Politics and Gay Bars

Normally don't go into politics on my blog and I'm not saying I support Newsom. I'm just saying I went for the experience and to hear more about him since I am not necessarily a fan of the other candidates possibly running for Cali governor and I didn't know a lot about him.

SF Mayor Gavin Newsom was in my city tonight at a Town Hall Meeting. I saw this on a news website this morning and decided to see how to get tickets to attend if that was still possible this late in the game. A quick internet search this morning and all I had to do was register on his site to get a pass to attend. It said to bring friends. I posted a facebook message asking who wanted to attend. Dennis wanted to, Foot Fetish wanted to, and my friend Melissa. Dennis and Foot Fetish were both busy. Melissa was free and wanted to attend. I told her when and where.

Dennis couldn't attend because he was getting a car. Dennis isn't really well off. He drove a 1980s Oldsmobile since senior year of high school. The Cash for Clunkers program allowed his mom to buy a new car and give him her old car. She got a new Chevy. Dennis got his mom's old (newer) Chevy truck. Still, it is a big move up for him and I congratulated him. Back to the story...



I get to the school where the Town Hall was held and Melissa was calling me. She was making her way in. She wanted me there in case she couldn't get in, but they were letting everyone in regardless. There were maybe 125 people there. I sit next to Melissa and we catch up. We were friends in high school, and occasionally got together to catch up during college. She gave me some great information including how to do freelance work at the local newspaper like she does, who to contact, and I also met a few people from newspapers/websites in the area since Melissa knows them. That information alone was worth going. She has had some amazing journalism opportunities.

The Town Hall was interesting. I learned lots of interesting stuff- stuff I knew, but other stuff I didn't. I was interested in how the healthcare program for all in SF works, the preschool for all, and his education stance. He explained those, which I was glad to hear. It sounds really good. The ideas alone are different than everyone else. The change seemed to speak for itself. To hear how the stuff was enacted was interesting. To hear even Kaiser is getting on board with his healthcare program was interesting. It was also interesting how he said the program was justified, how initially it wasn't, but what made it successful, and how that is what needs to happen to get a national healthcare system going here. Basically the wording is everything. No major opposition to anything he said about healthcare, it was mainly the diehard Democrats there. I didn't know there were any Democrats in my area... just kidding.



After an hour the public was able to ask questions. He did boy, girl, boy, girl. It was interesting. Some questions were good, but most were stupid. One guy said something to the effect of he has 3 lemon trees, he wants to sell lemons, he didn't know
what to do, wanted to know how Newsom could help him and how to avoid a middle man. Um.

There was a guy from my college who asked about gay marriage there. Newsom had some interesting thoughts including how he was an Irish, Roman Catholic. He talked about how 70% of people were against interracial marriages in 1967 when Loving vs. Virginia came about and so public opinion can be a risky thing. Interracial marriages would probably still not be legal today because the percentage against were so high at the time. Now in 2008/2009 with prop 8 when over 50% are against, we have a long way to go. Some things shouldn't be held up to public opinion and it should be lawmakers, courts, who are more progressive to affect change. People are not going to openly do it because it is not the norm, not tradition. It is about equality.

After the Town Hall wrapped up Newsom said he would stay around to answer EVERYONE'S questions. We waited around 20 minutes after. I shook his hand. He did seem to hold true to his word he would stay and answer everyone's question. I do have to say that was impressive and really made him stand out. Normally he'd be under time constraints you'd think, but that he was willing to stay was cool.

I left about 8:30 and go out to my car. I saw I had lots of instant messages from Chris. He was wondering how I was doing, what I've been up to, school, work, and stuff like that. We had chatted once prior this summer via IM since we stopped seeing each other. I asked him how his son was doing, how he was doing, if he was still dating Brian, and all of that. He is dating Brian still, and they have been going out for 2 months. He said that he wants to hang out soon. I said that would be cool. I guess we can. I mean we're friends. I instant messaged him for about 25 minutes until he went to bed. I sat in the parking lot of the school chatting, then drove down to the gay bar in the city.

I decided to go to the gay bar just for the hell of it. I wasn't excited and was quite nervous about going alone. I just decided to go because Thursday night there are strippers and everyone is there that night from what I have heard. I go in and I see 3 guys from the Town Hall Meeting. None of them were together. None of them looked to be friends. What are the chances? The first guy looked like Sean O from high school, except with golden brown hair. He was so cute. He was checking me out from across the quad as I was standing waiting to talk to Melissa. Something just told me he was gay, but I wasn't going to say anything or make any type of move, and I didn't at the bar. I just looked and sort of smiled when I saw him. The other guy was wearing a red and white striped buttondown shirt behind me and beige khakis. He was there with a boy who looked like a trainer from my gym, but was not. I do have to say that I got the vibe from him at the meeting, too. Then the third guy was just a little twinky guy who was obviously gay- not trying to sound mean, but it was just obvious. I get a drink at the bar, a Jack and coke, then stand around in the main room and check out my phone and message Dennis. I only stayed for about an hour, but I wanted to experience Thursday nights at the club. None of the guys who were there from the Town Hall seemed like they were going to make a move and I was too scared. Missed opportunity, I know.