Allen West, Wilton Manors and Gays

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The Coalition for Fairness and Equality (CoFFE) is a newly formed group that demonstrated recently against Rep. Allen West in order to censure him for remarks he made that they consider hostile. There were about 100 people there.

Remarks are only considered "hostile" when liberals don't agree with them.

Harvey Milk's nephew, Stuart, was there berating Congressman West for his beliefs. I have always admired Harvey and for Stuart for taking the lead on GLBT rights after his uncle's death. But can you go too far? Read about it in The Sun-Sentinel.

Well, exactly what are Allen West's beliefs when it comes to the GLBT community? Below are some of his beliefs as well as some of the things he has said:

• Marriage is a union between a man and a woman for the purpose of procreation.
• West approves of civil unions between same sexes
• Has no problem with people exercising their beliefs
• Everyone has the right to pursue life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
• Everyone should live within the Constitution
• Sexuality is a behavior
• You cannot compare him and his race to a behavior
• Everyone has the same basic rights: freedom of speech, due process, enjoy and own private property, to name a few
  
• Everyone is entitled to his own opinion

Allen West, conservative and a Republican, was elected in a very liberal and GLBT district with many of them supporting same-sex marriages. He was elected from people who admire him for speaking what he believes and one who has shown honesty and integrity. You can always count on him to speak his mind and not play politics with every issue. There is no hypocrisy with Rep. Allen West.

Michael Rajner, legislative director of the Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus, said gay activists would boycott businesses if the business association didn’t rescind the invitation to Col. West. West had been invited by Wilton Manors Business Association to speak on the economy and small business.

Sandra Steen (a heterosexual), a former Wilton Manors mayor and member of the board of directors of the business association as well as president of the Broward chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans, a gay political club said, “I think this shows a total lack of tolerance. If Debbie Wasserman Schultz asked to speak, she would be permitted, and we wouldn’t see this from the loyal opposition.”

West's reaction? He said, "I am very disappointed about the cancellation." He said the people who disagreed with him, but still thought he should be allowed to speak, understand what America is all about. “For those individuals, I want to thank them for standing up in support of freedom of speech and public discourse.” The subject of West's speech was on the economy and small business, not gay marriage and Congressman West was not afforded the opportunity to speak on the subject.

The Coalition for Fairness and Equality should remove the word "fairness" and "equality" from its name. Equality is a very tricky thing. People are born free with equal potential and possibility. They are not born equal. For any special interest group to boycott a Congressman who was invited to speak on the economy and then threatens and intimidates an entire business community because Congressman West has not embraced its beliefs on gay marriage, is unfair and certainly un-American. Although they have every right to threaten a boycott, this group is saying that Allen West does not have the right to speak on any subject if he disagrees with them.

When it comes down to what's fair and equal, often times it is subjective and based on religion and/or politics and in this case, whether or not you believed in gay marriage. Pretentious and "always sincere," Frankel and Wasserman-Schultz found a great opportunity to continue to take their liberal Democratic political pot shots, their main mission.

Remember Cara Jennings a few years ago when she did the same thing by threatening to boycott Nature's Way where Scott Maxwell was holding a fund-raiser. An ethics charge was filed against her by Mary Lindsey and Brendan Lynch. People were really "hot" about what she did. The State said that the complaint had no merit. Jennings was allowed to intimidate and threaten. The difference here, she was one lone person, not an entire political group and had little clout to shut down a business. The owner of Nature's Way did not capitulate as did Wilton Manors.

Why are boycotts and strong-arm tactics now “norm” in our society? For any two sides to ever reach agreement, there must be a meeting of the minds. Without open discourse, there can never be this meeting. Information allows others to make better decisions based on fact, not fear. Mudslinging serves no purpose nor does shutting up a U.S. Congressman.

One French philosopher who influenced the thoughts of our Founding Fathers stated, "I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.” Until we reach this level of personal security in our interactions with others, the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech is moot!

I have a problem with the bullying aspect whether it be from an anarchist in a dress or a GLBT organization with power. What galls me even more are all the epitaphs they throw when you have a different opinion: racists, bigots, haters, homophobes and the one I get from one of these guys when he disagrees with me no matter the subject, "your life must suck."

Realizing that this is a hot subject or even to speak of it is taboo in a city that has a big GLBT population where many are friends, gay marriage has received some attention. Opinions have changed slowly through the years but since 1996, when only 27% of Americans favored same-sex marriage and that they should be recognized by law, favorable opinion is now at 53%. This is a remarkable percentage change in only 15 years. See the Latest Gallup Poll.

A Gay group that advocates for acceptance and expects tolerance, showed none in Wilton Manors.