Jamestown, New York, never seemed like a small town to me. With a population of a little over 30,000 people, it was always the "big city" when I was growing up. I grew up about twenty miles south of the city, and we always went to Jamestown because it was the closest city with a Wal-Mart. But after moving to Erie, Pennsylvania, for college, and then Houston for grad school, I realized how much of a "small town" atmosphere exists in Jamestown.
Jamestown calls itself the home of Lucille Ball (even though that's not quite true--she was actually born in the village of Celoron, just outside of Jamestown). For having spawned a gay icon, it's not the most progressive city in the United States, to put it lightly. But something happened a few days ago in Jamestown that bears mentioning and makes me quite proud of the city I grew up near. An incredible wave of hate consumed the city for a short time, followed by an albeit small, but inspiring, display of acceptance. It seems that change is possible, even in a city like Jamestown. Follow me below the fold.
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When asked about gay rights in 1980 in a People interview, Lucille Ball spoke from her heart: "It's perfectly all right with me. Some of the most gifted people I've ever met or read about are homosexual. How can you knock it?" Aside from her character on I Love Lucy being something of a gay icon, she was also an outspoken gay supporter. This hasn't seemed to bother the residents of Jamestown, who benefit from the tourism generated by the Lucy Desi Center downtown.
But when Greg Rabb, Jamestown's City Council President--who also happens to be openly gay--proposed that, in the wake of New York's marriage equality legalization, Jamestown be promoted as a destination for out-of-state same-sex couples to get married, all hell broke loose. The Jamestown Post-Journal published an editorial slamming Rabb and his idea, concluding:
We all know that there just is no way on earth that people in the city would ever agree to market Jamestown as the gay-marriage capital of New York.
The
online comments on the editorial were vicious:
Market the city as a same sex marriage destination? The problem here is that Mr Rabb is a heterophobe, his sexuality permeates his thoughts, his ideas, and his thinking, everything in his life revolves around his idea of same sex relationships and his sexual preferences. Personally I am not interested in what his sexual preferences are and most outside the gay community would agree so why is it so important for him to try to force our acceptance of his lifestyle? I don't want to know how he has sex and how anyone else has sex is none of his or anyone else's business, it is a personal thing and should be kept personal. Those in the heterosexual community don't formulate their ideas or make their decisions based on their sexual preferences or relationships unlike the gay community. I don't want to live in a city that is marketed as and known as a same sex marriage destination, sex and personal relationships should not enter into how we promote our community or city politics and I don't want someone who does to represent our city. I think that Mr Rabb should resign his position if he is intent on injecting gay activisim into city politics.
The bottom line no matter what side of the issue you are on,is it was an idiotic thing to say when asked that question.You are serving the whole community not just your own personal agenda.
great just great good job greg it fits right in with the plan of the city most taxed city highest paid city employees in ny and gay marriage capital of the state get your priorities straight sir you are a public official and your gay lifestyle is your own business please dont make it ours if you want to stay in that cushie position.
Rabb's idea also
sparked several hateful letters to the editor.
With good paying jobs in our community on the decline, a century old furniture plant liquidating assets, increasing property taxes and aging infrastructure and a host of other problems facing our community, it is astonishing indeed that the top prioity for the leader of our City Council, who was elected at large to represent all the people, has a top priority of making our city the gay marrige capital of New York State.
Being an advocate for a special interest is one thing. Totally ignoring the pressing needs of the community in favor of his special interest is another.
I was extremely irritated and upset when I saw Greg Rabb's answer to the question that he and other councilmen were asked: " ... how to improve tourism in the city?"
To make Jamestown a gay marriage destination? Really? This joker ought to be ousted from his post.
While I can understand his penchant for what he believes is right (although I do not agree with it), it is just plain wrong for an elected official to use his political clout in order to push his own personal agenda.
What! Is this how we are going to put Jamestown on the map? A baby San Francisco? We've already been in the national limelight, (recall one who went about Jamestown knowingly infecting girls with the HIV virus).
And this suggestion, from the so-called council president Perhaps equally amazing is the seeming natural proclivity of 98 percent of the area's "clergy" to remain silent (as often occurring in the past).
News flash, fellas: The second half of Romans, chapter one, is just as true as every other page in God's Holy Word (The Bible).
I was appalled when I read Greg Rabb's idea to make Chautauqua County a destination for "same sex marriages. " What a despicable thing to say! This is an abomination and is against all natural law. It is bad enough our governor pushed through legalization of this horrific act. Loving gay and lesbien people is one thing, legitimizing homosexuale marriage in quite an other. Our family values are being destroyed. I will pray that Greg, Andrew Cuomo and others have a change of heart and come to see the light.
The morals of our country are at an all time low and it is time we turn ourselves around.
An honest, practical idea to draw tourism dollars into Jamestown, the location of which would make an ideal wedding destination, unleashed an anti-gay firestorm. Rabb even started
receiving threats.
If Lucy were around for the news, she might react something like this:
Indeed, the anti-gay backlash does not befit a city whose welcome sign prominently advertises it as the home of Lucy.
Fortunately, the story doesn't end there. At Monday's City Council meeting, a crowd of LGBT and straight allies descended on City Hall to take a strong stand against hate. It was no March on Washington, but the fact that it was very quickly thrown together and dozens of people showed up sends a profound message that not everybody in Jamestown agrees with the homophobic rhetoric propagated by the Post-Journal. It was a healthy-sized crowd for a small, socially conservative city. Rabb was also inspired by the turn-out:
Given the fact that people put that together so quickly and got that many people down there to show support for my work and the work of others in this community certainly meant a lot to me. I felt like I was doing the right thing, I still feel like I’m doing the right thing, but all those folks there tonight saying ‘You’re doing the right thing. Keep on going. Don’t give up. We’re behind you’…. that to me represented the true city of Jamestown.
Jamestown still lags behind many other cities in terms of social tolerance, but it's coming along. I'm proud of Jamestown and the residents who refused to let the bigots speak for the city. Yes, the times are changing, slowly but surely. I'd like to think Lucy is smiling from above.
TOP COMMENTS
May 3, 2012
Thanks to tonight's Top Comments contributors! Let us hear from YOU
when you find that proficient comment.
From Land of Enchantment:
I'm really proud of The Nephew. He's come so far so quickly. One of the many reasons to keep coming back to Daily Kos.
From BeninSC:
Rec quickly with this comment from ontheleftcoast! It was made in TC last night, and will pass out of recommendability before tonight's diary is 20 minutes old! I am picking it because some of the best comments relay important ideas even if those did not originate with the commenter. This is just such a case for me. From a bumper sticker otlc encountered! With a great insight!
From Wee Mama:
In Jed Lewison's diary on how the Romney campaign muzzled Richard Grenell, Scarce shows us how Romney did a quadruple Axel on gay rights when he ditched his adviser.
From brillig:
In Jed Lewison's FP story Romney campaign privately muzzled Richard Grenell to avoid confronting the homophobic right, Sirenus listed everyone (so far) the GOP has denigrated. jayjaybear's response is absolutely priceless.
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May 2, 2012
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