Some thoughts on today's meeting(s)

[Jerry]

OK...I think both meetings today were productive...The pre meeting was extremely successful in our agreement to be a unified force and not going into the second meeting with too many other issues..
I want to personally thank everyone who held back on their personal important issues..I totally respect your concerns and thank you so much for not letting today's issue be diffused..it was primarily important today to address the time that is running out to SOS Save--OUR-Space athe the LGBT CENTER..
The second meeting with Micheal and Glenda was a mixed bag...I think we were heard..we were listen to...and it remains to be seen what will come of it...but regardless this fight to continue Sage's presence at the LGBT will not be over until it's over..
Some points I did not make at the meeting...One being if a compromise is suggested that there be found a space for a daily drop in at the Sage Center..AGAIN that would be very nice..BUT IS NOT the issue which remains the maintaining a daily Sage drop social space at the General... LGBT CENTER..
There is room for both if Sage wants to create a room at the senior center...
I would probably occasionally participated at both by most of our hearts..and pride are identified as an integral part of the LGBT community..
Every time we walk through the doors of that LGBT center we feel proud and are making a very loud and important political statement...a statement that does not get made by attending a senior center in an anonymous office building on 27Th st..
AGAIN..this is not war against that senior center...I want it to survive expand and flourish,but as I said at today's meeting a senior center is NOT an LGBT center..and for Sage and or the Center to remove our presence from that general community center on an open and daily basis as it has for over 20 years because of MONEY...is more than most of us who created that LGBT community can stomach or accept at least not without a damn strong fight...
The situation as it stands now is we say the closing of our room on Gay Pride day June 25 cannot be allowed...unless the construction company comes in on Monday the 26th to tear the walls of the room down...if that doesn't occur at least 3 people and myself are prepared to have a sit in at the room and proudly get arrested if the powers that be chose to call the police to arrest us...won't be the first time for most of us who have used that tactic for over 40 years and have succeeded in getting us the advances we have today.....Also the media(gay and straight) is dying to get on this story...
I have personally rejected several invitations for interviews because we don't want this to degenerate into an us against them battle further exploiting the lack of unity in our LGBT community...UNLESS WE HAVE TO...!(I laugh at the vision of the news stories that would cover some of us elder gays being arrested and hauled off to jail from a sit in at the Sage room:)
OK again at this point Neither Sage nor the Center is the enemy..Nor is Micheal Adams or Glenda...I respect them both and understand they have a job to do....ALSO one last VERY important point...I am not the leader of this campaign...I have an unusually BUG MOUTH ;D..which has served me well though the years...but this is THE SAGE COMMUNITY'S fight..I am very proud and willing to be A spokesperson and use my big mouth whenever necessary...BUT I AM NOT THE LEADER IN THIS....OUR SAGE COMMUNITY IS!..
We were told today by Micheal and Glenda that some response will be forthcoming before June 25th...until then I urge everyone to stay involved...stay on top of things...PLEASE use this public board for updates-opinions-networking...and remain in truce mode until we hear what Micheal and Glenda have to say...I hate to use the old line but what the hell..."POWER TO THE PEOPLE"!
Jerry Hoose(please pass on the link to this board to anyone who might not know about it)

[Jerry]

I should have added on the header that today's meeting(s) refer to the meetings we had on Tuesday June 12...I'm sorry
Jerry(still basically computer illiterate)

[Bill]

Jerry: Even though you weren't feeling your best tonight you were very impressive at the meeting, and all of us should be grateful to you and the other speakers for presenting this issue so clearly and forcefully. I know I am. Feel better. --Bill Shubick

[Jerry]

I'm sitting at my computer after 1AM finding it very hard to sleep thinking of all the things that I had wanted to bring up at the meeting today and didn't..One of them being the "Melting Pot"aspect of the Sage drop in room...

That room on a daily basis has interactions and friendships between white men and woman African American men-some African American woman-We have transgendered people-we have guys into drag..one person who we are all fond of is usually in full makeup who holds hands with his wonderful wrestler boyfriend..
I have attended countless Sage groups and have never experienced the diversity of the social situation that the drop in room melting pot gives us.

I attended an inter generational group held last year at the Senior Center..it was a stilted overly facilitated bore..I quit after two or 3 meetings...
The drop in room has little if any time limits there are times when it remains open and active well into the night...since it is owned/leased by Sage we Sage members who have been given the authority can keep it open and going pretty much all hours that our LGBT Center is open...including Saturdays and Sunday
We older people don't shut down on nights and weekends we like to hang out at those times too...
We also have the occasional younger guest visit in a socially and not a stilted artificial group setting..my wonderful daughter Brian(a 33 year old guy)is friends and cared about by many many of the drop in regulars...he is very rarely there to visit but always welcome by everyone..there are several other younger people who occasionally stop by usually by invitation of one of us..so add an occasional younger person too the drop in room melting pot aspect of the room.
I very much wish I had brought this angle up at the meeting today...because it is damned important and adds another reason why the drop in room at the LGBT Center is irreplaceable and serves purposes that cannot be duplicated in any other setting...I have to say my favorite comment made at the meeting today was when someone referred to the drop in room as Sage's living room at the LGBT Center...that's exactly what it is...I can't remember who said that but THANK YOU for adding that great observation.
It's 2:14AM now...I got this off my chest gonna try to sleep now
Jerry

[Jerry]

I left out so many other diverse groups of people that frequent the drop in,in my last posting...i'm so sorry..I would start naming them but i'm too tired now and would probably leave some group out..i'm sorry...you can spank me verbaly on the board ...
Now it's 2:24...must try to sleep...

[Jerry]

BTW...don't know why but the time listed as the posting time is an hour earlier than it actually is here in NYC...gotta figure out how to fix that..it is actually 2:34AM now...but the posting time will probly say 1:34AM..This should be the worse problem I ever have in my life!! ..
Now another attempt to SLEEP!...