The city of Oakland, California is about to determine whether Lorenzo Hoopes will be re-appointed as a board member for the Paramount Theatre of the Arts. While the theatre serves as a beacon for artists and performers and a hub for creativity, Mr. Hoopes himself has consistently taken a hard-line anti-gay stance on a number of issues. Most recently, Hoopes donated tens of thousands of dollars to defeat marriage equality in California, making him Oakland's largest individual donor to Proposition 8.

While Mr. Hoopes is entitled to his own religious and political views, the City Council and the Mayor of Oakland shouldn't reward the city's most prominent opponent of gay marriage with a position that's supposed to represent the entire community of Oakland. The move is particularly troubling, given that gay and lesbian groups in Oakland have consistently lobbied city government for more representation on boards and commissions.

Urge the Mayor of Oakland, Ron Dellums, and the City Council President, Jane Brunner, to find a board member that can represent all of Oakland.