Extreme pettiness, caught on video

Ah, the wonders of YouTube.

See Delegate Mark Cole make a motion on the House floor to remove Delegate Jennifer McClellan’s resolution commending the Richmond Gay Community Foundation from a block of uncontested resolutions – apparently in hopes of defeating it. (That didn’t happen. It passed the House anyway, and now moves on to the Senate. Follow the progress of Equality Virginia supported legislation here.)

These resolutions are part of the normal business of the session; there are dozens and dozens of them every year. How nasty and irrational does a person need to be to single out something like this for opposition?

WHEREAS, the Richmond Gay Community Foundation is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to raise funds “to improve the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people” in the Richmond community;

WHEREAS, the Richmond Gay Community Foundation expects to continue to expand its mission and services over time, enabling the organization to provide millions of dollars to programs that benefit LGBT citizens in need, and to establish a permanent, multiple-use facility that will serve the Richmond LGBT community for years to come; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly commend the Richmond Gay Community Foundation on its many achievements…

…etc.

Are you kidding me, Mark Cole? You can’t stand the duly elected representatives of the people of Virginia commending a community organization for their good work on behalf of citizens in need – why? Because you don’t happen to like them?

The Anti-Gay Industry and their trained monkeys in the General Assembly still think they can get away with this vindictive crap, under the cover of unrecorded voice votes. Thanks to the good folks who created Assembly Access, we can see you. We’re watching. And we’re telling all our friends and neighbors.

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3 Responses to Extreme pettiness, caught on video

  1. Jay Squires says:

    Folks: Thank you for your support. Delegate McClellan did an amazing job crafting this resolution, which of course I think was appropriate given what the Richmond Gay Community Foundation has accomplished. One day it will become routine for resolutions of this sort which don’t flinch from recognizing our accomplishments – and the breadth of our community by name – to pass without opposition as dozens of commedning resolutions do each year.

    In the meantime, it is educuational to learn which members of the General Assembly apparently object even to the commendation of an organization with a long history that includes audited philanthropy approaching two million dollars in direct support and community building.

    I look forward to meeting Delegate Cole on EV’s Lobby Day. I’ll have my financials with me.

    Best-
    Jay Squires
    Executive Director
    Gay Community Center of Richmond
    jsquires@gayrichmond.com
    http://www.gayrichmond.com

  2. David says:

    Oh yeah, that should be an interesting meeting.

    Thanks for all you do, Jay, and congratulations.

  3. David says:

    Delegate Cole, of course, is not the only petty and willfully uninformed member of the Assembly. Witness Senator Cuccinelli’s petulant behavior.