Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Santa Fe Reporter Endorses Benny Shendo, Jr. for U.S. Congress!


While last week brought us some difficult press that distorted the intent and character of Benny's campaign, today brings good news. The Santa Fe Reporter in its courageous endorsement of Benny Shendo, Jr. for U.S. Congress today said, "We believe electing people based on their political connections and/or money is destroying our country. To the best of our knowledge, the problems in our democracy are not as closely tied to a pervasive problem of politicians standing up and asking inappropriate questions. To the best of our knowledge, our democracy can withstand uncomfortable conversations. Perhaps it might even benefit from them."

The Reporter indicated that Benny Shendo, Jr.'s strong stand against the war in Iraq was one of the issues that impacted their endorsement. Of particular note was Benny's strong presentation at the Santa Fe Candidate Forum, where the paper's staff was impressed by Benny "
speaking forcefully against the war, elucidating his positions on a variety of issues with eloquent passion, garnering loud and sustained applause several times."

The endorsement came in spite of the paper feeling quite strongly that the "Farmington Question" was poorly handled by Benny, and they held no punches in this regard, at the same time acknowledging that it raised an issue that the community needs to work on. "
Make no mistake. If we really believed Shendo was a homophobic candidate, we wouldn’t, couldn’t, endorse him. ...Shendo clearly outlines his support for civil rights for all people, both in conversation and on his Web site’s position papers. And while raising the topic of a candidate’s sexual orientation was poor form, we don’t think Shendo was trying to smear Lujan on the basis of sexual orientation, we think he was trying to smear him as being dishonest. It was a dumb move, but the furor is so intense, we can’t help but think it also reflects just how uncomfortable society still is on the topic itself." In the wake of last week's events Benny is the only candidate who called for progressive dialog based on greater tolerance and acceptance of differences in our society, especially with regard to sexual orientation.

Read the full endorsement article online or in the print edition which hits the streets today, then call and email your friends and encourage them to consider Benny Shendo, Jr. the TRUE progressive democrat with the qualifications to represent all of us.


Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Benny Shendo, Jr. Responds to Mischaracterizing of his Question to Younger Lujan

From Benny Shendo, Jr.

There has been a lot of mischaracterization of the fact and intention of my question to Ben Ray Lujan on Monday night at the Farmington County Democratic Candidate Forum, the first and only forum or debate opportunity for candidates to ask questions of one another. In this day of “sound bite” politics, I appreciate your giving me this opportunity to set the record straight instead of letting this be spun by the Lujan and Wiviott campaigns to an inaccurate and hate-filled portrayal of my views and serve as a distraction from the real issue and the real point of my question, which is:

Does Ben Ray Lujan have the courage to stand up on the difficult issues that face us as a society?

First, I deeply respect the right of every individual to choose their own lifestyle--and while being gay is not a merely a lifestyle choice, it does present lifestyle choices. I was raised in my native culture, which has for generations been tolerant and inclusive of all people regardless of their personal lifestyle choices. And I hold the deepest commitment to working toward the day when every single person in our whole society can be accepted publicly and privately for who they are without fear or shame.

My question the other night was not about whether Ben Ray Lujan is gay or not. And if all the people who have known Ben Ray over the years at the state house, in the community and in his own extended family, and have for years known and accepted him as gay are wrong, that’s perfectly fine. His sexuality is not the issue here.

My question was about his maturity and integrity in handling the issue and whether or not he is ready to be our representative in Congress. Being a leader means taking tough stands, and that takes courage—courage that starts in a person’s heart, and that starts at home.

The intent of my question was about whether Ben Ray has the courage to stand up to his parents, who have been a very active presence in his public life and in his campaign. Will Ben Ray really be able to stand up to his father who has already used his considerable political influence within this state to clear other more qualified candidates from running in this race at all, to secure endorsements and to bring in funding from such questionable sources as uranium mining, which, apparently, Ben Ray didn’t even know about.

Also, and since the press twisted my question to focus specifically (and only) on the possible gay deception issue (which I actually choose NOT to address by stopping the question before it got to that specific example), we should address that now. Many voters, especially including members of the GLBT community and members of Lujan’s own family, have expressed concern to me that there may be a level of public deception going on in the way that Ben Ray and his parents have handled this matter by so actively promoting publicly that he has a girlfriend.

Let’s be clear, if a private citizen chooses to keep their sexual orientation secret, that’s their right. But Ben Ray Lujan, by his own choice, is not a private citizen, but a candidate for public office, and in this context, he is asking us to trust his decision-making, his judgment, his leadership capability, his maturity, and, frankly, his honesty.

Moreover, a person who actively puts themselves forward as a public figure, an elected leader, by definition, is putting themselves forward to be a role model. As such, they need to accept a higher level of responsibility for their actions. If they actively put forward a deception to hide their homosexuality, then they send a terrible and damaging message that there is something wrong and shameful with being gay. And that does incalculable damage, especially to young GLBT people who are struggling with this issue.

I have spent the bulk of my professional career working with young people, helping them get into and succeed in college, I know first hand the damage that this kind of message sends, when leaders by their actions say that being gay is shameful and thus, by extension, that young people struggling with their own sexual identity should also be ashamed of who they are.

And that damage is especially grave when it is in the form of a person’s own parents not accepting who they are, and pressuring them into living a lie. I have seen first-hand and experts agree, when parents do not accept their children for who they are, this creates a deep wound that forms an underlying cause of many of our worst social problems – alcohol and drug abuse, depression, domestic violence, hatred and intolerance.

Some of these may be difficult issues, certainly, but all the more reason we must talk about them, and not sweep them under the carpet, with an understandable, but misguided cry for personal privacy.

That being gay is shameful is not the right message for Ben Ray Lujan to be sending to the very people he claims he is mature enough and courageous enough to stand up for. Our representatives in Congress need to be an embodiment of the acceptance we seek in our society, acceptance both of others and of themselves. This means that if our public leaders allow themselves to be the victim of intolerance –by others or even by themselves to themselves—then they are not in a position to defend the rights of others. They become party to the intolerance, and our leaders, especially now, need to be stronger willed and more principled than that.

That is what my question was about. And that’s what I will continue to fight for: that day when every child, including Ben Ray Lujan, can grow up proud of who they are, where they come from and what their place is in this world.

--Benny Shendo, Jr.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Shendo Campaign opens 2nd Santa Fe Office


Today we opened a second, larger campaign office in Santa Fe in the Second Street Studios at 1807 Second Street between Cerrillos and Saint Francis (behind Backroad Pizza) (mapquest.com map)

The larger space was needed to accommodate the swelling ranks of staff and volunteers in the final two weeks of the primary campaign.

"People can now pick up lawn signs, bumper stickers and campaign literature from either location," explained Campaign Manager, Todd Doherty.

Call us at 505-867-9150 or email info@BennyShendoJr.com to sign-up to volunteer, or pick up signs and materials.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Benny Shines in Santa Fe Forum

Judging from both the applause and an exit poll, Benny Shendo, Jr. was the candidate who gained the most new voters at last night's Candidates' Forum in Santa Fe. The event was sponsored by Temple Beth Shalom and members of the Interfaith Leadership Alliance (an organization of faith organizations). Two of the religious leaders, Rabbi Marvin Schwab of Temple Beth Shalom and Aziz Eddebbarh of Taha Mosque Santa Fe, are depicted in the photo at left with Benny.

On the stage were five Democratic, two Republican, and both Independent candidates for the 3rd Congressional seat currently held by Tom Udall, who is stepping down to run for the Senate. Missing was land developer Don Wiviott, who had a "scheduling conflict” (although he was at a high-ticket fundraiser down the street just an hour earlier).

Several times during the evening’s discussion, Shendo alone drew loud and sustained applause from the audience. The two-hour session included opening remarks from each candidate, a Q&A section and closing statements from each candidate.

Afterward, as the audience filed out, they were surveyed to determine if they had been influenced to support any particular candidate. Of those who were not previously tied to one of the candidates (staff or campaign volunteers), most audience members indicated that they did not have a preference going in, but over 80% indicated that they were now inclined to vote for Benny Shendo, Jr.

One audience member summed it up nicely, “It makes all the difference in the world to see the candidates in action. Benny Shendo, Jr. was clearly the one who is ready to really represent us, all of us, in Congress.”

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Benny Shendo, Jr. Opens Mother's Day Peace Rally in Santa Fe



Benny Shendo, Jr. conducted the invocation to open the ceremonies for the Mother's Day Peace Rally today on the Plaza in Santa Fe.

After a brief opening prayer in his native Towa language about peace for all people of the world, Benny made a few remarks about how the way of indigenous peoples is perhaps more of what the Eurocentric dominant culture is looking for as a way to find peace and sustainable living, after centuries of unbridled growth through conquest, which has now delivered us all to the brink of a global climate and economic crisis that Benny described as "posing the gravest threat of any generation to the future of our children."










Benny then mingled with community members and fellow activists, discussing how we can bring about world peace through economic and environmental justice and human rights for all people.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

"Talking Circles" in Full Swing

The "Talking Circles" conducted in homes and meeting venues throughout northern New Mexico in the past several weeks have been a great success. Hosts enjoy having Benny visit with their guests and then sit down for a Native American tradition of respectful discussion about the issues. Several more are being scheduled for the coming weeks (see below to host or attend one!).

"The circle represents how we are all interconnected," explains campaign manager, Todd Doherty, (pictured at left introducing the Talking Circle concept at a recent Santa Fe event) "and it helps foster more actual discussion."

The typical political event has the candidate talking to the people. A talking circle is the opposite. The people do most of the talking, about their hopes, dreams and concerns for the future and what they would like to see as priorities in Washington, while Benny listens. Then there's plenty of opportunity for Benny to answer questions.

"I certainly have my ideas, and I'm not shy about telling people where I stand on the issues," adds Benny. "But the job of our Congressperson is to be our representative. That job, as I see it, really requires first listening, then having the backbone to do what's right. Too many politicians forget that the Maker gave us two ears and only one mouth. Me, I really enjoy hearing what people have to say."

Sign up now to host or attend a Benny Shendo, Jr. "Talking Circle" in your community. Call us at (505) 867-9150 or email: info@BennyShendoJr.com