall facilitator. She replied:

"Thank you for reaching out! I unfortunately will not be able to participate given the short notice of the request as well as my belief these questions should be addressed in a much more formal manner- or I would rather address the questions to the members of SF Pride than your blog. Though I know members do read your blog and this engagement would have publicity around it, I am a new board member and need more time to consult rules of proper engagement."

I heard from Veronika Fimbres, who wasn't a 2013 reformer and presently isn't on the board:

"I don't think it is appropriate for me to answer at this time. I am sure you understand."

Leading 2013 reformer and current board president Gary Virginia said:

"Any individual is free to respond to your personal questions, but SF Pride Board of Directors candidates are not required to respond to your inquires in your status as an SF Pride Member. I don't feel it is appropriate to have SF Pride's business posted on your personal social media page for your run for political office.

"SF Pride Members who are eligible to vote at the Annual General Member (AGM) Meeting on September 14 have all been members for 60 days or more. As such, they have had opportunity to attend monthly Member Meetings and ask questions, are welcome to attend monthly Board Meetings."

Below is a slate card from the 2013 reformers who created the SF Pride Members for Democracy, Accountability & Transparency. See you all at the meeting this Sunday!

Fun-Raiser Brings in Bucks & Support

By Todd Swindell and Michael Petrelis
(Cross-posted to our campaign site.)

Our deep gratitude goes out to all of the voters, neighbors and donors who stopped by our soft fundraiser on Friday at Michael Colter and Wendy Mogg's Sweet Inspiration Cafe in the Castro.

A lovely spread of sweet and savory nibbles was laid out for folks to eat, and non-alcoholic punch was on tap to drink, as folks schmoozed and offered words of encouragement for our candidacy.

On the wall-mounted monitor, dozens of photos from our Twitter feed, twitter.com/MichaelPetrelis, were rotated showing the diverse coalition of people who have graciously posed with our #ILikeMikeSF sign and smiled for the camera.

Among the notables who made appearances were marijuana and disability advocate Mira Ingram, political pundit Patrick Connors who tweets as @UppityFag, Roy MacKenzie who operates the CastroBiscuit.com blog, Debbie Shargel from the Immune Enhancement Project, our hostess Veronika Fimbres, the LGBT liaison for Stoli Patrik Gallineaux, body freedom activist Rusty Mills, longtime community photographer Bill Wilson brought along his handsome hubby Fernando Orlandi, longterm AIDS survivor Bob Bowers alias @OneToughPirate, lesbian advocate Jane Lloyd and many others.

We made just over $300 in profit and people who weren't able to attend but still wanted to donate have pledged a subtotal of $200, that is promised to arrive in the form of checks to our post office box in the coming week.

Special thanks goes out to Michael's life-mate and sweetie Mike Merrigan for providing beaucoup amounts of behind-the-scenes assistance and serving as our treasurer.

Check out the photos snapped by Bill Wilson, tinyurl.com/ILikeMikeSF-Fundraiser-Fotos, and please share them on your social media tagged #ILikeMikeSF. Here are trans advocate Veronika Fimbres and Stoli's liaison to the LGBT community Patrik Gallineaux striking poses with our candidate.

UN Secretary General Zapped in SF: "Gay Rights Issue is Very Sensitive"

(Photo credit: Clinton Fein of Annoy.com. Kindly give him credit, if you re-use his photos.)



(ZombieTime.com captured the event on video and has posted it YouTube.)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 26, 2007
Contact: Michael Petrelis at (415) 621-6267


MEDIA ADVISORY

GAYS DISRUPT UN SECRETARY GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
AT MEETING IN SAN FRANCISCO

BAN SAYS: "GAY RIGHTS ISSUE IS VERY SENSITIVE"

SAN FRANCISCO (July 26) -- A group of activists staged a protest at an evening meeting at the Fairmont Hotel featuring the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, in order to protest the unconscionable, murderous silence of the United Nations concerning continued violence and executions globally which specifically target gays and lesbians. Ban was speaking before the World Affairs Council of Northern California, as San Francisco is considered the birthplace of the UN.

The nonviolent protesters twice interrupted Ban’s speech, first standing on their seats, chanting "Break the silence! Talk about about gays!” while holding up signs which read “Gay Rights Are UNiversal", capitalizing the letters UN to drive home the point that the UN has not accepted its responsibility to monitor and defend the human rights of gay and lesbian people worldwide.

UN Secretary General Ban replied, "That is most unusual welcome for me . . . As Secretary General, I'm supposed to answer all questions . . . The gay rights issue is very sensitive."

The protesters included Michael Petrelis and Hank Wilson, longtime LGBT activists, who were escorted out of the hotel and questioned by U.S. Secret Service agents.

Thirty minutes later, George Duvoisin, a gay youth advocate, wearing a large rainbow flag draped over his shoulders, rose up and asked Ban, "What about gay rights, and specific language in UN documents for gays and transgender people to protect against violence and discrimination?"

The San Francisco action heralds a series of demonstrations across the world in August to ban anti-gay violence across the world. August 3 and 4 have been cited as the Global Days of Gay Solidarity, with protests planned for cities across the globe.

“The UN has been silent for far too long, as our gay brothers and lesbian sisters are aggressively selected for human rights violations, torture and execution across the globe, simply due to their sexual orientation,” said Petrelis, who organized the protest.

“In the last year alone, our brothers and sisters have been maimed and slaughtered in too many incidents around the world,” said Hank Wilson. “This includes the violent attacks on gays in Eastern European pride marches; the killings of Jamaican gays; and the ongoing executions of gays in Iran. The United Nations never fails to speak out against injustice and human rights violations as they happen, but they are criminally silent when it comes to the murders of lesbians and gay men.”

George Duvoisin acknowledged that the UN had made a modest recent gesture towards support for gays and lesbians. On July 23, the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) granted consultative status on Friday to two nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that address human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

In addition to the alarming homophobic incidents cited by the activists, ongoing injustice against gays and lesbians continues across the world. Same-sex relationships are illegal in more than 70 countries, with consenting adults facing jail terms ranging from one year to life imprisonment, and even execution in six countries.

Examples of homophobic persecution include: Execution of gay males (or those perceived to have had same-sex relations) in the aforementioned Iran and Saudi Arabia. Nigeria, Uganda and Malaysia punish same-sex relations with maximum penalties of ten years to life imprisonment.

Queer-bashing mobs and death squads target gays for violence and murder in Jamaica, Iraq and parts of Brazil and Mexico. Even the formation of organizations to promote legal equality for gays and lesbians are illegal in certain parts of the world.

The San Francisco action heralds a series of demonstrations across the world in August to ban anti-gay violence across the world. August 3 and 4 have been cited as the Global Days of Gay Solidarity, with protests planned for cities across the globe. More info on the Aug 3 and 4 action is located here.

-30-

I Tried Recruiting This Straight Mormon into the Gay Lifestyle

This young straight Mormon man from Utah, was at the bus stop at Mission and 16th last night as I waited for the bus to arrive and take me to the Castro Theatre for a showing of Antonioni's "La Notte." His name is Elder Adams; says so on his name plate on his crisp white shirt. Kind of wet behind the ears to be an elder, I'd say.

Click on the pix to enlarge them, and you'll see Elder Adams is holding a bible in his left hand.

He was out recruiting anyone at the corner for the Mormon Church and lifestyle, and as is my fun habit at times when running into the male Mormon recruiters in San Francisco, I turn the tables, introduce myself with this line, "Hi, I'm Michael, and I'm recruiting for the gay lifestyle. Can I sign you up, young man?"

Every time I've done this, the boys have been as friendly as can be and always willing to share a few words with me. They are trained in missionary school to strike up pleasant conversations with a range of people, so why shouldn't I engage them in friendly banter about diverse lifestyles?

If you're into this sort of eye candy and want to know more about Elder Adams, who said he wrestled in high school, you'll find him probably talking up his beliefs on Mission Street. He's quite fluent in Spanish and was happy to be sent here, so he can use his language skills.

At the end of our little conversation, I hadn't succeeded in recruiting this guy for the gay lifestyle, and neither had he signed me up in his missionary zeal for his religion, but if I don't recruit for my community, who will?

HRC = HRC: Attack First, Answer Questions Never

This is so good I wish I had written it first:

Not that it matters to the HRC, who seem to be following the model of their patron saints, the Clintons: attack first, answer questions never.

Check out Christian Boone's gay contrarian blog from Atlanta for more of his political insight.

And to see how Slippery Hillary is thus far ignoring gay issues on her official exploratory committee's web site, click here to view the omission of any gay speeches, oh, like the one she recently made to the HRC leaders in Washington. Maybe both HRCs can't afford to get her speech transcribed and posted on their respective sites. And then go here to find gay matters missing from her press release archive.

You think our friends at HRC are asking HRC to include her speeches and positions on gays where lots of American voters will look -- her own site?

Webcast: European Parliament Debate on Anti-Gay Nigeria Law, Mar 15, 11am NY/8am SF Time

This news alert was sent to me this evening and is well-worth sharing:

Dear Mr. Petrelis,

You might be interested to know that the European Parliament is having an emergency debate on Thursday March 15 on the anti-gay law in Nigeria. It should start at around 4pm Strasborg France time, which is 11 am New York time.

There are three items to be discussed in the hour allocated for emergency debates - Nigeria being the last one.

If you are interested in a parliament that is actually debating the situation - with or without the permission of HRW! - you can see it live by going to this link. You will get the English language soundtrack (there are some 20 languages used in the European Parliament, but like the UN, there is an English feed of everything.

All Gay/HIV Citations in New State Dept Human Rights Report Available on the Web

Every reference in the latest annual State Department human rights global survey of either abuses or advancements of respect for the human rights of gays and people with HIV/AIDS has been culled by Rick Rosendall of GLAA, the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance based in Washington.

The excerpts from the 2006 report, on all countries from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, makes for very depressing reading, but that is minor compared to the almost-daily bashings, second-class treatment, stabbings, social and legal disrespect and even death faced by our brothers and sisters across the planet.

Click here to read the 2006 gay/HIV excerpts, and click here for the 2005 version, and go here for the 2004 excerpts.

This latest State Department report is a living tool that gay rights advocates, lawyers and people seeking asylum, not just in the USA but other nations as well, use to gain asylum from governments and societies that violate the human rights protections of gays.

The report is also a vital document local activists in many countries use throughout the year to generate news attention to promote gay tolerance and equality, and to educate politicians everywhere about the myriad problems gays globally are dealing with.

In addition to expressing my sincere gratitude to Rosendall for excerpting the pertinent gay and HIV/AIDS citations of the report, I must also publicly thank the well-respected State Department employees who performed the research necessary to draft such a comprehensive summary and wrote it.

It's alway important to recognize the appropriate federal workers and their dedication to making the annual report the valuable document that it is for all the world's citizens concerned with human rights for everyone, but especially for gay and HIV/AIDS activists, whose issues are too often overlooked by international government agencies and NGOs.

These are the State Department people I salute and who deserve kudos from the gay and AIDS communities:

Within the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, the editorial staff of the Country Reports Team consists of:

Editor-in-Chief - Stephen Eisenbraun;

Office Directors - Bruce Connuck, Nadia Tongour, and Francisco Palmieri;

Senior Editors - Jonathan Bemis, Daniel Dolan, Stephen Eisenbraun, Jerome L. Hoganson, Sandra Murphy, Elizabeth Ramborger, and Julie Turner;

Editors - Kulsum Ali, Joseph S. Barghout, Kate Berglund, Sarah Buckley, Laura Carey, Elise Carlson, Ryan J. Casteel, Cheryl Clayton, Sharon C. Cooke, Susan Corke, Stuart Crampton, Tamara Crouse, Frank B. Crump, Mollie Davis, Douglas B. Dearborn, Cortney Dell, Lauren DiSilvio, Joan Garner, Saba Ghori, Karen Gilbride, Elliott Gillerman, Lisa Heller, Victor Huser, Stan Ifshin, David T. Jones, Simone Joseph, Salman Khan, Anne Knight, Catherine Kuchta-Holbling, Lawrence Lesser, Jessica Lieberman, Gregory Maggio, Michael Michener, Jennie Munoz, Daniel L. Nadel, Catherine Newling, Emily Oswell, Peter Sawchyn, Amy Schmisseur, Patricia Meeks Schnell, Sonam Shah, Wendy Silverman, Melissa Sims, James Todd, Terry Tracy, Nicole Willett, Whitney Wilson, Suzanne Yountchi, and Robert Zuehlke;

Contributing Editor - Lynne Davidson;

Editorial Assistants - Elyse Bauer, Adrienne Bory, Karen Chen, Carol Finerty, Maureen Gaffney, Sylvia Hammond, Noel Hartley, Laura Jordan, David Perez, Lindsay Robinson, Nicole Bibbins Sedaca, Julie Short, Nora Vacariu, Emily Weaver, Eva Weigold, and Melike Yetken;

Technical Support-Linda C. Hayes, Paul Skoczylas, and Tanika N. Willis.

State Dept's Latest Human Rights Report Issued Today; Are Gay & HIV Citations Included?

For a number of years, Rick Rosendall of the Gay Lesbian Activists Alliance in DC, and yours truly, as unpaid volunteers interested in global gay issues, have done what we can to both pressure the State Dept to monitor and foster respect of human rights for gays around the globe, and to include the abuses and advances of gay people in the annual human rights report.

Neither Rick nor I, nor our brother across the pond, Peter Tatchell, who has greatly assisted us in our work as USA gays committed to working with our State Dept to benefit gays globally, is part of a group with millions of dollars and paid executives and researchers.

Click here to read about some of our work on improving the annual human rights report from State in 2005.

Go here and also click here for the two places on the web where you can read all of the gay and HIV citations from last year's annual report.

And if you click here, you'll find the 2004 gay and HIV citations, excerpted from the annual report.

So far today, the Human Rights Watch, the International Gay Lesbian Human Rights Commission, the Human Rights Campaign, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and Amnesty International have yet to post notices on their sites about the overall report, or the gay and HIV citations.

I've contacted people at those organizations and asked them to let me know when they'll examine the report for its gay content, or lack thereof, and also if they have any plans to excerpt every gay and HIV reference in the new State Dept report.

It is my fervent hope I will hear back from all the groups about how they are coordinating reading the report, analyzing it, using it to benefit our brothers and sisters around the globe, and who should be thanked at the State Dept for including all the gay and AIDS references.

To read the State Dept briefing with Paula Dobriansky and Barry Lowenkron, undersecretaries for human rights and labor practices, click here.

Secretary Rice's short remarks on the new report are posted here.

Finally, and most importantly, click here to start reading the full country-by-country reports.

###





NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN RIGHTS

Among grossly overlooked issues in this country are Native American Indian rights; luckily there are some organizations in place to help the Native American cause.

AP: S.F. Gays, HRC, Log Cabin Praise Straight WY GOP Politician
(Photo credit: Dan Zwonizter. A recent bill signing with WY's Governor at the podium. Second from the left is Dan, wearing a red tie.)

My pitch to AP Wyoming reporter Kathleen Miller was basic. The man whose pro-gay equality speech was read around the blogosphere, deserved an AP wire story about the impact of his words on me, gays and our newspapers in SF and the letters he received from people across the globe. Guess I've tired to give Dan the p.r. attention HRC can't be bothered with on his behalf.

As you can see, Miller has written her piece and I believe it does justice to Zwonitzer and his courageous act. Kathleen, I salute and thank you.

A lengthy excerpt:

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Dan Zwonitzer is both Republican and straight, but the 27-year-old state representative suddenly has found himself praised by gay rights activists nationwide.

Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne, spoke out in a legislative committee against a measure that would have allowed Wyoming to deny recognition of gay marriages granted by other states or countries.

The committee killed the bill.

"I mistakenly thought many people in Dick Cheney's home state didn't support equality for me as a gay man," said Michael Petrelis, a gay blogger, Green Party member and AIDS activist from San Francisco.

"That was the thing that surprised many of us in the San Francisco gay community, that this pro-gay development happened in Dick Cheney's home state."

Articles in two San Francisco gay publications, the San Francisco Bay Times and the Bay Area Reporter, also have lauded Zwonitzer.

Zwonitzer told the House Rules Committee on Feb. 22 that he needed to publicly oppose the measure _ even if it cost him his seat _ because he believed that was the right thing to do. He told the committee that gay rights were the civil rights struggle of his generation.

"I will tell my children that when this debate went on, I stood up for basic rights for people," he said.

Committee member Rep. Tom Lubnau, R-Gillette, sided with Zwonitzer, acknowledging the young legislator's speech before voting against the measure.

"Maybe the right thing to do is stand up for tolerance," Lubnau said.

The committee voted 7-6 to kill the bill, with House Speaker Roy Cohee, R-Casper, casting the tie-breaking vote.

But Zwonitzer, who couldn't vote against the bill because he's not on the committee, is the one who has been receiving the bulk of the attention.

"The reaction was rather surprising," he said. "I'm up to 165 e-mails from people around the country and several internationals, all thanking me for making my stand."

[...]

Read the full article, with references to HRC, Log Cabin and DNC treasurer Andrew Tobias. Click here.