Thank You everyone that sent a note to the El Paso Council members!

[Ohio Joe]

It is having an effect:

http://www.kvia.com/Global/story.asp?S=10766389

Please help keep the pressure on and continue writing to the mayor and police chief. The officers involved should be fired and the establishment cited. Also, please send notes of support to the council members, as much as those denying equal rights need to hear it, those supporting them need to hear it as well. You can find their contact info here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=412x52

Thanks again everyone!

[ThomCat]

1. It's nice that the city council is reasserting their support

for nondiscrimination. :)

No responses to the letters though. Can't say I really expected any, but it would have been nice to get a polite response.

[Ohio Joe]

2. Don't get discouraged

At least they did something. There is more to come on this, unexpected benefits:

http://www.newspapertree.com/news/4077-diaz-de-leon-responds-to-911-tapes-says-chico-s-5-will-come-out-soon

From the end of the article:

"Also before council was the same-sex domestic partner health benefits.

"Council will make a decision to spend the money and set the policy to ensure that same-sex domestic partners of city employees enjoy the same health and pension benefits that the spouses of other city employees receive," O'Rourke said."

They feel guilty about what happened and their inability to get the mayor and police chief to do anything real so it seems they are going to pass this in response!

Small victories is the only way equal rights will happen unfortunately but I think we have one here. It is not equal rights and we can't stop until we have them but... one more step, one more step :D

So please, please everyone, send your notes of support to the council members!

[jeremyfive]

3. Two Sides

The angel side of me wants to keep on begging straight people for our constitutionally guaranteed rights and freedoms.
The devil side thinks we should just torch the greasy taco joint--a kinder, gentler restaurant will inevitably spring up in its place.

[Ohio Joe]

4. To some extent, I understand

I'm a straight male and I've been beating this worse then a dead horse for a few weeks now and... a sheeple cartoon gets more recognition in GD then this same post I put there... It pisses me off. I just don't get it. If just 10% of DU would take five freakin minutes and send a note of encouragement to the council members, they would have what... 15k, more? notes of encouragement to go further then they already are going? When politicians feel they have support, they go forward, when they don't, they stop and look elsewhere. Yet... the thread that has the contact information has around 325 views, I'm sure at least 50 of them are mine and I would be willing to bet not everyone that has looked has taken the time to send a note... not when this started, not now when some actual progress has been made and not when the potential for more exists.

It is not a victory, not even close. It is one small step on a long ass journey but they all need to be taken. President Obama could have and should have done more then he has (and I'm pissed he has not and I've let him know it) but even if he did, these steps need to be taken as well. He is not going to wave some magic wand and suddenly give everyone equal rights... Shit just does not happen that way.

blaaaargh... ok, I've been up all night, I'm drunk and pissed off and I'm not really directing this at you jeremyfive, I'm just going off :mad:

Though... I don't think it would hurt if everyone reading this actually sent a note as well as go give a K&R to my GD thread (and say you also sent a note) so that maybe a few more DU'ers will think it is worth their five minutes to do the same. GD thread here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6127388

I'm gonna go get some sleep now and I hope to come back to see a long list of people telling me to STFU, we sent the fucking note already :D