Just to be clear, there is no Tampa/Clearwater city council.  They are completely distinct cities.  Tampa votes blue and has an exceptionally pro-GLBT major who has been remarkably proactive about standing up for same-sex rights both symbolically and practically.  (For example, she refused to merge the Tampa library system with the Hillsborough County library system even though it would have saved money, because the county library system refused to allow a pride day display.  This is only one of many examples.) Clearwater is mostly populated by retired republican scientologists.

Cheers,

Rebecca
USF (Tampa)
On Sat, Oct 10, 2009 at 3:42 PM, Callahan, Joan <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
OK, This seems to be turning into one of those things where folks have views that differ in important ways, but there seems to be a consensus that pulling away from Clearwater (at least for now) merits a word to the Florida legislature and possibly others (the Tampa/Clearwater City Council, perhaps?.

Is someone willing to draft a letter that could be sent from FEAST (with the approval of the membership, of course) to the appropriate persons, perhaps with the co-signature of the the Florida gay equality group that has been mentioned?

I'd volunteer, but I've done so much of this stuff over the last quarter century years that I really do think we need some younger folks to step up get practiced in this kind of work.

Any takers?

Love,
Joan




On 10/10/09 10:59 AM, "Eva Kittay" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

I think that not supporting FL without making a statement and sending it to
their chamber of commerce or other venue undermines the force of what we are
doing. So I support Jean's comment.  Eva