8-28-2012 Protests & GO Proud’s HOMOCON 2012 Party . The so called protesters were offset by an unannounced tropical storm now disastrous Hurricane Isaac. Start of the day was to get out our weekly “Dishing with Mark & Carrie” blog and then search downtown Tampa for some more RNC tidbits. Yes, the gavel was struck and the 50,000 conventioneers were ready for the party to begin. The Official ‘legitimate” party that they say is. Romneyville, the focal center of protesting groups leaders ‘info center’ north of downtown Tampa behind the Army & Navy Store had a smidgens of any group activity. Large signs were displayed all around the tented city block stating “FOOD Needed.” Rain and wind is still a major problem to the tent city. Talking to some of the ‘info center’ leaders “nothing was happening” they stated. Mainly disorganized factions were gathered from just a few days prior. Asked, “What are your causes?” There was quite the silence. Maybe exhausted or just plain tired from talking to the 15 thousand press members.
I headed to downtown Tampa and this time no incident. Really downtown Tampa was quiet considering the 50k conservative member convention was now underway. The biggest rallying group was a couple hundred supporters for Ron Paul for President were scattered in Lykes Gaslight Park. Quite the unique Ron Paul specialized corvette driving around the park. I met Charlie, a delegate to the convention for Ron Paul. He said that he has a house with 20 other Ron Paul delegates staying with him. He was very popular. Every few feet a different cause handed you literature or pamphlets. Still a humungous amount (over kill) of khaki brown wearing police patrolling our friendly light hearted city. Hundreds of police patrols are still walking, bicycling, riding in vehicles, standing inside fenced properties or riding police horses. Yes, today they are getting rained upon.
A bipartisan house was being built at Encore redevelopment, halfway between downtown and Ybor City. Republicans built half here in Tampa and the Democrats in Charlotte are to build the other half of this gifted giveaway house. The house will be given away and placed on a lot in Encore Project.
Creative Loafing Magazine held a panel discussion at there CL offices on 9th Ave with panelists Log Cabin Board Member, Sara Longfellow; Sally Phillips, GLBTA Democratic State Committeewoman; Nadine Smith with Equality Florida and David Warner, CL publisher as the moderator. The topic theme was “GLBT in today’s political parties; Are they invisible?” Comments and positions were debated by all the panelists on their own party’s platform position.
Back at our MC FILM store, we hadn’t noticed anything positive in store sales during the largest Tampa convention. Zero sales = Zero dollars! We knew the delegates wouldn’t come in to buy but we did think the media and others would. Ybor City businesses and Tampa businesses are not getting any shoppers. Another sad day for store sales! I was talking with King Corona owner, Don Barco. He has had a lot of national media also interviewing him. One particular fun story is the FOX Network interview with an Emmy award winning broadcaster. He asked Don,” What is it with this close relationship between Ybor City and cigars?” I just laughed as Don was telling me the story.
Onto the night with the Gay Republican splinter Washington conservative based group, GO Proud’s HOMOCON 2012 Party at the Honey Pot in GaYBOR. Before going we witnessed another Anti-gay mockery bully campaign on 7th Ave in front of Centro Ybor. On the balcony of Hamburger Mary’s we saw 2 battalions of 40 police along with a bicycle patrol of 10 separate the street banner holding self serving religious toting zealots and the positive horn blowing, yelling in their face and holding there line, GLBT Yborites.
HOMOCON 2012 had been invited by the GaYBOR District to help identify nationally & internationally the positive measures Ybor City GLBTA members have re-created to Tampa’s historic district. We wore our traditional sparkling jacket outfits. Over 1000 attendees said they really liked Tampa but were unaware of its beginnings or culture. The over 100 press members present from all over the globe interviewed us about our views of the GOP’s platform against GLBT rights and the convention being in Tampa. Tampa’s economical situation is very grave and unemployment for East Tampa at over 17%. We need all the financial stimulus help we can get. We said “ Tonight, we are Switzerland.”
