I'm often behind on my email, and this was no exception. I thought people should be informed about the events anyway, even though the meeting was last night.

Because of the state budget crisis, Queens Pride House has lost over $80,000 in funding, and we've been forced to lay off 5 of our 8 staff members and reduce the number of hours the center is open. If we can't recoup that funding through contributions from LGBT community members and other sources, we may well be forced to close our doors. Come to Pride House at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 27 to help us strategize on how to save the only LGBT community center serving the borough of Queens.

Queens Pride House is a noble start in efforts to provide local services to people in Queens. It has so much promise. It would be a shame to see it fade away.

One of the things that is so frustrating about this is that the "budget crisis" in New York is as fake as the budget crises in other states. If the rich were made to pay their fair share in state and local taxes, deficits throughout the country would be replaced by surpluses. We could also rescue the states by stopping the Iraq or Afghanistan wars and redirecting the money.

America is experiencing the Shock Doctrine, and queers are not exempt.