Lake Worth: the next gay mecca?

Click here for the latest B.M. from Cara Jenning's public relations machine.

Here is letter from a justifiably irate Lake Worth citizen in response:

Dear Express Editor,

This is in response to the letter that appeared in your July 17, 2008 edition “Lake Worth: the next gay Mecca?” I am gay and live with my long term partner in one of Lake Worth’s historic neighborhoods. While it is true that many gay and lesbian people live in Lake Worth, I took exception with two main parts of the letter.

First of all, Commissioner Cara Jennings is not the gay friendly “Wonder-Commissioner” that the writer makes her out to be. Sure, she may be attending her sister’s commitment ceremony – but she is her sister. Commissioner Jennings courted the gay community in the city when she ran in 2006. She made some appearances at local gay establishments, but sent her sister to the local lesbian bar on her behalf. She was never seen there. She and her campaign made ample use of the Compass gay and lesbian center computers during that campaign. When it came down to discuss a proposal for the relocation of the same Compass gay and lesbian center to a city-owned building, she offered her tacit support prior to the issue coming for a vote, but then voted “no” once the matter came before the Commission. She won’t be using their computers again for this campaign, that’s for sure.

How about the timing of this letter to the editor? Commissioner Jennings is many things, but one thing that she is not is dumb. She has a small army of operatives that act in a multitude of ways to convey her has a caring and compassionate Commissioner. This letter is nothing but a weak attempt to ingratiate herself to the gay community. Ask her neighborhood association about how unresponsive she has been regarding code enforcement issues in her district and you will get the real picture of this Commissioner. She is overly absorbed by causes outside of Lake Worth, rather than acting for the residents of Lake Worth that she is supposed to represent.

The second part of the letter that offended me was the following section:

“Like someone said in something I read recently, gays tend to be very creative, talented, care for their property and do a lot for their communities, they are usually very educated and wealthy too…”

Can we talk about stereotypes here? Exchange any other minority with the word “gays” and most would be offended. Let’s dispense with the broad generalizations about what it means to be gay and the type of behaviors that are “typical”.

Yes, there are many gay and lesbians living in Lake Worth. Lake Worth has many assets as a community that people of all types find attractive. Following the course laid by Commissioner Jennings would only deter quality people of all sorts from choosing to relocate here. Please do not give her the free publicity and never mention her name again in your newspaper.

Alex Cascella

Lake Worth