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Jon Sims Center at Risk of Closing
One of the Bay Area’s oldest centers dedicated to LGBT arts faces closure unless the community acts now. The Jon Sims Center for the Performing Arts (JSC) must raise $22,000 in back rent by July, or be shut down. Founded in 1978 with the Gay Freedom Day Marching Band one of the world’s first publicly gay cultural art groups JSC focuses on supporting emerging artists. JSC’s gallery, theater/studio, AIRSpace, JSDance program, and its spoken word recording project SF in eXile contribute uniquely to a queer arts scene denuded of venues and queer-specific production companies by the Boom/Bust. Please dig deep! Send donations to JSC 1519 Mission, SF CA 94103. Come to shows at the JSC this spring and pay the high end of the scale. Have a great idea for a performance? Contact JSC at 415.554.0402 and get involved! Your contribution can keep this home for queer art alive and vibrant. Sara Moore
Coordinator, SF in eXile
Mugged
Dear Hole in the Wall Saloon,
Just to let you know that I won’t be back until May. I was mugged on Monday (Apr. 10), at an ATM, of $200. I forgive the person (who I met at Hole in the Wall)...he was not at all violent. I was just a sloppy inebriated, trusting fool. Though I can’t imagine EVER telling someone my ATM account’s PIN code, even when drunk. So I suspect it was more than alcohol in my glass that allowed him to not just ask for my code, but go home with me and count out the roll of 20’s right before my eyes...while I seemed totally hypnotized and unaware of the crime unfolding. I remember beginning to undress, and that’s all she wrote. I woke up in my underwear, and he was gone. I then realized what happened, and canceled my ATM card for a new one. Now, I have just $175 for the rest of the month...I live on Social Security and nothing else. Thankfully, the culprit did leave my wallet with all ID in the hallway bathroom (I just live in a humble single unit here in The Castro). As an advocate and activist for my gay brothers on the streets (since 1973), I simply accept that such incidents go with the territory. (I also consider myself a prophet and visionary for our Queer Family, in the Pagan/Shamanic tradition.) However, this was the first time I’ve EVER been mugged with (or w/o) a probable date-rape drug. Jerry (bartender) saw me play pool and leave with him some time after midnight. His name is (supposedly) Michael: short in height (approx. 5’5”), Caucasian, handsome, short-cut wavy black hair with thick eyebrows and moustache. We played a round of pool. Please be clear: I forgive Michael...and hope that my fair-mindedness will put him through some good changes. I’d STILL like to play pool with him, etc. I also consider the folks at Hole in the Wall blameless for this stupid incident. Nonetheless, I had just spent a lot of money Fri. and Sun. nights to show a bunch of people a good time (including yourself, Larkin). And it was GREAT! (Except that the $60 worth of marijuana I purchased on the street for $40—and which I joyfully shared with EVERYONE there—turned out to be some other cheap and ineffective herb. Boy do I have the luck!) But between that expense, and my ATM-theft, it is now impossible for me to afford going ANYWHERE, except to a grocery store, that I may have food for the rest of the month. (I’m trying to get some kind of part-time under the counter job, that I may afford regularly, the expense of going out to the SOMA bars each day/night. So maybe I’ll get lucky really fast.) Also, I have learned one of life’s great lessons many years ago, during my struggle to save the life of a Vietnam Veteran (Randolph Taylor), who had shot himself in a botched suicide attempt: What appears to be misfortune can turn into a great blessing, if one just takes a deep breath and holds on tight. As Randolph used to say: “Keep the faith”. This note is to avert anyone wondering or worrying about me...or thinking I’m pulling a “Let’s see if Larkin calls me” game. I’ve been having a wonderful time there, and will miss everyone’s company for the duration. I look at it this way: so many others there are going through much more difficult crises than my non-violent mugging. And you, Larkin, put a LOT of smiles on a lot of faces, and are a wonderful protector of the innocent. Congratulations for being such an excellent guy. Your beloved amigo,
Zeke Krahlin
San Francisco Post Shenanigans Thank You
I would like to thank everybody who played part in the “shamRockin’ shenanigans” held on St. Patrick’s day at the Ntouch bar on Polk Street. The venue was packed throughout the night, and rockin’ participants raised $3000 for the St. James Infirmary (www.stjamesinfirmary.org). St. James Infirmary offer free, confidential, nonjudgmental medical and social services for female, transgendered, and male sexworkers. They are the first occupational safety and health clinic for sex workers anywhere run by and for sex workers! Co-host Michael Brandon was presented with the highest honor (other than becoming a sister) that the Order bestows upon anyone- Sainthood. Sisters and guests are still awaiting for information regarding the next shenanigan activities !!! Keep abreast of all the fun-loving joy-spreading Sister events at www.sisters.org. Sister maeJoy Bee withU
San Francisco The Sagging Supes - An Election Issue for ‘06
Half of the supes are up for election in November. The behavior and record of this board as a whole, including even members who are not up for election, will likely become an issue. Some scenes and facts that we should not lose sight of: *Chris Daly and Jake McGoldrick each yelling “Kiss my ass!” at each other at a board meeting, right in front of the press box *Aaron Peskin threatening Michela Alioto-Pier that he would thwart any future legislation of hers if her aide decided to run against Chris Daly in district six *The secret (and illegal) meeting of Aaron Peskin, Ross Mirkarimi, Chris Daly, and failed mayoral candidate Matt Gonzalez to push for Mirkarimi’s “medical marijuana” bill *Ross Mirkarimi’s ongoing effort to rezone the Lower Haight in order to accommodate the Vapor Room, which continues to operate illegally under the terms of his own ordinance *Tom Ammiano’s success in getting City Attorney Dennis Herrera to grant him an exemption from the term-limits law, after Ammiano provided Herrera with his margin of victory in the runoff in the City Attorney’s race *Tom Ammiano’s effort to silence Michela Alioto-Pier at a board meeting because she dared to question details of Ross Mirkarimi’s “medical marijuana” bill *Jake McGoldrick’s effort to close a chunk of Golden Gate Park to cars at the very time that Muni is cutting back on bus lines that serve the park *The board’s ineptitude, sitting as the Transportation Authority, in dealing with the city’s transportation problems *The board’s ineptitude in dealing with homelessness *The board’s ineptitude in dealing with violent crime and the deteriorating conditions of life in our neighborhoods *The long history of personal attacks and character assassination directed against voters who dare to question board members, by their surrogates and political consultants In general, this board puts a lot of energy into striking ideologically correct poses and playing to special interest groups. It is less concerned with solving practical problems that affect the daily lives of average folks living in the neighborhoods. As a result, the board now has an overall approval rating of 39%, about the same as the national approval rating for George W. Bush.
We, the voters, can use the upcoming election as a forum to correct the board’s imbalances. Yours for rationality in government,
Arthur Evans
San Francisco Pictures Worth a Look
Dear de Bay Times,
Here are author Armistead Maupin (r) and his lover Christopher Turner at Charles Busch’s opening at the Castro April 14.
And here are some Easter celebrants at 18th and Castro.
For lots of photos of the Busch opening and Easter in the Castro, your readers can copy this entire address (with no hyphens) http://members.aol.com/strangecastro/apr06.html .
Beep beep!
Love,
Strange de Jim
San Francisco Protest against Racist Article “ Boycott Betrays the Cause”
Any sign of racism towards any group should be denounced and not encouraged. The portrayal by the media at large of Israel as a state that is blameless and that does no harm to anyone, is incorrect. The fact that Israeli deaths are overreported by the media 10 to 1 to Palestinian deaths, provides a distorted picture of who is dying by violent means. What this means it that each Palestinian killed by the Israeli military, IF IT IS PRINTED AT ALL in the news and it is usually NOT, is underreported. Please see: http://ifamericansknew.org/ This leads people, such as your writer Rosendall, to claim that all Palestinians are suicide bombers, while in fact the majority of violent killings are done by the Israeli military against Palestinian civilians. Not only that, but the Israeli military is killing Palestinians with weapons purchased with money given to Israel by the US of A. While Palestinians have no such weapons...Our government provides more money per capita to Israel than to any other country. Even if all gays (in this case, Jewish gays) have equal rights in Israel’s so-called democracy, there is no democracy when all people are not treated equally, and you can be sure that the gay Palestinians and/or others in Israel who are NOT Jewish (and there are many other racial and religious groups living there) do NOT have equal rights under the law. What are the limits to what you will print? What is the definition of a hate crime? If you print things that promote hate and violence against a particular group of people, are you not promoting hate crimes? Please be fair to all groups — hate crimes are hate crimes. Provoking hate crimes with wrongful speech is the same as providing reason for hate crimes. Please do not do either. I belive the least that the Bay Times can do at this point is put out a public appology to the Palestian Ameiracane community. An apology for the horoble dehumaizing racist redric that your papper published. I look forward to a response from you to this matter in a timely manner. Concerned citizen,
Mazen Nassar
HELEM SF
www.HELEM.com Cars on JFK
Mom’s and Pop’s need to take advantage of the rich public transit in the area of Golden Gate Park and save their children from a future fraught with danger by global warming. Denise D’Anne
San Francisco Who’s in Charge?
Who’s in charge of the next great disaster? 100 years ago San Francisco was leveled by earthquake and fire, and that event was celebrated today in ceremonies at Lotta’s Fountain, a parade and countless parties which are fitting and good. Watching local news late this afternoon it was reported that San Francisco still doesn’t have a completed disaster plan while Oakland, San Jose, the State and just about everywhere else does. In an alarming bit of video footage, Mayor Newsom is seen responding in anger and frustration while being questioned by reporters who claim the Mayor and his hand picked chiefs of staff including Anne Marie Conroy have again dodged repeated requests from the press for access to the plan. The amazing retreat from accountability and accessibility of this administration and its top managers should be of grave concern to all San Franciscans. It appears this pattern is being played out in every department of our city and county government under Gavin Newsom and his handlers. The press seems to have greater access to President Bush than to Mayor Newsom unless it’s a glittering social event, and that doesn’t seem fair to so many who can’t even get an answer to their legitimate questions about declining city services and programs. Stu Smith
San Francisco
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