Friday, October 26, 2007

Ed Prince, you're my HERO!

I just ran down and grabbed a Renton Reporter from the box outside the downtown post office, and I was overjoyed to see the following letter from Ed Prince, which I've transcribed here for your convenience:

Cheryl Haskins is wrong face for city

As an African-American man, I am in favor of increasing diversity in politics and supporting candidates who represent different ethnicities. Naturally, Cheryl Haskins piqued my interest. I was disappointed and alarmed as I researched Haskins and learned for myself many of the details that were highlighted in Kevin Poole's recent letter to the editor.

From her divisive anti-gay organization to the enormous amount of money she has raised from people affiliated with her mega-church in Kirkland where her husband is a pastor, it has become painfully clear that Cheryl Haskins is the wrong face for Renton. Ms. Haskins had virtually no involvement in the Renton community until she decided to run for City Council.

Her opponent, King Parker, on the other hand, has been a devoted member of the Renton community for 40 years. He is active with the Renton Community Foundation, Renton Chamber of Commerce, Community of Schools in Renton and more. The choice is clear. Please vote for King Parker for Renton City Council, position 5.

Edward Prince
Former chair, 11th District Democrats
Renton

Ed, your letter just wiped away all the negativity I've been dealing with today... it's been rough. I've never met you, but I'm sure you and I will be friends. Thank you for speaking your truth.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

The truth? Please! Renton citizen choose to catigate those who do not meet his narrow litmust test.

My question will be when Cherly wins and work to make this a vibrant and economic succeful city, will he continue to hurl slurs and attacks!

Anonymous said...

This is how I would resond do Ed.

Edward, it is if you have totally ingore what the Haskins campaign says in the statment. Before you condem someone base on blogs, and web posting, you would investigate directly. I wonder if you have the dececy to engage Mrs. Haskins directly to query her plans for Renton? Or, are you simply a lackey for some other agenda?

Renton Citizen said...

Hmmm, your Friday night activities (dinner and a movie?) must be over. Commence Operation Homo-be-gone!

Seriously, I don't really know what I'd do if Cheryl wins. I suppose I'd try to build alliances with the other city council members and the mayor to make sure she wasn't afforded the opportunity to express her anti-gay political positions. That would definitely tarnish our city's new-found positive reputation. However, I certainly wouldn't "attack" Cheryl, since I'm not even doing so now. What "slurs" are you referring to exactly?

Anonymous said...

Narrow litmus test! Narrow litmus test! Brawk! Narrow litmus test!

There is no litmus test.

Renton Citizen is endorsing an African American born-agan Christian.

As far as I can tell, the only reason any of you anonymice support Cheryl Haskins is become someone had the temerity to oppose her.

Renton Citizen said...

Brawk! Love it.

Anonymous said...

Through out this debate, I assumed you would respond rationaley, but instead you choose to stoop down to name calling, demaing, slurring anyone who dares to differ from you. How dare you. Thank goodness I know better than to assume you speak for the gays.

Good night sir

Anonymous said...

The Haskins supporters seem most interested in nursing their grudges and "hurt feelings."

Anonymous said...

You have been exposed, if Cheryl wins, you will work to obstruct, and destroy progress!! Please! For that, I condem you!

Anonymous said...

You guys are coming apart at the seams. RC has been "exposed"? Huh? He will work to "destroy progress"? You "comdemn" him?

Where do you get this stuff? RC opposes a candidate. RC set up a site to express his opinion and also lay out some facts about the candidate''s background and her support.

You don't agree with his opions or find the facts compelling. Fair enough. But all this wailing and gnashing of teeth? It's too much.

Anonymous said...

Renton Citizen said...
Hmmm, your Friday night activities (dinner and a movie?) must be over. Commence Operation Homo-be-gone!

You insulting bitch. Not a comment against gays, just you, who makes false assumptions and accustions. You owe an apology.

Renton Citizen said...

Okaaaay....

Wow, I didn't think I was being *that* sarcastic... I was just having a little fun. And what name calling are you referring to? "Brawk!"? That was Karl's imitation of a parrot, who can only repeat things, like "litmus test." Get it?

Let's not get too heavy-handed here. This is politics, and short of defaming someone, people are free to speak their minds. No one has defamed or degraded Cheryl, and while people have come very close to trying to defame me, no one's really gone overboard. Except maybe for Ginger, but I know she's just passionate about things.

Anonymous said...

Karl, RC has manufactured an issue that has nothing to do with a simple city council race. Sex partners having nothing to do with how I want our city governtment to act. I demand progressive econonic ideas, fresh ideas, bold ideas, new visions! nothing more, nothing less, if you do not like gay marriage, I do not care. If you do like gay marriage, I do not care. I want a candidate that reflects fiscal responsibiltiy, that is it. My opinon is that would be Mrs. Haskins. Attempts to defeat her on Gay issues are juvinile, sad, pathetic, and sadly trying to devert the debate to somthing it is not.

Anonymous said...

To both of the anonymous comments 1) I'm not a lackey 2) My other main concern with Cheryl is that she has done nothing in the community. I have been active in this community for quite some time and one would think that I would have heard her name or run into her. The FIRST time I heard her name is when she filed for office and now she is trying to buy a seat on the City Council, come on!

I'm old school, I believe that people who want to serve the public should be involved in the community they want to serve. Even the most biased of you out there have to admit that King Parker beats her on that front 10 times over. Look at her endorsements and look at his the proof is in the pudding.

My issue with her views on gay marriage is very personal to me. My best friend in the world is gay and the fact that he can't enjoy the same rights I enjoy sickens me to the core. My wife and I have spent countless hours with them and they are as loving and as committed to each other as she and I are.

Cheryl might be a nice person but she's not someone I would want representing me in any branch of Government. In this race the choice is clear... King Parker.

Ed Prince

P.S. RC I'm glad I could make your day, don't let these folks get you down! Keep speaking YOUR truth.

Renton Citizen said...

Thank you Ed. I no longer feel like I'm in this thing alone.

Anonymous said...

To some of us, this is not a manufactured issue. What if there were a candidate for the Renton city council who was a Holocaust denier?

PLEASE NOTE: I am NOT saying that opposing same-sex marriage is the same as being a Holocaust-denying Nazi. Just stay with me here.

Would you be able to say—would you think it was right to say—"Well, other than the Holocaust denying, this candidate seems pretty good. And after all, the Holocaust really doesn't have anything to do with serving on the Renton city council"?

Now, back to Cheryl Haskins. Her beliefs about gay marriage do NOT seem purely academic or private. They have formed the basis of much of her work. To some of us, this translates into NOT an effort to protect something, but an effort to STOP certain people from obtaining rights.

I don't live in Renton. (Nor am I gay.) I won't be voting for Haskins or her opponent.

But I can easily understand why some people would have a problem with her.

Anonymous said...

I vehemently reject your analogy. Of course you are trying to smear her by equating Nazis and the holocaust with the gay efforts to redefine marriage! Why else would you bring it up?! You must be very careful when employing bad analogies to make your argument. I will grant you this, if Cheryl denied the murder of 6 million jews, I would not vote for her. Legitimate political efforts, that have essentially nothing to do with a city council race, is something completely different. This whole debate is amazing, and a great example of the venom, distortions, that your crowd is relying on. Seem like a desperate attempt to attack, and deny anyone who dissents with your political agenda. Shame

Anonymous said...

Man! You just can NOT see ANY point, can you?

I brought up Holocaust deniers because they are a class of people we can ALL agree are beyond the pale and not worthy of our consideration. I am NOT trying to smear Haskins. I said as plainly as I could that opposing same-sex marriage has nothing in common with denying the Holocaust.

Haskins has striven to prevent people from obtaining certain rights, and for me, that makes her beyond consideration—yes, even though same-sex marriage might have little or nothing (!) to do with serving on the Renton City Council.

(THIS is the analogy I am making. Is this the one you vehemently reject?)

Another candidate might share her views about same-sex marriage, but as long as this other candidate has resolved not to work to deny people rights, it's not a big deal.