Responses of Mark Thompson to
GLAA 1998 Questionnaire for Council Candidates
1. If elected, what will you do to encourage the Council to exercise its powers more responsibly and thereby facilitate a speedy return of home rule powers to the District?
True home rule and self-government are required to protect the rights of every District citizen, especially those of us who are discriminated against by the larger American society. An autonomous, sovereign District can protect the rights of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community and make life easier than it might be in other parts of the country. Currently, the GOP Congress bashes gays in the District because it plays well back home. We cannot allow any of our citizens to be exploited in this way. I believe the Council is too timid in this regard. We need Councilmembers that will be outspoken for our rights. But we also need Councilmembers who will make the tough choices with regards to our budget and our services, so that Congress nor the Control Board will do it for us. There are decisions that the Council can make that may not be as harsh as those made by Congress or the Control Board, but that are, nevertheless decisions that will pass muster with residents who want to see a more responsible Council. I believe this kind of Council can be defended when its decisions go up for review, and this kind of Council can be defended when the argument is made to end Congressional review of our laws and finances. As a Councilmember, I would encourage my colleagues to make the Council one that commits sins of commission. We should make the tough decisions, and advocate for home rule at the same time. The two are not mutually exclusive.
2. The Council has seldom aggressively exercised its oversight powers over the District government. Instead, too often it has been passive and reactive in addressing the mismanagement problems which routinely plague the District government's administration. What will you do to improve the Council's performance of its oversight responsibilities?
I believe the Council should (1) exercise its subpoena power more, (2) demand line-by-line justification of all agency budgets, (3) introduce a failsafe mechanism for agencies to be run by their respective, oversight Council committees when they overspend or underspend, (4) ensure that agencies have the budgets necessary to function successfully, (5) reduce the time that the Mayor has to make appointments before the Council makes them, (6) scrutinize nominees for agencies more closely and (7) hold more hearings at times and locations more convenient to residents.
3. Do you support passage and full funding for the new civilian complaint review system to be established by Bill 12-521, the "Citizen Complaint Review Act of 1998"?
As Facilitator of the NAACP Metropolitan Police and Criminal Justice Review Task Force, of which GLAA is a member, I was instrumental in the Task Force's drafting of the "Citizen Civilian Complaint Review Act of 1998." Having helped to draft the bill, I most certainly support its implementation and full funding. Washington is the only major metropolitan jurisdiction that has no civilian oversight, civilian liaison or civilian complaint review. The absence of civilian complaint review prevents us from knowing the extent of police brutality in our community. If one of our fundamental civil rights is in jeopardy, then all of them are.
4. Do you support Bill 12-612, the "Opened Alcoholic Beverage Containers Amendment Act of 1998" (a.k.a. the "Chardonnay Lady Bill"), that would allow people to drink alcoholic beverages on their porches without fear of arrest?
I support Bill 12-612.
5. In an apparent effort to bolster his standing with some segments of the District community, the recently-ousted chief of the Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs, David Watts, instituted a zoning regulation earlier this year barring video stores from deriving more than 15% of their revenue from sexually-oriented videos. Do you agree that this attack on the rights of adult consumers is utterly unwarranted and that there should be no limits on the proportion of video store revenues derived from adult videos?
This is no simply an attack on the rights of adult consumers. This regulation discriminatorily targets sexually-oriented establishments and may even force some to close. I support the repeal of this regulation.
6. Will you support legislation to authorize and regulate the issuance of liquor licenses to establishments (in designated non-residential commercial districts) that want to offer nude dancing as entertainment?
[answer garbled.]
7. Do you support Initiative 59 (or similar legislation) to legalize the use of medical marijuana when a patient's doctor recommends it as a means to combat some of the effects of AIDS, cancer, and other diseases?
Anything that attacks AIDS I support. I helped to circulate petitions for 59, and worked closely with ACT-UP on the Initiative. As an African American, I am self-critical. Black leadership has been more homophobic than activist on the issue of HIV. Meanwhile, a young black male is three times more likely to die of AIDS than a young white male. A young Black female is nine times more likely to die of AIDS than a young white female. It is time that African American leadership take a more active role in fighting this scourge.
8. The New York State Legislature recently passed legislation saying that: (1) doctors must report the names of people who test positive for HIV to public health officials; and that (2) health workers must attempt to have infected patients identify their sex of or drug-use partners and then must notify those partners of possible exposure. Such measures are invariable counter-productive and discourage those most at risk from being tested and treated for HIV. Will you oppose any such legislation in the District?
I will oppose such legislation.
9. Do you support an increase in District government funding to combat AIDS in line with the continuing increase in the caseload?
Yes. See question 7.
10. Do you support continued District government funding for the needle exchange program to combat the spread of AIDS?
Yes. I support needle exchange. Those who suggest that this practice condones drug use are in denial.
11. Do you support legal recognition of marriages between partners of the same sex?
I support the principle of same-sex marriages, but I frankly believe the terminology of "marriage" is this principle's handicap. Religiosity will never yield that marriage goes beyond the union of a man and woman. I believe that the movement for same-sex marriages must come up with a term other than "marriage" that will accomplish the same objective. Yet, I must admit that I am still open-minded on this issue. After all, it is somewhat hypocritical for one who will not concede that the American environment will only allow two political parties, to suggest that others not challenge other seemingly insurmountable beliefs, like marriage only being for those of the opposite sex.
12. Do you support the current District policy, sanctioned by a court rule, of allowing adoptions by unmarried couples?
I support adoptions by unmarried couples.
13. Do you support both an increased budget for the Office of Human Rights (OHR) so that its heavy case backlog can be eliminated, and the re-establishment of OHR as an independent, Cabinet-level agency whose Director has direct access to the Mayor?
I support an increased budget for the Office of Human Rights, and its establishment as an independent, Cabinet-level agency.
14. Will you support legislation codifying OHR's current practice of granting top priority to discrimination complaints from those afflicted with AIDS or other life-shortening conditions?
Those who are threatened by life-shortening conditions should be given priority.
15. Proposals for establishing a system of vouchers for private schools, whether here or elsewhere around the country, would funnel taxpayer dollars to religious schools controlled by denominations that fr3equently are aggressively homophobic. Will you oppose any legislation authorizing vouchers for religious schools?
I do not support vouchers under any circumstances. This past spring, I was arrested for demonstrating at Newt Gingrich's pro-voucher press conference at Frederick Douglass' home. The $2,000 that Gingrich wanted to provide parents would cover only 1/5 of the average cost of private education in the metropolitan area. If a parent does not have the $10,000, then she or he is unlikely to have the remaining $8,000 after the voucher. I have organized the democracy movement to fight the annual voucher attachment put on the District's appropriation. I am prepared to fight that attachment again this year. If I am willing to go to jail to stop vouchers, then I certainly am willing to introduce legislation to prevent them when I am on the Council.
Mark Thompson
Candidate for Councilmember At-Large
The Umoja Party
501-B Florida Avenue, Northwest
Washington, D.C. 20001
(202)463-8807 or 217-9288 phone
(202)872-0896 fax
