WakeDems.org, Sept. 6, 2005
Submitted by Julia Lee
Event: Sep 18 2005 - 3:00pm
Description:
Orange County member and former Chapel Hill Town Council member Joe Herzenberg will chair the meeting. The agenda includes possible endorsements for upcoming elections, participation in Gay Pride events on September 24, and finding volunteers to serve as representatives in each of the three Triangle counties. Please try to attend this important meeting. We need the participation and contribution of everyone to make the Triangle Stonewall Democrats an effective and positive organization.
For more information contact Joe Herzenberg at 929-4053.
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Saturday, January 15, 2005
Mrs. Spencer's era
The News & Observer, Raleigh NC, Jan. 15, 2005 - Letter to the Editor
To compare, as a Dec. 21 People's Forum letter-writer did, the racial views of Abraham Lincoln in 1858 with those of Cornelia Phillips Spencer in the Reconstruction era (1865-75) is to compare historical apples and oranges.
Between 1858 and Reconstruction, a great Civil War had been fought, hundreds of thousands of American soldiers had been killed, Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation and included black soldiers in the Union Army, and the Constitution had been amended three times with regard to former slaves. By the time of his death, the Lincoln of 1858 was no more.
And Lincoln wasn't the only white American whose racial views had changed. Samuel Phillips, Cornelia's brother, as federal attorney in Raleigh prosecuted the Ku Klux Klan so vigorously that President Grant appointed him solicitor general. And he wasn't alone. An entire political party (the Republicans!) acted as if they believed in racial equality.
Mrs. Spencer was not in good company. And today, Chancellor James Moeser is to be commended for his recent decision regarding the Bell Award.
Joe Herzenberg
Chapel Hill
To compare, as a Dec. 21 People's Forum letter-writer did, the racial views of Abraham Lincoln in 1858 with those of Cornelia Phillips Spencer in the Reconstruction era (1865-75) is to compare historical apples and oranges.
Between 1858 and Reconstruction, a great Civil War had been fought, hundreds of thousands of American soldiers had been killed, Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation and included black soldiers in the Union Army, and the Constitution had been amended three times with regard to former slaves. By the time of his death, the Lincoln of 1858 was no more.
And Lincoln wasn't the only white American whose racial views had changed. Samuel Phillips, Cornelia's brother, as federal attorney in Raleigh prosecuted the Ku Klux Klan so vigorously that President Grant appointed him solicitor general. And he wasn't alone. An entire political party (the Republicans!) acted as if they believed in racial equality.
Mrs. Spencer was not in good company. And today, Chancellor James Moeser is to be commended for his recent decision regarding the Bell Award.
Joe Herzenberg
Chapel Hill
Tuesday, December 7, 2004
Local progressive ideas boost gay rights issues
The Daily Tar Heel, Dec. 7, 2004
By: DAN SCHWIND
Of the six openly gay officials ever elected to office in North Carolina, four have been elected in Chapel Hill or Carrboro.
Although many agree on the source of the apparent openness toward gay rights, there is debate on how progressive the area really is.
"The first victories are usually in the more progressive areas," said Carrboro Mayor Mike Nelson, one of four openly gay mayors in the South. "Orange County is certainly one of the more progressive areas in the state."
Former Chapel Hill Town Council member Joe Herzenberg, who became the state's first openly gay elected official in 1987, also cited the towns' liberal reputations.
"I always thought that Chapel Hill would elect an openly gay official," he said. "University towns are traditionally ... more liberal and tolerant."
Council member Mark Kleinschmidt said Chapel Hill's history in playing a major role in activist movements is also key.
"We've been at the forefront of most civil rights movements," he said. "Generally, progressive and liberal people are the first to take on social justice issues."
Ian Palmquist, executive director for Equality NC, echoed the sentiment.
"Chapel Hill and Carrboro have had a long history with social justice issues," he said. "I think they are a little ahead of the rest of the state on issues like this."
Rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community are recent social issues the area has tackled.
At the council's March 22 meeting, Kleinschmidt presented a petition that would have asked the state to ignore the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act.
Doing so would have allowed the town to recognize same-sex marriages performed legally elsewhere in the country and provide those couples with the same benefits accorded to married couples.
Nelson followed suit, making a similar petition at the March 25 Carrboro Board of Aldermen meeting.
Both petitions were killed quickly in the N.C. General Assembly, but Kleinschmidt said his petition still has much support locally.
But for all the perceived local support toward the LGBT community, some harsh feelings toward the group still resonate.
"It's not completely easy," said Gloria Faley, former member of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education. "There are a lot of folks in this community who are not happy with us."
Faley said that during her campaign for the school board, she received a number of anonymous phone calls and "a lot of nasty anonymous letters."
Faley said she is even more worried by the results of the Nov. 2 general election, in which 11 states approved state constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage.
"I'm worried about the overall state of the nation," she said. "I worry about people portraying other people as moral or immoral."
But Kleinschmidt said that despite the election results, he believes the nation has turned the corner toward a more tolerant view of the LGBT community.
"This isn't really backlash," he said. "It's really just half of an opinion. If you look at the polling numbers, there's a lot of support for civil unions."
Nelson shared similar views, pointing out Julia Boseman's election as state senator for the traditionally conservative New Hanover County.
"Once you cross that hurdle, you can win anywhere," Nelson said.
"Clearly, we've made it over that hurdle."
By: DAN SCHWIND
Of the six openly gay officials ever elected to office in North Carolina, four have been elected in Chapel Hill or Carrboro.
Although many agree on the source of the apparent openness toward gay rights, there is debate on how progressive the area really is.
"The first victories are usually in the more progressive areas," said Carrboro Mayor Mike Nelson, one of four openly gay mayors in the South. "Orange County is certainly one of the more progressive areas in the state."
Former Chapel Hill Town Council member Joe Herzenberg, who became the state's first openly gay elected official in 1987, also cited the towns' liberal reputations.
"I always thought that Chapel Hill would elect an openly gay official," he said. "University towns are traditionally ... more liberal and tolerant."
Council member Mark Kleinschmidt said Chapel Hill's history in playing a major role in activist movements is also key.
"We've been at the forefront of most civil rights movements," he said. "Generally, progressive and liberal people are the first to take on social justice issues."
Ian Palmquist, executive director for Equality NC, echoed the sentiment.
"Chapel Hill and Carrboro have had a long history with social justice issues," he said. "I think they are a little ahead of the rest of the state on issues like this."
Rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community are recent social issues the area has tackled.
At the council's March 22 meeting, Kleinschmidt presented a petition that would have asked the state to ignore the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act.
Doing so would have allowed the town to recognize same-sex marriages performed legally elsewhere in the country and provide those couples with the same benefits accorded to married couples.
Nelson followed suit, making a similar petition at the March 25 Carrboro Board of Aldermen meeting.
Both petitions were killed quickly in the N.C. General Assembly, but Kleinschmidt said his petition still has much support locally.
But for all the perceived local support toward the LGBT community, some harsh feelings toward the group still resonate.
"It's not completely easy," said Gloria Faley, former member of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education. "There are a lot of folks in this community who are not happy with us."
Faley said that during her campaign for the school board, she received a number of anonymous phone calls and "a lot of nasty anonymous letters."
Faley said she is even more worried by the results of the Nov. 2 general election, in which 11 states approved state constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage.
"I'm worried about the overall state of the nation," she said. "I worry about people portraying other people as moral or immoral."
But Kleinschmidt said that despite the election results, he believes the nation has turned the corner toward a more tolerant view of the LGBT community.
"This isn't really backlash," he said. "It's really just half of an opinion. If you look at the polling numbers, there's a lot of support for civil unions."
Nelson shared similar views, pointing out Julia Boseman's election as state senator for the traditionally conservative New Hanover County.
"Once you cross that hurdle, you can win anywhere," Nelson said.
"Clearly, we've made it over that hurdle."
Wednesday, November 3, 2004
Voters seek comfort in company of others
Chapel Hill News, Nov. 3, 2004
CHAPEL HILL -- Joe Herzenberg walked through the front door of the Orange County Social Club in downtown Carrboro, dwarfed by CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer's face looming on the enormous television screen taking up one entire wall.
Herzenberg, a former Chapel Hill Town Council member and a close observer of all things political, stood for a moment and took in the scene. Carrboro Mayor Mike Nelson, wearing a T-shirt that said, "George W. Bush: You're fired," hurried over from the bar to greet him.
"Hi, Mike," Herzenberg said. "What do you know?"
"I have a good feeling," Nelson said.
"Yes, but what do you KNOW?" Herzenberg asked.
CHAPEL HILL -- Joe Herzenberg walked through the front door of the Orange County Social Club in downtown Carrboro, dwarfed by CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer's face looming on the enormous television screen taking up one entire wall.
Herzenberg, a former Chapel Hill Town Council member and a close observer of all things political, stood for a moment and took in the scene. Carrboro Mayor Mike Nelson, wearing a T-shirt that said, "George W. Bush: You're fired," hurried over from the bar to greet him.
"Hi, Mike," Herzenberg said. "What do you know?"
"I have a good feeling," Nelson said.
"Yes, but what do you KNOW?" Herzenberg asked.
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Fright night on Franklin Street
Chapel Hill News, Oct. 27, 2004
Residents have reveled in or put up with the downtown Halloween celebration for years now.
But just when did Franklin Street morph into the largest demon destination in the state?
Though no one can pinpoint the date, most interviewed said downtown Halloween crowds started growing sometime in the 1970s.
"I was sitting in the window of Spanky's on Halloween in 1979," recalls former councilman Joe Herzenberg. "I just noticed it was really not what it used to be. It was really getting to be a big thing."
Residents have reveled in or put up with the downtown Halloween celebration for years now.
But just when did Franklin Street morph into the largest demon destination in the state?
Though no one can pinpoint the date, most interviewed said downtown Halloween crowds started growing sometime in the 1970s.
"I was sitting in the window of Spanky's on Halloween in 1979," recalls former councilman Joe Herzenberg. "I just noticed it was really not what it used to be. It was really getting to be a big thing."
Monday, October 4, 2004
Attempt to save West House is only getting started
Chapel Hill Herald, Oct. 4, 2004 / Chapel Hill News, Oct. 17, 2004 - Letter to the Editor
West House on campus at UNC-CH, before its August, 2006 demolition.
The West House Coalition reiterates our support for the Arts Common and its programs, that we believe the Common can support those needs without sacrificing West House, and that it seems clear Arts Common architects were never asked to consider incorporating the house into the Common -- an exciting challenge for any firm. Since last January we have heard from numerous folks in all stages of planning and public debate that claim West House was seldom, or only peripherally discussed.
Paul Kapp was hired by UNC after the house's fate was sealed. His recent guest column in The Chapel Hill Herald and comments in The Daily Tar Heel imply that West House preservationists insult Carolina's preservation record. We have publicly praised Carolina's preservation activities, including Mr. Kapp's hiring. Observing the quality restorations of our beautiful historic buildings inspired our group to take up the house's fate. It should be noted, master planners also sought to demolish Smith and Swain Halls until Myrick Howard of Preservation North Carolina insisted that they and West House should be saved. Indeed, the Y-Court, also slated for demolition, was saved by an enormous outcry from students and alumni.
West House garden view
It's important to clarify that West House does not sit on top of any utilities. The house was built in 1935 on private property before any utilities were underground. Utilities are under at least one, if not all, of the myriad Music Building footprints (and despite protestations otherwise, the building's architects confirm no footprint is yet set).
West House represents one-third of Carolina's history with many noted historic associations. During the last two home football games, alone, the Coalition has gathered more than 500 signatures from alumni, students, faculty, employees, and visitors in support of the house. We've only just started.
Joe Herzenberg
Chapel Hill
Demolition of West House, August 17, 2006.
(Editor's note - the efforts of the Save West House Coalition were ultimately defeated by the tear-down-the-past, uncaring, shortsighted agenda of the UNC-CH administration under Chancellor James Moeser.)
Friday, October 1, 2004
’81 killing spurred Durham gay rally, one of N.C.’s 1st
Durham Herald-Sun, Oct. 1, 2004
In April 1981, four sunbathers on the banks of the Little River were attacked by a group who, witnesses said, headed toward them shouting, "We're going to beat some faggots!"
One man, 46-year-old Ronald Antonevich, died three days later.
Joe Herzenberg, who is gay and was a Chapel Hill Town Council member at the time, said he remembers the death vividly.
"It meant that somebody could be killed or badly hurt because somebody thought you were gay," he said.
The attack also enraged Durham's small gay community, prompting "Our Day Out," what Herzenberg recalls as one of North Carolina's earliest gay rallies. The event attracted hundreds of supporters and curious onlookers, and brought a
new civil rights issue into prominence.
Much has changed in the 23 years since Antonevich's fatal beating and the rally that followed. Durham's gay pride festival is now a statewide event that attracts several thousand people. This weekend, PrideFest 2004 celebrates "20 Years of Pride," including the march sparked by the attack and the parades that began a few years later. The activities begin tonight with a "Ninth Street Promenade" and continue Saturday with speeches and a parade on and around Duke's East Campus.
"The climate in Durham is one of the more accepting climates in the state," said Ian Palmquist, executive director of Equality North Carolina, a political action committee working for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. "The state as a whole still is relatively conservative," he said, "and, certainly, the work being done in places like Durham is leading the state forward."
In April 1981, four sunbathers on the banks of the Little River were attacked by a group who, witnesses said, headed toward them shouting, "We're going to beat some faggots!"
One man, 46-year-old Ronald Antonevich, died three days later.
Joe Herzenberg, who is gay and was a Chapel Hill Town Council member at the time, said he remembers the death vividly.
"It meant that somebody could be killed or badly hurt because somebody thought you were gay," he said.
The attack also enraged Durham's small gay community, prompting "Our Day Out," what Herzenberg recalls as one of North Carolina's earliest gay rallies. The event attracted hundreds of supporters and curious onlookers, and brought a
new civil rights issue into prominence.
Much has changed in the 23 years since Antonevich's fatal beating and the rally that followed. Durham's gay pride festival is now a statewide event that attracts several thousand people. This weekend, PrideFest 2004 celebrates "20 Years of Pride," including the march sparked by the attack and the parades that began a few years later. The activities begin tonight with a "Ninth Street Promenade" and continue Saturday with speeches and a parade on and around Duke's East Campus.
"The climate in Durham is one of the more accepting climates in the state," said Ian Palmquist, executive director of Equality North Carolina, a political action committee working for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. "The state as a whole still is relatively conservative," he said, "and, certainly, the work being done in places like Durham is leading the state forward."
Friday, September 17, 2004
Panel prepares for renaming debate: Different stances to shape future of Airport Road
The Daily Tar Heel, Sept. 17, 2004
Mayor Kevin Foy announced the names of the people who will make up the special committee to consider renaming Airport Road in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.
...
The idea of renaming the road originally came before the council in January. But after a series of heated public forums, the council decided it could not make the decision without more citizen input.
Monday, the council chose 20 people to give that input.
Joe Herzenberg, a former Town Council member, long-time Chapel Hill resident and historian of the civil rights movement, was appointed as a citizen-at-large.
Herzenberg said the struggle to rename the road pales in comparison to the struggles in Chapel Hill during King's lifetime.
The renaming is a way to compensate for things that should have been accomplished locally while King was alive, Herzenberg said.
"We should have something to honor Dr. King," Herzenberg said, adding that he is willing to listen to those who disagree with him.
Mayor Kevin Foy announced the names of the people who will make up the special committee to consider renaming Airport Road in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.
...
The idea of renaming the road originally came before the council in January. But after a series of heated public forums, the council decided it could not make the decision without more citizen input.
Monday, the council chose 20 people to give that input.
Joe Herzenberg, a former Town Council member, long-time Chapel Hill resident and historian of the civil rights movement, was appointed as a citizen-at-large.
Herzenberg said the struggle to rename the road pales in comparison to the struggles in Chapel Hill during King's lifetime.
The renaming is a way to compensate for things that should have been accomplished locally while King was alive, Herzenberg said.
"We should have something to honor Dr. King," Herzenberg said, adding that he is willing to listen to those who disagree with him.
Thursday, April 15, 2004
Town: Zap ‘defense of marriage’ law in N.C. - Chapel Hill council wants repeal of law banning gay unions
Durham Herald-Sun, April 15, 2004
CHAPEL HILL -- The Town Council voted unanimously Wednesday to ask state legislators to do away with North Carolina's "defense of marriage" law, which bans same-sex marriages.
...
Councilman Mark Kleinschmidt proposed making the request part of the council's legislative agenda, and he described it Wednesday as a way for the town to say, "Hell yeah, we're about fairness, we're about equality, we're about treating people fairly."
"If that means stepping out and making some noise, then give me the noisemaker," he said.
...
The proposal is aimed at a law the state Legislature passed in 1996, the same year that Congress passed the national Defense of Marriage Act. The federal law defines marriage as a union between a man and woman and gives states autonomy in deciding whether to recognize same-sex marriages from other states or countries.
The N.C. law bans same-sex unions and says that same-sex marriages performed outside the state are not valid in North Carolina.
Joe Herzenberg, a former council member who is gay, spoke in favor of Kleinschmidt's petition. Herzenberg said he was proud that, back in 1975, town officials protected employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation, and he hoped the council would vote unanimously about the same-sex marriage request.
CHAPEL HILL -- The Town Council voted unanimously Wednesday to ask state legislators to do away with North Carolina's "defense of marriage" law, which bans same-sex marriages.
...
Councilman Mark Kleinschmidt proposed making the request part of the council's legislative agenda, and he described it Wednesday as a way for the town to say, "Hell yeah, we're about fairness, we're about equality, we're about treating people fairly."
"If that means stepping out and making some noise, then give me the noisemaker," he said.
...
The proposal is aimed at a law the state Legislature passed in 1996, the same year that Congress passed the national Defense of Marriage Act. The federal law defines marriage as a union between a man and woman and gives states autonomy in deciding whether to recognize same-sex marriages from other states or countries.
The N.C. law bans same-sex unions and says that same-sex marriages performed outside the state are not valid in North Carolina.
Joe Herzenberg, a former council member who is gay, spoke in favor of Kleinschmidt's petition. Herzenberg said he was proud that, back in 1975, town officials protected employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation, and he hoped the council would vote unanimously about the same-sex marriage request.
Wednesday, April 7, 2004
State might not follow locals' lead
The Daily Tar Heel, April 7, 2004
As the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro headline a fight for same-sex rights in North Carolina, most doubt the rest of the state will join in on what is now a national debate.
"North Carolina is not the most progressive state," said Joe Herzenberg, former Chapel Hill Town Council member and co-founder of Equality North Carolina, an advocacy group for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
As the first openly gay elected official in the state, Herzenberg has paid close attention to the state of gay rights in North Carolina for more than a decade.
"I think what they are doing in Chapel Hill and Carrboro is great," Herzenberg said. "At least we are starting somewhere."
As the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro headline a fight for same-sex rights in North Carolina, most doubt the rest of the state will join in on what is now a national debate.
"North Carolina is not the most progressive state," said Joe Herzenberg, former Chapel Hill Town Council member and co-founder of Equality North Carolina, an advocacy group for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
As the first openly gay elected official in the state, Herzenberg has paid close attention to the state of gay rights in North Carolina for more than a decade.
"I think what they are doing in Chapel Hill and Carrboro is great," Herzenberg said. "At least we are starting somewhere."
Friday, March 19, 2004
Spencer in a different context
Chapel Hill Herald, March 19, 2004 - Letter to the Editor
With respect to Cornelia Phillips Spencer, Chancellor James Moeser suggests that she be judged in the context of the time (i.e., Reconstruction, that period of U.S. history when racial views were most fluid). That's fine. How about going one step further and judging her in the context of her own family?
Samuel Field Phillips, Mrs. Spencer's brother, did such a good job at prosecuting the Ku Klux Klan when he was a federal attorney in Raleigh that President Grant appointed him solicitor general, the second highest position in the Department of Justice. He served for 12 years under four presidents.
As solicitor general he defended civil rights legislation before an increasingly conservative Supreme Court. And then, late in life, Phillips came out of retirement in 1896 to represent Thomas Plessy, a man of color from Louisiana who wanted a better seat on a train. Unfortunately Phillips, Plessy and all of us lost -- in Plessy v. Ferguson.
So when it came to racial matters central to the democratic struggle in the late 19th century, who can deny that Samuel Phillips (and not his sister Cornelia) is the better American hero -- for then and now.
P.S. We should all thank Yonni Chapman for helping us appreciate our past.
Joe Herzenberg
Chapel Hill
With respect to Cornelia Phillips Spencer, Chancellor James Moeser suggests that she be judged in the context of the time (i.e., Reconstruction, that period of U.S. history when racial views were most fluid). That's fine. How about going one step further and judging her in the context of her own family?
Samuel Field Phillips, Mrs. Spencer's brother, did such a good job at prosecuting the Ku Klux Klan when he was a federal attorney in Raleigh that President Grant appointed him solicitor general, the second highest position in the Department of Justice. He served for 12 years under four presidents.
As solicitor general he defended civil rights legislation before an increasingly conservative Supreme Court. And then, late in life, Phillips came out of retirement in 1896 to represent Thomas Plessy, a man of color from Louisiana who wanted a better seat on a train. Unfortunately Phillips, Plessy and all of us lost -- in Plessy v. Ferguson.
So when it came to racial matters central to the democratic struggle in the late 19th century, who can deny that Samuel Phillips (and not his sister Cornelia) is the better American hero -- for then and now.
P.S. We should all thank Yonni Chapman for helping us appreciate our past.
Joe Herzenberg
Chapel Hill
Thursday, March 4, 2004
I cannot imagine how anyone thought John Kerry would be more electable than John Edwards
Edwards' Exit: Thanks supporters, commends Kerry, won't say what's next
Charlotte Observer, March 4, 2004
U.S. Sen. John Edwards, the mill-town kid turned millionaire lawyer turned major presidential candidate, ended his bid for the White House with an endorsement for his chief rival, rousing words for his supporters and no hint of his future plans. Edwards stepped aside Wednesday in a carefully choreographed announcement at Raleigh's Broughton High School, which his oldest son and daughter attended.
...
"I cannot imagine how anyone thought John Kerry would be more electable than John Edwards, but I guess people were concerned about the experience," said Joe Herzenberg, a former member of the Chapel Hill Town Council and liberal activist.
Tuesday, September 30, 2003
N.C. governor weighs execution bias case
Gay.com / PlanetOut.com Network, Sept. 30, 2003
by Christopher Curtis
With time running out for convicted murderer Edward Hartman, his lawyers say they are doing what they can -- including an appeal Tuesday to the North Carolina governor -- to spare him from execution this Friday.
His defenders maintain prosecuting attorneys unfairly used Hartman's homosexuality to get him the death penalty for the murder of his housemate, 77-year-old Herman Smith Jr., in 1993.
...
On Monday Gov. Easley's staff met with gay leaders in the state. Former Chapel Hill Town Council member Joe Herzenberg, who claims to be the first openly gay elected official in the South, said he asked for executive clemency in this case, "because we
believed there was homophobia in his prosecution and conviction."
Mark Kleinschmidt, a current council member who was also at the meeting, reflected on the case, saying, "The injustice hit me personally."
"This reflected more than just an isolated case of injustice," Kleinschmidt told the Gay.com/PlanetOut.com Network. "It's not surprising to us that the courts never cured this. From the lowest courts all the way to the Supreme Court, gays and lesbians had a hard time receiving justice. We need guarantees and fairness, otherwise a court is a farce."
Gay rights advocates say their objections to Hartman's trial primarily focus on the sentencing phase. While his defense tried to explain how the sexual abuse Hartman endured as a child should be considered as a mitigating factor when determining an appropriate punishment, prosecutors said such a claim was irrelevant for homosexuals.
...
by Christopher Curtis
With time running out for convicted murderer Edward Hartman, his lawyers say they are doing what they can -- including an appeal Tuesday to the North Carolina governor -- to spare him from execution this Friday.
His defenders maintain prosecuting attorneys unfairly used Hartman's homosexuality to get him the death penalty for the murder of his housemate, 77-year-old Herman Smith Jr., in 1993.
...
On Monday Gov. Easley's staff met with gay leaders in the state. Former Chapel Hill Town Council member Joe Herzenberg, who claims to be the first openly gay elected official in the South, said he asked for executive clemency in this case, "because we
believed there was homophobia in his prosecution and conviction."
Mark Kleinschmidt, a current council member who was also at the meeting, reflected on the case, saying, "The injustice hit me personally."
"This reflected more than just an isolated case of injustice," Kleinschmidt told the Gay.com/PlanetOut.com Network. "It's not surprising to us that the courts never cured this. From the lowest courts all the way to the Supreme Court, gays and lesbians had a hard time receiving justice. We need guarantees and fairness, otherwise a court is a farce."
Gay rights advocates say their objections to Hartman's trial primarily focus on the sentencing phase. While his defense tried to explain how the sexual abuse Hartman endured as a child should be considered as a mitigating factor when determining an appropriate punishment, prosecutors said such a claim was irrelevant for homosexuals.
...
Friday, June 27, 2003
Triangle gays say court’s decision overdue: Sodomy laws called symbolic affront to rights
Durham Herald-Sun, June 27, 2003
For members of the Triangle's gay and lesbian communities, the end of state sodomy laws was long overdue.
Former Chapel Hill Town Council member Joe Herzenberg remembered another time, 17 years ago, when the Supreme Court was deciding whether to discard them.
"We were waiting for the Supreme Court to issue the Bowers decision," he said. "We were hopeful at the time they would do the right thing, but they didn't."
So when the Supreme Court ruled the laws were illegal Thursday, it marked a shift toward an era when gay rights could no longer be overlooked.
"I think that gays and lesbians are just too obvious all over the place in today's society," said Herzenberg, who was Chapel Hill's first openly gay elected official when he came to office in 1987.
Herzenberg was one of about 100 gays, lesbians and their friends who gathered Thursday evening at the Mad Hatter's Bake Shop in Durham to celebrate after the Supreme Court struck down a ban on gay sex, ruling that the law violated rights to privacy.
The decision effectively made North Carolina's own sodomy laws obsolete.
For members of the Triangle's gay and lesbian communities, the end of state sodomy laws was long overdue.
Former Chapel Hill Town Council member Joe Herzenberg remembered another time, 17 years ago, when the Supreme Court was deciding whether to discard them.
"We were waiting for the Supreme Court to issue the Bowers decision," he said. "We were hopeful at the time they would do the right thing, but they didn't."
So when the Supreme Court ruled the laws were illegal Thursday, it marked a shift toward an era when gay rights could no longer be overlooked.
"I think that gays and lesbians are just too obvious all over the place in today's society," said Herzenberg, who was Chapel Hill's first openly gay elected official when he came to office in 1987.
Herzenberg was one of about 100 gays, lesbians and their friends who gathered Thursday evening at the Mad Hatter's Bake Shop in Durham to celebrate after the Supreme Court struck down a ban on gay sex, ruling that the law violated rights to privacy.
The decision effectively made North Carolina's own sodomy laws obsolete.
Wednesday, August 7, 2002
Senate hopeful Dan Blue draws local support
Chapel Hill Herald, Aug. 7, 2002
CHAPEL HILL - U.S. Senate candidate Dan Blue picked up endorsements from 20 current and former elected officials from Orange and Chatham counties during a Tuesday news conference at the Franklin Street post office.
Nine of his new backers joined Blue for the morning event, which took place on a traditional rallying ground for the local political community.
They said Blue is the Democrat best equipped to take on Republican Elizabeth Dole in November, and the one with the strongest credentials for a would-be senator.
"We need a candidate who will represent Main Street, not Wall Street," Carrboro Mayor Mike Nelson said. "And Dan's just strong. After 22 years in elected office, he's got a strong track record of working on issues that people in this county care about."
Nelson was the main spokesman for the group and the most senior of the current office-holders who lined up behind the candidacy of the former speaker of the N.C House.
Blue, D-Wake, is running on a crowded primary slate that also includes former White House chief of staff Erskine Bowles, former Durham City Councilwoman Cynthia Brown and N.C. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall.
...
The sitting officials who endorsed Blue on Tuesday also included Carrboro aldermen Joal Broun, Mark Dorosin and Diana McDuffee; Chapel Hill town councilman Mark Kleinschmidt and Bill Strom; Orange County Commissioner Moses Carey Jr.; and Chatham County Commissioner Margaret Pollard.
Blue also got endorsements from former city school board members Sue Baker, Fred Battle, Ed Caldwell, J.R. Manley and Ted Parrish; former Chapel Hill town councilmen Mark Chilton, Joe Herzenberg, R.D. Smith and Joe Straley; former Carrboro aldermen Braxton Foushee and Allen Spalt; and former Hillsborough Mayor Horace Johnson.
...
Blue "is electable and he stands for things I think a Democratic candidate should stand for," Herzenberg said. "Some of the so-called New Democrats have gone a little too far to being old Republicans. In particular, I'm afraid that Mr. Bowles has gone too far over to the pro-business side."
CHAPEL HILL - U.S. Senate candidate Dan Blue picked up endorsements from 20 current and former elected officials from Orange and Chatham counties during a Tuesday news conference at the Franklin Street post office.
Nine of his new backers joined Blue for the morning event, which took place on a traditional rallying ground for the local political community.
They said Blue is the Democrat best equipped to take on Republican Elizabeth Dole in November, and the one with the strongest credentials for a would-be senator.
"We need a candidate who will represent Main Street, not Wall Street," Carrboro Mayor Mike Nelson said. "And Dan's just strong. After 22 years in elected office, he's got a strong track record of working on issues that people in this county care about."
Nelson was the main spokesman for the group and the most senior of the current office-holders who lined up behind the candidacy of the former speaker of the N.C House.
Blue, D-Wake, is running on a crowded primary slate that also includes former White House chief of staff Erskine Bowles, former Durham City Councilwoman Cynthia Brown and N.C. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall.
...
The sitting officials who endorsed Blue on Tuesday also included Carrboro aldermen Joal Broun, Mark Dorosin and Diana McDuffee; Chapel Hill town councilman Mark Kleinschmidt and Bill Strom; Orange County Commissioner Moses Carey Jr.; and Chatham County Commissioner Margaret Pollard.
Blue also got endorsements from former city school board members Sue Baker, Fred Battle, Ed Caldwell, J.R. Manley and Ted Parrish; former Chapel Hill town councilmen Mark Chilton, Joe Herzenberg, R.D. Smith and Joe Straley; former Carrboro aldermen Braxton Foushee and Allen Spalt; and former Hillsborough Mayor Horace Johnson.
...
Blue "is electable and he stands for things I think a Democratic candidate should stand for," Herzenberg said. "Some of the so-called New Democrats have gone a little too far to being old Republicans. In particular, I'm afraid that Mr. Bowles has gone too far over to the pro-business side."
Sunday, August 4, 2002
Are you a cat person or a dog person?
Chapel Hill News, Aug. 4, 2002 - Voices From The Hill
"Cat, because I don't really know...well, yes I do. I am really just against dogs. My cat Alice is the greatest cat, I wish she was here."
Joe Herzenberg
Chapel Hill
"Cat, because I don't really know...well, yes I do. I am really just against dogs. My cat Alice is the greatest cat, I wish she was here."
Joe Herzenberg
Chapel Hill
Wednesday, April 24, 2002
Public Must Accept LGBT Politicians
The Daily Tar Heel, April 24, 2002
By Jonathan Chaney
When you run for political office, it's best to make sure your closet is clean of skeletons.
And conventional wisdom also tells you that if you're gay and want a political office, it's best to stay in the closet.
But more and more successful pols are bucking that trend.
If you don't believe me, take a look at the photo exhibit "Out and Elected in the U.S.A." on display at the Carrboro Century Center.
The exhibit was organized by Washington, D.C., photographer R. S. Lee, who spent more than four years compiling all of the material.
There are 60 photos of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans who either hold public office or held public office in the past.
Surrounding the photo montages are personal essays from leaders in 30 of the 33 states where openly gay and lesbian officials have captured elected office.
With the sponsorship of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, a national educational and public interest group that helps gay and lesbians attain political office all over the country, the exhibit is on a national tour after a stint in Washington, D.C.
And Carrboro was its first stop.
There's good reason for Chapel Hill and Carrboro to be the national debut for this exhibit.
That's because this area has been the vanguard of LGBT political opportunity in North Carolina.
In fact, two of our own are on display in the exhibit itself.
Joe Herzenberg, former Chapel Hill Town Council member and mayor pro tem, became the state's first openly gay elected official when he sat down in the Chapel Hill Town Hall in 1987.
And Carrboro Mayor Mike Nelson became North Carolina's first openly gay mayor in 1995.
But obviously Chapel Hill and Carrboro are not microcosms of the entire state.
There are still many counties here where people would be deathly afraid to come out of the closet, much less try and run for a publicly elected office.
Supporters of this exhibit, including photographer Lee himself, hope this tour will allay some of those fears -- or at least educate the public at large.
"If this can help one person who has always said, 'No way, no how,' realize that it doesn't have to be that way, that they don't have to spend their life trying to be something that they're not, then I've accomplished my goal," Lee said.
People like Nelson and Herzenberg are anomalies in a state whose national political identity is inexorably linked with Sen. Jesse Helms.
But recognizing their contributions to political mainstreaming for gays and lesbians in the state is important.
After all, what other group of people can say they have representatives holding political office in just 33 of the country's 50 states?
Jewish-Americans?
African-Americans?
Women?
Of course not.
But face it.
Though racial and religious discrimination is still prevalent in our country, discriminating against and ostracizing gays and lesbians are the most socially tolerated forms of intolerance in our society today.
Jokes and innuendo regarding sexual orientation are fair game for sitcoms and late-night comedy hosts.
Walk through the Pit and hear, "That's so gay," or, "What a fag."
In such a climate at large, is it any wonder that there are only 33 states with openly gay and lesbian officials?
(Though I promise that all 50 states have ones still hiding in the closet.)
That's why recognizing those who have taken the bold step to not only open up their closets to the public, but freely come out of them, is worthwhile.
"Out and Elected in the U.S.A." premiered April 14 to a crowd of more than 100. The exhibit runs through May 12.
Take a few minutes to visit.
The men and women who grace the Century Center's walls are pioneers who have my gratitude and respect.
At the very least, they deserve to have us hear what they say.
By Jonathan Chaney
When you run for political office, it's best to make sure your closet is clean of skeletons.
And conventional wisdom also tells you that if you're gay and want a political office, it's best to stay in the closet.
But more and more successful pols are bucking that trend.
If you don't believe me, take a look at the photo exhibit "Out and Elected in the U.S.A." on display at the Carrboro Century Center.
The exhibit was organized by Washington, D.C., photographer R. S. Lee, who spent more than four years compiling all of the material.
There are 60 photos of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans who either hold public office or held public office in the past.
Surrounding the photo montages are personal essays from leaders in 30 of the 33 states where openly gay and lesbian officials have captured elected office.
With the sponsorship of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, a national educational and public interest group that helps gay and lesbians attain political office all over the country, the exhibit is on a national tour after a stint in Washington, D.C.
And Carrboro was its first stop.
There's good reason for Chapel Hill and Carrboro to be the national debut for this exhibit.
That's because this area has been the vanguard of LGBT political opportunity in North Carolina.
In fact, two of our own are on display in the exhibit itself.
Joe Herzenberg, former Chapel Hill Town Council member and mayor pro tem, became the state's first openly gay elected official when he sat down in the Chapel Hill Town Hall in 1987.
And Carrboro Mayor Mike Nelson became North Carolina's first openly gay mayor in 1995.
But obviously Chapel Hill and Carrboro are not microcosms of the entire state.
There are still many counties here where people would be deathly afraid to come out of the closet, much less try and run for a publicly elected office.
Supporters of this exhibit, including photographer Lee himself, hope this tour will allay some of those fears -- or at least educate the public at large.
"If this can help one person who has always said, 'No way, no how,' realize that it doesn't have to be that way, that they don't have to spend their life trying to be something that they're not, then I've accomplished my goal," Lee said.
People like Nelson and Herzenberg are anomalies in a state whose national political identity is inexorably linked with Sen. Jesse Helms.
But recognizing their contributions to political mainstreaming for gays and lesbians in the state is important.
After all, what other group of people can say they have representatives holding political office in just 33 of the country's 50 states?
Jewish-Americans?
African-Americans?
Women?
Of course not.
But face it.
Though racial and religious discrimination is still prevalent in our country, discriminating against and ostracizing gays and lesbians are the most socially tolerated forms of intolerance in our society today.
Jokes and innuendo regarding sexual orientation are fair game for sitcoms and late-night comedy hosts.
Walk through the Pit and hear, "That's so gay," or, "What a fag."
In such a climate at large, is it any wonder that there are only 33 states with openly gay and lesbian officials?
(Though I promise that all 50 states have ones still hiding in the closet.)
That's why recognizing those who have taken the bold step to not only open up their closets to the public, but freely come out of them, is worthwhile.
"Out and Elected in the U.S.A." premiered April 14 to a crowd of more than 100. The exhibit runs through May 12.
Take a few minutes to visit.
The men and women who grace the Century Center's walls are pioneers who have my gratitude and respect.
At the very least, they deserve to have us hear what they say.
Tuesday, April 16, 2002
'Out and Elected': Gay people in public office - A Century Center exhibit features openly gay politicians
Chapel Hill Herald, April 16, 2002
By GRETCHEN DECKER
CARRBORO - At any given time in the United States, there are roughly half-a-million elected officials, and a growing number are openly gay.
In "Out and Elected in the U.S.A.," a photo-text exhibit now on display at the Carrboro Century Center, photographer and documentarian R.S. Lee has captured what some are calling a new phase in American political history.
Black and white portraits of elected officials, accompanied by
excerpts from interviews conducted by Lee over the past four years, capture the experiences of 60 openly gay politicians in 30 states over the past 30 years.
At Sunday's opening, Lee said he set out to learn as much as he could by documenting the stories of out and elected officials in their own words - asking, Who are they? What don't we know about them? How did it happen?
Lee said he was drawn to these questions because when people who are "out" decide to run for office, "They hold themselves up to public scrutiny with the uncertainty of how the electorate would respond."
"It's difficult to be gay in our culture in many ways," Lee said. "We have a way of putting politicians on a pedestal and also throwing eggs at them."
...
Carrboro Mayor Mike Nelson was among several local politicians to attend the opening.
"I'm glad that these folks are being recognized for the work they did because they're pioneers in their own communities," Nelson said of the exhibit, in which he is one of the politicians featured.
"This last 25 years is really important because it was the first wave of openly gay and lesbian people in public office," he said.
By documenting this moment in American political history, "Ron has done a service to not just the lesbian and gay community, but the American community in general," Nelson said. "It's not unlike the first wave of African Americans being elected to office."
...
Former Chapel Hill Town Council member Joe Herzenberg, who is also featured in the exhibit, said that the exhibit showcases "a remarkably good bunch of people."
"To be gay or lesbian and open about it. I don't know how to explain this. But you have to be a bit better than the rest," Herzenberg said.
Herzenberg said that the public expects gay politicians to be beyond reproach, "even though we're not."
By GRETCHEN DECKER
CARRBORO - At any given time in the United States, there are roughly half-a-million elected officials, and a growing number are openly gay.
In "Out and Elected in the U.S.A.," a photo-text exhibit now on display at the Carrboro Century Center, photographer and documentarian R.S. Lee has captured what some are calling a new phase in American political history.
Black and white portraits of elected officials, accompanied by
excerpts from interviews conducted by Lee over the past four years, capture the experiences of 60 openly gay politicians in 30 states over the past 30 years.
At Sunday's opening, Lee said he set out to learn as much as he could by documenting the stories of out and elected officials in their own words - asking, Who are they? What don't we know about them? How did it happen?
Lee said he was drawn to these questions because when people who are "out" decide to run for office, "They hold themselves up to public scrutiny with the uncertainty of how the electorate would respond."
"It's difficult to be gay in our culture in many ways," Lee said. "We have a way of putting politicians on a pedestal and also throwing eggs at them."
...
Carrboro Mayor Mike Nelson was among several local politicians to attend the opening.
"I'm glad that these folks are being recognized for the work they did because they're pioneers in their own communities," Nelson said of the exhibit, in which he is one of the politicians featured.
"This last 25 years is really important because it was the first wave of openly gay and lesbian people in public office," he said.
By documenting this moment in American political history, "Ron has done a service to not just the lesbian and gay community, but the American community in general," Nelson said. "It's not unlike the first wave of African Americans being elected to office."
...
Former Chapel Hill Town Council member Joe Herzenberg, who is also featured in the exhibit, said that the exhibit showcases "a remarkably good bunch of people."
"To be gay or lesbian and open about it. I don't know how to explain this. But you have to be a bit better than the rest," Herzenberg said.
Herzenberg said that the public expects gay politicians to be beyond reproach, "even though we're not."
Sunday, April 14, 2002
A Gay Person In Public Life - essay by Joe Herzenberg
Essay for Out and Elected in the USA photo exhibit, written 2001
by JOE HERZENBERG
It was a simple matter. I had always been interested in politics. Both my father and his father had served on the Borough Council and the Board of Education in my hometown of Franklin, New Jersey, where I was born.
After five years at Yale, where I studied history, and another five years at Tougaloo College in Mississippi, where I taught and helped make history and witnessed great social change, I arrived in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a southern university town with a tradition of liberalism and tolerance. That was in 1969, when the voters had just elected the first Black mayor in a White-majority southern town.
While still in the closet, I ran for the Chapel Hill Town Council for the first time in 1979. I lost, but then served two years on the Council after being appointed to fill a vacancy. It wasn’t until 1987, after I came out, that I was elected to a full term on the Council. I served for six years, and one of those years, 1992, I was also Mayor Pro Tempore.
Chapel Hill has about 45,000 residents, half of them University of North Carolina students. And our local elections are non-partisan. (There are not enough Republicans to make much difference.) Gay students and activists, and sometimes the North Carolina press tried to make a big deal about my election as the first openly gay official on "the Southern Mainland" – there was already one of us in Key West. But most of my constituents didn’t seem to mind one way or the other, so long as I was doing a good job tending to the public business.
I enjoyed my service on the Town Council, where I helped accomplish a good deal including a shelter for the homeless, a new public library, a downtown parking garage and plaza, important additions to our greenway system, an AIDS house, and new legislation in several areas including tree protections and noise abatement. And I always was, and still am, a gay person in public life in our town.
by JOE HERZENBERG
It was a simple matter. I had always been interested in politics. Both my father and his father had served on the Borough Council and the Board of Education in my hometown of Franklin, New Jersey, where I was born.
After five years at Yale, where I studied history, and another five years at Tougaloo College in Mississippi, where I taught and helped make history and witnessed great social change, I arrived in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a southern university town with a tradition of liberalism and tolerance. That was in 1969, when the voters had just elected the first Black mayor in a White-majority southern town.
While still in the closet, I ran for the Chapel Hill Town Council for the first time in 1979. I lost, but then served two years on the Council after being appointed to fill a vacancy. It wasn’t until 1987, after I came out, that I was elected to a full term on the Council. I served for six years, and one of those years, 1992, I was also Mayor Pro Tempore.
Chapel Hill has about 45,000 residents, half of them University of North Carolina students. And our local elections are non-partisan. (There are not enough Republicans to make much difference.) Gay students and activists, and sometimes the North Carolina press tried to make a big deal about my election as the first openly gay official on "the Southern Mainland" – there was already one of us in Key West. But most of my constituents didn’t seem to mind one way or the other, so long as I was doing a good job tending to the public business.
I enjoyed my service on the Town Council, where I helped accomplish a good deal including a shelter for the homeless, a new public library, a downtown parking garage and plaza, important additions to our greenway system, an AIDS house, and new legislation in several areas including tree protections and noise abatement. And I always was, and still am, a gay person in public life in our town.
Joe in 2000, as featured in Out and Elected in the U.S.A. photo exhibit
Photo exhibit documents gay elected officials
Chapel Hill News, April 14, 2002
By Virginia Knapp
CARRBORO -- A new exhibit, "Out and Elected in the U.S.A.," opening today at the Carrboro Century Center provides a snapshot of gays and lesbians in recent political history.
"The real importance of this exhibit is the historical value of capturing this moment in time," Carrboro Mayor Mike Nelson said. "The last quarter-century has seen the first openly gay people elected to public office. It's like when the first women were elected and the first African Americans."
"It's important that those folks and their lives be documented in some way."
The photo exhibit of 60 openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender Americans who have served or currently serve in elected office throughout the country includes Nelson and Joe Herzenberg, a former Chapel Hill Town Council member and mayor pro tem.
Herzenberg became North Carolina's first openly gay elected official when he took office in 1987, and Nelson became the state's first openly gay mayor in 1995.
"I think gay political people elsewhere in the country think we are so brave down here having to deal with Jesse Helms," Herzenberg said. "But I've never met Jesse Helms. He doesn't live in my town. Really, life isn't so difficult here in North Carolina.
"But there may be a pity thing going on."
Carrboro is the first stop on a national tour for the exhibit, which was organized by Washington, D.C., photographer R.S. Lee and sponsored by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Foundation.
"While the collection focuses specifically on the collective experience of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender political candidates, ultimately it reflects the courage of all people who hold themselves up to the scrutiny of the electorate," Lee said. "They care about their communities and want to make a difference."
The 60 photos hang near personal essays written by officials from 30 of the 33 states where openly gay and lesbian candidates have been elected.
Herzenberg said the photos and personal essays in the exhibit help put a face on a part of the population that many people might not realize is there.
"I still believe very strongly that it's important for gay people to come out and run for public office," Herzenberg said. "It's important because it helps to dispel the notion that there's no gay people where we live."
Nelson said he was honored that the exhibit is debuting in Carrboro, and he hopes that the show will highlight the larger issues of democracy and fairness.
"A democracy works best when a diverse set of views is at the table when decisions are being made," Nelson said. "The importance of having openly gay elected officials can't be overstated."
By Virginia Knapp
CARRBORO -- A new exhibit, "Out and Elected in the U.S.A.," opening today at the Carrboro Century Center provides a snapshot of gays and lesbians in recent political history.
"The real importance of this exhibit is the historical value of capturing this moment in time," Carrboro Mayor Mike Nelson said. "The last quarter-century has seen the first openly gay people elected to public office. It's like when the first women were elected and the first African Americans."
"It's important that those folks and their lives be documented in some way."
The photo exhibit of 60 openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender Americans who have served or currently serve in elected office throughout the country includes Nelson and Joe Herzenberg, a former Chapel Hill Town Council member and mayor pro tem.
Herzenberg became North Carolina's first openly gay elected official when he took office in 1987, and Nelson became the state's first openly gay mayor in 1995.
"I think gay political people elsewhere in the country think we are so brave down here having to deal with Jesse Helms," Herzenberg said. "But I've never met Jesse Helms. He doesn't live in my town. Really, life isn't so difficult here in North Carolina.
"But there may be a pity thing going on."
Carrboro is the first stop on a national tour for the exhibit, which was organized by Washington, D.C., photographer R.S. Lee and sponsored by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Foundation.
"While the collection focuses specifically on the collective experience of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender political candidates, ultimately it reflects the courage of all people who hold themselves up to the scrutiny of the electorate," Lee said. "They care about their communities and want to make a difference."
The 60 photos hang near personal essays written by officials from 30 of the 33 states where openly gay and lesbian candidates have been elected.
Herzenberg said the photos and personal essays in the exhibit help put a face on a part of the population that many people might not realize is there.
"I still believe very strongly that it's important for gay people to come out and run for public office," Herzenberg said. "It's important because it helps to dispel the notion that there's no gay people where we live."
Nelson said he was honored that the exhibit is debuting in Carrboro, and he hopes that the show will highlight the larger issues of democracy and fairness.
"A democracy works best when a diverse set of views is at the table when decisions are being made," Nelson said. "The importance of having openly gay elected officials can't be overstated."
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