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Interview with Openly Gay Candidate for West Virginia Senate, Scott Regan- Funds Needed Now

 By Melanie Nathan. January 25, 2010 – After Interviewing Scott ‘Cody’ Regan today, I was left believing that West Virginia really needed this man in its State Senate.   An experienced business man and pioneer in the field of international arts administration, his ideas are exciting and refreshing, especially for a State so tempered by the conditioning of age and lackluster complacency. Scott regan is running for US Senate for WV. He is a democrat.

Regan is an openly gay man who needs $30,000 in the next 24 hours to make his State Senate run.  I was inspired by his non political tone reflected through his unabashed transparency about the State of West Virginia and the impact of the religious right wing on the rest of the country.  He did not hold back when he described the hypocrisy of men, elected officials who sat in churches listening to anti-gay hate speech after knowing that they had indulged or sought gay sex.

When I naively asked if he was running on an LGBTQI ticket he responded; “this is West Virginia, there is no gay ticket.”  However as we discussed more about his hopes for the State it became really apparent to me, as an activist, that having Regan in the West Virginia State Senate would be of profound value to the national  LGBT cause as well.    West Virginia is a breeding ground for gay hate, pursued with a vigor that is reminiscent of a corporate mission statement; it is taught via religious ideology with crime perpetuated as a result.  

I asked Regan why he would want such a job,  to be a target.  He said ”what do I have to lose; at 53 I have had an accomplished and rewarding life,  I have done some great things and I have travelled and spoken all around the world.”  He noted that he wants to bring his experience and expertise to West Virginia, a State that needs renovation and of course redemption.

 Regan is not involved in any gay circles, but believes that an imperative part of the fight for LGBTQI rights is “the acceptance.”   While having a gay member in the West Virginia Senate may seem pointless, it may be time for some of these unlikely people to actually get to know one of us – who we are and what we can do for the communities at large. 

So in the same way as our lives are not about gay, neither is Regan’s campaign; it is about changing West Virginia for the better. His ideas include utilizing the extraordinary wealth available to the State that has remained untapped, locked through antiquated Policies in tandem with the inordinately lengthy term of West Virginia representatives in D.C.  Regan asserts that money does not filter down to the communities or to the people.   When Senator Byrd is out of the Senate, Federal funds will be available and must be used wisely to improve West Virginia for everyone.

Regan suggests that oppressed people lash out.  Once the financial oppression subsides, the scape-goating and reliance on Church- taught fallacy will dissipate and eventually yield to acceptance.  He makes a direct correlation between the politics of the local economy, with examples such as Charleston in the top 10 dying cities in the US  and presents a familiar formula: non-use of funding = poverty = oppression = church control = scape-goating – gay hate!

The seniors, a large part of the church going population, are having ‘gay is the devil  jammed down their throats and they are told if they adhere to this teaching they will save their grandchildren from a damning fate.”

Regan assures “I am not a negative Byrd person; he has done excellent job – the only problem is he has been there way too long.  There are things that are not being done.  The best thing I can do to open more funds for the state, bringing equality into the state –we could see art centers and revitalization of communities. It could change everything.  These people who comfort themselves with hate for others will learn how much money acceptance can bring and it can change.

Scott Cody Regan, Cody to his friends, is exuberant and ready. West Virginia is a State that cannot use post election victory funding to pay off campaign debt.  He needs donations urgently now and hopes that his supporters do not wait until after the election because then the funding is given to the State and not to the campaign.

Regan left me with the honor of “please call me Cody….!”  I sincerely hope that he will become your friend too. 

NOTE:

 ”Presently, we are in a mad rush to raise and actually recieve about $30,000 more in contributions prior to Wed January 27th.

It seems the majority of people I have met and non profit organizations believe they can contribute after you win a campaign. They do not understand the funds are needed up front. After the fact the money would need to be turned over to the State for its use. 

Hopefully, the funds will come in and the run for U.S. Senate might continue in full success. That we might bring about change and improvement for the people of the State of West Virginia.  To note: if we do not raise the funds for the net phase of the U.S. Senate run, there would be sufficent funds to withdraw and file to run for either State Senate or House Delegate. Keeping me the States political world.”

CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANDTAKE NOT;          
Committee to Elect Scott Regan
PO BOX 182
Salt Rock
WV    25559

By Melanie Nathan: www.privatecourts.com
www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com

@oblogdeeoblogda

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