Transgenders in ENDA, Nurses on Strike, Homelessness ...Oct. 09‚ 2007Dear Editor: Would Tommi Avicolli-Mecca have counseled black people not to accept the 1964 Civil Rights Bill unless it included women and gays? I doubt it. The public was not ready to accept women and sexual minorities as worthy of equal rights, but the enshrinement of racial equality into law proved a boon for the millions of African-Americans oppressed by the legacies of slavery, segregation, and racism. Should the blacks have held themselves back for the sake of an impractical ideology of solidarity? Progress in human rights is always incremental, and each success provides the platform and inspiration for further struggle. The Federal Gay Rights Bill means progress for millions of gays and lesbians who have no protection in the majority of states. Its passage will promote greater tolerance and acceptance of gay people, without which transgenders really don't stand a chance. Popular consciousness needs a lot of changing before transgender identity is accepted, but that time will come sooner rather than later with the establishment of gay equality and non-discrimination. Vincent Bonfitto EDITOR'S NOTE: While the 1964 Civil Rights Act did not include gays, it did include women. But this was not because civil rights activists pressed for it. It was white Southern conservatives who included gender equality because they believed it would then sink passage of the bill. Dear Paul, Thank you so much for your coverage on the rally to save St Luke's. Unfortunately for nurses, a focus of media, except for your coverage, is on RN salaries. Our management has also resorted to tactics such as sending out fliers citing inflated salaries and nest eggs. I believe that it was mixed up or blended between what I said and what Zenei Cortez, the emcee, said (although I do agree with what she said). There is also an error when they state there are emergency room nurse cuts on the 3 - 11 shift - it should read recovery room nurse cuts. I, and all the nurses of St Luke's, apprecitate your pro-nursing documentation. The challenges we face are well documented in your article. Thanks again. Best regards, Jane Sandoval RN In response to your piece on the Chronicle's supposed stance on the homeless, I don't know if what you're saying is the whole truth. All I know is that I am sick and tired of stepping over passed out drunks lying on the sidewalk, folks pissing and shitting in front of me and our beloved tourists whenever and wherever they desire, addicts shooting up in plain view on the City's sidewalks, and walking around sidewalk housing encampments where the occupants pay no rent and seem to have a right to do so. I don't hate the homeless and I don't think those who want to have a cleaner and safer City do, either. It just astounds me how far some of us on the more "progressive" side of things go to allow law-breaking and quality of life issues to continue and appear to fight to keep it happening. They seem to always have a complaint or 'issue' with the supposed poor treatment and civil-rights violations of the City's less fortunate. But, I rarely hear any solutions from these same people. What about my, law-abiding citizen's, civil rights? Where do my rights come in? Let's call it what it is and stop the arguing and complaining. Let's work together to really solve this problem - which will call for some give and take from both sides. Mike Lenhart San Francisco You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link: rshaw@beyondchron.orgor by writing to: Beyond Chron 126 Hyde Street San Francisco, CA 94102 415-771-9850 (phone) |