Matt Chen of the Broward Republican Executive Committee wants Broward’s LGBT voters to support GOP candidates. The Republican Party has a long history of getting citizens to vote against their own interests.
One of the main issues the Republican Party has cynically used to manipulate voters is LGBT rights. Over the past three decades, the GOP has had much success in ominously yelling “homosexual agenda” in crowded churches, getting many working poor and those lacking health insurance to support them.
Chen and his allies at Log Cabin Republicans want Florida LGBT voters to believe that the GOP is no longer anti-gay, and to help re-elect Florida’s GOP candidates for Governor and Attorney General. Yet this year, both Rick Scott and Pam Bondi tried to get a federal judge to throw out the lawsuit challenging Florida’s ban on same-sex marriage. Just this past May, Bondi said in court documents that Florida recognition of gay marriages performed in other states would “impose significant public harm”!
The fact is that in 2014 LGBT equality continues to be anathema to the majority of Republicans running for office, while Democratic office holders remain the driving political force behind advancing LGBT non-discrimination legislation and marriage equality.
Marc Paige
Fort Lauderdale, FL
]]>While I have been critical of the Agenda‘s emotional enslavement to anti-American Far Left ideologies and proliferating exaggerated images of suffocating GOP homophobia; I am compelled to tip my hat to you, Sir, for publishing the Matt Chen’s illuminating commentary on the Gay-friendly Broward and Dade GOP and endorsing Governor Rick Scott.
Your inclusion of the Log Cabin Republican viewpoint demonstrates the character to search for the truth.
The Republican Party of Broward, Dade and West Palm Beach has given us multiple places at their table, and leadership positions long ago.
I’m sure all Gay Republicans and conservative GLBT Independents, who represent nearly 40 percent of the South Florida GLBT voters, are very appreciative of your paper finally giving us a place at the table, Mr. Hack.
Sincerely,
Louis LaHue
Boynton Beach, Fl
Editor’s note: While the Agenda has a long history of supporting many candidates from the Democratic Party, it is totally comfortable publishing any views in opposition to its own. It’s called Freedom of the Press. We support it and under this editorship, always will.
]]>The first time I walked with the Saturday walk group was about a year and a half ago. I weighed 252 lbs. that first day and I really needed to find a way to help me lose some weight. We started the walk right at 9 am and as we walked, the further back I got. The rest of the group was walking at a much faster pace than I could go. The further we walked, the further I fell behind the rest of the group. Soon I had lost sight of the group, and I had no idea where I was going. I became very upset with the fact that no one stayed back with me to keep me company or to help me with the route. At that moment, I felt like if I wanted to walk alone I could have done it right outside my house. I didn’t have to get into my car and drive to be treated this way. I did not finish the full route that day. In fact I did not manage to complete the full three mile walk for many weeks to come. All of this did not stop me from returning the following week, however. Each week, I would set a goal to make it to the end of the three mile walk and each week I failed. It was a challenge to meet this goal, but as time went on, I did succeed most of the time. Finally it did happen and I had
completed the full route and everyone in the group was very supportive. This of course made me feel really good.
Several months later, I had become very ill. Each week, I would fight to be out there walking with my friends. I remember one Saturday, I had started walking with everyone and had gone about 2 miles when I became very sick. A couple of the walkers went to get my car, while the rest of the guys stayed with me to make sure that I was going to be okay. Thanks to my co-walkers, I was able to get home that day. I didn’t walk then for the
next four months. Now I’m back! Walking every Saturday morning. It’s been a real challenge. I now work with R. J. Hadley and I am his co-captain of this group.
We will make sure that if it’s your first time walking that someone in the group will walk with you at your pace. We will make sure that your experience with us is a good one. We will walk at your pace as long as you need us to be there with you. It is a great group of guys and we have a great time each and every Saturday morning just out there getting some exercise. Oh, and by the way, I now weigh in at 220 and I owe it to the Saturday morning walks through Wilton Manors. The Brian Neal Fitness and Health Foundation has been a real blessing for me. Thank You!
Jim, a Brian Neel Fitness and Health Foundation Member
For more information see http://briannealfitness.org/
This community free walk meets each Saturday at 8:30am at Richardson Park 1937 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors FL We walk one hour and three miles.
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Respectfully submitted,
Louie LaHue
Boynton Beach , Florida
Editor’s note: Governor Rick Scott states that he has created 580,000 in private sector jobs since taking office, not 630,000. His July 2010 campaign promise to create 700,000 jobs in seven years came just after non-partisan economists at the state legislature’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research projected that Florida’s long-term job growth for July 2010-June 2018 would be slightly over one million, regardless of government intervention. To allow for this calculation, Scott promised to create 700,000 jobs in addition to those projected by the economists. While Gov. Scott has brought sizeable business growth to the state, his private sector job tally would need to total 850,000 at this point in his term to fulfill his actual campaign promise. Those facts aside, the front page article concerned U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder’s apprehension that Scott’s influence on voting procedures since his election has negatively impacted the ease of voting in Florida. If proven accurate, there is nothing disingenuous about the concern or the article. Agenda stands behind its facts as written.
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Click on image to enlarge.
Editor’s Note: While it is true that volunteering to sing at the Stonewall Pride Festival is not the way to normally get on stage, there are many opportunities to “launch your act” to receptive audiences via the weekly karaoke nights. Every club has one, and it only takes that single special performance done in front of the right audience to have Wilton Manors begging for more.
Photo by Big Dewitte: Ric and Andy of Karaoke with Two Men on a Mic at the Village Pub.
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