Tag Archives: crossposted

Sullygate: If there is a contractual agreement, Mayor Sullivan, show us the contract

By Mel | Published: Friday, 5 March 2010

There's something fishy about the $193,000 putative "life insurance" policy of the late Mayor George M. Sullivan. which benefits a trust headed by his son, current Mayor Dan Sullivan.

Posted in Alaska politics | Also tagged Anchorage Assembly, Anchorage Daily News, Dan Sullivan, George Sullivan, Harriet Drummond, Sean Cockerham, Sullygate, Things I did instead of going to bed at a reasonable hour | 12 Comments

Progressive bloggers on Palin: Civility versus namecalling

By Mel | Published: Monday, 8 February 2010

Okay, so we don't like Sarah Palin or her political views. But does that mean it's good for us or the nation for us to exercise our free speech through namecalling & insults?

Posted in Alaska politics | Also tagged civility, free speech, Harming none do as you will, Joe Biden, Philip Munger, Progressive Alaska (blog), Sarah Palin, Tina Fey | 37 Comments

In solidarity with Hilton workers

By Mel | Published: Thursday, 1 October 2009

Hotel Workers Rising March in Anchorage on September 30 (photos & slidehow), with some history of Hilton Anchorage owner Columbia Sussex and its CEO, Bill Yung; plus, the physical toll of cleaning 17 rooms a day.

Posted in Social justice | Also tagged Columbia Sussex, Hilton Anchorage, hotel workers, unions, UNITE HERE Local 878 | 2 Comments

True Diversity Dinner 1 & 2: Video by Janson Jones

By Mel | Published: Tuesday, 29 September 2009

Parts 1 & 2 of video coverage of the September 25, 2009 True Diversity Dinner in Anchorage by Janson Jones of Floridana Alaskiana v2.5. Part 1 includes background on the summer 2009 fight for the Anchorage equal rights ordinance AO 2009-64; part 2 is a montage of Janson's photos of the dinner.

Posted in Ordinance, Social justice, True Diversity Dinner | Also tagged Anchorage ordinance 2009-64, Dan Sullivan, diversity, Hilton Anchorage, hotel workers, Janson Jones, Mayor's Unity Dinner, True Diversity Dinner 2009, unions, UNITE HERE Local 878, video | 1 Comment

Unity & union-busting

By Mel | Published: Friday, 25 September 2009

Workers fight for a fair contract with a union-busting employer -- the Anchorage Hilton Hotel, where today two events featuring keynote speaker Lynn Swann are being held: an Alaska Republican Party fundraiser, and the Mayor's Unity Dinner. Unity? -- or union-busting?

Posted in Social justice, True Diversity Dinner | Also tagged Dan Sullivan, diversity, Hilton Anchorage, hotel workers, Lynn Swann, Mayor's Unity Dinner, True Diversity Dinner 2009, unions, UNITE HERE Local 878 | 4 Comments

True Diversity v. fake unity

By Mel | Published: Thursday, 24 September 2009

Another aspect of the Mayor's "Unity" Dinner: it's being held at the only hotel in town, the Hilton, that is in the midst of an employee-encouraged boycott because of the employer's refusal to bargain in good faith. Also, we could use a little assistance with costs of our dinner!

Posted in Social justice, True Diversity Dinner | Also tagged Brendan Joel Kelley, Dan Sullivan, diversity, Hilton Anchorage, hotel workers, Shannyn Moore, True Diversity Dinner 2009, unions, UNITE HERE Local 878 | 1 Comment

James Dobson’s God is a child abuser, & so is Jerry Prevo’s

By Mel | Published: Tuesday, 22 September 2009

Max Blumenthal's new book Republican Gomorrah talks among other things about corporal punishment in Christianist practices of child discipline -- practices taught by Focus on the Family leader James Dobson and, at least in 1985, Anchorage Baptist Temple pastor Jerry Prevo.

Posted in No Way Way, The incredibly true adventures of Rev. Jerry Prevo | Also tagged Anchorage Baptist Temple, Anchorage Christian Schools, child abuse, children, Christianism, God as a bully, James Dobson, Jerry Prevo, Max Blumenthal | 6 Comments

Diversity, unity, family

By Mel | Published: Thursday, 17 September 2009

Mayor Dan Sullivan claims, with his Mayor's Unity Dinner, to be honoring values we all share, including the importance of family. But his veto last month of the Anchorage equal rights ordinance makes it clear that he only deems some families important -- and mine's not one of them.

Posted in Ordinance, True Diversity Dinner | Also tagged Anchorage Assembly, Anchorage ordinance 2009-64, Dan Sullivan, family, Green-Lieght family, lgbtq, True Diversity Dinner 2009 | 1 Comment

No, Debbie, Title VII does NOT prohibit sexual orientation discrimination in employment. Hello?

By Mel | Published: Thursday, 3 September 2009

Wishing doesn't make it so: despite Anchorage Assembly Chair Debbie Ossiander's contention that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 covers sexual orientation discrimination, federal case law consistently shows that it does not. Here's more proof, with a recent 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals case which found that an effeminate gay man in Pennsylvania (but not actually Emmett Honeycutt) laid off from his job had recourse under Title VII for discrimination based on gender role stereotyping, but not for sexual orientation.

Posted in Ordinance | Also tagged 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals, Anchorage Assembly, Anchorage ordinance 2009-64, Assembly public hearing, Debbie Ossiander, ENDA, July 21 public hearing, lgbtq, Pamela Kelley, Prowel v. Wise Business Forms, Title VII, U.S. Supreme Court | 5 Comments

Queer eye for the sci-fi (& fantasy): LGBTA writers & homophobia

By Mel | Published: Tuesday, 1 September 2009

The Outer Alliance was formed to “educate, support, and celebrate LGBT contributions in the science-fiction and fantasy genres" following virulent homophobic statements by Nebula-nominated writer John C. Wright. Orson Scott Card is another prominent SF/F writer with a history of homophobia and antigay advocacy. Get the skinny here, and if you love SF and fantasy consider joining the Outer Alliance.