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By Allen Roskoff
Friday, June 06, 2008
People call me a whistle blower and a hard egg. Some love and some fear me. But for the next few weeks, I’ll spread some love around in honor of LGBT Pride—then I’ll go right back exposing the Schumers, Clintons, Koches, Weinsteins, Gentiles, anti-nightlife crusaders, self-promoters and lobbyists. So keep the e-mails coming. Who knows, you may make the Good Guys List in my next two columns (read the second one here). Happy Pride!
Lew Todd
Veteran gay rights activist Lew Todd came into the movement in 1970. He looked like a cross between a construction worker and a marine sergeant, but Lew actually drove a Mr. Softee truck (and is himself a Mr. Softee). A founder of the Stonewall Democrats, Lew is a sage in the movement. People visit him at his Prince Street apartment looking for advice and endorsement. Lew and I dancing together in the early 1970s at the famed Rainbow Room caused a change in the New York City cabaret laws, as it was against city regulations for same-sex couples to dance in public prior to our disruption. Lew also knows our history and all the distortions. For instance, he remembers the late Morty Manford. After a Gay Activist Alliance demonstration against the Inner Circle at the Statler Hilton Hotel in the early 1970s, famed activist Jim Owles almost lost his eye. Craving attention, Morty Manford came to our headquarters with an eye patch on his left eye. The next morning it was on his right eye. A reporter asked him to remove the patch, and when he did, the reporter exclaimed, "There is nothing wrong with your eye!" I will be correcting more historical fiction in future columns. Lew deserves a stone on a Christopher Street walk of fame.
Howard Helmsley
I never thought I would forgive Howard for being the campaign manager of scumbag former city councilmember Antonio Pagan, who later lost his seat after his first term to lesbian Margarita Lopez. To his credit, Helmsley had a major falling out with Pagan years ago. This past year, Helmsley dropped everything to devote himself to the Obama campaign. Howard talks of the thrill when 24,000 thousand people showed up in Washington Square Park to hear our next president, Barack Obama. Helmsley, a 69-year-old gay black paralegal, ran as an Obama delegate in Jerry Nadler’s congressional district and his was the first name was on the ballot for this year’s past presidential primary, usually a spot that guarantees a big win. Unfortunately Helmsley lost, perhaps because voters associated his name with Leona. At least the Obama campaign did the right thing and appointed him as an at-large delegate. Helmsley promises to be an effective non compromising advocate within the LGBT delegate caucus which will distinguish him form some of the LGBT lobbyists and perennial hacks who take care of their business first and foremost.
Laura Morrison
I refer to Laura (in my atheist, non sky god way) as Saint Laura. Laura pleaded with me not to write this piece because she is modest and humble, so of course I decided to write it. In the more than 20 years that I have known Laura, I have never heard a disparaging word about her. Since 1992, Laura has worked tirelessly with Treatment Action Group (TAG), and AIDS think tank. Laura was a past president of Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats (GLID) and has been the recipient of the Stonewall Community Foundations Women’s Award and the Fresh Fruit Festival award. Currently she is chief of staff to the state’s first progressive gay elected office holder (operative word: “progressive”) in New York State. Morrison has a crack team that works and delivers for the community. Having worked on Sen. Tom Duane’s staff for a few months under Laura, I know she tirelessly works long hours and weekends for Tom, and the whole staff enjoyed her generosity when she brought us donuts. Laura does not like attending fundraisers but still writes the check for a worthy cause. Several years ago Laura adopted a homeless dog, Sweetie, and the two of them live a happy existence in the Village.
Corey Johnson
Now who doesn’t know Corey Johnson? Corey arrived in New York in 2001, but anyone would think he was born here. Most people consider Corey to be a political genius. He knows more about the community than most and can recite facts from 30 years ago. Walking down Eighth Avenue (which I accuse him of haunting) or on Fire Island Boulevard, it seems that everyone knows him. Sometimes it seems like Corey can be three places at once. I swear you can see him on the beach at the Pines playing volleyball but five minutes later he is finishing lunch at Bay Bar with three friends and simultaneously he is making an appearance at someone’s pool party. Corey has served on the campaigns for gubernatorial candidate Carl McCall and attorney general candidate Mark Green. He hosted his own gay show on Sirius Satellite Radio and worked for the Democratic National Committee and the Retail, Wholesale, Department Store Workers Union (RWDSU). He is currently with Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, working on its Young Adult Program. Talented and knowledgeable, Corey could fill any senior position in a political endeavor. Presidential candidates know him by name and seek his advice on gay issues. Corey emails political players and reporters constantly with instant response. Once Corey called me while he was working for Carl McCall looking for Fred Hochberg’s phone number. Naturally I gave him the number for the Gaiety. Corey dialed the number with Carl on speakerphone, and a Russian woman at the ticket booth answered, "Gaiety." Carl said, "What is the Gaiety?" Corey just chalked it up to our wacky relationship.
Manhattan Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein
Oops, I forgot she’s not a lesbian. It’s her lover who is the lesbian.
Continued next week…
Allen Roskoff is a longtime gay rights activist and co-author and lobbyist for the nation’s first gay civil rights bill. He is now president of the citywide Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club. He can be reached at aroskoff@aol.com.
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