Petrelis Files

RI Gay Mayor Doesn't Want to 'Politicize'
Raymond Chase Bully Suicide

A man named Anthony Bowen left the following comment at my post about gay Providence Mayor David Cicilline, who is also trying to become a gay Democratic member of Congress this November.

I don't know Mr. Bowen, so I wanted to verify the email from the Cicilline for Congress committee was indeed genuine. Just got off the phone with the author of the note for the candidate, and told him this was not good enough. Frankly, it's the lamest excuse in the book for a politician, and a gay one at that, to allow his campaign manager to get away with avoiding speaking out about a tragedy because breaking silence would politicize an already politicized crisis.

My final word to the campaign manager was to tell his boss to follow Houston Mayor Annise Parker's example and make a direct statement on the bully suicide of gay youth Raymond Chase in Cicilline's hometown of Providence.

Let me say it again: SILENCE = DEATH. Gay kids deserve better than Cicilline deafening silence. Thank you, Mr. Bowen, for your important follow up with the silent candidate. We need more activists like you pressuring all politicians, especially the gay ones.

The note from Mr. Bowen:

Michael, I e-mailed the campaign about this issue and here's the response I got:

Tony,
Thanks for your email. I am David's campaign manager. I wanted to let you know that while this is certainly a very important issue to this campaign, we decided that the most respectful way to proceed was not to politicize the issue so soon after the incident, and offend the grieving parties with public statements. I hope you understand, and again, this is a very important issue to David and the campaign.
Thanks,
Eric Hyers
Campaign Manager

___________

Dear The Cicilline Committee,

Last month I made a modest donation to support the future Congressman. As a supporter, I would like to know why, in light of the recent five reported suicides of gay teens, I've been unable to see a comment from the campaign about how he will work to stop LGBT bullying, particuraly given that Raymond Chase, one of the teens, attended Johnson & Wales in Providence. Why has the campaign remained silent? Hopefully I'm mistaken and the future Congressman has already spoken on this topic. I do request a response to this inquiry.

Best,

Anthony Bowen