I want to thank those readers who can commented to me about this open letter! I want to make sure to be more clear about one point. While I would hope that Mayor Luke would sign on to Freedom to Marry’s project, I personally am not pushing the mayor to do so. What I personally want to see is transparency. I want to see him make his intentions clear. If he is going to sign, that’s great. If he is not going to sign, I’d like to see him express his reasons why.

Too often, politicians at every level of government fail to be transparent with their constituents. They make promises, sometimes knowing at the time they make them, that they will not keep them. Sometimes they have the best of intentions, but are unable for one reason or another to follow through. Even when no promises have been made, their constituents can be unclear about how or why an elected official is acting in one way or another.

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer community is a vital block of voters, and more importantly, a meaningful community of constituents whose rights, needs and interests deserve real attention by our elected officials. Local government is perhaps the level of government where an elected official can have the most honest and direct relationship with his or her constituents. I seek to ask Mayor Luke to participate in that open and honest direct relationship. I do not demand he do things my way. I request he be clear, host, and articulate what he is going to do or not do, and why.