Monthly Archives: December 2006

Letters

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Circumcision does not prevent AIDS

Regarding the story on the Ugandan/Kenyan circumcision studies (“Drop in HIV infections halts circumcision trials,” Dallas Voice, Dec. 22), I must emphasize that circumcised men can and do become infected with HIV. The United States, which has perhaps the highest percentage of sexually-active non-religiously circumcised men in the developed world, also has the highest rate of HIV.

Behavior, not anatomy, is the key factor in reducing HIV/AIDS. All men, whether they are circumcised or not, should practice sane-sex behaviors, including limiting the number of their partners, using condoms wisely and getting tested periodically.

It is also significant that the subjects of the African circumcision studies mentioned in the article were consenting adults. Most of the circumcised males in this world did not consent to alteration of their sexual organs, but instead had it forced upon them for cultural or religious reasons when they were babies or children.

Any circumcision program in the United States and elsewhere should be strictly voluntary; a male can make the decision for himself when he is old enough to weigh circumcision as a potential benefit against the value of having an intact sex organ. Circumcision should only be done when absolutely medically necessary or when the adult subject gives fully informed consent regarding what will be lost.

Robert Blissitt
Dallas

EDITOR’S NOTE: Robert Blissitt is the Dallas contact for the Texas chapter of NOCIRC the National Organization of Circumcision Information Resource Centers, a nonprofit organization founded in 1986 in San Francisco, Calif. For information, visit www.nocircoftx.org.

In support of Robert Voelkle

Regarding criticism of Robert Voelkle in the letters to the editor section of the Dec. 15 issue of Dallas Voice, let me say that there are two sides to every coin.

Five years ago, I had a four-hour open heart surgery. I had no family to be with me. Robert Voelkle went with me to surgery and sat outside the operating room to talk with the surgeon. He returned that night to check on me.

A year later, I had eye surgery. Again, Robert Voelkle was with me and brought me home after the procedure.

Each week, he visits a nursing home to check on an elderly man who has no relatives. He spends his money on things the man needs.

He supports many members of the Legacy program at Cathedral of Hope with his own time and money.

Yes, we need a nursing home for the many aged members of the gay community. I personally support Robert Voelkle in his many endeavors.

Someday we will have that nursing home, and we will thank Robert for his earlier endeavors.

William Smith
Dallas

To Send a Letter
We welcome letters from readers. Shorter letters are more likely to be printed, as are those that address only a single topic. On some weeks we receive more letters than we can print. In that case, we print a representative sample. Letters are subject to editing for length and clarity, but we attempt to maintain the writer’s substance and tone. Include your home address and a daytime phone number for verification. Send letters to the senior editor, preferably by e-mail (editor@dallasvoice.com). Letters also may be faxed (214-969-7271) or mailed (Dallas Voice, 4145 Travis St., Third Floor, Dallas, TX 72504).

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition, December 29, 2006.

—  admin

Knowledgeable Sources

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“Just because you can conceive a child outside a one-woman, one-man marriage doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. Love can’t replace a mother and a father.”

Carrie Gordon Earll, a policy analyst for Focus on the Family, on why the decision by Mary Cheney to get pregnant and have a child with her partner, Heather Poe, was unwise

“I hope he gets fucked by a kangaroo and eaten by crocs.”

Singer and gay icon Liza Minnelli, after being told that her ex-husband, David Gest, was going to be in a “Survivor”-type reality show set in Australia

“I finally got to see it on New Year’s Day at the Magnolia and went with my 13-year-old. I cried several times. It was just an incredible film, one that will hopefully open some people’s hearts and make everyone more tolerant. Love is love, pure and simple.”

Dallas Mayor Laura Miller on seeing the movie “Brokeback Mountain”

“Ages of experience have taught us that the commitment of a husband and wife to love and to serve one another promotes the welfare of children and the stability of society. Government, by recognizing and protecting marriage, serves the interests of all.”

President Bush, on the need for a federal constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman

“According to the way we are taught, and what it says in the Bible it is.”

Jennifer Hudson, when asked during a press conference promoting the movie “Dreamgirls if she thinks being gay is a sin

“I try to stay away from churches who don’t accept gays. I mean, I can’t be a part of phony. It’s not God’s way. You embrace all people. I think that’s what God wants, for all of us to love all of us, no matter who we are, what we do or whatever.”

Singer Patti LaBelle, while on a gospel tour of megachurches, to the Michigan gay newspaper Between The Lines

“This whole situation has opened up a dialog about whether the Democratic Party can actually be a party of redemption and grace.”

Tom Malin, who lost his bid to be the Democratic nominee for the District 108 seat in the Texas House after it was revealed he had once worked as a gay prostitute

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition, December 29, 2006.

—  admin

2006: the year in queer books

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By J.S. Hall – Contributing Writer

Critic J.S. Hall acts as this year’s ambassador for the gay literary cannon



“Kate: The Woman Who Was Hepburn,” by William J. Mann (Henry Holt & Co.).

For decades, acclaimed actress Katharine Hepburn reshaped her life and career into a sugarcoated legend. Only after her death in 2003 could a objective biography be attempted. Enter Mann, whose patient, diligent research unearthed Kath, the woman behind Kate, a creation she sometimes referred to as “The Creature.”

The Hepburn who emerges from these pages is not the familiar, tremulous Yankee, but a vivacious, narcissistic spitfire who learned the hard way how to work Hollywood to her advantage. Mann examines with keen yet compassionate precision the lengths she went to ensure her continued presence in the public eye, and it’s to his credit that the private Hepburn is a more fascinating person than her revered public persona. “Kate” demonstrates how to write about an overexposed subject. A class act which other celebrity biographies should be measured.

“I Am Not Myself These Days: A Memoir,” by Josh Kilmer-Purcell (HarperPerennial).

Most people wouldn’t expect to sympathize with a drunky drag queen. But that’s what happens to readers of this mordant gem.

For several years, Kilmer-Purcell sashayed through the New York nightlife scene as Aquadisiac a.k.a. Aqua a seven-foot-tall drag creation with live goldfish (named “Left” and “Right”) swimming inside her transparent plastic breasts. The focus of “I Am Not Myself” is Aqua’s rocky relationship with Jack, a captivating hustler with an emerging a crack addiction.

Another writer would have veered into melodrama. But Kilmer-Purcell injects charming whimsy. A poignant afterword chronicles an unsuccessful attempt to contact Jack almost 10 years later: “Jack hasn’t found me yet. And I guess I have to be okay with that. I’m no longer all that lost anyway.”

Indeed, he found his voice in this memoir, and is now a frequent columnist for “Out” magazine. You go, girl!



“Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic,” by Alison Bechdel (Houghton Mifflin).

The coming-out story has been done to death. And it takes an immense talent like Alison Bechdel to invigorate it by presenting her memoir in graphic novel format and by trying to come to terms with her late father’s poorly closeted homosexuality.

Bechdel creates vistas of uncommon grace. Her tableaux bursts with literary allusions and activity in both foreground and background, like the multilayered works of Alan Moore. Ultimately, “Fun Home” is a wry, cathartic journey. It also confirms what long-time “Dykes” aficionados have known for years: Bechdel is a talent to watch out for.



“The Conservative Soul: How We Lost It, How To Get It Back,” by Andrew Sullivan (HarperCollins).

Andrew Sullivan is controversial presence in gay journalism. An openly gay and HIV-positive political conservative and practicing Catholic, he edited “The New Republic” for five years, became one of the most widely-read bloggers and supported George W. Bush when he was first given the presidency. Sullivan now unequivocally withdraws that support and demonstrates how far the Republican Party has fallen into the clutches of religious fundamentalists.

After a terrifying journey into the fundamentalist mindset, Sullivan eloquently examines the traditional values of conservatism. He even argues that a true conservative would approve of gay rights up to and including marriage because “some adjustment is necessary because the world changes, and the job of the conservative is to adjust to such changes as soberly and prudently as possible.”

If only more elected officials would read this book and follow the examples of their legislative peers in New Jersey.

3 titles that tanked



“Now It’s My Turn: A Daughter’s Chronicle of Political Life,” by Mary Cheney (Threshold Editions).

Coming soon to a remainder rack near you is the biggest Cheney blunder this side of a quail hunt. Vice President Cheney’s lesbian daughter, Mary, is the White House’s big pink elephant. And her chance to tell her side of things ranks as this year’s biggest missed opportunity. Cheney completely toes the party line here, firmly demonstrates her belief that Daddy Knows Best, and fumes about people’s interest in her private life (which remains staunchly private). People who enjoy the minutiae of life on the campaign trail might glean some enjoyment out of this dreary effort, but most everyone else will find it an exercise in tedium.



“My Undoing: Love in the Thick of Sex, Drugs, Pornography and Prostitution,” by Aiden Shaw (Carroll & Graf).

Aiden Shaw isn’t your typical gay porn star. He’s written three novels, numerous magazine articles, a book of poetry and songs for the band he headlines. Why, then, is “My Undoing” such a disappointment?

For one thing, it never entirely finds a satisfactory angle.

Despite his fame as an adult entertainer, the memoir purportedly concerns Shaw’s efforts to find love and a lasting relationship. Instead, it chronicles how empty, shallow and repetitive his life was until a stupid accident nearly left him partially paralyzed. Shaw’s candor is initially refreshing. However, since he learns almost nothing from his travails, the autobio quickly exasperates readers.

Assuming that one is masochistic enough to finish this book, the reader will know Shaw better but like him a good deal less. Whoever once famously said, “There’s nothing duller than dull pornography,” never read “My Undoing.”



“Possible Side Effects,” by Augusten Burroughs (St. Martin’s Press).

Unlike the previous two entries, this latest Burroughs effort ends up on this list for its lack of originality.

Some critics have argued that Burroughs has almost tapped out the rich vein of dysfunction that initially endeared him to readers. He repeatedly returns to his shambles of an upbringing in western Massachusetts and his squalid apartment in New York City, occasionally interspersing these with tales of relative domestic bliss with his partner, Dennis. Many of these essays previously appeared in “Details,” which only reinforces the feeling of repetitive redundancy.

Burroughs is a talented writer with a rare gift for pulling readers into his warped world. But “Possible Side Effects” feels like a crossroads for the author. Please, Augusten take the one less traveled. It’ll make all the difference.

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition, December 29, 2006.

—  admin

2006: the year in queer books

Posted on
By J.S. Hall – Contributing Writer

Critic J.S. Hall acts as this year’s ambassador for the gay literary cannon



“Kate: The Woman Who Was Hepburn,” by William J. Mann (Henry Holt & Co.).

For decades, acclaimed actress Katharine Hepburn reshaped her life and career into a sugarcoated legend. Only after her death in 2003 could a objective biography be attempted. Enter Mann, whose patient, diligent research unearthed Kath, the woman behind Kate, a creation she sometimes referred to as “The Creature.”

The Hepburn who emerges from these pages is not the familiar, tremulous Yankee, but a vivacious, narcissistic spitfire who learned the hard way how to work Hollywood to her advantage. Mann examines with keen yet compassionate precision the lengths she went to ensure her continued presence in the public eye, and it’s to his credit that the private Hepburn is a more fascinating person than her revered public persona. “Kate” demonstrates how to write about an overexposed subject. A class act which other celebrity biographies should be measured.

“I Am Not Myself These Days: A Memoir,” by Josh Kilmer-Purcell (HarperPerennial).

Most people wouldn’t expect to sympathize with a drunky drag queen. But that’s what happens to readers of this mordant gem.

For several years, Kilmer-Purcell sashayed through the New York nightlife scene as Aquadisiac a.k.a. Aqua a seven-foot-tall drag creation with live goldfish (named “Left” and “Right”) swimming inside her transparent plastic breasts. The focus of “I Am Not Myself” is Aqua’s rocky relationship with Jack, a captivating hustler with an emerging a crack addiction.

Another writer would have veered into melodrama. But Kilmer-Purcell injects charming whimsy. A poignant afterword chronicles an unsuccessful attempt to contact Jack almost 10 years later: “Jack hasn’t found me yet. And I guess I have to be okay with that. I’m no longer all that lost anyway.”

Indeed, he found his voice in this memoir, and is now a frequent columnist for “Out” magazine. You go, girl!



“Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic,” by Alison Bechdel (Houghton Mifflin).

The coming-out story has been done to death. And it takes an immense talent like Alison Bechdel to invigorate it by presenting her memoir in graphic novel format and by trying to come to terms with her late father’s poorly closeted homosexuality.

Bechdel creates vistas of uncommon grace. Her tableaux bursts with literary allusions and activity in both foreground and background, like the multilayered works of Alan Moore. Ultimately, “Fun Home” is a wry, cathartic journey. It also confirms what long-time “Dykes” aficionados have known for years: Bechdel is a talent to watch out for.



“The Conservative Soul: How We Lost It, How To Get It Back,” by Andrew Sullivan (HarperCollins).

Andrew Sullivan is controversial presence in gay journalism. An openly gay and HIV-positive political conservative and practicing Catholic, he edited “The New Republic” for five years, became one of the most widely-read bloggers and supported George W. Bush when he was first given the presidency. Sullivan now unequivocally withdraws that support and demonstrates how far the Republican Party has fallen into the clutches of religious fundamentalists.

After a terrifying journey into the fundamentalist mindset, Sullivan eloquently examines the traditional values of conservatism. He even argues that a true conservative would approve of gay rights up to and including marriage because “some adjustment is necessary because the world changes, and the job of the conservative is to adjust to such changes as soberly and prudently as possible.”

If only more elected officials would read this book and follow the examples of their legislative peers in New Jersey.

3 titles that tanked



“Now It’s My Turn: A Daughter’s Chronicle of Political Life,” by Mary Cheney (Threshold Editions).

Coming soon to a remainder rack near you is the biggest Cheney blunder this side of a quail hunt. Vice President Cheney’s lesbian daughter, Mary, is the White House’s big pink elephant. And her chance to tell her side of things ranks as this year’s biggest missed opportunity. Cheney completely toes the party line here, firmly demonstrates her belief that Daddy Knows Best, and fumes about people’s interest in her private life (which remains staunchly private). People who enjoy the minutiae of life on the campaign trail might glean some enjoyment out of this dreary effort, but most everyone else will find it an exercise in tedium.



“My Undoing: Love in the Thick of Sex, Drugs, Pornography and Prostitution,” by Aiden Shaw (Carroll & Graf).

Aiden Shaw isn’t your typical gay porn star. He’s written three novels, numerous magazine articles, a book of poetry and songs for the band he headlines. Why, then, is “My Undoing” such a disappointment?

For one thing, it never entirely finds a satisfactory angle.

Despite his fame as an adult entertainer, the memoir purportedly concerns Shaw’s efforts to find love and a lasting relationship. Instead, it chronicles how empty, shallow and repetitive his life was until a stupid accident nearly left him partially paralyzed. Shaw’s candor is initially refreshing. However, since he learns almost nothing from his travails, the autobio quickly exasperates readers.

Assuming that one is masochistic enough to finish this book, the reader will know Shaw better but like him a good deal less. Whoever once famously said, “There’s nothing duller than dull pornography,” never read “My Undoing.”



“Possible Side Effects,” by Augusten Burroughs (St. Martin’s Press).

Unlike the previous two entries, this latest Burroughs effort ends up on this list for its lack of originality.

Some critics have argued that Burroughs has almost tapped out the rich vein of dysfunction that initially endeared him to readers. He repeatedly returns to his shambles of an upbringing in western Massachusetts and his squalid apartment in New York City, occasionally interspersing these with tales of relative domestic bliss with his partner, Dennis. Many of these essays previously appeared in “Details,” which only reinforces the feeling of repetitive redundancy.

Burroughs is a talented writer with a rare gift for pulling readers into his warped world. But “Possible Side Effects” feels like a crossroads for the author. Please, Augusten take the one less traveled. It’ll make all the difference.

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition, December 29, 2006.

—  admin

8 tables

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By Arnold Wayne Jones Staff Writer

From the return of Pyles to epicurean hamburgers, the dining champs of ’06

Restaurants aren’t static entities but organic ones. They change with the staff and the clientele as much as the menu.

That should be a good thing unless you’re the type who wants to preserve every dining experience in Lucite. The pendulum swings both ways: A good bistro that becomes too popular can lose its appeal when the table-wait becomes interminable; one that started off weakly can hit its stride after a few months of smoothing over its growing pains.

Saying the following list names the top new restaurants of the year isn’t exactly accurate, then. Places may fail (adios, Todd Erickson’s Tryst and Christian Svalesen’s Sage, two promising locations that didn’t manage to endure the year). Some reinvent themselves for good or bad. Others just have a bad item or poor service some nights. Instead, think of these eight restaurants as tables that helped defined the culinary life of Dallas in 2006 (several opened late in 2005).

Bijoux. For most of 2006, it was inconceivable that anything other than Stephan Pyles’ eponymous restaurant would top my list. But while the genius of Pyles is apparent in every dish, the superb cuisine at Bijoux wowed us even more. Chef-owner Scott Gottlich brought French techniques to a menu and an atmosphere that were approachable and elegant but not stuffy. Bijoux wows without pretense. 5450 W. Lovers Lane. 214-350-6100.

Stephan Pyles. It’s hard to top the excitement that was generated when Pyles announced last year he was going to be in charge of a kitchen full time again. But the concomitant national acclaim and attention visited upon Dallas once it opened came close. It wasn’t merely hype the food is spectacular, with Central and South American influences boldly staking their claims on his take on New World cuisine. Pyles’ genius in design and concept also revealed themselves to be fully intact. 1807 Ross Ave. 214-580-7000.

Craft. Fancy, expensive, family-style comfort food? There are so many paradoxes about that description that it seemed unlikely Craft really would be all it promised. Surprise! The food delivers, with the much-discussed simplicity taking a backseat to the careful, creative preparation and freshness of the ingredients. (Look for a full review in January.) 2440 Victory Park Lane. 214-397-4111.

Kitchen 1924. Shawn Horne, who runs Kitchen 1924 and designs its wine list, earned his bones when he helped Pyles open Star Canyon in 1994, and the skills learned there seem to have stuck with him: The attitude is funky but the food is faboo. Chef Colleen O’Hare’s smashed potatoes and six-cheese macaroni may be “just” side dishes but are worth a visit in themselves. 1924 Abrams Road. 214-821-1924.

Amuse. Doug Brown’s retro-bistro features his unique brand of New American cuisine. Part lounge, part upscale eatery (with very reasonable prices), the quality food can be as amusing as the name suggests: pita chips with salsa replacing the usual tortillas is a good example. This is one reason why The Cedars is becoming a hip destination for diners, residents and the merely adventurous. 1326 S. Lamar St. 214-428-7300.

Twisted Root Burger Co. I was as shocked as anyone that a Deep Ellum hamburger joint ended up being one of the my favorite eateries of 2006. But you go where your taste buds take you. A low-brow setting (intentionally so) with an upscale mentality, this scrappy restaurant is manned by fine-dining veterans who prepare their own ketchups and ice cream. Twisted Root could have been just another diner, but it became our favorite place to load up on grilled beef patties. 2615 Commerce St. 214-741-7668.

Kenny’s Wood Fired Grill. Chef Kenny Bowers achieved something my mom wasn’t able to accomplish: Making me enjoy a mushroom. That’s quite an victory even if the shrooms had to be deep-fried and drizzled in white truffle oil and accompanied by blue cheese. But there’s much more to enjoy at this noisy Addison steak-and-seafood variation of a Chicago speakeasy cleverly imagined desserts, excellent salmon, memorable spare ribs. 5000 Belt Line Road, Addison. 972-392-9663.

Bistro N. What could be a mere time-killer diner for harried shoppers, Nordstrom’s in-house eatery is instead a darned enjoyable little restaurant with quick service and a small though well-executed menu of salads and light entrees and the pizza hooks you but good. (Look for a full review in January.) Inside Nordstrom’s at NorthPark Center, 8687 N. Central Expressway. 214-231-3810.

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition, December 29, 2006.

—  admin

Ray of light

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By Gilbert Garcia Pop Music Critic

Indigo Girl Amy Ray cuts loose on live CD



REBEL REBEL: Ray revives the punk ethos of live albums.

As the more rocking half of Indigo Girls, Amy Ray has been taming her fiery impulses in favor of wide appeal. As a soloist, however, she’s a punk-loving rebel and a smart songwriter.

Over the course of two solo discs, “Stag” and “Prom,” Ray fused powerful messages with rocking beats. For her third, she lets it all hang out, a recording of a single night’s show in Knoxville, Tenn. Grungy and passionate, “Live From Knoxville” is a rough-edged gem. And what the live album lacks in acoustics, Ray counterbalances with spirit.

On the Web site for her Daemon Records label, Ray admits that last-minute equipment trouble was partially responsible for the lo-fi sonic character of “Live from Knoxville.” Recorded on a paltry four tracks versus the more traditional eight to 18, the raw material leaves little room for mistakes. And though mistakes are rare, they’re there, from howling microphone feedback to off-key backup vocals. If anything, these real-life concert moments add character to a rollicking jam.

Ray announces that the Knoxville gig is the tour’s last stop. Before a gung-ho crowd, Ray and her band, The Volunteers, plow through a tight set of 10 upbeat cuts from “Stag” and “Prom.” And The Volunteers are captured in an appropriately loose mood.


Amy Ray, “Live from Knoxville”, Daemon Records

With the discipline of a bar act, Ray and crew seem to enjoy themselves more as their grooves get sloppier. At the end of a carefree rendition of “Driver Education,” you can even hear Ray mumble, “That was fun.”

Other standouts include the defiant “Rural Faggot,” the angry and chilling “Laramie” and the triumphant anthem “Let It Ring.”

The record closes with two bonus tracks performed in San Francisco, with lesbian punk trio The Butchies. Like the rest of “Live From Knoxville,” these songs have a freewheeling vibe that only benefits their interpretation.

Rollout for “Live From Knoxville” has already begun online, with a limited run of autographed discs slated for release through Daemon’s Web site next month. And while a lack of new material may make this album feel like a secondary release, Ray’s passion and style make this album a winner.



DALLAS’ BEST GAY GIG OF 2006

Erasure threw everyone for a loop when they released “Union Street” this year. Celebrating 21 years as the epitome of synth-pop, Vince Clarke and Andy Bell unplugged and went acoustic. Their May 7 gig at the Lakewood Theater was a sit-down affair and a gorgeous trip down memory lane. With a eight-piece back-up band featuring dobro, banjo, pedal steel and 12-string guitars, Erasure never sounded more organic and it was beautiful. If you missed the show, you missed out big time.

Daniel A. Kusner

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition, December 29, 2006.

—  admin

Gay mayoral candidate acknowledges 2002 arrest

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By David Webb Staff Writer

Herrera says drinking contributed to his reckless behavior with a gun, and that he has now been sober 8 months



Roger Herrera

Dallas lawyer Roger Herrera, a gay candidate for Dallas mayor, was convicted three years ago on a charge of illegally discharging a gun at his Oak Cliff home in 2002, according to police reports.

Herrera was arrested on Sept. 16, 2002, after 911 operators received multiple complaints about gunfire, according to a Dallas Police Department report.
The investigating officer who arrested Herrera at his home described him in the report as being intoxicated.

The investigating officer said in the report that several witnesses complained about a lone suspect firing shots at or in the direction of their residences.
Herrera, who was a member of the Cultural Affairs Commission at the time, was observed pacing in his back yard and holding a handgun and a beer bottle after investigating officers arrived, according to the report.

It also indicates he was observed leaving his residence on a bike.

Officers entered Herrera’s home after he left and found a handgun and a concealed handgun license on the kitchen table, according to the report. Herrera was subsequently taken into custody.

In an interview this week, Herrera acknowledged he has a criminal record.

The report was unearthed by a supporter of gay Councilman Ed Oakley who said he was acting on his own, independently of the councilman and his campaign for mayor. Herrera said the incident went unreported by the media at the time.

Herrera blamed his criminal record on a drinking problem. A search of public data revealed no other convictions.

“I had been drinking much,” Herrera said. “I do suffer from alcoholism. I was firing a gun. I did get arrested, and I was found guilty. It’s not something that I’m proud of, and I hope everyone reading this will realize that whether it’s holidays or what have you, we cannot be shooting off guns.”

Herrera, who was fined $1,500 and served a one-year probation for the Misdemeanor A conviction, said the incident occurred on Mexican Independence Day.

Herrera said he has not drunk alcohol in about eight months.

“It’s an everyday thing,” Herrera said. “I don’t plan to drink today, and I’m pretty sure I’m not going to drink tomorrow. It’s something I’ve always had since a kid. It’s been a constant battle, but I do believe now I’m 40 years old, I’ve got to put that behind me, especially if I want to be elected mayor of Dallas.”

When he was first arrested, Herrera was charged with public intoxication, felony discharge of a weapon and six counts of deadly conduct, according to another copy of a report Herrera provided.

Herrera said the investigating officer arrested him on suspicion of six “drive-by shootings,” in addition to the other charges.

“He made that up that I committed six drive-by shootings,” Herrera said. “He’s a very dirty cop.”

Herrera said he spent four days in jail because he was being held on $180,000 bond and had trouble making the bond.

Dallas County District Attorney spokeswoman Rachel Raya said she found no trace of the six charges in county records.

“It looks like the police never filed those cases,” Raya said.

The felony charge of deadly conduct by discharge of a firearm was reduced to a misdemeanor by the Dallas District Attorney, according to public records. Herrera pleaded not guilty, but the judge in his case found him guilty of “recklessly” discharging a weapon, he said.

Herrera said the judge in his trial ruled that the investigating officer had entered his house without a warrant during a suppression of evidence hearing.

Herrera claimed his neighbors never told police that someone was shooting at their houses, and that they only reported hearing gunfire.

But Dale Brown, one of the witnesses who testified against him at the trial, disputed Herrera’s claim this week. Brown confirmed he told the investigating officer that he had observed Herrera waving a gun and firing it in the direction of or at their residences.

“There was a dozen or more shots set off,” said Brown, whose house sat across from Herrera’s. “I physically watched him fire this gun. He fired the majority up in the air, however, he did shoot over my house. He did point a gun at cars going up and down Hampton. He did not shoot, but he did direct the gun toward them.”

Brown, who was contacted at the suggestion of Herrera, said he is puzzled that Herrera thought he would back up his claim.

“I find this odd that he’s having me trying to discredit this when I was the one who testified against him,” Brown said. “I find that totally bizarre.”

Brown said he suspects that Herrera made a threatening call to his house prior to the start of the trial. The caller, who said, “You’re going to pay,” did not identify himself, but Herrera later parked in his driveway playing loud music, he said.

Brown said he complained to the District Attorney’s office the following morning.

The investigating officer in Herrera’s case was recently fired, but his dismissal was not related to making false reports, according to Dallas Police Department spokesman Lt. Vernon Hale.

Hale said the six charges were dropped because the witnesses refused to testify in court.

“I don’t know whether they were afraid or what,” Hale said.

Herrera said he approached Dallas Police Department Internal Affairs in 2004 about making a complaint when a newspaper story named the investigating officer as one of several officers placed on restrictive duty after a suspect died in custody.

“They were more interested in contradicting me rather than listening, so I decided not to pursue a complaint,” Herrera said.

At the time of his arrest, Herrera was Councilwoman Elba Garcia’s appointee to the Cultural Affairs Commission. Herrera said he completed his term, and that Garcia ran an election campaign out of his office during his legal trouble.

Herrera said he believes the investigating officer trumped up the charges against him because he became angry about the lawyer’s attitude. The investigating officer claimed in the report that Herrera told them he was a city official, and that he would “get” them.

“He’s been fired,” Herrera said. “He’s a dirty cop, but I made him angry by running my mouth. I did bring it upon myself. I did.”

When Herrera was booked into jail and asked if he had any medical problems, he responded, “I’m as crazy as a mother-[expletive],” according to the report.

Herrera said that he had not intended to threaten a police officer.

“I threatened to expose the way they were handling me,” Herrera said. “They were rough. I was intoxicated. What I told him wasn’t in a clear mind.”

The jailhouse quote about his mental state was a reaction to the situation, Herrera said.

“Lew Sterret is a dangerous place,” Herrera said. “It’s awful. When you’re there you’ve got to kind of take on a crazy persona. So that’s part of it. The other part of it was trying to make a joke. The other part of it was that I was drunk.”

But Herrera said he is now grateful for the experience.

“I would not trade that experience,” Herrera said in a follow-up e-mail. “It was an opportunity for me to realize that I had a serious drinking problem. That was the third time and, God help me, the last time I will ever wake up in jail over drinking.”

Although Herrera unsuccessfully appealed his conviction, according to public records, he was complimentary about prosecutors’ handling of his case. “They investigated before seeking indictments against me, and they prosecuted me to the extent of the law regarding the reckless gun firing charge,” Herrera said. “Justice in the end was served.”

Brown said he was surprised to hear that Herrera planned to run for mayor.

“There’s no way on God’s green earth I would vote for him,” Brown said. “I’m shocked that someone with that background would even file to run.”

Herrera said he realized that his criminal record would be revealed when he decided to run for mayor.

“I figure if I am honest about it, if I face up that I was wrong and I’m doing something about it,” Herrera said. “I realize now that I cannot be drinking. I cannot be putting other people in danger. I cannot put myself in danger.”

E-mail webb@dallasvoice.com

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition, December 22, 2006.

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California Supreme Court will hear marriage case

Posted on
By Associated Press

No decision expected until late next year; plaintiffs optimistic high court will overturn appeals court ruling

SAN FRANCISCO The California Supreme Court unanimously agreed Wednesday, Dec. 20, to decide whether the state’s ban on same-sex marriage violates a constitutional ban on discrimination, though an outcome is not likely until late next year.

The justices are reviewing an October decision by the 1st District Court of Appeals, which ruled that California marriage laws do not discriminate because gay and lesbian couples can get most rights the state confers to married couples.

Massachusetts is the only state that authorizes same-sex marriage. California offers domestic partnerships, similar to civil unions in Vermont and Connecticut. New Jersey Gov. John Corzine on Thursday, Dec. 21, signed legislation creating civil unions that are supposed to give same-sex couples all the rights and benefits of marriage.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom allowed gay and lesbian couples to wed at City Hall in 2004. But California’s justices halted the ensuing wedding spree and voided 4,037 marriage licenses by ruling the mayor did not have authority to make marriage law.

About 20 same-sex couples and the city of San Francisco sued the state, and the case has meandered through trial and appellate courts. Had the Supreme Court not taken the case, the lower court’s decision would have stood.

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera said the city was “extremely gratified.”

“It’s perhaps the major civil rights issue of our time,” he said.

A call to the office of Attorney General Bill Lockyer was not returned.

A 1977 law and a 2000 voter-approved measure prohibit gays and lesbians from marrying in California.

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition, December 22, 2006.

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Bush signs new Ryan White Act

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By Deb Riechmann Associated Press

Newest version of AIDS funding bill shifts money to rural areas, Southern states

WASHINGTON President Bush on Tuesday signed the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Modernization Act of 2006 the newest version of the Ryan White CARE Act that will shift AIDS money to rural areas and the South.

The House on Dec. 9 agreed by voice vote to renew the $2.1 billion-annual measure.

The Senate passed the bill earlier after senators from New York and New Jersey dropped their opposition, accepting a compromise that settled months of dispute just as Congress adjourned for the year.

Lawmakers from some urban areas feared losing money under a five-year renewal of the law.

The final deal renews it for three years, allowing earlier reviews of the formulas for distributing money and eliminates the large dollar cuts in the final years that threatened some areas.

AIDS began as a big-city epidemic affecting mainly gay white men. The updates, the first since 2000, aim to spread money more equally around the country.

Current law had only counted patients with full-blown AIDS.

The revision also counts patients with HIV who have not developed AIDS. That change favors the South and rural areas, for example, where the disease is a newer phenomenon.

Rebecca Haag, executive director, AIDS Action Council, said her organization is “pleased that the President and Congress engaged in a serious, bipartisan, bicameral effort” to create and pass a will that will “clearly serve many people living with HIV and AIDS in the United States.”

But, Haag added, “this bill alone is not sufficient to ensure that life-saving drugs and medical treatment are available to all who are infected.
Appropriations have fallen far short over the last several years while the epidemic is growing with 40,000 new infections every year.”

“The reality is we need more funding,” Haag said. “We urge the President to add additional funds to his budget request for next year and to work with the new Congress to make sure that additional resources are made available.”

Katy Caldwell, executive director of Legacy Community Health Services in Houston and chair of AIDS Action Council board, said people must remember that the AIDS epidemic continues to grow, and that “The current funding is not sufficient to address the needs of those already in the system, much less the newly diagnosed.”

“If the President and Congress want to end this epidemic, they must devote more resources to fighting this terrible disease,” Caldwell said.

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition, December 22, 2006.

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Scleroderma patient must raise $90,000 for stem cell transplant

Posted on
By Beth Freed Staff Writer

Health insurance companies deem treatment of extracting cells from her own bone marrow to treat scleroderma “‘experimental’



Devona Coulson suffers from diffused scleroderma with lung involvement. There is no cure for the disease, and it can be fatal.

Devona Coulson needs a back-up plan, in case her insurance company declines to pay for the procedure that could save her life.

When Coulson was diagnosed with diffused scleroderma with lung involvement in June 2004, the then 29-year-old’s universe turned upside down. Now, an autologous stem cell transplant, taken from her own bone marrow, might be her only chance to reduce the effects the disease has on her life.

“It changed my whole world,” said Coulson, now 31. “It’s not easy to swallow, to know you have to face this.”

According to the Scleroderma Foundation, the disease’s name comes from the Greek words “sclero” meaning hard and “derma” meaning skin. This hardening of the skin is one of the most visible symptoms of the disease. It is a chronic connective tissue disease, according to the foundation, and lung involvement often leads to decreased breathing capacities.

Stem cell transplants are increasingly being used to treat the disease.

“I try to keep her very positive about things,” said Coulson’s mother, Brenda Beck of Waxahachie. “I said, pray to God that if the stem cell transplant is meant to be, it will happen. And it did.”

“God has gotten me through this,” said Coulson. “Yes, my family and friends are great, but without God, I would not have made it this far. All miracles come from prayers and I am a firm believer in that.”

Currently, 150,000 to 300,000 Americans live with scleroderma, according to officials at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where Coulson will receive her treatment. Of those cases, 80 percent are women between the ages 30 and 50. There is no cure for the scleroderma, and it can be fatal.

“Nothing’s really helped,” said Coulson, who currently injects her own medicine weekly.

Although there isn’t a cure for scleroderma, treatments do exist. Coulson has undergone extensive chemotherapy treatment, which has caused hair loss and other uncomfortable symptoms. To date, autologous stem cell transplants, which also use heavy doses of chemotherapy, have been effective at treating the condition, according to the Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation.

“Although it’s not a cure, it could put me into remission,” Coulson said.

Coulson learned that out of 14 people who received the treatment in a previous study, two died. She said that one of those deaths occurred before the patient had received a stem cell transplant, and the other happened after the procedure due to complications from the disease.

Coulson said she may spend up to 40 days in the hospital after the procedure.

“Although stem cell transplantation poses some real risks, the patients show remarkable improvements, and we perform the transplant in a manner that is much safer and quite different from the stem cell transplants used for cancers or leukemias,” said Dr. Richard Burt, chief of the Division of Immunotherapy at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.

Now, Coulson must raise $90,000 in advance to get the cutting-edge surgery.

Her mother keeps hoping the insurance company will help with the cost. But because the insurance company deems the procedure “experimental,” Beck doesn’t expect much help.

“I hope one day they’ll realize how stem cell transplantation can work to save people’s lives,” Beck said.

Not only does the disease hinder Coulson’s breathing capacity, which Beck said is at 54-59 percent based on the most recent tests, but it is also causing an uncomfortable condition called Raynaud’s Phenomenon. Blood stops circulating to the feet, causing them to turn blue or black, according to the Scleroderma Foundation.

“Initially, it was a pretty big shock, because she was so young,” said Angelique Deyette, Coulson’s partner of almost three years.

Coulson met Deyette online before she was diagnosed with scleroderma. In October 2004, just four months after her diagnosis, she stopped working because her work place was dusty and put her at risk for tuberculosis, Coulson said.

Although legalities prevent Coulson from disclosing the exact factors that led to her condition, she did say that doctors identified “environmental causes.”

She moved to Waco to live with Deyette and her 13-year-old son, Dominic, in December 2004.

“After the first time we met, it just seemed like we were supposed to be together,” said Deyette. “I’ve done all that I could for her, emotionally and physically. It’s been stressful for both of us.”

Deyette said that after a long battle, Coulson is now receiving workers’ compensation benefits. Coulson does not want to get on disability, though, because she wants to go back to work again and have a normal life, Deyette said.

In the meantime, Coulson said that she spends most of her time taking care of the home.

“Fatigue is a big part of my disease,” she said. “I read and research a lot, and try to figure out how I can help other people.”

Although the couple has some financial support from Coulson’s family for her procedure, they are trying to raise as much money as possible on their own. Recently, Ciao Bella performed at a benefit arranged by a friend, Elena Guilbeau, for Coulson, raising $4,000 toward their cause.

The couple has also toyed with ideas such as raffles, garage sales and basket auctions.

“Every little bit helps,” said Coulson.

Beck said Coulson is determined to overcome the disease.

“It’s been a hard road,” said Beck. “I try to be strong for her, so she can continue on. She’s a fighter.”

If anyone wishes to contribute, donations can be sent to Citizens National Bank, P.O. Box 717, Waxahachie, TX 75168. Make checks payable to “Benefit Account for Devona Coulson.”

Donations can also be made online at www.transplantfund.org. On the left side of the page, type “Coulson” in the Patient’s Last Name box, and her profile will come up with a button for contributions.

For information about scleroderma visit www.scleroderma.org.

Email freed@dallasvoice.coM

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition, December 22, 2006.

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