Home › Forums › West Seattle Rants & Raves › Can we drop this now?
- This topic has 27 replies, 14 voices, and was last updated 7 years ago by JoB.
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March 30, 2017 at 2:30 pm #878626
West Seattle since 1979ParticipantA lot of us have a lot of complaints about Mayor Murray. However, people keep bringing up “rainbow crosswalks” when talking about him. It almost seems homophobic to me to keep bringing up something specific to LGBTQ+ pepole from at least two years ago, maybe more, when talking about Seattle’s first gay mayor.
It’s one thing to complain about specific things he’s done or hasn’t done recently. But to bring up the rainbow crosswalks when talking about something completely unrelated–why? Why that one thing, when there are probably several other things he’s done that could be complained about?
March 30, 2017 at 3:43 pm #878633
West Seattle since 1979ParticipantI wanted to make clear that I wasn’t saying it was homophobic to criticize the mayor. Anyone should be able to criticize an elected official regardless of their sexual orientation. I was just wondering why the rainbow crosswalks get brought up at all, when they don’t relate to whatever is being discussed. And it’s not so much on this blog — I’ve seen it in comments in various places, as if that’s the only thing he’s done. I just wonder why people bring up that one thing, instead of other things that he may have done that may not have been a good idea or may have wasted money when other things may have been more important.
March 30, 2017 at 7:05 pm #878643
Not my MoneyParticipantThe reason the Rainbow cross walks get brought up all the time is the Mayor spent almost a $100,000.00 of the tax payers money to paint all those cross walks.
I could go on about the Safe Injection sites, Helping the Homeless, Painted columns…
Murray spending is out of control. Can’t wait till November, Bye Bye Murray!March 30, 2017 at 7:39 pm #878644
JoBParticipantI am definitely not homophobic .. but if Mayor Murray spent a hundred thousand painting crosswalks .. he didn’t get his money’s worth … and that is enough reason to give him the boot.
March 31, 2017 at 4:31 am #878681
searesParticipantI haven’t seen anything about Rainbow crosswalks, but I have seen the city painting streets instead of repairing them. eg (35th) (Roxbury), and I could cite more.
March 31, 2017 at 6:51 am #878682
anonymeParticipantAs others have pointed out, perhaps the objection is not due to homophobia, but wasted tax dollars. Murray’s plans have created a giant sinkhole for millions of tax dollars, and he wants even more taxes to cover the waste. Meanwhile, our infrastructure is falling apart, the homeless crisis worsening, and not enough police to protect those of us who actually obey the law.
Not every criticism represents a violation of someone’s rights. In fact, I would venture to say that very attitude contributes to the paralysis when it comes to addressing some of these issues.March 31, 2017 at 8:19 am #878687
West Seattle since 1979ParticipantThat was my point though–he’s done so many things wrong since then, it seems like we could mention something else.
March 31, 2017 at 9:57 am #878699
dhgParticipantAs usual, the devil is in the details. The updated price came to $66k although the $100k had already been widely reported. It does not take into account the fact that the crosswalks were quite worn and were overdue for a re-painting. The cost was paid out of fees levied at developers for use of the right of way. Back in 1979 this very same city had two police officers putting an initiative before the voters to strike down anti-discrimination laws. It was left to the majority to decide how a minority was to be treated and the majority decided by a squeaker that it was wrong to discriminate. The Seattle Times protested, KIRO 7’s manager was practically foaming at the mouth. Police continued to raid gay bars hoping to find someone to cite for any infraction, minor or major. In light of the city’s history, I think OP raises a very good point.
- This reply was modified 7 years ago by dhg.
March 31, 2017 at 10:07 am #878701
newnativeParticipantThe only time I have heard brought up in conversation was in fact brought up by someone who is homophobic. The subject was wasteful spending and she brought up the crosswalks in a very sarcastic tone, then went on a rant how gays stole her rainbows and they should “leave them”. Meaning she is angry that rainbows are now “gay symbols”. None of my LGBTQISS acquaintances bring up the sidewalks, they bring up his bullying, Pronto bikes and developer ties.
March 31, 2017 at 11:50 am #878719
organicthinkingParticipantnewnative and WS since 1979…well of course none of your LGBTQISS friends bring up anything about the Rainbow crosswalks and that’s because they represent the Gay Community (Bravo) and I think it would go the same with the African American community if the cross walks were all painted Black and so on and so forth. I think it is only “brought up” because of the large amount of money the Mayor used to paint them and also the labor it took to paint them, not because of what they represent. Least I hope not, I’m hoping we as Americans have came this far to not judge someone by their RACE,COLOR, RELIGION, or Sexual Preference!
March 31, 2017 at 12:10 pm #878720
newnativeParticipantYou completely missed my point that the ONLY person who has brought it up is, in fact, a homophobe. Your dismissiveness and sarcasm contradict your last statement.
March 31, 2017 at 12:53 pm #878721
organicthinkingParticipantAnd your self righteousness is spilling all over my desk and I wasn’t being sarcastic I was making a statement.
But to each their own on the way they of think.March 31, 2017 at 5:39 pm #878747
anonymeParticipantWS79, if rainbow crosswalks are cited more often than other poor decisions made by this mayor (and I don’t know that they are) it’s probably because this particular waste of money was so extremely frivolous and therefore memorable. That doesn’t make it homophobic; things have changed since 1979, although I’m sure there are still some grumbling homophobes closeted around here.
BTW, Murray is not our first gay mayor.
March 31, 2017 at 9:15 pm #878764
dhgParticipantoooh, anonyme! Who was it? Was it Schell? He was always a Republican which means he’s a natural closet case. Was it Royer? He was always so chummy with the gays….
April 1, 2017 at 6:48 am #878794
anonymeParticipantI’m not entirely comfortable naming him, as he was married and closeted at the time. That may have changed in the interim. I saw him recently in West Elm, and we chatted briefly. When I asked him if he’d consider running again he said “know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em”! He’s happily done with politics.
BTW, he’s none of the guys you mentioned,dhg.
Very smart, very Cool guy.
April 1, 2017 at 11:06 am #878799
gaysian4daysParticipantnewnative: Hello newnative. I’m an old Native :-), gay and half Asian. Thank you for posting you comment about the woman who believes gay people stole her rainbows. The reference is infinitely visual and absolutely entertaining! As a (2D) artist I’m going to take this and run far with it :-) You made my day.
Samuella Samaniego
April 3, 2017 at 10:20 am #878950
newnativeParticipantGaysian4days, that’s awesome. I hope you share the results. I do have a painting by a friend of mine titled, “Tears and Rainbows” with a similar theme.
April 4, 2017 at 12:13 am #879039
RagsParticipantSpeaking of wasted dollars, Ed’s rainbow crosswalks don”t hold a candle to his hubris in taking tax-payer funded body guards with him for protection while he was visiting Israel for some boondoggle he was on that had nothing to do with city business. Obviously, no one in Israel would have a clue who he is but this is just another example of the self-absorbed world he lives in….let’s vote him out!
April 4, 2017 at 3:12 am #879040
searesParticipantNeed to send Murray a bill for this boondoggle, which had nothing to do with Seattle business.
Politicians are getting a bit too free spending our money.April 4, 2017 at 9:34 am #879053
West Seattle since 1979ParticipantWow, sounds like something Trump would do. Yes, that’s the kind of thing we need to be talking about, especially since it’s an election year. I hope we get some good candidates to oppose Murray.
April 5, 2017 at 7:30 am #879156
Michael WaldoParticipantYes, it would be nice to have someone run for mayor who knows something about managing a city. So far, it is far left social activists that know nothing about running a city.
April 5, 2017 at 7:57 pm #879233
JanSParticipantHey, Michael Waldo…don’t generalize.
April 6, 2017 at 6:36 am #879260
Michael WaldoParticipantProve me wrong
April 6, 2017 at 7:08 am #879264
JanSParticipantYou made the statement, first prove that what you said is truth,,you know, with facts. Don’t have them? Then it’s just opinion…we all have them…
April 7, 2017 at 4:14 am #879366 -
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