http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ibsys/20030106/lo_WCVB/1443276
Providence, RI has become another of a handful of cities to elect an openly gay mayor. Definitely a step in the right direction!
I met David Cicilline when he was a state rep and he’s a really nice guy who shows a lot of concern for the community. I think this is a great thing and I still can’t believe the number of people who miss Cianci–how can so many people be so blase about the criminal nature of many of our elected officials? (sorry, minor soap box rant. I’ll be quiet now.)
I particularly like his platform of a renaissance in the neighborhoods. I’ll tell you, when I walk down South Main to work everyday, I believe that I am in one of the most beautiful urban settings in America. When my social worker spouse is doing a home assessment in the West End, I know he doesn’t get that same feeling. Under Buddy downtown Providence flourished, but there are still crappy schools and slums galore here too.
Another great thing about the new mayor being elected is that the fact that he is openly gay was not a major issue at all. It gets mentioned just as a fact, like that he has thinning hair or something. And this guy practically won unaninmously.
I don’t know if you Rhode Islanders are aware of who Walter Miller is. He is also known as Crazy Walter and he’s this amusing mentally ill Cianci supporter. Buddy used to give him a birthday party every year over near the Fleet building. Last summer I heard him talking to someone and he was speculating whether the new mayor would continue this tradition. I can’t wait to find out.
Woo! Right up there with Paris, Berlin, and Winnipeg!
Seeing as how I go to school in Providence, I was able to follow the race a bit (although I voted in my hometown). Cicilline seems like a good guy, so I wish him the best of luck (he’ll need it too, with a job like that). As for Cianci… well, he reminded me of one of the Medicis or something – corruptly but skillfully running a little city-state. Albeit a Medici with a bad toupee.
[slight hijack, seeing how this is an RI thread started by Euty]
Euty, am I right in thinking that you’re a fellow North Kingstown HS alumnus? I think you mentioned that a while back…
[/slight hijack]
I’d thought Rhode island was famous for having Eutychus living there!?
Well, yeah, vanilla, but that’s old news. 
Yep. Class of 1973.
Rhode Island: We’re small but we’re slow. 
Prov is a cool town. The drag brunch at the Intermezzo is one of the greatest things going, and the food is good too! (try the Tiara Toast!) Viva Miss Kitty!!
Hey, RI is so cool, it lured broccoli! here from Tampa, FL!
(I mean quite literally cool. I believe he’s only staying cuz he’s frozen to the ground. ;))
How is Providence these days? I haven’t been there in years(early 90’s) and much of it was pretty nasty back then(and I’m from Detroit). Has it mad a comeback? I hope so, overall it seemed like a cool city.
Hey, my nephew lives up there in Warwick (we won’t discuss the way he pronounces the name of this town)
Go Rhode Island!
I was Class of 2002. Small world, isn’t it?
It’s a wicked good city.