US Senator Chris Coons Addresses Annual Meeting
United States Senator Chris Coons (D-Delaware) was the keynote speaker at the annual meeting of the Delaware Stonewall Democrats. Coons was elected to the senate seat in November, 2010 defeating tea-party supported Christine O'Donnell. Coons received an early endorsement from Delaware Stonewall.
In his remarks, Senator Coons thanked Stonewall for its support in the election and reiterated his strong support of equal rights for all Americans, including marriage equality. Coons detailed his involvement, soon after his November swearing in, in the ultimately successful repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". He was realistic in future advances in LGBT equality in the current congress but was passionate in his intention to continue to fight for that equality.
Joining Coons at the annual meeting and also addressing the membership was Delaware Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart, who thanked Stonewall President Mitch Crane for his work fighting for consumers as Stewart's Director of Consumer Services until he left the Department in January.
The membership also heard remarks from recently re-elected State Representative Darryl Scott (D-31st) of Kent County and newly-elected Democratic State Representatives, all from New Castle County, Debra Heffernan, Ed Osienski, and Rebecca Walker. All four were endorsed by Stonewall and received contributions from the independent Stonewall Political Action Committee. Scott was singled out and praised for his courage in being one of only two state representatives from Kent and Sussex Counties ( the other being House Majority Leader Pete Schwartzkopf) to support the LGBT non-discrimination Bill that was enacted into law in 2009. At the time of the vote, then freshman Scott was threatened with political extinction from the right wing that claimed to speak for his representative district. Scott faced a well-funded opponent in 2010 and was re-elected by a wide margin. Scott and the three freshman Democrats all expressed their thanks for Stonewall's support, Walker stating that her margin of victory was likely due to the Stonewall endorsement and PAC contributions) and all pledged their continued support for Stonewall's legislative initiatives.
After hearing reports on 2010 activities and 2011 plans, the membership took a number of key votes:
The members assembled voted to change the formal name of the organization to the Barbara Gittings Delaware Stonewall Democrats, in honor of the late gay-rights pioneer and Delaware resident, who was honored by Delaware Stonewall in 2006 and passed away in 2007 (see accompanying article on Ms. Gittings).
The meeting ended with the bi-annual elections. Mitch Crane (Lewes) was re-elected president. Steve Kotrch (Dover) was elected Executive Vice President. Re-elected were Political Vice President Peter Schott ( Rehoboth Beach), Vice President for Development Betty Deacon ( Rehoboth Beach) Vice President for Membership Larry Peterson ( Newark), Secretary Scott Strickler ( Milton) and Treasurer Larry Hooker ( Rehoboth). Newly-elected were Sussex County Coordinator John Workman and Kent County Coordinator Shirley Semple. The Board of Directors also named Norm Spector Interim New Castle County Coordinator and Lincoln resident Jerry Williams as Vice President for Public Relations.
