Hi Francisco,
I would like to add my voice to the many who are shocked and disappointed at the news that Rich Raddon contributed to the Yes on 8 campaign, helping to strip rights from an underrepresented community that FIND strives to nurture and support. There is obviously a fundamental incongruity in this circumstance. Several of my friends and associates have withdrawn their support from FIND. As a current Project:Involve fellow, I considered this response but ultimately chose not to follow that path, as I do not think that FIND could or should police the private political beliefs and donations of its leadership. Moreover, from everything that I have learned, Rich's personal beliefs regarding gay marriage have not impacted his conduct or performance at FIND, so I am not calling for his outright resignation at this time.
I do want FIND to know that I am dismayed that one of its leaders actively supports legislation that is hateful and shows a blatant disregard for human rights. I want to know that this message will be conveyed to Rich. I do not want him to resign because the kitchen is too hot, or because he's bringing a lot of unwanted attention to FIND. What I really want, of course, is for Rich to consider what it would be like to walk in another's shoes, to have rights taken away from him, and to be treated as a second-class citizen by his own government, for no reason. As a Japanese-American whose parents and grandparents were interned solely because of their racial heritage, I cannot help but see parallels between Executive Order 9066 and the current anti-gay legislation.
I'm sure that the FIND leadership has been wrestling with this issue all week. I know that I have, simply as a new member; it's taken me a lot of time to gather my thoughts and feelings into some coherence as to what I hope and expect to happen. Please realize, however, that as a FIND member I do expect to hear more from the organization and from Rich himself regarding this issue, beyond last week's news of a rejected resignation. I believe that fences need to be mended, and trust needs to be regained. I believe that FIND owes its members a forum to discuss these issues with Rich himself, so that he can hear our voices and understand the impact of his decisions and actions on the community that he serves. If Rich remains unchanged and unmoved by this experience, I want him to stop and consider what it means to work for a nonprofit, community organization whose basic values are at odds with his own. And, in that event, I would expect FIND to reconsider its perspective with regard to Rich's leadership as well.
Thanks for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Ken Kokka