Responses of Ray Avrutis to GLAA 2000 Questionnaire
for DC Council Candidates
| Yes/No | Substance | Record | Championship | Total |
| 1.5 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0.5 |
PUBLIC SAFETY
1. Will you vote for a budget for the new Citizen Complaint Review Board and the Office of Citizen Complaint Review large enough to prevent the development of a case backlog?
Yes. This is basic civil rights stuff. The amount of money involved won't bankrupt the city.
2. Will you support legislation that will reverse the Council's recent enactment of a ban on moonlighting by members of the Metropolitan Police Department at bars and sexually oriented establishments?
Yes. This is America. By and large, people should be free to choose where to work.
3. Will you support amending recently enacted Sexual Offenders Registration Act, "Megan's Law," so that those who can prove to the court that they no longer constitute a danger to the community will not be required to register as a sex offender?
Yes. Only have rapists and child molesters on this list. Entrapment doesn't mean that a person is a "sex offender."
4. Will you support the full funding and full staffing of the Metropolitan Police Department's newly created Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit (GLLU) as currently proposed?
Yes. With the vast number of gays living in D.C., this is long overdue.
5. Will you demand mandatory gay male, lesbian, bisexual and transgender sensitivity and diversity training including gay and transgender community representative as a continuing part of the training for all members of the Metropolitan Police Department and the Fire/EMS Department?
Oh sure. In fact, GLAA may be asked for input as to what should be incorporated into the sensitivity training.
PUBLIC HEALTH & HIV
6. Last year, a unique identifier system for tracking the spread of HIV was approved by the Council and Mayor, rather than a names reporting system that would deter some people from being tested in the first place. Will you insist that unique identifier system be implemented without delay and fairly evaluated?
This makes sense. I will vote for it.
7. Will you oppose Bill 13-240 which would make possession and distribution of marijuana for medical purposes a felony?
Yes! One of my platform planks is to have buyers' clubs for medical marijuana for those with a proveable, medical need for it. (See #20, enclosed 4-page platform.)
8. Will you support the use of District taxpayer funds to implement a needle exchange program?
If elected, I will write a letter to Bill Gates, asking that he pay for this, as the city is not allowed by Congress to spend its money on this, so that a wider pool of college applicants would become available for Mr. Gates' scholarship money. I will publicize my writing of this letter as well.
9. The Administration for HIV/AIDS (AHA) is still unable to account for its spending. Will you ask the Inspector General to audit AHA contracting.
Yes! If you don't know where the money is going, it could be going into someone's pocket. We (the citizens and council) must know that this money is being spent for the purposes for which it was appropriated and intended.
10. Will you support earmarking funds to combat mental health problems and homelessness among sexual minority youth?
Why not a charter school for gay youth? Yes, kids need all the help they can get. I would support more money for outreach, more money for runaway houses, money to feed and just give money to kids, money to print brochures telling kids how to apply for Food Stamps and Medicaid, etc.
HUMAN RIGHTS
11. Will you support a temporary increase in the annual budget for the Office of Human Rights (OHR) over the next several years until its persistent 700-case backlog has been eliminated?
The 700-case backlog is a disgrace. Yes, I would support a temporary increase in the OHR budget until the backlog has been eliminated.
12. Will you support legislation that will codify OHR's former practice of giving top priority to discrimination complaints filed by people with AIDS or other major life- threatening diseases?
Oh, shit yes. This, again, is long overdue.
13. DC's rate of HIV infections among teenagers is significantly higher than the national average. Will you support legislation to increase HIV prevention efforts targeted towards sexual minority youth?
Have older gays patrolling near 23rd & P Sts., N.W. on weekend nights, with flyers, condoms, etc. Have a teaching guide for schools. Write scripts for TV - and then complain when they're not made into into actual TV episodes.
DEFENDING OUR FAMILIES
14. Will you support legal recognition of marriages between partners of the same sex?
It is my fault for falling deeply and forever in love with A Wonderful Girl, when we were both 16. We speak every week now, and she told me more than once that she is my sister (we have never had sex). Lynnelove cannot be compared to whatever I had with boys (peers) when I was a teen-ager. Therefore, while I will support legal civil unions between partners of the same sex, I believe it is in the interest of society to procreate (but not overpopulate!!) the species.
Further, marriage (or civil union) should be celebrated by a couple, not just by one person. I would change many, many things about what marriage (including teaching about gay and straight relationships in schools), so my question about homosexual marriage isn't just limited to this one aspect of the lifetime bond between two people.
15. Will you agree that the District should recognize the same-sex civil unions established in Vermont or other jurisdictions?
Hell yes. I'd definitely vote for this legislation, were Councilman Graham to introduce it.
16. Will you support legislation in the District similar to Vermont's civil unions law?
Again, if Councilman Graham will introduce it, I'll vote for it without hesitation.
17. Will you support the well-established decision by D.C. Courts, which recognize the right of unmarried couples to adopt children jointly?
Lesbian couples, yes, two men, no. Why? Because I didn't get good motherinq when I grew up and had several surrogate fathers, but only one surrogate mother. I value Mommy-love a lot, and believe that every child deserves (at least) one Mommy preferably a good one.
YOUTH AND PUBLIC EDUCATION
18. Will you support legislation prohibiting harassment of students in the District schools (both public and charter) on the basis of any of the protected categories enumerated in the D.C. Human Rights Law?
Yes. And I favor sensitivity training for students as well, as part of my gay and straight marriage training (#14.)
I have available for $10.00 postpaid (i.e., at cost), a copy of my unaccepted M.A. thesis, "Bent on Mischief: A Troublemaker's Manual," which contains at least one demonstration for gays. Also, this ms. may get you thinking about what you gays can do in the area of civil disobedience.
Sincerely,
Raymond Avrutis