A resolution

Like many others, I was not sorry to see 2009 come to an end. A lot of misery, great expectations, dashed hopes, deferred dreams and daily anxiety were packed into those 12 months.

As 2010 dawns, I can’t say I possess irrefutable proof for budding optimism, but there are some signs, both obvious and nuanced, that positive change may be coming our way.

There are, of course, some big indicators. From my perspective, an active LGBT community that recognizes that our activism and engagement are essential if we are to see movement on LGBT issues at the national level. This coming year we must elevate our involvement in national and local politics, understanding that this is the only way we can hold our elected leaders accountable.

I respect and admire our president a great deal. I have some sense of the enormity of his task and the toxicity of his opposition. Even so, there is no reason why he cannot exert his moral leadership and his actual power to make change on behalf of the LGBT community and our families.

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Support medical marijuana

I’m writing to urge your support for Assembly Bill 554, the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act.

This act seeks to enact statewide legal protections shielding those seriously ill patients who use cannabis therapeutically with a doctor’s recommendation.

The use of marijuana as medicine is a public health issue — it should not be part of the war on drugs. According to a recent national survey of U.S. physicians conducted for the American Society of Addiction Medicine, nearly half of all doctors with opinions support legalizing cannabis as a medicine.

Some 80 state and national health care organizations, including the American Nurses Association, American Public Health Association, The New England Journal of Medicine, and the Wisconsin Nurses Association, support immediate, legal patient access to medical cannabis.

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Best in 2010

Log Cabin Republican members and supporters should be proud of the progress our organization has made this past year. We look ahead to the important challenges facing us in 2010 as there is much important work to be done to build a more inclusive Republican Party.

The last year brought success and setbacks: Polls show more Republicans than ever supporting basic fairness for gay and lesbian people. Help us support inclusive candidates. Log Cabin is the only organization with an active legal challenge to the unfair military policy, “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Our case has moved into the discovery stage. Despite promises to end the policy, the Obama administration is fighting to keep our case from moving forward.

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New year, new resolve

As 2010 approaches, LGBT business leaders have an opportunity to choose health for the LGBT community. On July 5, Wisconsin will go smoke free. That means perhaps we can begin to address the 44 percent LGBT smoking rate vs. the 19 percent general Wisconsin smoking rate disparity and its accompanying health problems. Many business leaders already are making the decision to go smoke free.

No one disputes the negative health effects of smoking — cancer, asthma, COPD and heart disease among them.

Bottom line: Smoke-free laws are good for health. Workers and the public will be protected from the immediate and serious long-term health effects of second-hand smoke.

It’s time to get excited about this change! Let’s go smoke free now!

Julie Bock, director or programs, Milwaukee LGBT Community Center