-: (muffled speaking) Evening, the Honorable Fred Blair,
who is seeking re-election to
-: Place 110, District 110. -: 110.
If you have the blank questionnaire in front of you,
we'll get that out of the way, quickly.
Legislator Candidate Questionnaire.
Answer to question-
blank ones are at the back of the room.
Question #1 is yes, #2, yes, #3, yes,
#4, yes, and #5, yes.
If you'd like to spend a couple of minutes
with an opening statement?
Fred: Well, I'm no stranger to you all,
I've been here before.
I've been here a number of times before.
I've enjoyed the support.
I read 99% of the time so I've enjoyed the support.
(laughs)
But, as you know, I do not have an opponent,
but I am back again.
Of course, certainly, I wanted to make myself available.
I am not one of those who just sat here before
so I don't have an opponent
and I don't take the time off to come by
for those who have supported me in the past
and say, look, I still need your support
and I'm available to work with you.
I've done that and I continue to do that.
So, I feel as that I just might just say to you again
thanks for your support in the past,
I look forward to working with you in the future
and I did wanted to come.
-: Thank you. Thank you.
Are there any questions?
-: We talked about increasing state funding,
so you created that idea,
-: Sure.
-: currently spending 2 million dollars for state education.
And, for a state that has 2 or 3 thousand AIDS
cases right now, today,
and 15 million people.
-: Right
-: And, with a thousand cases (indistinct) increasing today,
if not more.
Where do you see the funding?
How much more funding are you talking spending
about in the next 5 years?
Where are you gonna get the money from?
Fred: Well, I hear funding.
-: (Crowd laughs)
Fred: No, um, let me just say that health.
Health is sort of essential to all of us.
Why should we shutter
when we talk about paying the bill for health?
You don't have an individual.
You don't have, life, you don't have government
you don't have anything.
So whatever is necessary, I think we outta spend it.
It's just that simple.
We get it from through usual places.
We don't have any other course
except revenue through taxation and fees.
If it's necessary to do it, then we must do it.
I, as you know, the committee is out now looking
to the possibility of coming back with a new tax structure.
I think if we all be honest with ourselves
we've got to look at personal contact.
We've just got to pay whatever is necessary
or give give whatever is necessary to deal with health.
And, and obviously the federal government has not
certainly done what it should have or could have
for those persons within our state.
And we're very conservative about saying we don't wanna
we don't want the government
in Washington telling us what, well, you gotta pay.
You gotta pay through the state of Texas.
Say they want to take on the responsibility.
They gotta do what's fair.
Yeah, I can want that with it.
-: As far I know for our state project
Fred: Sure
-: But for anything
Fred: I understand
-: Except for highways and schools so
those severities and act went back.
Fred: Absolutely. I certainly hope the legislatures
wanna change and make that allowance.
(indistinct)
And there are others that I don't mind saying.
Bill knows how I feel about his voting rights
and about his position on things that are very boring
to the basic needs of an individual citizen.
Hopefully we're going to have a better legislature.
Hopefully. This time around some of the older conservatives
Are moving on and
And hopefully that's gonna make it better.
I think possibly we could come out
with a working majority that certainly be more sensitive
than anything what's happened.
-: Speaking of fundraising.
What type of coalition, you think can be
assembled, to deal
with the multifaceted AIDS problem
that's plagued us for years?
At the time I was planning problems.
He has to react to how
how you think he'll act for political purposes?
Go about doing this and Ritch is bringing to this process.
First of all
we're going to have the problem with the gay community.
We will be experiencing to the veranto of AIDS cases
hopefully hitting the curve
or the rates of infection will start decreasing
and education won't be our primary concern,
but patient care, anti-age discrimination,
legislation will be kicked off due to insurance
Mr. Howling, will be our concern,
while in the minority community,
we're going to start a seeing a rate
of infection, increasing ages here
and they're going to need a great deal of education.
I'm wondering, looking at how the bumpy past the
collum is, how has I think here again
-: (multiple voices talking at once with laughter).
-: What I think now,
it was kind of what
we find to is
who is gonna be elected, at least to the state house.
I think basically the blacks and Hispanics of the house
Are gonna work extremely well.
We worked very close with the cabinet.
Various groups of Anglos who are very sensitive
certainly from the last last, the 70th legislature.
We may have been anti minority per se
but we were very close to a majority.
When we put together the coalition based on the things
I think that we will be able to put together
and I rushed this question you're you are correct that
but I think it will be extremely hockey
or it is at this point.
I certainly it's on increase rather than decrease.
I spoke to that in my Sunday school class,
on this past Sunday
at five, five, we've got to make the difference.
There were those who wants to
to walk away from the gay problem,
wanna walk away, the
the black problem wants to walk away the various problems
and they try to segmentize it when we all share it.
Especially the dreadful disease of AIDS, we all share it.
We all are gonna to have to do what we can.
And I think we must preach that message, whether it's
in the legislature, whether it's in the churches
or whether it's at City Hall, we all going to
have to preach that message that we've got to come together
and deal with the AID epidemic.
Yes, I've read where it is subsiding
in the lesbian gay community.
But I know.
I know how tough it is in the black community.
Especially coming from the side
that's supposed to be cutting us off from that.
I pulled this off.
So we've got to work with that.
We've got to be mindful of the fact
that it's something we've gotta deal with and
use as much precious with us.
Certainly locked out of your sport and happiness
through that.
But I think that coalition is possible based
on what I saw and that's the evidence
at the legislature, and I think based on what I've seen
as far as those that are experts possibly go through there.
I won't be a freshman this time around.
I have a bit more to say.
If that makes a difference.
There's no questions?
-: We recently received the report from
our lawyers that shows the connection of all members of the,
especially the House and the Senate.
And you're ready our issues 100 percent.
And we appreciate that.
I just want to reiterate, what's been said
that the next session, we're gonna need
more help than ever because
Texas, unfortunately has a record we outta be ashamed of
when it comes to education and support.
We're about the 4th highest in the nation for cases
and we're, you know,
very close to the bottom when it comes to spending
How can you assist us in times of,
is there a way you can get yourself appointed to committees
that could be especially helpful in this area
or other things that you can do?
Are there ways that we can help you?
It's so severe, and we all get so ashamed at the
record of our state that we've got to do something.
-: Sure
-: Gotta be drastic this time.
-: Sure.
-: We, put that health committee,
That's where I think that much of it will be,
I think, developed from.
As far as the legislation search committee this time
perhaps I can get appointed to a bit more committees than
I did last time I was appointed too.
There are some who serve on multiple committees.
Certainly that's one way of doing it.
Helps to make the committee
generate the bills and send it out.
Secondly, I guess the other way is to make sure
that a bill was in the hopper included
but making sure that included
in the budget will be increased funding.
Yes, we need your help on lobbying, pushing
and making sure the right people are stroked.
So, and that they were all sensitive
to the need for more money for funding AIDS.
I can make that by the time the seventies rolled around
I think that there will be enough that will be sensitized
to the fact that we all were at the bottom.
We need to keep the war.
It is not declining
and its totality that we must address these years.
I think we've going to have more pressure
on the general process to deal with that.
Your help by bringing forward information
certainly, being in that lobby,
working in concert certainly with other groups.
And there are other groups that are very concerned about
the deal and your position collectively
with every coaliltion will be very critical at this point.
That's how you help.
-: Thank you, Mr. Blair. Time has elapsed.
If you'd like to take a couple
of minutes for some making remarks please do so.
-: Well, once again, as I've said in the past, that uh,
I have been,
I think,
a friend of the lesbian/gay committee,
a group or community, I've worked
with a number of you all city council at city council.
Certainly I've tried to do what I could at the, well
during the last of the legislature, I'm committed to
continue doing what I can.
Discrimination against anyone is
discrimination against all of us.
And until we all realize
that we all are human beings,
must share this burden collectively together
and work for the betterment of all each and everyone
rather than what we've seen in our city.
The last few days, I hope that he can overcome that.
It's the cancer that is gonna eat us alive if we don't.
And with that, I rest my case.
-: (crowd clapping)
-: Okay. I like to introduce
to you the candidate before us at this time,
Mr.Ben Subarus, Jr.
Candidate for Constable precinct one.
Mr. Subarus, if you'd like to take
the place at the vestibule. Ben: Thank you.
I would like to say first of all,
that I took a little bit of time,
rather than I'm sure the greater majority
of you have seen the questionnaire that
was sent to the candidates.
And I took a little bit of length
to your time and answering that in a letter.
So I'm going to kind of encapsulate my answers
to the questions to each of you
unless you happen to have copies of my letter out there.
Let me give you a little background
on myself first of all, and then we'll go
to my answering all the questions.
I am 38 years old.
I am 36 years in Dallas.
My family moved here when I was two years old.
I am the son of a former intelligence officer
on General Ising Harris' staff during the second war.
My mother was a Pentagon secretary during the second war
and they met in Germany, married in Germany.
I was born in Germany and we came over here.
We settled by the time I was two years old in East Dallas.
I was raised right behind the castle in the shopping center.
I'd gone on road to Bukner Boulevard.
I'm an East Dallas boy.
I graduated from Brian Adams high school in 1967.
I went to North Texas State University and also
to the Pacific Western university in Los Angeles.
Degrees in telecommunications and public administration.
And I'm back doing some more work
on a master's degree in public administration through back
through Pacific Western university in Los Angeles.
Delta airlines is getting a lot
of my money right now because I'm running back
and forth between here and LA doing committees.
For those of you who are understand the master's process.
I am a law enforcement officer and I am a businessman.
I am also a Republican candidate for those
because I believe that you were screening
both Republicans and Democrats.
-: Yeah
Ben: This is an open screening situation.
I am the only opposition
to the present Republican incumbent, Forest Keen
who is presently the Republican
the incumbent Constable of precinct one in Dallas County.
I'm not going to get into a lot of differences between us.
I will talk simply about my particular qualifications.
I was with the Dallas County Sheriff's department
for almost three years
in the late seventies and worked all divisions
as a special assignments reserve officer
in various departments and left
and resigned from that department as a Sargent.
I did two tours with Carrollton
and University Park police departments.
So I'm very familiar with this church building
and it's positioning right here in University Park,
or on the edge of the park city.
I have been the senior deputy Constable of Column County
which is a position I presently hold
and the assistant chief deputy Constable
of Denton County precinct port.
So I've been in law enforcement agencies
from three Northern Texas counties, including Dallas.
I have always lived in Dallas.
It has not been a, a wall to not work where you live
or work where you live or live, where you work rather
but rather something, some law enforcement
agencies that is a departmental policy.
-: Time.
Ben: Okay.
-: Thank you, sir.
In response to the questionnaire
I should have a blind one in front of you.
This is the general candidate questionnaire.
I won't read the questions themselves.
I will attempt to read the responses.
-: I can probably, I'm familiar with the letter
if you're not sure.
And I can probably give you some pretty fast responses
to those if however you'd like to do it.
-: Whichever again
-: I'll just go ahead.
-: OK.
-: In response to the first question.
I will get that first paragraph.
-: OK -: Since you covered that
First question obviously already answered
in the previous section.
Yes. I believe that all citizens have the same civil rights
regardless of race, creed, national origin, religion
sexual preference, et cetera.
This is one of the basic tenants of our U.S. constitution.
And we, as citizens should remain diligent to see
that we maintain those rights to our freedoms.
Mr. Zumbas did jump to question three
but I think um,
-: These two were related.
-: Go on the number two.
Personally I believe that Texas still has many old outdated
and or non enforceable laws, which should be changed.
Section 2106 of the penal code, I would say certainly falls
into the non enforceable category.
If one wants to be realistic hearing the point almost
to being humorous police officers would virtually
have to become peeping Toms pairing
through windows to try to get evidence
which would then probably be unenforceable in court.
Please excuse the levity.
Obviously criminalizing private sexual behavior
between consenting adults is beyond enforcement
and the mentality behind it, not supportable and reason.
As long as the modifiers of 'private' and 'consenting' exist
people should be allowed to do what they desire
and enjoy the freedoms we have as Americans.
However, I also believe
that the open public is no place where sexual actions
or displays and laws
for those types of actions should be enforced.
Question three.
If I believe that all citizens should have the same
civil rights, then I, as an elected administrator
of a public office where hiring and firing powers
would certainly consider a qualified gay
or lesbian applicant for a position on the staff.
I will point out here too
that the constable's office is a law enforcement agency
therefore having more specific criteria for hiring employees
then other governmental offices for obvious reasons.
Therefore, I would add that a person not only qualified
but be furtherly competent and capable to handle the duties
of the job as well.
Here again, these qualifiers would be inspected
for all applicants, be the position a deputy Constable
or a clerical office staff position.
Question four is a hard one because we all know that AIDS
and related complexes have long since ceased being
a gay issue.
It is now the most serious of health issues.
I don't think that anyone who has AIDS
or the related complexes should literally
be discriminated against, but there should be
certain modified limitations in place for the direction
of those with the disease, for the health and
wellbeing of those not infected.
I must emphasize here that these limitations be not
discriminatory in nature, but be more along the lines
of guidelines or those with the disease to follow.
This ailment, we all know is under close study
by the medical community.
And we all hope that a cure is found with great dispatch.
We should all be consistent consistently aware
of the health hazards as determined by medical science
and use good, common sense that our interaction
with those that were affected.
Question five.
I am somewhat surprised to see question five
in your questionnaire as this I believe is not
really a gay issue.
Whereas questions one through four would
apply to me as a potential office holder involved
in hiring practices and the questions
of discrimination there in.
The question of abortion in no way affects my duties
as Constable, even in the enforcement of laws covering
this issue to the best of my knowledge and belief.
I believe that the law of the land should be upheld
unless, and until such time as it has changed
through political means.
I believe that covers the core,
-: That covers it.
-: OK.
In response to the requests at the
bottom of the questionnaire.
Mr. Zubra is before us today seeking endorsement.
He did schedule that meeting in advance,
and he does plan to attend our candidate's night
on February 2nd at 7:30 in this church.
Now, if we could proceed the questions
-: I know you had a question today.
-: Question for the store about guidelines.
Um, what kind of guidelines are you talking about?
-: I feel that these guidelines should be
more along the lines of a,
a disease control situation that would be medically oriented
not, not in any way discriminatory as far as a
civil rights structure is concerned.
-: It's not the same.
You're not gonna contract that working with someone.
-: Okay.
-: Even if you live in the same house with them
and we use the same toothbrush.
So, um, what guideline's you talking about?
-: Well, it depends upon the
I tend to have my own personal feelings about
about the contraction of the degree of the disease.
The, my personal feelings on it are
are probably on me along the lines of,
of, bodily fluids.
I don't know if I personally necessarily agree with a lot
of medical science and to be very honest with you, sir
I have not kept up with the most recent of medical things
on that, but the results of any medical study, I
know some general generalized things that I have read about.
But as specifically, as far as limitations being in place
I would say that they should relate not
to the working environment in working
with somebody in the same office, who, who has the disease
but more along the lines of any possibility
of there being any exchange or exposure, bodily fluids.
If, if there could be
this would probably be like restroom or bathroom areas.
Something like that.
-: Would you then, if you were to make
Constable and training sessions,
would your office show him what is and
what is not a problem?
-: If there,
if there were particular guidelines that were set for that.
Yes, I would have a training session
for that for my employees.
-: One point of interest,
Precinct one, what is the general area?
-: I brought the map and I left it down in my car.
-: Just the general, general area.
-: The, it starts through downtown.
It comes up through the middle
of right up the middle of Cedar Springs
and up to Inwood and then follows Inwood around East
the east side of Love Field to Lover's Lane.
Lovers Lanes to Lemon, and it goes around
north of Northwest Highway.
It covers both Park City the eastern half
of what would be called the Preston Hollow area
coming back east of central west of White Rock Lake.
That covers all of the Lakewood area.
Abrams Road North, Lake Highlands area, and then back around
on the east side of the Lake, the old section
of Lake Highlands, Castle Linda, Castle View,
almost up to Mesquite, almost up to
the Garland city limits and back in.
It's the central core of Dallas County.
-: Cedar Springs as a Western westbound community center?
-: Yes, at this point in time, there are some changes
in the boundary lines that the Dallas County
commissioners have structured effective January 1st of 1989.
As far as the Cedar Springs Inwood area, right around there
for precinct one and the adjoining precinct eight
I do not believe that there had been
any lines changes through there.
So precinct one does, does carry a half of that area.
The other half is over into precinct 8.
Yeah, do you have a
-: What type of, would you be willing to
if the problem arose, to in the process of
in the course of administering your office,
if the question arose about
hiring your employee with AIDS
-: (coughing)
-: Or would your process, would that
-: (coughing)
-: and process across zero positive?
Or the question arose how you transport prisoners,
who had AIDS or are zero positive?
What would you be looking at guidelines such as those?
Maybe expressed by Ron Anderson of Parkwood Hospital
who has regular experience with that.
Or with the CDC, Center For Disease Control,
that issued the guidelines to the federal government.
Are those the types of places you'd look
for for guidelines and administering your office?
-: Yes. I would look first to medical science
and make my own decisions as far
as the, my particular reactions
to either the transporter prisoner.
Exactly. As you said, or in the
with situations involving an employee in the office.
Medical science would be the first place I would look
and ask for some guidelines to be set.
Matter of fact, I think the Parkland thing with Dr.
Anderson would be a real good place to start.
Thank you.
-: Okay. Thank you very much. Time has elapsed.
If you like, though, you can take this question
instead of a summation.
-: That's fine.
-: Okay. If you can make it quick please, though.
-: What would make it to our advantage endorsing
you as compared to the other candidates in the race?
-: What sets you apart from the other candidates?
-: Well, for one thing, I don't know
and I don't really care if they have issued
issued a response to your questionnaire at all.
I will say this, that in my speaking for myself,
as I that's the only person I can really speak
for is that I am probably
and knowing the opposition candidates as I know them,
and so drawing a comparison of my own feelings,
I am very much of the forward thinking school
as opposed to a candidate who's been around
on this earth for a long time.
Who I don't believe to be, and I do know him personally
and I don't believe him to be of the
same school that I am of.
I was raised in an extremely progressive thinking family
with the attitude of giving and approaching all people
with on an, on an equality. A basis of equality
and to do with civil rights and personal rights.
I am, I'm not prone.
I'm prone to making my own decisions, given information
on my own and not just to follow the party line regardless
of what party or to just simply make my decisions based
on my own thinking and based on my own feelings.
And that's where I am.
And that's exactly the way I intend to
administer this office.
-: Thank you very much, sir.
-: Thank you, sir.
-: I appreciate your time.
-: (crowd clapping)
-: Our candidate before us
at this time is the honorable David Cain.
State representative for one oh six,
no seven, excuse me
one zero seven seeking re-election.
Mr. Cain.
David: Thank you very much.
I'll try to give you some time back on the three minutes.
I know many of you in the audience
but I think it's very presumptuous to not go
through, for a minute, what I consider to be
my qualifications for this office.
I'm a 40 year old lawyer
in private practice here in Dallas and have been since 1973.
when I graduated from law school.
I've been with, serve, several firms,
including out on my own at one point in time.
I am currently the incumbent representative of district
one oh seven, having just served my 6th term in office.
Prior to that time, some 4 years before I was a
member of the staff with then
State Representative, Jim Maddix.
When I was in law school, worked on various bills
including a successful effort to revamp
the then onerous terrible drug laws,
including marijuana at the time.
Came to work here with this office.
And I've been here in Dallas ever since.
I was precinct chairman prior to the time that I ran
in the district that was better represented by
by Milo Caulking,
But when I tried it before definitely
-: (crowd laughing)
-: at any right, I believe
that I'll offer district 107 experience
but still in a way with
with some, I guess, checked enthusiasm.
I think that the district that I represent
for those of you that know about it, and
many of you live in the district is multi-ethnic.
It is as diverse a district
as there probably is within the state.
And it's one that I think
that I do a good job of trying to balance the interests
and trying to take care of the various interest.
I might add
that when I was first elected to the office in 1976
the district did not have the same configuration
that it does now.
I voluntarily added
during the redistricting process, the Oak Lawn area, much
most of the Oak Lawn area and which I currently
am proud to say is a good part of my district.
So I have a large sizable identifiable population
in the district and, and I'm actively seeking your support.
-: Thank you very much.
-: In response to our questionnaire, please look
at the questionnaire you should have
in front of you at this time.
One of the legislative candidate questionnaires.
In response to question number 1, the answer is yes.
Number 2. Yes.
As a part of the comprehensive organized lobby effort.
Number 3. Yes. As a part of a comprehensive plan.
Number 4. Yes. As I have in the past session
of the Texas Legislature.
Number 5. Yes.
The response to the items at the bottom,
Cain is seeking the endorsement of LGP&C.
He did schedule and is here before us at this time.
And it does plan to attend Candidate's night
on February 2nd here.
OK, If we could take questions.
Sandy.
Sandy: Um, regarding more AIDS funding,
-: Yes
Sandy: Will we receive respect,
doing more and more sessions, more funding,
more care for people with AIDS and
understanding what they need?
Would they be qualified?
I would say qualified.
Yes. I believe that that the sensitivity
to the age issue is growing daily.
And I think that in addition
I think we just got our foot in the door
on the education money that we got in from the state
which was historic, but a drop in the bucket.
I mean, it was more, really more of a, of a showpiece
a rally point for us than it, then it was,
you know, something of great value.
But it was something. I think that the push this time
and I want to get back to some of the answers
to my questions regarding a comprehensive lobby planet.
But I think that the real thrust needs to be
in addition to additional education, money from the state
there needs to be some health care dollars
a substantial health care dollars included.
In addition to the federal money
sit there as you correctly, point out,
it's been passed through.
The qualifier that I, that I stated has to do with it
that overall dismal budget picture that we're looking at.
But within existing revenues, I think, yes
I think that we will, we will make a significant
push to try to do that.
And I hope it will be successful
-: In your college deck, in your mission accomplished
college plan, how would you plan to work with your
colleagues that are (indistinct)?
-: Well, it's a, it's a difficult situation.
And it's one that, that I've discussed, you know, in
in both brainstorming type of gatherings
as well as just among my colleagues.
And there's not a real easy answer to that.
I think you've got to, you've got to hit them
in the pocket book and you've got to also,
I mean there's a lot of, there's a lot of personal interplay
too, just as we had some lucky timing
and also some other things that were involved
in getting the education running at
at the appropriate time, you have to, you know
you have to have knowledge of the process
and have to kind of just work on these people.
But I tell you, and I attended, you know, some
there's some other groups around
that I'm going to be speaking
to a little later and we all know who they are, but I
I intend to talk to them too about the fact that, you know
it's one thing to make demands and, and to
to talk to your friends such as me
but it's another thing to start making inroads to some
of the people that we really need to make inroads to.
And within this County, as well as the rural ones.
I mean, I think it's great that we have a
Republican Constable of precinct 1 that's here
that's here to talk to this group.
And I think that we need to, you know
branch out, a lot of folks don't realize
that there are lots of gay voters in the
Republican North Dallas precinct.
They just don't know.
And they don't know that it means something.
And no, I mean, I, I know, and I know what's
in my district and I know who's there and who's voting
but some of these districts probably have as many as mine.
They're just not identifiable.
So long answer around.
Probably I didn't really hit it real hard
and give you a concise answer
but it's just a continuous process.
I think you've made some real strides
with Glen Maxi this time.
I think if it's channeled and, and thought through
and he gets the grassroots type
of support that I've been talking about in other districts
then I think that there could be some real impact this time
in addition to just a showpiece,
like that education money we got.
-: You talked about programs, you wanted to see that
coming out of the Federal Government's conditional aid?
-: I don't know. I don't know. I think that's,
I think that's a good place to
to try to fit part of it in.
The comprehensive plan that I'm talking about though
would be one that, that is presented
through your lobby, being Glenn or whomever that you choose.
And however you choose to do that.
With, with a series of, of meetings
informal as well as formal,
with legislative players, with with healthcare
and other professionals and with community people
with an eye toward what's doable.
You know, I wanted to, and let me just kind of
bridge over from that into, into the 2106 deal.
I mean, we introduced it last time I co-sponsored
it last time, it got no where.
We've got to remember that you know, there are
just a few of us right now that are identified
with people that are going to vote for that, for that bill.
And we can introduce it.
And, and I think there's good reason to
reasonable basis for doing that.
And I, I, you know, and I understand that
But as long as Clemence is the governor,
it cannot pass. That number one.
Number two, I mean, you know, this guy's got a
First Baptist church got down there, paint
he's paying him $60,000 a year out of our pockets
to advise him on religious and family issues.
Now he's not gonna sign that bill, assuming
that you get 76 votes in the house.
And assuming that you get 21 to bring it up in
the Senate and you know what we're talking about?
I mean, we've had some Republican lifestyles lately
it's just not going to happen.
So, you know, I mean, if it's important to do
they must do it, but let's be realistic about it.
And let's also then look at what's doable.
And, and, you know
I think that you look through that by looking at votes.
Hard votes that you got there and, and
votes that can be brought over.
And what is really, really important, you know
obviously 2106 is important.
It's important for lots of reasons.
But, you know I think there's some other things
that are important that are doable, too.
And I think that those things have got to be thought
out from the community and brought through me and
through others that are, that are interested in trying to
trying to make some progress here.
-: We have time for one last question. Cal?
-: Texas is the 4th highest state, in terms of AIDS cases,
at least in the last news that I saw.
But one of the lowest States in the nation in terms of
actual funding for AIDS education,
AIDS patients of course. -: Uh huh.
-: Any sort of AIDS to surge
and we look around the state there,
David Cain from Dallas, we got Lennie BreGarow from Austin.
-: Dan Bird from Houston, there you are.
-: Dan Bird, and uh,
-: (coughing)
I see the street for uh, in the past,
I believe so far, we've asked for very little
we've gotta ask for a lot this time.
We got to, it's critical.
We got people dying, and they're going to be a lot of people
that are not gay that are gonna die,
and black people and Brown people are hell
cycles and his sons.
And we can't accept, this time, less than a
major commitment from the latest one.
What can you tell us in terms of what you
and those other two can do to assist us?
-: Well, I can tell you this
I think of really good advice and counsel and work.
And, and when I put all this stuff in here
about comprehensive lobby plan, I'm talking about just that.
I mean, I think that the decision may not be
this may be a little hard, but I think that, that if
if you, if you concentrate on one or two doable things
and as far as I'm concerned that this age money is the most
important doable thing that there is right now
if you get too, you spread yourself too thin.
And if you, if you try to get too many things going
you really run a risk sometimes of not being able to
get anything done.
And I think that's what I'm talking about
when I say in the realm of doable, I think it is doable.
Now. I think that, that, I mean, it's drummed
into the public consciousness every day and it's even
reaching some people that are, that were surprising
that were surprised about.
I mean, I, you know, Holly and Lewis and others were really
interested in this now, and I think that we can really
do something about it.
If, if we're smart about it, I'm not saying don't do 2106.
Don't get me wrong.
I'm not saying don't do a lot of these other things
that are really important to do, but I think we've got to
really concentrate and use all our efforts
on things that are, that are really important and doable
-: Time has expired.
-: I appreciate it very much.
-: (clapping)
-: The candidate before is at this time is Mr.
Sandy Kress, who was the present Democratic County chair
and the seeking re-election. Mr. Kress.
Sandy: Thanks.
I really appreciate this opportunity to come
before the screening group and to seek your endorsement.
I'm proud that you all endorsed me in my first bid
for the County chair spot and I, and it would be meaningful
to me and I would deeply appreciate your support
in my reelection campaign.
I have been a person
in the two years that I've been in office as County chair
and a person who well before that is deeply committed
to the implementation of civil rights for all Americans.
And I think on issues of concern
to this group directly and indirectly, as they relate
to civil rights, civil liberties opportunities
for all Americans to participate fully
and to be able to have full opportunity, whether those are
on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation
or really any other kind of arbitrary
classification that makes no sense.
I have stood a four square with the advocates to
try to implement and try to insist upon full civil rights
for all Americans in that respect.
I would like to believe, and to the extent
that we haven't done enough
I want to do more, but I would like to believe
that the party has been fully open
that we have encouraged participation that
in all of the important activities of the party
lesbian and gay Democrats have been able to participate
in leadership roles within the party as precinct chairs
as members of important committees that we have appointed
on the members of the state democratic executive committee
of course, from this area, all
of which I firmly and thoroughly and totally applaud.
I would like to see our elected office holders
like David Payne and others do as much as we can
on the priorities of this organization and on the priorities
of all the organizations that seek the sorts
of goals and things that we do.
And I would like to think that the party has stood
for these causes and these issues during my tenure.
And I will commit to you that we will do at least as well
if not better in advocating these increased
during the course of the next two years.
Let me say finally, and then my answers to these questions
which are important to you, I know will be read.
I, it is important that we elect Democrats.
I know there's some Republicans who may
on certain issues do well, but I think frankly
it's in the interest of the causes and issues
that we've discussed to elect a Democrat president 1988
and Democrats up and down the ballot.
I think it's important for all of us.
Obviously, that's the principle purpose at all,
me seeking in my.