WHY I AM VOTING JOHN DURAN

I AM VOTING TO RE-ELECT JOHN DURAN FOR CITY COUNCIL.  SO MANY NAYSAYERS TELL ME IT IS TO REMAIN AS HIS APPOINTED COMMISSIONER.  SO MANY PEOPLE ASK ME IF IT IS TO BELONG TO THE "INSIDERS" CLUB.

NEITHER IS TRUE.  I WAS A SUPPORTER AND BELIEVER IN JOHN DURAN LONG BEFORE (12 YEARS) I BECAME HIS HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSIONER.  AS FAR AS BEING IN THE "INSIDERS" CLUB, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.  I KNOW JOHN FOR MORE THAN A DECADE AND HAVE NEVER HAD A CUP OF COFFEE WITH HIM.  NEVER BEEN TO HIS APARTMENT (REMEMBER, HE IS THE ONLY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO ACTUALLY RENTS IN WEHO , SO HIS CONCERN FOR RENTERS RIGHTS IS A GIVEN), I   DO NOT SOCIALIZE WITH HIM, AND KNOW  NOTHING OF HIS PERSONAL LIFE.

NONE OF THAT MATTERS TO ME WHEN I BELIEVE IN SOMEONE.  QUITE FRANKLY, BASED ON HIS OWN PROVEN COMPASSION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND TRUE LOVE OF WEST HOLLYWOOD, JOHN IS SIMPLY, FOR ME, THE BEST CANDIDATE.

HE  IS ONE OF TWO OUTSPOKEN  CURRENT  COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHO HELPED SAVE THE WEST HOLLYWOOD RECOVERY CENTER FROM THE WRECKING BALL.  NO MATTER WHAT SPIN WAS PUT ON THAT TOPIC, THAT BUILDING WAS GOING TO BE RUBBLE.  A CALL AND EXPLANATION TO JOHN FROM ME AND A HUGELY FORMING COALITION OF PEOPLE IN RECOVERY, STATING ONLY FACTS, WAS ALL IT TOOK FOR HIM TO COME TO THE RESCUE.  HE  HELPED TO SAVE MORE THAN 6000 PEOPLE MONTHLY  FROM BEING DISPLACED FROM THAT CENTER'S NEEDED SERVICES.

HE IS THE ONLY COUNCIL MEMBER, WHO NOT ONLY UNDERSTANDS OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO SUFFER WITH ADDICTION AND RECOVERY, BUT SHOWS THEM LOVE AND KINDNESS WITHOUT BEING REPULSED AND QUESTIONING OF THEIR LIVES.  HE IS SIMPLY THERE TO HELP AND ASSOCIATE AND INTERACT WITH THEM AS EQUALS.

A FEW MEETINGS WITH JOHN, 7 OR EIGHT YEARS AGO, ABOUT  GETTING  THE WORD OUT ABOUT METH RECOVERY RESULTED IN THE ABILITY FOR THE TWEAKERS PROJECT TO BE BORN.   TO DATE WE HAVE PLACED MORE THAN 40 PEOPLE INTO TREATMENT FACILITIES OR SOBER LIVING ENVIRONMENTS.  I HAVE NO DOUBT IN MY ABILITY TO HAVE GOTTEN THAT DONE ON MY OWN, BUT A FEW MEETINGS WITH JOHN MADE IT HAPPEN A LOT FASTER, AS HE SAW AN IMMEDIATE NEED AND CALL TO ACTION.

HIS HISTORY OF BEING AN OUT GAY AND OPENLY HIV POSITIVE ELECTED OFFICIAL, IS NOT ONLY BRAVE, BUT I BELIEVE HE SEES AS NECESSARY.   HE IS A SHINING EXAMPLE IF SURVIVING HIV, STILL FEELING YOUNG AT HEART (AND HE AIN'T NO KID) AND AGGRESSIVELY SUPPORTIVE OF THE LGBT COMMUNITY, WHETHER THEY BE YOUNG, OLD, GAY, LESBIAN, TRANS OR QUESTIONING.

JOHN IS A GREAT SUPPORTER OF THE ARTS, WHICH AS WE KNOW, ARE SOMETIMES THE ONLY OUTLETS FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE LGBT TO SHINE IN SCHOOL.  MANY OF US WHO SUCKED AT SPORTS OR THE "USUAL" GENDER APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES, TURNED TO THE ARTS TO BE ABLE TO EXPRESS OURSELVES.    IT SAVED A LOT OF US FROM LEAVING SCHOOL.  AND TO FORM OUR PERSONALITIES AND ABILITIES  TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN MANY OTHER AREAS OF OUR LIVES.

COULD I GO ON AND ON?  SURE.  I JUST DON'T SEE THE NEED., HUMAN COMPASSION AND BRUTAL PERSONAL HONESTY WORK FOR ME.  I SEE THAT IN JOHN AND ALWAYS HAVE.  MY SUPPORT GOES WAY BEYOND A CITY APPOINTMENT.  IT IS TRUE AND HONEST AND REAL.

I DO WANT TO WISH ALL CANDIDATES THE BEST OF LUCK.  IT TAKES GUTS AND A REAL LOVE OF THE CITY TO PUT THE SPOTLIGHT ON YOURSELVES.  MAY THE BEST MAN WIN.

FOR ME THAT MAN , IS JOHN DURAN.

http://johnduran2013.com/

NOW JUST BITE ME.