Paul Eckerstrom, taken by Curtis Dutiel

Tucson attorney Paul Eckerstrom, Co-chair of the Start Our State (SOS) campaign to separate Pima County from the State of Arizona will be speaking at Democrats of Greater Tucson (DGT) on April 4.

This political committee started in late February and has been reported extensively on by Tucsoncitizen.com blogger/attorney Hugh Holub (“View from Baja Arizona”), who is somewhat credited with this idea of promoting the formation of a Southern Arizona state, tentatively called “Baja Arizona”. Click here (http://tucsoncitizen.com/view-from-baja-arizona/2011/02/25/americas-51st-state-movement-starts-to-free-baja-arizona/) for one of Hugh’s first blogs on this subject.

Eckerstrom is a former Chair of the Pima County Democratic Party.The other SOS Co-chair is Peter Hormel, another attorney activist in Tucson who was once a Green Party of Pima County candidate for Pima County Attorney, and the Treasurer is attorney David Euchner, former Chair of the Pima County Libertarian Party. These three local attorneys, from each of the 3 parties are leading the way in this “separation for equal representation” movement.

To establish a new state in Southern Arizona free of the un-American, unconstitutional machinations of the Arizona legislature and to restore our region’s credibility as a place welcoming to others, open to commerce, and friendly to its neighbors.

(from the SOS website)

Websites: http://startourstate.com/, and http://www.facebook.com/startourstate (with 3245 “likes” so far). Donations can be sent to “Start Our State”, P. B. Box 308, Tucson 85702 or online via Paypal, email is startourstate@gmail.com. “Free Baja Arizona” bumper stickers are for sale as well.

I heard Paul speak at Drinking Liberally (at The Shanty) on February 27, and about 30 people in the bar agreed that they no longer wanted to be associated with the conservative Arizona legislature. One fellow said that the current situation felt like “taxation without representation” because the current legislators did not represent the interests of the tax paying people here in Pima County.

And here’s Paul being interviewed on KUAT TV Channel 6 on March 11: http://www.azpm.org/politics/story/2011/3/11/1830-is-baja-arizona-for-real/

If you want to hear about this movement to separate/secede from the State of Arizona which has gotten a lot of media coverage (even nationally), log onto their website, read Hugh Holub’s numerous articles, and/or go to DGT on April 4.

DGT meets at the Dragon View Restaurant, 400 N. Bonita (between W. St. Mary’s Road and W. Congress) on Mondays at high noon (except holidays). Chinese buffet lunch costs $8.50 including drink & tip, or just $2.50 for a drink.

Jonathan Rothschild, J.D.

Jonathan Rothschild, a Democratic attorney born & raised in Tucson who has never held public office before, filed his official papers for Mayor of the City of Tucson today at the City Clerk’s Office. A statement of organization for his Exploratory Committee for Mayor was filed back in July, 2010.

He held a fundraiser on December 7 at Etherton Gallery (click here) after I first reported about his exploratory committee back in September (click here).

He said today in a press release:

“Tucson needs a mayor who will get the job done,” Rothschild said. “All the things we’ve talked about for years, from economic development to downtown revitalization, need to get done and done responsibly. We’re coming through tough economic times.Tucsonans don’t expect things to come easy. They know it will be hard, but they expect results.”

In Tucson, competing interests have often clashed, with the unfortunate result of nothing being done and everyone being frustrated. Rothschild has spent a 30-year career in law at the head of a negotiating table, bringing people together, finding the shared interests of all involved and coming up with workable solutions. “We need leadership willing to tackle challenges head-on and make the city of Tucson what Tucsonans deserve,” Rothschild said. “We must put our differences aside and come together. That’s how we build a better Tucson.”

Former Ward 5 Council candidate Republican Shaun McClusky has already announced his intention to seek this Mayoral seat (click here).

No word yet from 3 term Republican Mayor Bob Walkup whether he will seek re-election. Read my previous blog about “Will Mayor Walkup run again?

Democratic Councilwoman Shirley Scott has indicated that she will NOT be running for Mayor, but seeking re-election to her 5th term in Ward 4. I refer to her conversation with Bill Buckmaster on KJLL radio on January 12 (click here). She will be facing opposition from Republican Mike Jenkins, who had challenged her in November 2003, and announced his formal candidacy today as well, in front of the Ward 4 council office.

And reports indicate that Ward 3 Councilmember Karin Uhlich is not interested in running for Mayor either.

Rothschild’s campaign website: www.jonathanformayor.com.

To keep up to date on candidate listings with the City Clerk of Tucson (click here), and the link on the left is “2011 Candidate listing”).

Jonathan speaks tonight at 7 p.m. at the Saguaro Eastside Democrats meeting, at the New Spirit Lutheran Church, 8701 Old Spanish Trail (northeast corner at Camino Seco). Light refreshments will be served at 6:30 p.m. Website: http://saguaroeastsidedemocrats.org/

He will be also be speaking at high noon on Jan. 31 at the Democrats of Greater Tucson lunch meeting at Dragon View restaurant, 400 N. Bonita Ave. Pima County Democratic Party Chair Jeff Rogers will also be speaking. Cost of lunch is $8.50 which includes tax and tip for the Chinese buffet. Website: www.tucsondemocrats.org.

One Hit Wonders film at the Loft Cinema on September 8, 7:30 p.m.will be the 2010 documentary “Stonewall Uprising”. From the Loft website:

“On June 28, 1969, everything changed.”

“It was the Rosa Parks moment,” says one man. June 28, 1969: NYC police raid a Greenwich Village Mafia-run gay bar, The Stonewall Inn. For the first time, patrons refuse to be led into paddy wagons, setting off a 3-day riot that launches the Gay Rights Movement. Told by Stonewall patrons, Village Voice reporters and the cop who led the raid, STONEWALL UPRISING compellingly recalls the bad old days when psychoanalysts equated homosexuality with mental illness and advised aversion therapy, and even lobotomies; public service announcements warned youngsters against predatory homosexuals; and police entrapment was rampant. A treasure-trove of archival footage gives life to this all-too-recent reality, a time when Mike Wallace announced on a 1966 CBS Reports: “The average homosexual, if there be such, is promiscuous. He is not interested in, nor capable of, a lasting relationship like that of a heterosexual marriage.” At the height of this oppression, the cops raid Stonewall, triggering nights of pandemonium with tear gas, billy clubs and a small army of tactical police. The rest is history. ”

movie poster

The late activist Dr. Maurice Grossman passionately spoke of this event at his October, 2008 talk at the Democrats of Greater Tucson. Maurice was a leader in the local Tucson Stonewall Democrats club. And here’s the link to the Arizona Stonewall Democrats (click here).

A portion of the proceeds from Wednesday’s showing will benefit Tucson Pride. Here’s their mission statement:

* Our Purpose is to produce and promote Pride events for Tucson, Arizona, throughout the year.
* Our Intent is to create forums through which Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Heterosexual people can express their creativity, visibility, unity, and diversity with dignity.
* Our Aim is to nurture cultural and artistic expression throughout the community.
* Our Goal is to educate, commemorate, and celebrate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender history, uniqueness, and diversity in all the facets of our community.

We have come a long way since 1969, with gay marriage now being performed in five states (Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont),and the District of Columbia.
And I just heard of a lesbian couple who crossed the border into Canada (where it is also legal) to get married.

The Loft Theater is at 3233 E. Speedway, east of Country Club.