Christine Quinn Ahead in Polls and The "Young Democrats"

Staten island has long been seen as a Republican stronghold in general national elections. On local elections still leans towards the right but things are changing along with the demographics of the Island. It is noteworthy to point out that the young Democrats of Richmond County conducted a straw poll on Monday night and had Christine Quinn, the present leader in the city polls, win that straw poll.

There are two things that I consider newsworthy about this event. Number is that this poll was conducted by the new young democrats and I have to say they are new as in new and improved and unbeatable. These milenial’s are very different from the y2k and boomers crowd. They are not afraid of coming out, they walk as they sidewalk belong to them too, including the schools and the government. Yes they have the benefit of prior work done particularly by the generation after the baby boomers which after all the talk about peace-no war and banks are corrupt became bankers, government officials and part of the elite in this country. Also they stayed in the closet.

There was a great movement that started with Anita Bryant and Florida orange juice. She went after gays like they had killed her grandmother and the cat. The gays then went after her, she got fired and there was no more tainted orange juice. Gays were seen as in and popular. All these ended with the advent of AIDS. The ones that survived went back in the closet or just hid under the bed. They either got married in the traditional way or got a partner and stayed out of politics and just out of any progress for change (for us).

When Meds where not forthcoming because of lack of research and when the pipeline finally opened only the rich could afford it. People were being dropped by their health insurance because of the costs of the medicines.

A new kind of activist was born 1980’s and 90’s . They had the internet and they made use of it by networking with other gay HIV'ers and friends such as PFLAG (parents,friends, of lesbians and gays. A new movement was born and with the base of the boomers. They have become a group that is not in shame of who they are and they know how to fight. The Staten Island Young democrats is a group together with like wise groups across the country that have maintain the pressure for equal rights and same sex marriage. The best thing about this group is that they don’t seem to back a candidate just because they are gay, but because they are committed to our cause. That was the second thing worthwhile reporting. Yes Chris is Gay but she is committed to our cause. She is not running like some gays run, as a stepping stone. Oh wait until Im a senior senator would I bring home the bacon! Not Her!! Some other gay politician.

We enjoy a 52% acceptance in the national polls along with americans saying that gays should have equal rights, including the right to marriage. But we know how opinions change and we have people guided by ignorance , prejudice and judo-religion and those are the worse three you can go against because they never stop. The answer to that group is to keep on our side and well informed the people of common sense and that believe in justice for everyone, gays included.

The Young Democrats of Staten island make me proud and I hope that those that are looking to obtain gains like the gay community has in NY state look at them and other gay groups working in this state and being part of the political process to obtain the power you can only obtain through coalitions in the political field.

With just 10 club members taking part, Ms. Quinn scored four votes to three for former Comptroller Bill Thompson.

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, Comptroller John Liu and former Brooklyn Councilman Sal Albanese got one vote each.

"Staten Island Young Democrats are some of the hardest working activists in the party who participate in and help organize some of the most competitive elections in New York," said Ms. Quinn. "I'm proud to have their support in my race for mayor and know working together the Island will help put us over the top for the primary, runoff, and general election."

"This is a trend we're seeing across the board," said Young Dems president Andrew Savage, "Quinn and Thompson heading for a runoff."

Scandal-scarred Anthony Weiner, whose spokeswoman is at the center of a new firestorm after her obscenity-laced tirade against a former campaign intern, got no votes.

The Young Dems straw poll was part of a citywide Young Democrats effort that also saw surveys taken in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens as well.

The clubs do not make political endorsements.

De Blasio was the overall winner in the other boroughs, scoring 30 percent, with Liu second at 24 percent.

In other races, native Islander Cathy Guerriero didn't far well with her hometown Young Dems, getting just two votes here to the eight for Brooklyn Councilwoman Letitia James.

Adam Gonzalez