URNotAlone

Elizabeth's Corner Issue 1

August 14th, 2007 11:36 pm MDT

Elizabeth's CornerBy Elizabeth Hapsburg-Kell  Hello El Paso and welcome. This is my first article and I hope not going to be my last. I'm going to try to let you all know all about what is going on. Both in the Political world as well as the thing's here in El Paso. Before I start ranting and raving let me introduce myself for those who don't know me. I'm a transgendered member of this community and I go to college full time. I am a board member on the El Paso Sun City Pride Parade, and frequent the bars anytime I get. Anyway before I start with the real reason for these articles. I would like to offer my condolences for the family and friends of Ruben Marquez. If you are not familiar with Ruben, let me tell you a little about him. He was a bartender at Chiquita's Bar in Pride Square, and in my opinion one of the greatest bartenders this community had. He served his country just like me. He was however Navy as I was in the Army. He was a very spontanous and friendly individual. However as I just found out on Sunday August 12th. Dear Ruben passed away sometime on August 7th. His funeral was on the 13th and I was in attendence. I can tell you now when I go into Chiquita's it will not be the same. I ask everyone who goes into Chiquita's to give your respects. The bar staff there are really not taking his death too well and I hope we as a community can show our support for them and Ruben's family in their time of loss. As For the political scene in the good ole USA. For those who didn't follow the LOGO Democratic debate on August 9th. This debate was history in the making as the first debate for presidential candidates on gay rights. This debate featured six out of the eight Democratic candidates. It started with sen. Barack Obama and concluded with Sen Hillary Clinton. In between those two candidates were John Edwards, Dennis Kucinich, Muike Gravel, and Bill Richardson. This debate was not the tradidional type of debate where all the candidates answered questions together. Each candidate was givin fifteen minutes to answer questions. The Panel of questioners included Melissa Etheridge. Anyway As great as this debate was, the organizers wanted to get the Republicans to participate in their own version of the debate. However as expected from the Republican Party they all declined. Well we all kind of expected that. They didn't even want to do a Youtube debate. As for a Rundown of what happened at this debate. The candidates underscored differences with Republicans on LGBT rights, but leading candidates also faced aggressive questioning on their reluctance to embrace marriage for same-sex couples. All of the Democratic candidates support a federal ban on anti-gay job discrimination, want to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy barring gays from serving openly in the military and support civil unions that would extend marriage-like rights to same-sex couples. Sen. John Edwards found himself discussing whether he is comfortable around gay people and answered he is. Sen. Hillary Clinton was cheered by the crowd when she alluded to the prospect for change at the White House in the 2008 election. Clinton ended up defending the record of her husband, former President Clinton, on gay rights. Clinton said she made a mistake in March when she steered around a question on whether homosexuality was immoral. She was asked about it after Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he considered homosexual acts immoral and similar to adultery. He later said he should have not expressed his personal views. Clinton later issued a statement saying she did not think being gay was immoral. When Kucinich was asked whether there was anything on the agenda for gay and lesbian rights he didn't support, he paused and said, "All I can say is, keep those contributions coming ... and you'll have the president that you want." Bill Richardson appeared to struggle with a question about why people become gay or lesbian. When asked by Etheridge whether "homosexuality is a choice or is it biological?" he first said, " Its a choice". However he later said "I don't see this as an issue of science or definition. I see gays and lesbians as human beings." In my opinion Richardson seemed a little hostile in the debate. He was asked the hypthetical question of the possibility of a marrage bill to pass in the New Mexico Legislature and it made it to his desk would he sign it. It took two times of asking that question for him to answer it. As for my own Political career. I'm forced to wait till 2012 to run for US Senate. For those of you that don't know me I'm trying to run for the senate to represent the people and get us a voice in the senate. Also I'm trying to be the first Transgendered person to get elected into that body. Anyway back to the latest on me. Well due to the minimum age to be elected to the Senate as dictated by the Constitution I have to be 33 on the day of the election. Well I'll be 33 then, But under Texas law I need to be 33 when I start my campaign. That means I can't do anything until January 28th of next year. The Democratic party here in town has told me to hold on till 2012 for pursuing this. In some respects this gives me some time to complete my degree for political science as well as to get to know more from the community on what you all want. As I said to those that know me. I'm only doing this to represent you and your interests. As for community events I'm on the committee board for next years Pride Parade. I have heard alot of complaining about not having a parade this year. So members of the community decide to get together and do something about it. The next meeting for those who are interested in attending is August 30th at 7PM. It will be held at Union hall west room 106 at UTEP. If you have any questions about this and anything else you can send me an e-mail at kellbonnie@hotmail.com. Well I think thats all for now. Until next time stay safe and don't get into trouble.Elizabeth Hapsburg-Kell