Tuesday, November 10, 2009
News 6th District race heats up over Coyle accusation
Posted by Scott Henry @ScottTheHenry on Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 9:42 PM
And here we thought the mayor's race was likely to become divisive.
There's an impassioned open letter making the cyber-rounds in which Charlie Stadtlander, a just-deafeated candidate for Atlanta school board, accuses Council District 6 candidate Liz Coyle as being "not pro-LGBT equality."
OK, there are worse things to be accused of. It's not as if people said she runs a meth lab (although that could result in valuable management experience), but being tagged as anti-gay is kind of a deal in District 6, which boasts the city highest percentage of gay voters.
Among Stadtlander's beefs against Coyle, who is straight: she has favored shutting down gay bars; she pandered to gays by hiring "semi-nude" dancers to accompany her Pride parade float; and she's used the word "transvestitute" to describe men she believes to be soliciting sex in Midtown. His entire letter can be found on the SoVo website.
Clearly Stadtlander has issues with Coyle. But could any of this hurt Coyle in the runoff against gay opponent Alex Wan? It depends, I'm guessing, on how seriously the community takes Stadtlander. I don't know the guy. He already endorsed Wan, so I don't know that his Coyle-trashing is going to sway additional voters.
It's my impression that most folks in the LGBT community who are likely to respond strongly to Stadtlander's accusations are already planning to vote for Wan. If I'm wrong about that, please let me know.
It's been a long time since District 6 had a straight Council member and it's quite possible that the seat can't be won without the backing of the gay community. The challenge for Coyle will be to tap into enough of that vote to win.
Comments (18)
Showing 1-18 of 18
i'm willing to bet that the gay community uses "transvestitute" more than the straight community. try again, stadtlander.
like
dislike
Statement by Alex Wan November 10 My campaign is aware that Charlie Stadtlander has endorsed me. He joins a diverse array of people and organizations supporting my candidacy. My campaign does not condone negative statements about other candidates. We have run a positive campaign, as have our opponents, and we look forward to continuing to run an inclusive campaign focused on qualifications and issues. I'm sure my opponent will continue to do so as well. My thoughts on District 6 are widely available through my official website. Too, I have consistently made myself available to the people of District 6 and other supporters by phone and e-mail and welcome their e-mails and calls if they wish to clarify my stand on any matters.
The District 6 Council race needs to be about issues pertinent to the District. The BeltLine and proposed plans near Piedmont Park--plus turning residential streets into commercial cut throughs--need to be very high on the list of issues. Public safety is an obvious issue, along with what the candidates plan to do about the City's financial messes. Liz and Alex also need to demonstrate why each believes he or she is the best person for the job: Each needs to show that they will be an effective leader and contribute to an effective City Council; that they know how to listen; that they have the smarts and guts to support both their constituents and the residents of Atlanta; that they can provide the constituent services and assistance that have been sorely lacking for the past 8 years.
I hope this little diversion by Charlie doesn't go anywhere. Charlie did surprisingly well in his Board of Education race. He should take the high ground in the wake of his defeat and start preparing for the 2013 Board of Ed race. Given how well he did this year, he could win in 2013 and help shake up the Board of Ed... which needs fewer zombie-like mouthpieces and more living, breathing representatives of the communuties that elect them.
Maybe Liz could bring her semi-nude dancers to the occasional council meeting. That would boost Channel 26's ratings.
1) If anything, Liz Coyle's float pandered to my mom, because she used so many sunflowers and bales of hay. Kasim Reed was the one pumping Sister Sledge from his speakers down 10th Street. 2) Charlie Sdtdtdtlalsdnnde (however you spell it) is just trying to keep his name in the news. He has political ambitions but no intellectual capacity to be a real public leader or manager. Maybe this means he is perfect for Atlanta? I think it's interesting that he was so sleazy about calling trans persons "fringe" in the past and now he's slamming candidates in races he's not running for allegedly using the word "transvestite". I don't even like Liz Coyle but I dislike Charlie S way more.
Addendum: Stadtlander's anti-trans comments, and, of course, his retraction of his previous statements once he was ready to run for public office in Atlanta: http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/8939/
I remember the transvestitutes! They were outside my apartment building at 3rd and Peachtree (the former Howell House) every single night when I lived there last year...
Did Coyle actually pay the semi-clothed men who walked/danced with her in the parade? That's the only really interesting allegation Charlie's made, and nobody has said whether there's any actual evidence of it or if he made it up. As for Liz referring to "transvestitutes" or trying to shut down gay clubs in Midtown, that's probably just guilt by association since she is heavily backed by Peggy Denby of the Midtown Ponce Security Alliance, who has been trying to shut down gay nightlife in Midtown for years. (CL featured the MPSA and its vigilante security guard Steve Gower, who also used the term "transvestitutes" in a profile 2 years ago. http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/one_man_s_battle_against_midtown_prostitutes_and_their_johns/Content?oid=394425)
District 6 needs a leader at City Council. We haven't had one in 8 years. But that leader needs to be willing to listen to constituents and be our ally at City Hall. The Beltline plan will impact District 6 neighborhoods more than any single thing in the foreseeable future. Despite that, Anne Fauver has been MIA. And where has Liz been? Oh she's been at all the Beltline meetings but has yet to take a stand against the land use legislation that could spell the end of single family life on Monroe in Virginia Highland. I say, if Wan wins, so do the residents of District 6.
Identity politics in a city council race? In the words of Seth Meyers "REALLY!?!" Charlie Stadtlander just introduced himself to interested District 6 voters as a complete and total jackass. Good luck running for anything in the future Charlie.
My name is Rick Hudson and I am the Land Use and Zoning Chair for the Grant Park Neighborhood and I am very openly gay. Liz Coyle has been one of my best friends for the past 6 years and any accusations by a jilted and rejected Mr. Stadtlander should be taken with a grain of salt. Whether she used the word transvestitute, transvestite, drag queen, transgendered person, or man in a dress to describe some of the prostitutes that haunt the areas between peachtree and juniper and 3rd and 5th streets; (we all know the area and understand that it is an area where trans-prostitutes and other prostitutes tend to congregate and ply their trade) does the word or words make the crime any less offensive. I know if that was happening in my neighborhood I would be working to eliminate the criminal activity just like 99% of the general public would. To say that Liz is targeting the gay community is just not true. As far as closing any GLBT bars down I know of no action that she has taken to do this; and when you actually speak with most bar owners both gay and straight they say that she has been very fair with them when issues have come up. As far as the partial nudity of one of her supporters goes I was with a large group of friends during gay pride at the parade and the gentleman in question had more on that some of my friends did. Was he eye candy....yes...but I believe that he was showing his support and expressing his individuality as many tend to do during pride. Finally I believe that Mr. Stadtlander and others that are trying to distract the good citizens of district 6 from real issues like City Finances, Crime protection, and transparency in government should cease their "Gay Baiting" and stick to the issues.
@Query - You're right, Liz's support from Peggy Denby is a far worse blot than her use of transgender slurs, semi-nude boy toys and all the rest of the stuff that got Stadtlander into a snit. You only have to be a tad Christian to notice that Liz is polarizing and divisive.
Mad in M: You're sugar coating it when you say Liz Coyle has: "been at all the Beltline meetings but has yet to take a stand against the land use legislation that could spell the end of single family life on Monroe in Virginia Highland." NOT TRUE! Liz Coyle has been on the Beltline Board and has been SUPPORTING the Star Chamber process that led to the disastrous proposal for 10th and Monroe and surrounding areas. Liz has said she is leaning in favor of the proposed Subarea 6 Master Plan and has been unwilling to state any opposition to it. Liz Coyle’s position is bizarre considering that NPU-E has voted down the plan and NPU-F is about to do the same. Those two NPUs make up almost the entirety of District 6. Liz’s spinelessness and waffling on this issue make a mockery of any claim that Liz will listen to and support her constituents. Liz Coyle has clearly been studying at the feet of Ann Fauver for too long. I agree with you that the community and the neighborhoods still have a chance if Alex Wan is elected. He clearly is listening, even though his actions while on ADA indicate that he may be another rubber-stamp for powerful developers. The best would be for Alex to take a strong stand against the Subarea 6 Plan and the fatally flawed community engagement process that led up to it. For that matter, it would equally great if Liz Coyle does the same.
@Query - I am often credited with keeping the term transvestitute alive, a colorful term I first heard in the Armory back in the 1980s. So I can easily back up wesleywhatwhat that the term has Gay origins - only us Gay people could that imaginative... As for the election - we need a city administration that will fully equip and staff a police department and really crack the whip not only on your beloved transvestitutes, but all these other riffraff and thugs plaguing the city. It's time to put a stop to the revolving door practice at the jails. It's high time to clean this city up. The list goes on and on. Charlie Stadtlander really dissappoints me because he offers no insights or suggestions on public safety, which is at the tip-top of the issues on people's minds. I regret voting for him, and thank goodness he did not win... S.
@Query - As the one that many credit with keeping the word "transvestitute" alive - I first heard that colorful term back in the 1980s in the Armory of all places, so wesleywhatwhat is right on the money... As for city elections (all tickets) - we desparately need a city administration that will abundantly equip and staff the police department to really crack down not only on transvestitutes, but especially the other riffraff and thugs wreaking havoc on our neighborhoods. We need s city administration that will aggressively push Fulton County to significantly expand the jail and criminal justice resources to realistic levels to grind the revolving door practice. With all these criminals with 20+ priors getting out of jail faster than they got in, it is no wonder the city is overrun with street criminals. I believe in first offender treatment - but there's no such thing as a first offender to speak of. The list goes on and on, but we could use some hard-nosed law and order around here. Add to it that public transportation and the need for sustainable development patterns to promote not only a safe, but a vibrant urban dynamic that will lead Atlanta closer to being a world-class city like Paris, Berlin, and Chicago. I would like to call on all candidates to take a strong stand on issues, and explicitly call on candidates to spell out their vision for Atlanta. Having said all this, Charlie Stadtlander really disappoints me. I regreat that vote, and thank goodness he did not win...
Latest in Fresh Loaf
-
Give Newt the boot, sez National Review 5
Newt should leave the race, says Nat Review
-
Pics of the Week: Gang symbol or child's drawing? 3
Photos and photo issues that caught our eye this week.
-
AHA investigation: Commissioners made offensive comments in front of employees 1
According to probe released last December, commissioners dropped the "n-word" and made references to pistol whipping
- More »
Author Archives
-
Beatys, Task Force is out of Peachtree-Pine in 10 days — UPDATE 50
Task Force for Homeless has less than two weeks to clear out
-
DeKalb CEO unsure of legality of referendum advice 1
Last night's DeKalb town hall was a snooze except for the constitutional questions raised
- More »
