“Mister Speaker, the President of the United States”

That is the introduction given to a President when he or she enters the joint session of Congress for the State of the Union. Whenever this happens, no matter who is in office, I always get emotional.

Perhaps it is because the President as our leader symbolizes the promise of America- a nation of equals, a nation of progress, and a nation of hope. Or maybe it’s because the President sets the tone for our country. No matter what political party you belong to, it’s hard to deny the moral authority and power of the President of The United States.

So when last Wednesday President Barack Obama, the leader of the free world, came out of the political closet to announce his unequivocal support for marriage equality, the world stood still for just a quick second as the moral power of the US Presidency was in full display. This historic moment will forever be remembered as the day the United States began a path toward full inclusion, toward full equality. The Founding Fathers and Founding Mothers must be looking down upon our nation smiling and proud of how this nation has evolved.

The next State of the Union address will be held in January 2013 and we can only hope and pray that our current President will be the one delivering the speech since his opponent does not share this vision of inclusion for America. In fact, Mitt Romney is as anti-equality as any right-winger can be. All Mitt has to show for his gay rights record is how he bullied a gay kid in high school and how he fought like hell (and lost) to stop gay marriage in Massachusetts. This is nothing to be proud of if you ask me. President Obama is leading us forward on a bridge to the future; a President Romney would take our nation backwards toward failure.

I always suspected that President Obama’s evolution would bring him to a place of acceptance for same-sex marriage rights. His record on gay and lesbian equality has been exemplary- from appointing openly gay judges to repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell”, to refusing to defend the unconstitutional so-called Defense of Marriage Act, the President has come through. It was once said that Bill Clinton was America’s first black president due to his affinity and understanding of the needs of African- Americans. Using this metaphor, we can certainly say that President Obama is our first gay president- he understands our struggles, he leads by example, he is honest about his struggle with accepting same-sex marriage. President Obama has done more for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Americans than any president in history.

I frankly was surprised that President Obama came out with this statement before the election. It is a risky move especially given some of the swing states he will most surely need to win reelection. I am a bit nervous about this; on the other hand, I am always amazed by the American people. Their quest for fairness and equality usually rules the day. Even those who don’t agree with the President have to give him credit for taking a stand and speaking his mind despite the potential political implications of his position. This type of political bravery is a trait so often absent from our leaders. Mitt Romney would never take such a risk, not the least of which, he can’t seem to hold a position long enough to have a conviction. The one thing Americans despise most in their leaders are flip-floppers.

The Presidents’ words have reverberated around the world- from accolades in Europe where many countries, including deeply Catholic ones like Spain, have adopted marriage equality, to disdain from Muslim countries where gays and lesbians could never dream of being married, in fact they can’t even be known as a couple or they will be tortured or killed.

This is why the President’s position is so important. Will America continue to be the moral leader of the world as it has in the struggle for minority rights and for women’s rights? Are we a nation where all citizens are equal, where they enjoy all the rights and liberties of citizenship, or are we a nation where you can lose your job, be beaten or killed simply because of whom you love?

The world is changing. The Arab Spring awakened a spirit of democracy in the Middle East. African-Americans in the United States now have the same opportunity and rights as others. Women serve in the highest levels of government and in most religious denominations. So too the struggle for LGBT rights is spreading throughout the civilized world. And in our country, the day when my marriage to my husband Harry will be afforded the same respect as those of my straight friends is closer than ever, due in part, to one brave and courageous statement by the President of the United States.

Hail to the Chief!

Single Family Homes Up 8%; Condos and Townhouses, Up 18% in April 2012

More good news on the Key West Real estate market: the latest sales figures released by the Key West Association of Realtors reflect stability and growth for the first quarter of 2012. Overall sales prices increased 4% for the quarter compared with 2011 first quarter. Fewer homes were sold, but that is, in part, a function of a lower inventory. There were 10% fewer listings on the market in April 2012 (465 properties) than in April 2011 (418). Read the full report: Key West Real Estate Market Statistical Report.

From the April 2012 report by the Key West Association of Realtors. Click image above for full chart.

Average sales prices held their own in April at .04% above a year ago, while overall median sales prices reflect an increase of 3.4% when compared with sales records for homes and properties in Key West for April 2011.

But those figures — which comprise all Key West residential property building types including multi unit listings — fail to reflect the strong increases in median sales prices for single family homes: 8% up over April 2011. Sales for condos on townhouses chalked up a whopping 18% increase in the median sales price when compared with last year.

Those are significant increases and reflect a trend for the past 10 months.

“We’ve seen steady increases and signs of stability in the market since last July,” said Market leader Rudy Molinet. “We have buyers are ready to move; we need more listings.”

Molinet’s reports on market sales and the signs of recovery in Key West’s market can be viewed here: market reports and
and the full statistical reports are here: http://www.rudymolinet.com/kwrealtorsassocreports.html.

Rudy Molinet’s new tool allows buyers to Search Key West’s MLS Listings with ease: http://www.rudymolinet.com/searchkeywestmls.html

“It is a speck of rock in a pastel sea. Palms whisper. Songbirds sing. The place has never known a frost. People spend their days at rest in wicker chairs on gingerbread verandas. Flowers bloom all year and love is free. Without a hint of irony, everybody calls it Paradise.”  — from the Key West chapter in Charles Kuralt’s  book, America.

My mother gave me a copy of Kuralt’s book as a Christmas gift back in 1997. I made my first road trip to Key West on a new Triumph motorcycle the following September. Not long after Ruthie passed away, after traveling out west for awhile, I was drawn back to the island as a resident in December of 2009 and began resurrecting my life as a photographer/artist.

It was only recently that I realized the inn where Kuralt stayed during the time his book was percolating, Travelers Palm, is just up a block from where I live on Catherine Street. It has since changed hands and has been renovated and modernized. No matter; the idea of Kuralt, strolling down Catherine wearing that funky palm weave hat, headed toward wherever, inspires me. [I wave hello as the thought passes by.]

The homeowners in my neighborhood are in tune with the spirit of the garden and many cultivate their sanctuaries as their own little secret gardens. It is the place they go to tell their troubles or simply relax, be and breathe.  A sacred place which gives them just what they need. A little wild life that has nothing to do with the spirit of city and a lot to do with stirring the soul.

As an emerging artist, Key West speaks to me, insists it is okay to devote my life recreating, illustrating images of  our environment. It is my joy, my pleasure. I am at home, in Paradise.

Guest post by Key West Photographer Michele Strub, who lurks in the best gardens of the Southernmost City. Find more of her tropical visions:  Mikaloguer

Be Prepared.

That’s the motto of the Boy Scouts of America. My husband Harry is an Eagle Scout. I was also a Boy Scout and earned the rank of Life Scout. The scouts helped us become the men we are today. They taught us the value of service and they taught us to be loyal, courteous and kind. Their slogan, “Do a Good Turn Daily” is a way of life for Harry and me.

So, when we read the plight of the lesbian den mother who was recently booted from the scouts specifically because she is a lesbian, it made us both angry and sad. Angry because the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is one of the few remaining organizations that so blatantly and aggressively discriminates against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people. We feel sad because the boys they serve are learning to hate LGBT people at a young age rather than learning the importance of acceptance and diversity.

At a time in our country where our military allows openly gay people to serve; where openly gay elected officials are ubiquitous; where the majority of Americans support marriage equality; where over 2 million children are being raised in same-sex parent households, the Boy Scouts appear out of touch with mainstream American values.

There are so many wonderful LGBT Americans who would make great Scoutmasters, Den Leaders, Patrol Leaders and Scouts but they are being marginalized by the BSA. The leadership of the Texas-based Boy Scouts of America seems more intent on imposing their narrow religious view of gays than on taking into account the actual needs of the boys they serve.

Scouts come into their troops as boys and leave as young men with leadership skills that will serve them a lifetime. They achieve this growth by having excellent role models in their adult leaders and in working with the older boys who have become young leaders themselves. By teaching homophobia instead of the dignity of all people, BSA is contributing to the problem of bullying that has become so prevalent in this country. Imagine the good that BSA could do if they took a stand against bullying by allowing openly gay people to serve in scouting. Actions speak louder than words and this would help tremendously with this issue.

Jennifer Tyrell was a den leader of her son’s cub scout pack in Ohio for over a year. Her son is a member of the pack and she wanted to help the boys who are in his group. She is a passionate den leader and a great mom. “Throughout the year, my cubs performed volunteer service at a local soup kitchen, collected canned goods for area churches to distribute in food baskets, participated in bell-ringing for the Salvation Army, and, at the time of my removal, were working on a conservation project for a state park,” she said in a statement to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).

“The revocation of my membership came shortly after I was elected treasurer of my pack and uncovered some inconsistencies in the pack’s finances. Within a week of reporting these findings to the council, I received notice that my membership had been revoked, based on my sexual orientation, citing that due to being gay, I did not meet the ‘high standards of membership that the (Boy Scouts of America) seeks’.’’

What a shame!

The Boy Scouts provide a great place for kids to learn valuable life skills, to explore nature, to serve their community. Especially in the inner city, scouting serves as an alternative to a life on the streets, to gangs and crime. Yet by prohibiting gays and lesbians from serving, scouting denies kids access to loving, compassionate leaders like Jennifer, who will take care of them, who will teach them valuable lessons on service and diversity. Indeed, in dozens of countries, scouting organizations allow openly gay people to serve in troops and in leadership positions. It is time for the Boy Scouts of America to enter the 21st century.

BSA should learn from Girl Scouts USA, a group that allows openly gay people to serve both as scouts and scout leaders.

The reaction in Jennifer’s community has been heartwarming. A petition drive has garnered over 8,000 signatures, parents of her scout group have been supportive, but yet in the face of this outcry, the BSA refuses to reinstate her into service.

Perhaps people of goodwill from all over this nation will contact the Boy Scouts of America to register their outrage. Once and for all discriminatory bans against gays and lesbians must end- then the Boy Scouts can be true to their mantra of “Do a Good Turn Daily” and invite into membership the millions of gays and lesbians who want to serve our nation’s youth.

A crowd of several hundred gathered at The Gardens Hotel Saturday evening to celebrate and congratulate Commissioner and Civil Rights Advocate Jimmy Weekley, the recipient of Equality Florida’s Voice for Equality Award.

Gathered Around The Pool At The Gardens Hotel

"I'll have to get that amended,' Molinet joked.

Rudy Molinet, last year’s recipient, made the presentation, and said the award noted Weekley’s sense of humor. “They didn’t have that on mine,” Molinet quipped to the warm and knowing laughter of the crowd.. “I’ll have to get that amended.”

Weekley was fighting for LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transexual) rights since the 1980s, Molinet said.
“Jimmy was for gay equality before it was cool.”

It was Weekley who first sponsored the “One Human Family” slogan penned by Artist JT Thompson, as Key West’s official motto.

“Harry and I took these (One Human Family Stickers) all over the world. When we handed them out in South Africa, people said, ‘You believe in this in America?’”

Most recently Weekley was sponsored equal employments benefits for City of Key West employees, legislation that passed unanimously, Rudy was pleased to note.

Jimmy $ Susan Weekley

As a straight man, with his “pretty wife, Susan,” Molinet said, why does Weekley advocate for LGBT?

“It the right thing to do,” Jimmy said, as he accepted the award. “It’s the way I was raised…everyone should be treated equal in this country. And I do it for seven reasons: Keegan, Zack, Jake, Brian, Anthony Carter and Gracie Ana … my grandchildren.”

Weekley said he, too, has handed out One Human Family stickers on his travels. At conferences they were the one thing that always disappeared completely.

The gala cocktail party (and the buffet was gala indeed) was the 15th annual awards party, said Execuitive Director Nadine Smith , was, in part, to honor the straight allies and advocates who fight alongside the gay community for civil rights. The organization, founded in a state that was once better known for anti-gay activist Anita Bryant, has ensured that no anti-gay legislation has passed in fifteen years, Smith said, “We’ve blocked them.”

Molinet &Gives Weekley A Congratulatory Hug

Equality Florida Executive Directory Nadine Smith

Dar Castillo & Key West City Commissioner Teri Johnston

This is Equality Florida's "best gala," said Executive Director Nadine Smith

Jon Allen encouraged the crowd to help raise $150,000. "We usually exceed

The Rev. Steve Torrence, Allen & Gail Hinand

Judy Lawrence and Pat Collins recently celebrated 35 years of marriage. They were married 35 years ago in Canada.

Tony Minore and Eric Nichols

Eric Nichols noted an upcoming event of interest to the local community: a forum featuring Reverend Doctor Jane Adams Spahr at The Little White House from five to seven p.m. on April, Friday 13. Dr. Spahr, a Presbyterian minister known nationally for her advocacy of gay marriage rights, will present the topic, “Daring to be Courageous: A Belief in Justice and Love.”  The event, sponsored by the Metropolitan Community Church of Key West, is free. Wine, beverages, and hors d’oeuvres will be served. There is no charge for attending, although donations to defray costs of the event will be welcome, Nichols noted.

Congratulations and smiles all around.

Artist JT Thompson, whose slogan, One Human Family, became Key West's motto and a message of inspiration to the world.

The New Hampshire legislature just debated whether to allow Jews to continue to marry in their state; in North Carolina, the rights of African-Americans to marry will be on the November ballot and right here in the State of Florida, Hispanics will not be able to marry the person they love simply because of who they are since the constitution was amended to discriminate against them.

How can this be the case in the United States of America? This is outrageous, unconstitutional and simply un-American.

Of course, this is not happening in our country, but all you need to do is change the word ‘Jews,’ ‘African-Americans’ or ‘Hispanics’ to ‘gay and lesbian’ and there you have it, the absurdity and disgusting nature of these initiatives are exposed for what they are — immoral and unconstitutional attempts to remove rights from Americans simply because we are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT).

In this time and age, in the new millennium, we should not have to worry that a government would allow voters to determine what rights people may enjoy. If the civil rights acts of the 1960’s had been put to a plebiscite in the South, does anyone really believe they would have passed? If not for the courageous work of pioneers- both black and white- our President would be riding the back of the bus and he would most certainly not be president. People took a stand, they organized, they raised awareness and they made their cause a just and noble cause- one that would change the course of history.

Such is the work of Equality Florida, the pioneering LGBT civil rights organization whose tireless efforts have created change and who, through their advocacy and education, continue to strive for a Florida where all citizens secure the blessings of liberty.

Equality is something we Americans pride ourselves on. Our national identity is wrapped around this concept of equality and we constantly work to achieve this ideal. Yet in the State of Florida, equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender citizens is virtually non-existent in the eyes of state law. You can be fired from your job in our state simply because you are gay; your marriage to your loved one is invalidated if you are of the same gender; if your husband or wife dies, you have no right to be involved in their funeral- one of the most intimate and personal moments of a person’s life.

This is not the America that our nation should tolerate and through the efforts of Equality Florida and dozens of state organizations like them, the tide is turning. More Americans than ever support equal employment rights for the LGBT community; marriage equality is now favored by the majority of our citizens; openly gay men and women serve with honor in our armed forces, and over a dozen states allow same-sex marriage or civil unions.

These results happened because people took a stand, they worked hard, they changed minds and hearts- and they changed laws. The pioneers of our movement have been many and continue to make their presence known. Many of these pioneers are LGBT but many are also what we call our “straight allies”.

Much like Jewish-Americans and other whites came to the South to register African-Americans to vote during the 1960’s, so now does our movement have many straight allies. In all levels of government, religion and society, our straight allies work tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of gays and lesbians.

Equality Florida To Honor Key West Commissioner Jimmy Weekley

In our community we have many heroes for Equality, and this year, Equality Florida honors one of them, Commissioner Jimmy Weekley. I will have the honor of presenting Jimmy with a “Voice for Equality Award” Saturday evening at the annual Equality Florida Key West Gala at The Gardens Hotel in Old Town Key West. This annual gala is free and open to all who want to show support for Equality in our state. Weekley has been an ardent supporter of equality for decades including his time as mayor of our city. Please come out to support Jimmy and express your gratitude for his efforts to our community. The event is from 5:00pm- 7:30pm on Saturday, March 24, 2012.

Kate Miano, the owner of The Gardens Hotel, is another of our straight allies and heroes for Equality. She was honored earlier in the year by Equality Florida for her ongoing support. Kate and her staff put on a great party at The Gardens and donate all the wonderful food and drinks as well as the wonderful spirit and beauty of her elegant hotel property to celebrate Equality and to raise awareness of our cause.

Please join us Saturday evening at The Gardens Hotel and be sure to thank all our supporters — especially our straight allies — who through their love and support will help gays and lesbians reach the Promised Land of Equality that we call America.

Molinet Dominates Key West Real Estate Sales In First Two Months of 2012

With residential Key West real estate sales totaling more than $10.39 million for the first two month of 2012 and days on market averages at half the market average, Key West Broker Rudy Molinet continues to dominate home sales in Key West, Florida. The next highest sales total was $2.8 million . Market wide sales for January and February totaled $62.6 million.

Rudy’s average was 58 Days on Market (DOM) for properties sold during January and February of 2012. The DOM for the entire residential market in the same period was 120. Rudy’s average was 58 Days on Market (DOM) for properties sold during Year To Date as of 3/13/2012, just less than half the DOM for the entire residential market, which was 120 for the same period.

Average Days On Market (DOM) for SOLD Properties in Key West, Florida

Key West Real Estate Market Reflects Stability

The local real estate market, as a whole, continues to reflect recovery and stability. Single family home prices were stable, at .2% higher than February 2011, condos were off 8.4% for the same period, while sales of “other” properties, which includes duplexes, half duplexes and 3-4 unit properties was 140% higher than February 2011, making total sales for the month nearly 30% higher than one year ago.

In January 2012, Key West recorded very strong sales figures; the average selling price for single family home was $634,306.00 , an increase of 20.8% over the same period a year ago. In December 2011, average residential sold prices increased 23.8% compared with December 2010.

“We are very encouraged by the growth we’ve tracked for the past 9 months,” says Broker Rudy Molinet. “We are bullish on Key West and feel there will be no better time to buy.”

Read Rudy’s complete Key West real estate market reports: http://rudymolinet.com/keywestrealestatenews/category/real-estate-news/market-reports/