Jim Neal at the Equality NC Conference and Gala
Submitted by Pam Spaulding on Sun, 11/04/2007 - 9:32am
I was honored to serve on the planning committee for the 2007 Equality NC Conference, held yesterday at the Duke School of Law. About 250 people registered to share trench stories about work to advance civil rights in our state for LGBTs, but also to work cross-culturally, share information on legal and political strategies and success.
The most impressive thing to tout about this conference is the number of state elected and appointed officials and candidates who turned out in this very public venue in support of Equality NC's work and LGBT Tar Heels. Here are just a few of the luminaries that were present at the conference or gala, held later that evening at Duke's Nasher Museum of Art -- Speaker Joe Hackney, Rep. Rick Glazier (the recipient of ENC's legislative award for his work on the school anti-bullying bill, which passed the House), Special Superior Court Judge John Arrowood (Court of Appeals), Ed Ridpath, and all of the Dem candidates for Lieutenant Governor.
Last, but certainly not least, was the presence of Jim Neal, who plans to unseat Liddy Do-Nothing Dole in the U.S. Senate. I have video of his appearance at the gala, in which he addresses how taking the question of his sexual orientation off the table was a simple matter, and how he's running on the issues. It's below the fold.
[You can read coverage of the event, with pictures (and more video to come) at Pam's House Blend.]
Beautiful work, Pam
If even half of our elected officials could claim the level of integrity that Jim Neal has, our nation would be the strong, powerful, moral country we all want to believe in. Hell, I'd settle for a third.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Wow
I sense brains in this man. Let's all grab as much video of him as possible and YouTube the hell out of this guy...he's an immense presence.
Lieutenant Governor Race Fun Fact!: Dan Besse spear-headed the successful adoption of an LGBT non-discrimination clause in city hiring practices here in Winston-Salem, for which he was recently nominated for a PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) Kaleidoscope Award.
Jim Neal definately has it going on.
He has a leadership demeanor and a common sense forthright air about him that should sell well here in North Carolina. Once again, Jim is a very impressive candidate.
North Carolina. Turning the South Blue!
North Carolina. Turning the South Blue!
Thanks for posting this, Pam.
I'm really looking forward to getting a chance to hear Jim and speak to him during the campaign. Would have been so wonderful to go to some of those seminars Saturday and reconnect with a few old friends. ;) Next year is an absolute must!!
"They took all the trees and put them in a tree museum Then they charged the people a dollar 'n a half just to see 'em. Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got till it's gone? They paved paradise and put up a parking lot."
nice to hear his voice!
I just emailed the campaign to volunteer - not sure where I will fit it in or what I can do, but he had me at "Dole = Bush" and nothing I have seen(and I have even seen his astrological chart - I am into research!) has made me think anything but positive about him.
We know the simple truth - America has been electing gay Senators, etc. for years, but just the closeted, self-loathing kind. I even got my extremely conservative, Texas Republican mom to agree that we don't need people in office who are dishonest about who they are. Well, I made her laugh when I said I couldn't let my 8 year old son go to public restrooms because there might be Republicans in there!
I lived in Barney Frank's district for some years, both before and after he came out. Of course, it was a liberal place, but what I recall is that people saw him everywhere. My husband reminded me that he almost ran over Barney a couple of times while out on a run. People knew him up close, and felt a personal connection with him, and this went a long way to making that transition easy.
To me this is the big weakness of Dole, and why she is beatable. She lives in a tall tower, far removed from regular Carolinians. The more Jim is around, seeing and being seen, the more people will respond to his message.
Very Impressive Speaker
I can't wait to hear more from him.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
Go, Jim, go
Thanks, Pam.
News of the 10th district: See Pat Go Bye Bye,
I think he is a hot daddy ;-)
Aside from that I think he will be a reasoned progressive but also pragmatic voice that could fit well with North Carolina sensibilities so I am not just voting for him because we are both gay. So there.
That's right.
So far, Jim is definitely the progressive voice in this race. That's why I got excited about his candidacy. The question isn't whether NC is ready for a gay Senator . . . it's more about whether NC is ready for a progressive Senator.
On a good day I'm optimistic. On a bad day, it's like walking on glass.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.