National Equality March, PFLAG, and the Snare of the Fowler

Dear Jack,

There has been a lot going on.  It is hard to know where to start, or to note what is worth writing about.  I will start with the things that have been preoccupying my mind and urging me to post.

On Sunday, Michael and I rode a bus to DC for the National Equality March.  Michael was one of the organizers of the bus.  We rode down sitting next to Danny Dromm and Fr. Braxton.  The bathroom was horrendous, and I had to utilize it twice.

We arrived in DC a little before the march took off, and observed a rainbow above the city.  As the march progressed, our group broke apart, and it ended up just Michael, Michael L, Omar, and Danny.  We got to the end of the march route, and found Brendan and stood in the lawn before the capital.  While there Paul L. and David C. found us.  We all stood together as we listened to the speeches.  Jon N. and a new acquaintance on FB found us.  The acquaintance, Thom, recognized me somehow, though I can't imagine how with such a large crowd.

As Lady Gaga took the stage, we headed back to the bus.  We ran into some of the Generation Q folks and Fr. Braxton.  We were able to catch a quick bite, before getting on the bus back for NY.  We arrived around 10:30 and ate dinner around 11 at Michael's Restaurant with Daniel F.

The next day I met Daniel F. and Michael R. at Michael's for brunch.  It was Columbus Day, but also Daniel F.'s birthday.  Michael M. was contacted by Daniel D. regarding a hate crime that occurred in College Point over the weekend.  He had to meet some people regarding that, and could not attend.

That night we met at Tribeca Rooftop for the Annual PFLAG dinner.  We sat with the Queens Pride Committee.  Michael L., Brandon B., and Sebastian were also there.  Bishop Robinson was given an award by PFLAG NY.  He gave very nice words after accepting the award.  The gist was one of gratitude to the families that accept their gay children, and how they will never know how important it is to feel that love shown to the children.

That night a coup began in OUT Astoria.  Our treasurer declared that he was the true leader of OUT Astoria, and that one of the board members and his lawyer constituted the true leadership.  They had secretly to the rest of the organization and leadership, incorporated and listed themselves as leaders.  The letter was very emotional, and offered little explanation as to why this occurred, and it threatened legal action to those who oppose their coup or try to email the general membership using what they claimed was OUT Astoria property, i.e. the mailing system.

Yesterday, was to be an OUT Astoria dinner.  With the mailing system down no one was reminded.  With the leadership coup, it was unclear what should happen and who should attend from the leadership.  That afternoon, another letter was received by the leadership from one of the people listed in the coup.  That person expressed dismay at the other person's letter and actions.

I met with the person expressing dismay, and learned that this was a planned coup, and that the lawyer helping this was none other than my ex-boss, Yetta Kurland.  Ms. Kurland, and I did not end our relationship on good terms.  It seems almost too coincidental that she would take an interest in Astoria social networking when she herself lives in Chelsea.  I have a feeling it is connected to my open support of her political opponent Christine Quinn, and not only mine but Michael's and Dirk's.  As this coup, if recognized, would dis-empower all three of us.  Unfortunately, such politically driven coups have the potential not only to remove leadership, but to hurt the members of the group itself, and sows discord in a community that should be looking at uniting, especially in face of such evil hate crimes as have arisen.

This further reiterates why Ms. Kurland would have been a detrimental addition to City Council.  Her presence on any board in Astoria is one that will lead to derision of that organization.

One day the curtain will fall to what type of person she is, and the eyes of the blind will be opened, and those who are deceived by her fake persona will see clearly the truth.  At the simplest, I wish she would just leave me in peace and get on with her life.

Psalm 35

Fight those who fight me, Yahweh;

attack those who are attacking me.

Take up shield and armor

and rise to help me.

Draw the sword and bar the way against those who pursue me;

say to my soul, "I am your salvation."

Let those who seek after my life be shamed and humbled;

let those who plot my ruin fall back and be dismayed.

Let them be like chaff before the wind,

and let the angel of Yahweh drive them away.

Let their way be dark and slippery,

and let the angel of Yahweh pursue them.

For they have secretly spread a net for me without a cause;

without a cause they have dug a pit to take me alive.

Let ruin come upon them unwares;

let them be caught in the net they hid;

let them fall into the pit they dug.

Then I will be joyful in Yahweh;

I will glory in his victory.

My very bones will say, "Yahweh, who is like you?

you deliver the poor from those who are too strong for them,

the poor and needy from those who rob them."

Malicious witnesses rise up against me;

they charge me with matters I know nothing about.

They pay me evil in exchange for good;

my soul is full of despair.

But when they were sick I dressed in sack-cloth

and humbled myself by fasting;

I prayed with my whole heart,

as one would for a friend or a brother;

I behaved like one who mourns for his mother,

bowed down and grieving.

But when I stumbled, they were glad and gathered together;

they gathered against me;

strangers whom I did not know tore me to pieces and would not stop.

They put me to the test and mocked me;

they gnashed at me with their teeth.

O Lord, how long will you look on?

rescue me from the roaring beasts,

and my life from the young lions.

I will give you thanks in the great congregation;

I will praise you in the mighty throng.

Do not let my treacherous foes rejoice over me,

nor let those who hate me without a cause wink at each other.

For they do not plan for peace,

but invent deceitful schemes against the quiet in the land.

They opened their mouths at me and said,

"Aha! We saw it with our won eyes."

You saw it, O Yahweh; do not be silent;

O Yahweh, be not far from me.

Awake, arise, to my cause!

to my defense, my God and my Lord!

Give me justice, O Yahweh my God,

according to your righteousness;

do not let them triumph over me.

Do not let them say in their hearts,

"Aha! Just what we want!"

Do not let them say, "We have swallowed him up."

Let all who rejoice at my ruin be ashamed and disgraced;

let those who boast against me be clothed with dismay and shame.

Let those who favor my cause sing out with joy and be glad;

let them say always, "Great is Yahweh,

who desires the prosperity of his servant,"

And my tongue shall be talking of your righteousness

and of your praise all the day long.