On Tuesday, May 19th, Philadelphia Democrats will hold a primary election where the City's next District Attorney, City Controller, and a number of judges at different levels of the local and state Judiciary will be elected. For those outside of Philadelphia, you need to understand that whoever wins the Democratic primary is considered the presumptive winner of the general election in November. Philadelphia is fully controlled by the Democratic Party and it would be earth shaking if this presumption is not held up

QUEERtimes has been closely monitoring the race for DA and we are ready to give our endorsement.

When considering endorsing any individual for political office, we must first consider the question of the individual's basic qualifications for that office.  In regard to the office of District Attorney the first criteria applied would be whether the Philadelphia Bar Association considers the individual to have the satisfactory qualifications of an attorney to hold the office.  This is done by either recommending or not recommending a candidate for office.  All five of the Democratic Candidates for Philadelphia's District Attorney met this criterion and where recommended but the bar association.

The second criteria we apply are the candidate's written responses to Liberty City Democratic (queer) Club's questionnaires. We applied the same standard Liberty City applies . . . if a candidate did not respond to the questionnaire then we chose not to consider that individual for endorsement either. Brian Grady and Michael Turner did NOT meet this criterion.

Our third criteria for the remaining candidates are based on other qualifications such as job experience, personal positions, and motivating philosophies as expressed by the candidates at debates and forums and if there is a creditable chance of being elected.  Dan McElhatton, Seth Williams and Dan McCaffery have all worked as assistant district attorneys for the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office. All have impressive resumes and all preformed well in debates and forums and we can easily appreciate their individual positions and motivating philosophies.  However out of these three remaining candidates only two currently have a creditable chance of being elected. Dan McElhatton does NOT meet this criterion.

Out of the last two remaining candidates to consider we believe we are required to examine each candidate's positions on their individual relationship to, and their understanding of, the queer community, especially their positions on queer civil rights.  Seth Williams does NOT pass this criterion.  While Williams is currently considered one of two front runners for DA in the mainstream arena, we strongly believe that Philadelphia's queer community should not consider him as a viable candidate for DA.

We found William's written response's to the Liberty City questionnaire to be both lacking forthrightness on important positions regarding queer civil rights and replete with language that has become "politically acceptable"  to the detriment of our civil rights movement.  It permeates with the smell of political expediency and not of an expression of full and open support for our equality.

Like so many politicians who have come before us, Williams seems to be telling us simply what we have come to both expect and accept. We believe it is time to hold both elected officials and candidates to a higher standard of support for our full equality; a standard where "politically acceptable" language is no longer sufficient. 

Ultimately, we just don't think that Williams gets it.  This past Sunday when many of us gathered for the National Equality March and Rally at Independence Mall there was Seth Williams, and his team, shaking hands and distributing campaign literature to those of us who were battling the rain to listen and participate in the rally to demand our full equality. 

With no apparent regard for the purpose of the rally Williams walked through the crowd disrupting participants for the sole purpose of politicking.  His presence was not one of support for our cause of Equality but was for political expediency to advance his election.

The remaining candidate does not receive our endorsement by default.

We have found Dan McCaffery to be the best qualified is all areas, including strong leadership with a maturity of temperament.  Most importantly we believe that McCaffery is by far the strongest candidate when it comes to supporting and working with us in our push for full equality.

We first met McCaffery at an AIDS research fund raising event that QUEERtimes was participating in and we immediately recognized an individual who processes deep convictions with a profound concern for the welfare and safety of individuals and groups. Over time we continued to see him at numerous queer-centric events; in fact McCaffery is the only candidate running for DA that we ever saw at so many queer-centric non-profit fund raisers.

We have come to believe that Dan McCaffery is not running for DA because he wants to be a politician; he is running to be the chief law enforcement officer in the city to help us all feel safe again. It is our belief that out of all five of the Democratic candidates Dan McCaffery rises above them all. 

We believe that McCaffery has the temperament, leadership, experience and convictions to make a world class District Attorney for the City of Philadelphia and his election will help bring about a safer city for all. We would do well if we elected Dan McCaffery our next District Attorney!

Comments: james@QUEERtimes.net

Vote Dan McCaffery (button #56) for Philadelphia District Attorney on Tuesday, May 19th.

Other endorsements for Dan McCaffery:

Other QUEERtimes Endorsements

City Controller:  Brett Mandel, Button # 59

Judge - Court of Common Pleas: Dan Anders, Button # 34

Judge - Municipal Court: Dawn Segal, Button # 40

(Disclaimer: James Duggan and Thom Cardwell belong to the facebook groups McCaffery for DA and Vote for Judge Dan Anders)

 

 

 

Let's do brunch!  My personal recommendation this week is to make a reservation at Bistro St. Tropez, 2400 Market Street, Center City Philadelphia, for any Sunday in the very near future, since the downside of writing my weekly column is letting secrets like this out! Then you'll all be there!

Chef/owner Patrice Rames of the well-established restaurant on the top floor of the Marketplace Design Center has recreated his entire brunch menu, returning to the culinary splendors of an authentic French bistro.

First, let's start with brunch cocktails. They've been creative and festive with some of their specialty drinks (did I tell you that I'm on a mission to indulge at many locations searching for the perfect cocktails, of all sorts and flavors?).

I'd recommend two of the signature drinks, the Bistro mimosa, champagne with a choice of fruit puree, try the blood orange, and the Rames diamond fizz, champagne with gin, cream, orange water and lemon and lime juice, both deliciously priced at $7.50.

The Alsace born and bred Rames features classic egg dishes like en cocotte, soft baked eggs with fresh spinach, wild mushrooms, béchamel and toasted baguette, truly a delight for those diners enjoying egg breakfast choices, and a real bargain priced at $6.50. I have to tell you that this was definitely a favorite dish of mine and I would return just to order it again and again!

Then there is, naturally, a variety of omelettes, like smoked ham, gruyere and caramelized onions, priced at $8.50, to egg whites with lump crabmeat and asparagus, the most expensive but still modestly priced at $10.50; the bistro benedict, poached eggs with ham, Hollandaise on a puff pastry, priced at $9, or substitute the ham for smoked salmon for an additional $2; and the quiche of duck comfit, braised leeks and gruyere cheese, priced at $7.50, all served with roasted potatoes and side green salad.

Okay, I have to tell that there's the over-the-top pain Perdue, Challis bread French toast with caramelized bananas, walnut pralines, whipped cream and maple syrup drizzle, that's such a generous portion, it could easily be shared by two, incredibly priced at $9.50. My companion and I said that it was too much food and then proceeded to devour as much of this delicacy as possible.

Rames has also designed an extensive menu of more lunchtime items such as the hearty made chicken  pot pie with carrots, buttered squash, potatoes and sweet peas, priced at $10; a traditional steak frites, fire-grilled sirloin steak with hand-cut fries and herb butter, priced at $15; la poulette, white chicken salad with grapes, basil, apple, celery and Dijon mayonnaise on croissant, priced at $8; and the Bistro filet sandwich, grilled filet tips with wild mushrooms, caramelized onions, truffle oil and melted brie, priced at $10.

Desserts can be enjoyably shared. The offerings include some of my personal favorites, tropezienne, their own version of  "banana Foster," warm banana caramel over vanilla ice cream, the St. Tropez cake, double-layer valrhona chocolate mousse cake with creme anglasie, and profiterolles, vanilla ice cream puffs with chocolate sauce and crème anglaise, all priced at $7.50.

There are additional benefits to brunching at St. Tropez, it's fun to walk through the building, window-shopping at the designer's showcase displays, then there's the views from the restaurant that truly make Philadelphia look like a European city, with architectural wonders, the Main Post Office, 30th Street Station, the Cira Center and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and it's the time of year to enjoy watching the boats and small crafts in the Schuylkill River.

Even parking can be found on the street, adjacent to the Center, which makes for ease in enjoying your Sunday outing in that part of the city.

108th Annual Student Exhibition

If you are a lover of the fine arts than make sure you don't miss the 108th Annual Student Exhibition (ASE) at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), 128 N Broad Street, Philadelphia, May 9 to May 31,  featuring works by third-year and fourth-year Certificate program students and Master of Fine Arts candidates, including selected works by queer artist Jessica Lewis.  The ASE showcases a diversity of styles that combine traditional skill and contemporary vision.

This historic annual student exhibition offers visitors the chance to view and purchase more than 1,000 paintings, sculpture, works on paper, and installations created by PAFA students on the very cusp of their professional careers.  Art collectors take note . . . this is one of the best places to find great works of art before the artist becomes famous.

The ASE public opening take's place tonight between 5.00 pm - 8.30 pm.