DC Mayor Fenty to Meet with Activists on Anti-Gay Violence

In recent weeks, the administration of hottie and gay-friendly Washington DC Mayor Adrian Fenty has taken some heat for the increasing number of anti-gay violent crimes. After some prodding by activists, the Washington Blade now reports Fenty has scheduled a January 16 meeting with Gays & Lesbians Opposing Violence. Police Chief Cathy Lanier will also attend.

The mayor’s decision to hold the meeting comes about one week after GLOV released a statement criticizing him for repeatedly spurning its request that he call a community meeting with police, top city officials, and members of the community to discuss ways to address anti-gay violence, including hate crimes.

"Mayor Fenty has shown great foresight by inviting Chief Lanier to the meeting," said Chris Farris, a GLOV co-chair. "We know that our police play a crucial role in solving the problem and we look forward to hearing how he and the MPD are working to end the violence plaguing our community, as well as how he plans to see that justice is served on behalf of the victims."

Farris and Todd Metrokin, GLOV’s other co-chair, joined Farris and other gay community leaders to testify last month before a City Council hearing on anti-gay violence. Farris, Metrokin and others "voiced concerns about police handling of some of the recent incidents of anti-gay violence." 

Activists have publicly criticized the mayor's office for refusing to meet with them following the December 16 murder of Durval Martins, an openly gay waiter. Martins was shot numerous times while walking near Logan Circle after patronizing local bars. The victim was reportedly "in possession of all of his valuables, including his wallet, cash, credit cards", and, despite the lack of evidence, some activists were pushing for a hate crime investigation. The police do not have a motive for the shooting. There have been no arrests.

Fenty to Meet with Activists [Wash Blade]

Some Background...
DC Police Say Fatal Attack Robbery, Not Hate Crime [R20]
Report: "Gay Panic" Defense Alleged in Brutal DC Murder [R20]
DC Police Make Arrest in Brutal Killing of Gay Man ... And Still No Hate Crime Charges [R20]
Report: Fenty Pledges to Sign a Gay Marriage Bill [R20]
Marion Barry Supports Gay Marriage [R20]
Fenty Staff Blamed For Objections to DP Bill [R20]
Fenty Admin. Objects to Domestic Partnership Bill [R20]
Fenty Orders Review of Marriage Options [R20]
DC Mayor Fenty Vows to Fight Rising HIV Rates [R20]

Comments

[elg]

You wrote, "After some prodding by activists, the Washington Blade now reports Fenty has scheduled a January 16 meeting with Gays & Lesbians Opposing Violence."

I don't mean to be difficult, but if Mayor Fenty is so gay-friendly why would he need to be "prodded" to meet with gay activists about anti-gay violence in his city? The fact that he needed to be prodded makes him anything BUT a hottie in my book.

[Rod]

"I don't mean to be difficult..."

Sure you don't, ELG. There are at least 4 or 5 posts linked regarding Fenty's support for same-sex marriage and three posts linked for Fenty and Lainer's swift action after a black gay man was killed. Sounds fairly "gay-friendly" to me.

The most recent homicide, cited and linked above by GLOV and other activists, was not proven to be linked to the victim's sexual orientation. Connecting the response to this crime to Fenty's record on LGBT rights is tenuous at best.

ELG, your comments are welcome but your constant attempts at fact-checking have become tiresome. Recently you claimed the CNN Prop 8 exit polls were "very reliable" and defended Sarah Palin "anti-gay" record without knowledge of her entire record. Instead of honest debate, you seem intent on disagreeing with anything written here.

[M. Mark]

@ELG: Mayor Fenty supports marriage equality and is on the record for saying he will sign a marriage bill. I'd say that is "gay friendly" and much more so than most governors, except Paterson and Patrick. And the mayor is a helluva lot more gay friendly than Barack Obama.

[Nathan James]

Mayor fenty is trying to reach out to the DC-area LGBT community, and including Chief Lanier was right on target. IIRC, Chief Lanier was instrumental in continuing funding for DCPD's Gay/Lesbian Liason Unit (GLLU), even in these tight economic times. DCPD is, like all DC city agencies, beholden to Congress for its budget, so Lanier shows some "independent thinking" here.

I do think if Mayor Fenty passes gay-marriage in DC, it might cause President Obama to re-examine his own position on the issue. I daresay it might be a bit awkward if the mayor of his city has passed a gay-marriage bill while he still opposes it...

[carlos]

Rod, man seriously ....

You need to stop explaining yourself to people who can't read. Some of these people are just blowing off hot air. They usually have no idea what they are talking about, they just want to say you are wrong. Adrian Fenty is light years ahead of many big city mayors and most black big city mayors. You have been talking about him for almost two years. He says he will sign a marriage bill, that is about as gay muthafreakibn' friendly as you can get.

If memory serves, didn't ELG argue with you about the presence of black gay men in Harlem that could have been interviewed by NYT, no? And he doesn't live in NMew York City?

I rest my case.

[S. Flemming]

Love love love Fenty ... it's a little scary to me in DC right now. This sort of thing has me half scared to even go out at all. Hopefully they can crack down on these incidents.