Stop the petty bickering.
A week or so ago the questionable gay rights organization calling itself the Kentucky Equality Federation blasted the Kentucky Fairness Alliance and its leader, Christina Gilgor, for allegedly alienating members of the KEF. Jordan Palmer, KEF’s self-appointed leader, has made it a point over the years to feature himself prominently in everything his group does. Totally undermining its alleged mission.
Figured we should chime in to add that Palmer and his Republican self (part of the reason he’s clashing with the legit Fairness Alliance, otherwise party affiliation wouldn’t matter) need to stop with fracturing the equality movement in Kentucky. For over a year he’s attempted to demonize the Fairness Campaign and Kentucky Fairness Alliance. Instead of attempting to work together as Palmer alleges, his organization hasn’t done anything but try to promote itself while diminishing the potential impact of the Fairness Alliance.
It’s great that Palmer wants to help the gays or whatever. But the Fairness Alliance actually has a staff of people who aren’t just a group of friends in real life. They’re affiliated with the Fairness Campaign. And they’re well-connected, active individuals who have strong roots in Frankfort and have fought the war to bring equality to Kentucky. The Kentucky Equality Federation is a new little start-up that should try to play well with others instead of getting envious and upset when the legitimate equality organization receives the full backing of those who strive for equal rights.
We’re not suggesting the Equality Federation shouldn’t exist. But come on. This is ridiculous. You can’t trash an organization just because they won’t put you on a pedestal and cater to your every whim.
16 responses so far ↓
1 Jennifer // Jan 22, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Thanks so much for getting to the TRUTH of this matter! We can’t let petty bickering from people like Mr. Palmer interrupt the KFA’s good work. I wish the print press had done as much research into this matter before they ran with it.
2 Teresa // Jan 22, 2008 at 7:34 pm
And this just hits the tip of the iceberg regarding Jordan’s phantom operation. For example, I think his “Chief Legal Counsel” Paige Marks is an istock photo model.
3 Rachel // Jan 23, 2008 at 2:35 am
Truthful and to the point – thanks for putting this out there.
The KY “Equality Federation” is basically a myspace page and a pretty website, and nothing else.
While I have disagreed with KFA on several things before, they are indisputably a REAL organization with REAL staff, infrastructure, training, connections…
I admire a start-up group with some moxie and new ideas, particularly about social networking to accomplish real-life change – but much more is needed and KFA has that more. If they’d stop personally attacking its staff, the Federation would be able to learn from KFA and get needed training and resources.
Did you know KY has the MOST people trained by national queer leaders of any U.S. state? Those are all KFA and Fairness people – and the skills they’ve acquired are practical, intense, real-life, and fairly intimidating. It’s a shame the Federation people can’t get their gay panties out of the wad they’re in and be grown-ups. They’d be a great online asset to the more established groups in KY.
4 anon // Jan 23, 2008 at 10:29 am
how can one be a general counsel without being a member of the KY Bar Association?
5 Jeff // Jan 23, 2008 at 12:38 pm
How can one be a general counsel without actually existing (outside the overactive imagination of a too-tanned, self-indulgent, irrational spoiled brat, that is)? I think Jordan Palmer is the long lost love child of George Hamilton and Joan Collins.
Do ‘the gays” of Kentucky a favor, Jordan…grow up.
6 S // Jan 23, 2008 at 1:57 pm
What a perfect photo to encapsulate the story!!
7 Joe Sonka // Jan 23, 2008 at 2:12 pm
I’m still laughing at the photo a day later, and I’m ashamed of myself.
But still laughing…
8 James // Feb 11, 2008 at 11:47 pm
Get a life. KFA has no staff, except Ms. Gilgore. Misty works 10 hours per week and Wes resigned.
KFA is a joke. I do not know Christina Gilgor personally. But in the time I have been on Kentucky Equality Federation’s Advisory Council, I have been shocked to hear, from a number of sources within and outside of Kentucky Equality Federation, stories of her unprofessional public behavior and complaints about her credibility as a spokeswoman and abilities as a coordinator. The complaints have come from individuals and groups, including some of the lawmakers who are key players in support of gay rights in Kentucky. Quite frankly, the complaints have been so frequent that other members of the General Advisory Council and I have become sick of hearing such tales of another organization’s dysfunctional leader. Our unanimous vote is an indication that we have had heard enough and feel we can no longer serve our membership by continuing to interact with the Kentucky Fairness Alliance until leadership changes are made.
9 jake // Feb 11, 2008 at 11:51 pm
KFA may be a joke in your eyes since there’s no money but KEF PRETENDS to have a general counsel who doesn’t even exist. And if she exists? She’s not legally an attorney in Kentucky nor is she a member of the Kentucky Bar Association.
Let’s talk about legitimacy here, idiots. You’re barking up the wrong homosexual tree.
10 James // Feb 12, 2008 at 12:33 pm
You are correct she is retired and moved here from another state after her son killed himself for being gay. Grow up.
11 P deForest // Mar 30, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Palmer isn’t listed on the KY Bar Association, so he isn’t an attorney at all?
Why does he list his name followed by “, Esq.”?
12 Paula // Apr 1, 2008 at 4:01 pm
es·quire /ˈɛskwaɪər, ɛˈskwaɪər/ Pronunciation Key – Show Spelled Pronunciation[es-kwahyuhr, e-skwahyuhr] Pronunciation Key – Show IPA Pronunciation noun, verb, -quired, -quir·ing.
–noun 1. (initial capital letter) an unofficial title of respect, having no precise significance, sometimes placed, esp. in its abbreviated form, after a man’s surname in formal written address: in the U.S., usually applied to lawyers, women as well as men; in Britain, applied to a commoner considered to have gained the social position of a gentleman. Abbreviation: Esq.
2. squire (def. 2).
3. a man belonging to the order of English gentry ranking next below a knight.
4. Archaic. squire (def. 1).
–verb (used with object) 5. to raise to the rank of esquire.
6. to address as “Esquire.”
7. to escort or attend in public.
13 Peter // Apr 1, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Thanks, Paula, Webster’s is a handy book to have at hand…
So, not a legal professional, huh?
14 Tom // Feb 19, 2009 at 12:32 am
James,
It’s obvious that you know nothing about Christina Gilgor. You couldn’t even spell her name correctly.
She has been one of the key representatives of the LGBT community in Frankfort. She has also appeared on KET on our behalf representing us in a professional respectful way. I have been very impressed by the way she conducts herself in the public spotlight.
For those who want proof and not just a bunch of hearsay, watch Christina on KET.
http://www.ket.org/tvschedules/episode.php?nola=KKYTO+001333
I have attended several lobbying efforts organized by the KFA and Louisville Fairness Campaign. It increased my confidence to lobby my state representatives in the KY General Assembly.
I for one am sick of this STUPID bickering about non-issues. While we all may disagree about how to bring equality for all LGBT in KY, we need to be respectful. All of these (KEF, KFA, and Fairness Campaign, etc.) are grassroots organizations, so there’s never going to be a one-size-fits-all.
And based on your comments it sounds like you have no personal experience working with Ms. GILGOR. It sounds like you get most of your information hearsay. The KEF needs to stop its smear campaign and get back to its mission.
15 Tom // Feb 19, 2009 at 12:46 am
In regards to the attorney representing the KEF, I’m not an attorney or well-versed in law but I’m pretty sure an attorney licensed to practice law in a state other than Kentucky must be admitted to the bar or it must be a state that has reciprocity with KY. The California Bar has reciprocity with Wisconsin Bar. So if I were to be admitted to he CA Bar, I could also practice in WI.
If not, then I believe it could be viewed as the “unauthorized practice of law”.
http://www.lrc.ky.gov/KRS/524-00/130.PDF
There are instances where attorneys are permitted to practice law in a different jurisdiction (state) but special permission has to be given by the judge on a case-by-case basis.
This is referred to as “pro hac vice”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pro_hac_vice
In fact, here’s the Pro Hac Vice certification form from the Kentucky Bar Association.
http://www.kybar.org/Default.aspx?tabid=312
16 jake // Feb 19, 2009 at 9:58 am
Tom– Thanks for the comment on this story from January 2008. Much appreciated.
The attorney in question (in this story), at the time, wasn’t admitted to any bar in the United States of America and no bar association had a clue who they were. So it seems your information is applicable.
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