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GERMAN ARMY TO ENSURE EQUAL PROTECTION OF GAYS AND LESBIANS
Action seeks to enforce formal policy of inclusion for gay soldiers
SANTA BARBARA, CA-31 January 2001-The highest-ranking military officer of
the German Army released new guidelines last week to ensure full inclusion
of gay and lesbian service members. The Army's Inspector General, Harald
Kujat, issued a six-page document entitled, "How to Deal with
Sexuality," that addresses unprofessional conduct toward gay and lesbian
soldiers including sexual harassment and verbal abuse.
The new guidelines state that that it is "especially important to demand
tolerance when it comes to different sexual orientations" and that it is
"a leader's job to see to it that the quality of military performance will
not be measured by the sexual orientation of the solider but by the
requisites of the job at hand."
"I think it's one of the most advanced guidelines there are," said Volker
Beck, an openly gay member of the German Parliament, and a member of the
Board of Directors of the Green Parliamentary Group. "The Minster of
Defense has totally turned around in its policy toward gay and lesbian
officers. This is a standard of a democratic army we can be proud
of." Beck's comments were made to researchers at the Center for the Study
of Sexual Minorities in the Military (CSSMM) at the University of
California, Santa Barbara.
While the German military did not legally ban homosexuals prior to the
release of the new guidelines, officials usually turned a blind eye to
informal discrimination that gay and lesbian service members
encountered. The new guidelines represent the Ministry's first official
statement that it will no longer tolerate informal discrimination.
A spokesman for the German embassy in Washington told CSSMM researchers
that the order represents a "clear demand for respect of existing
partnerships, regardless of the sexual orientation of the partner." He
said he was pleased by the "clarity with which this document deals with a
very complex issue. The core of the guidelines are tolerance and mutual
respect."
Twenty-three nations allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in their
armed forces. The United States and Turkey are the only original members
of NATO that continue to ban service by known homosexuals.
Gay Television Network Hits Static
Dish Network Denies Contract and Claims of Homophobia
By Dan F. Schramm, GLINN
January 29, 2001 - (Gay/Lesbian International News Network at
www.glinn.com) --- A news release distributed via PRNewswire on
January 16, 2001 by the Gay Television Network
(www.gaytelevisionchannel.com) announcing their launch next month on
the Dish Satellite Network has resulted in the Dish Network denying
on January 23, 2001 that it is carrying the channel. Gay Television
Network (GTN) says it has a contract and representatives of EchoStar
Communications, the parent of Dish Network deny it. The news release
remains viewable on the prnewswire.com web site.
Gay Television Network has been promoting its carriage on the
Dish Network for several months, and has been running advertisements
with the Dish Network logo in gay publications selling subscriptions
to the service. A couple of thousand people have signed up. GTN
customer service representatives are continuing to accept signups as
late as January 23. and stated repeatedly the channel will be on the
Dish Network in the early part of February.
Dish Network associate public relations director Marc Lumpkin
denied they knew anything about GTN until the January 16 news release.
GTN claims its ads were approved by Dish Network, while Dish denied
any knowledge of them or approval for them. Dish Network customer
service has no knowledge of GTN and the programming department via
email has denied its existence continuously since November
when GLINN first learned of GTN.
The Dish Network demanded that GTN remove the Dish name and
logo from its web site and retract the news release. Both parties
confirm that Dish information was removed from the GTN web site.
No public retraction appears to have been issued. GLINN also spoke
with public relations director Juliann Atencio who said that GTN had
apologized. She stated that Dish Network contracts also require that
all news releases including their name be cleared by them in advance.
She denied that GTN had any contract with Dish. The MSN news item
also refers to a service called "Premium Choice" which Dish says
does not exist.
GTN claims that MSN.com rewrote the GTN news release stating
that the Dish Network was going to launch a gay channel and that a
major Mormon Dish stockholder complained to high ranking Dish Network
executives who got cold feet. The article no longer remains on MSN for
checking. (The original MSN news items is available on the GLINN site
at www.glinn.com).Dish Network strongly denied that this was the case
or that Dish Network was homophobic. Lumpkin denied that sexuality was
an issue or that Dish censors content. He refused to state that Dish
Network has no problem with gay content, but pointed out that Dish
carries the Showtime channel and is promoting "Queer as Folk" with
Showtime. Dish Network also carries a number of other adult channels.
Dish Network spokesman Lumpkin stated that the GTN did not
have a contract with the Dish Network, but would not comment if such
a contract was being negotiated. Gay Television Network insists
it has an existing contract, not that one is being negotiated, with
the Dish Network to carry its channel 12 hours a day and 24 hours on
weekends for a fee of $360,000 a month. Investigation shows this
claim has a number of problems.
From this point things get fuzzier and even more complicated.
Gay Television Network is a brand name (and registered trademark) for
a service involving two different corporations. Triangle Multi-
Media Limited, Inc. is producing the network's content and signing up
subscribers. Another company Co-Media is handling the programming
distribution and selling of advertising. Co-Media has not announced
any signed advertisers.
Frank Olsen states that Co-Media has a contract with Dish
Network, and provided a letter on Echostar letterhead signed by Mark
Jackson, Senior Vice President, which could be interpreted to support
the contention the Dish had a contract with Co-Media which was up for
renewal. Jackson's secretary refused to allow this reporter to speak
with him and insisted that only the public relations director could
speak for the company. Dish spokesperson Lumpkin, upon request of
this reporter, double checked and stated they had no agreement with
GTN, Triangle Multi-Media or Co-Media.
Lumpkin also said he was familiar with the Jackson letter,
and that the letter, dated November 28, 2000 was part of a
negotiation and was sent to clarify what the procedure would be if
the proposed contract came to the end of its term. To take the letter
the way GTN claims, would mean that Co-Media had an existing contract
that was coming to an end. Dish Network denies it ever had a contract
with Co-Media, and says that providing this letter to the media
rather than showing an actual contract talks for itself.
GTN points out that it has been selling Dish subscriptions,
and attended Dish training seminars. Unfortunately, this is an
entirely different matter than having a Dish Network channel. Just
about any company can be a reseller of Dish Network systems/
programming. GLINN itself is a dealer for Dish Network systems. On
January 25, GTN was still signing people up for Dish Network
subscriptions including the Gay Television Channel, stating GTN
would be on the Dish Network even after removing the Dish name and
logos from its web site. GTN quoted a price of $64.94 per month
with the first month activation billing of $49.99. GTN customer
representative Tiffany stated that nobody would be charged
until the network launched. Olsen also assured this writer that no
customer would be charged until the network was launched.
Dish Network representatives were flabbergasted at the rates
charged by GTN which do not correspond to any Dish subscription
package. The 150 channel package is $39.99 per month. It would
seem that GTN is charging that plus an additional $24.95 for its own
channel. The $19.95 charge claimed by GTN in its Prnewswire release
and quoted by other media is not supported by GTN's own marketing
statements to its customers and potential customers.
Triangle and Co-Media claim to have invested $3.5 million
on GTN and have another $3.5 committed. Olsen, president of Triangle
was interviewed by this reporter and said that 30 gay and lesbian
people with extensive broadcasting experience were involved in the
venture. Olsen said Triangle owned two radio stations and had sold
Palm Springs television station KPSP (UHF Ch. 55) for $1.2 million
to raise money for the GTN venture. Olsen said he had 30 years of
experience buying and selling distressed television stations. Marvin
Jenkins is CEO of Co-Media. He mentioned two lawyers involved in the
project: Dick Weiner was an attorney for ABC Television for many
years, winner of a Peabody award, and attorney Max Craig, also with
many years of broadcast experience. A number of other employees and
some investors were named, including a doctor who sold his
chiropractic practice to invest the money in GTN.
The beginning of November 2000, GTN was running advertisements
in gay publications. GTN did not pay for these advertisements. They
were placed on what is called "per inquiry." GTN promised to pay
publications $10.00 for each signup of an existing Dish subscriber
and $25.00 for each new Dish subscriber they signed up. Gay Chicago
Magazine, associate publisher Gerry Williams, said that after
running a number of full page ads, a letter from GTN on December 1,
stated 8 people had signed up. Payments are currently overdue. The
January 16 GTN news release reveals that only 2,000 people have
signed up. Other publications, such as Wisconsin's In Step magazine
refused to run the advertisements, according to publisher Bill
Attewell, although the newspaper did run a front page story about GTN.
On January 25, two days after inquiries from GLINN, Co-Media,
Inc. sent a letter to publishers claiming an existing contract, and
accusing Dish Network of homophobia. It apparently sent the "Jackson"
letter as well together with a letter from Co-Media to Dish Network's
Michael Schwimmer complaining of the apparent Dish reversal.
Sources, including Dish Network, wonder how these lawyers
could allow their business, entrusted with $3.5 million of investor's
money, to run newspaper advertisements as early as November 9,
2000 featuring the Dish Network name and logo, without having an
iron-clad contract with Dish Network in place. They asked, "if there
is a contract, why was GTN unable or unwilling to show one, but
instead had to provide a letter" of debatable value?
There is yet another problem with the November 28 letter.
This letter refers to a BTV agreement. BTV means "Business Television"
which is different from a public broadcast channel on the Dish
Network. A BTV channel is used by companies to send private
programming to retail locations or in the case of a major real estate
company to employees at their homes. Dish Network had no idea how
Triangle/Co-Media could manage to do GTN with a business television
channel. There are billing and other issues which render that
approach difficult if not impossible. Dish does not provide any
information on the private BTV channels which could explain why Dish
customer service had never heard of GTN.
These channels are not part of any Dish subscription. This is
perhaps part of the problem. Sources speculated that GTN was trying
to save money by using the BTV approach and Dish would not allow a
broadcast channel to be done that way. A 24/7 broadcast channel is
substantially more expensive. Dish would not comment on previous or
any ongoing negotiations.
The January 16 GTN news release states, "Naturally the Dish
Network's subscriber base of 5 million is a rich resource for new
viewers." Unfortunately, none of those 5 million viewers would know
anything about GTN under a BTV agreement. GTN did not claim they have
a contract for a full broadcast channel on Dish Network nor do the
letters provided support that idea. Thus, the reference to the
potential offered by the viewers of Dish Network appears to be
wishful thinking.
In response to a series of questions faxed to Triangle
Multi-Media's Frank Olsen, this reporter was telephoned and conducted
an extensive interview. During the interview, GLINN was invited to
visit GTN offices and see its offices and studio facility. On January
26 we faxed Olsen at two known working fax numbers and accepted the
invitation subject to a number of conditions, including access to
financial records, documents such as the alleged contract, and
agreements to broadcast the movies named in their press releases and
on their web site. We also requested to videotape all interviews and
photograph the facility. As of midnight January 29, this fax has
been ignored. The release of this news story, originally planned for
January 23 was delayed while we waited for an expected response.
Interestingly, a news story linked on the GTN web site, dated
January 26, 2001 has appeared on a Michigan gay news web site
(www.metrog.com) authored by a person only identified as "Crusader"
which pretty closely follows the information provided to GLINN. The
author claims to have visited the GTN studio in Palm Springs, CA and
attests to its existence. This story also quotes another report on
the www.tvinsite.com web news site. An extensive search of that web
site fails to turn up any mention of GTN. The author also claims that
Marc Lumpkin claimed on January 26, several days after he was
interviewed by GLINN, to have no knowledge of the situation. The
article states "spokesperson Mark Lumkin said he had no idea what
I was talking about." ("Crusader" fails to spell either the first
name or last name of the Dish spokesman correctly.)
This reporter has to wonder why GTN didn't invite a gay
print publication with known credibility to visit their offices, or
at minimum, why photographs did not accompany the article, when
there are millions of dollars on the line. Why does the author of
such an important story go by a fictitious pen name? This reporter
has to wonder why that reporter did not ask to see the contract or
attest to its existence in the report, something GLINN asked to do.
With the controversy they knew is brewing and the knowledge of
GLINN's news story, it seems like much too little, much too late.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Gay news publications and web sites are free to use this story as
source material or in whole with proper attribution. Full GLINN name,
web site and author's name must be included. Any other use is
strictly prohibited without permission and payment for copyright
clearance. Copyright 2001 by Gay/Lesbian International News Network,
a division of GLINN Media Corporation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Footnote:
GLINN had sent email to the MetroG website inquiring as to the identity
of "Crusader" so we could interview him about his visit to GTN. We could
not hold the story for a reply. The following is a message received today,
Jan. 30, which provides some additional information.
--------------
I wanted to get in touch with you regarding your story on the Dish Network
and Gay Television Network. The website you refer to (www.metrog.com) is
based in Orange County, CA. It is the online home of the Orange County and
Long Beach Blade. I an editor of The Blade. Crusader has a seperate area on
MetroG that is not affiliated with The Blade. He is based in Palm Springs, so
he probably had good access to GTN. Crusader gained noteriety in 1985 when he
sued Disneyland for their ban on same-sex dancing. I don't remember his real
name, and it isn't in my reference books. He has been using the name Crusader
for years.
Hope this helps,
Joseph Amster
Editor
Orange County and Long Beach Blade
(Original MSN story below, provided to us by a reader.)
Dish Network to Serve Up Gay TV
Jan 17, 2001 - Gay TV is headed to a home near you - or even your own if
you are a subscriber to the Dish Satellite Network, which plans to launch
the new Gay Television Network on Feb. 2.
The gay-themed cable network will launch with enough programming to fill
seven 12-hour days per week and will include news, information and
entertainment geared specifically toward the interests of gay and lesbian
viewers.
Among the initial batch of GTV shows is a morning talk show titled Good
Morning, Gay America. The net plans to beef up its lineup with such
original fare as Gay Dating Game, Gay Court and Gay Bandstand. It will also
offer a minimum of 40 movies per month, including such titles as Claire de
Lune, Latin Boys Go to Hell, Edward II and A Boy Named Sue.
The network will also target sports enthusiasts in the gay community by
covering events like the Gay Olympics, gay rodeos and the Nabisco (Dinah
Shore) Golf Tournament in addition to gay-themed political conferences and
pride marches all over the nation.
The new GTN Dish offering will fall under the satellite net's Premium
Choice banner, meaning it will cost viewers an additional $19.95 per month
over the amount they are already paying for their basic subscriber package.
-Art Smith, Gist TV Staff
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, January 23, 2001
CONTACT: Peg Byron 212-809-8585 x 230, 888-987-1984 (pager)
Susan Sommer 212-809-8585 x 271
============================================
Arkansas Court to Hear Argument Against Anti-Gay Sodomy Law
Seven Arkansans Join Together to Challenge Discriminatory Law
(NEW YORK, January 23, 2001) ? Seven lesbian and gay Arkansas residents
soon get to make their case against the state's same-sex-only sodomy
statute, which they argue violates their constitutional rights to equal
protection and privacy, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund said
Tuesday.
Circuit Court Judge David Bogard will hear motions asking for a final
judgment in the case, Picado v. Jegley, at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, January 29.
Immediately afterwards, several of the plaintiffs and Lambda Supervising
Attorney Susan Sommer will speak to reporters in the courthouse rotunda.
"With this lawsuit, these seven proud and brave individuals are saying that
the government should not be peering into Arkansas bedrooms to investigate
adult consensual intimacy," Sommer said. "Our plaintiffs are standing up
for privacy and equality in their state."
Elena Picado, a teacher and mother, and the other plaintiffs have come
forward because they are unfairly singled out as criminals by the law,
which applies only to same-sex acts, and because it invades their privacy.
They also say that the law is the product of and fuels anti-gay sentiment
in Arkansas. They live daily with the threat of prosecution and of other
harms the law is used to justify, such as loss of employment, eviction from
their homes, and even loss of custody of their children.
In Code Section 5-14-122, Arkansas criminally bans consensual sex,
including oral and anal sex, by same-sex couples, with punishment of up to
one year in jail and a fine of $1,000. Arkansas had a similar law that
covered all couples until it was repealed in 1975. The legislature turned
around in 1977 and enacted the current law to forbid same-sex couples from
engaging in the intimate conduct that remains lawful for heterosexual
couples.
Lambda filed the case on January 28, 1998; the state repeatedly has fought
to have it dismissed. Now, both sides have filed motions for summary
judgment, asking the trial court to decide the case on its merits on the
basis of briefs and affidavits without the need for a trial.
Ruth Harlow and Sommer are Lambda's attorneys on the case. David Ivers and
Emily Sneddon of the Little Rock firm Mitchell, Blackstock & Barnes are
Lambda's cooperating attorneys. Little Rock solo practitioner Gary
Sullivan is of counsel to Lambda on the case, as is former Lambda attorney
Suzanne Goldberg.
WHAT: Hearing on cross motions for summary judgment in Picado v. Jegley
WHO: Susan Sommer, Supervising Attorney for Lambda Legal Defense and
Education Fund and individual plaintiffs will speak to reporters afterwards
in the rotunda
WHERE: Arkansas Circuit Court, Sixth Division, 401 W. Markham, Little Rock
WHEN: Monday, January 29, argument scheduled for 9:00 a.m.
30
Link directly to Lambda's news release:
http://www.lambdalegal.org/cgi-bin/pages/documents/record?record=768
DAILY OLYMPIAN, January 17, 2001
( http://news.theolympian.com )
State sued over same-sex benefits
PATRICK CONDON, THE OLYMPIAN
OLYMPIA -- A Republican state senator, a state employee and a retired
teacher have sued the state of Washington to block it from providing
insurance benefits for same-sex domestic partners.
The suit, filed at the end of December in Thurston County Superior Court,
claims that the Public Employees Benefits Board overreached its authority
when it decided in May to extend the benefits to partners of gay state
employees.
Gov. Gary Locke, who appoints the PEB board, also was named as a defendant.
The suit was filed by Sen. Dan Swecker, R-Rochester, as well as Paul
Middleton, who works for the State Department of Licensing, and Penny
Lancaster, a retired public school teacher; all three receive health
coverage under plans administered by the PEB board.
Swecker said the plaintiffs don't want to pay higher health insurance
premiums to insure individuals whose lifestyles they oppose.
"In my mind, homosexuality is a dangerous and destructive habit for the
people who engage in it," said Swecker, who also introduced legislation this
week with the same goal as the lawsuit.
"While it's not my job to condemn or judge them, I think the state has to be
very careful about what it decides to endorse and subsidize."
Margery Brown, an employee at The Evergreen State College, helped blaze the
trail for the benefits last year. She said she's not surprised by the
lawsuit.
"People are entitled to their own opinion," she said.
But Brown, who lives in Olympia, said the same forces that pushed for the
benefits extension in the first place will not sit quietly as they are
challenged.
"To me, it's a matter of equal pay for equal work," said Brown, who
is one of 434 state employees now enrolled in the program. Before that,
Brown's partner was uninsured.
The state Health Care Authority has spent $2.9 million to implement the
domestic partner benefits, which took effect Jan. 1. That works out to an
increase of $2.43 a month in health care premiums for all state employees.
The basis of the lawsuit is that the PEB board didn't have the
statutory authority to grant benefits to unmarried domestic partners. When
the Legislature passed the Defense of Marriage Act, it defined marriage as
being between a man and a woman, the lawsuit says.
"In order to award the benefit, (the PEB board) has to define the
relationship," said Jordan Lorence, an attorney for the plaintiffs. "That
is something only the Legislature can do."
But Alan Copsey, an assistant attorney general who will represent the PEB
board, said it is "very clearly authorized" by the statute to extend the
benefits as it did.
"We think the allegations made in the lawsuit have absolutely no
basis in fact," Copsey said.
Copsey will also make the argument that insuring domestic partners does
nothing to harm the institution of marriage, as is argued in the lawsuit, he
said.
Ahndrea Blue, Locke's adviser on diversity issues, said the
governor's office is preparing its response to the suit. But she said it
won't change his position on domestic partner benefits.
"The governor is a strong supporter of health benefits for all domestic
partners," Blue said. "He wants it for everyone."
Swecker said he introduced legislation as a contingency plan, should the
lawsuit not deliver the intended result.
"My hope is that the lawsuit will be held up and there won't be any need for
the legislation," Swecker said.
However, the legislation might be first to hit a stumbling block. The bill
has been referred to the Senate Ways and Means Committee, which is chaired
by Sen. Lisa Brown, a liberal Democrat from Spokane.
"At this point, I am not inclined to give it a hearing," Brown said. "My
understanding is, it doesn't have much of a fiscal impact. And, I don't
have a problem with the policy."
The plaintiff's costs are being handled by the Alliance Defense Fund, an
Arizona-based group that, according to its Web site, "will keep the door
open for the spread of the Gospel through the legal defense and advocacy of
religious freedom, sanctity of life, and family values."
Attorney Lorence, who is leading the plaintiff's team, is based in Virginia
and has built a reputation for opposing same-sex benefits in court. He
spearheaded legal efforts that saw the striking down of domestic partner
benefits in Minneapolis and in Arlington County, Va., but he was not
successful in similar cases in Chicago and in Broward County, Fla.
The lawsuit has been assigned to Thurston County Judge William McPhee, and a
status hearing is scheduled for March 30.
--
ASSOCIATED PRESS, January 16, 2001
House committee takes up civil unions
By Ross Sneyd, Associated Press
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) The cast of characters arrayed around the House
Judiciary Committee meeting room was a familiar one.
Over by the window were representatives of the group Take it to the
People. Along the opposite wall were members of the Freedom to Marry Task
Force. Reporters and photographers took up other spots.
The key difference was the people sitting at the table. Only three
members of the committee also served on it last year when the civil unions
law was written and now a majority of six oppose the statute.
With a new majority in the House, the Judiciary Committee has the
opportunity to revisit civil unions and it began that work Tuesday. There
currently are no proposals on the table, but some of the parameters of the
expected debate were set.
Some are advocating for outright repeal of the law. Others want to
open it up to accommodate other couples who are not permitted to marry and
cannot currently enter a civil union, such as a sister and a brother or a
niece and her aunt. Others want to drop the trappings of marriage, such as
the requirement that civil unions be certified before a justice of the
peace.
'We are starting testimony on civil unions without a bill on the wall
simply because it was a much-discussed issue during the campaign and it was
something most people in this committee and in the House in general want to
see discussed,'' said Judiciary Committee Chairwoman Peg Flory, R-Pittsford.
With no specific legislation before them, committee members merely
took testimony on the lawsuit that preceded civil unions and on the
legislative process and deliberations that led to the law.
Susan Murray and Beth Robinson, the two lawyers who won the lawsuit
known as the Baker case, said they continued to view civil unions as a
compromise that gave same-sex couples the rights and responsibilities of
marriage but falls just short of granting full marriage.
But Robinson refused to take repeated suggestions by Rep. Duncan
Kilmartin, R-Newport, to offer a bill that would accommodate her group's
original goal of full marriage.
''We don't seek from this body any bill this session,'' Robinson told
him.
''Vermont's been through a lot,'' she said later. ''I think we're all
ready to heal.''
From the opposite point of view, attorney Thomas McCormick told the
committee that it should remove sexual orientation from the law as a
criteria for receiving a civil union. '
'In the short run it seems to me a better course to change the focus
of the law so it no longer approximates marriage and focuses on benefits
rather than marital relations,'' said McCormick, who is a member of Take it
to the People but said he was testifying on his own behalf.
That would appear to be an approach favored by Flory, who
unsuccessfully sought to amend the civil unions law last year as it was
being debated in the House. She wants to include more people than just gay
and lesbian couples under the provisions of the law. She would include two
elderly sisters or a nephew and an aunt, ''couples who otherwise cannot
marry.''
''If the Legislature had chosen to be more inclusive, would that be
at odds with the Baker decision?'' she asked Chief Assistant Attorney
General William Griffin?
''In some ways, I think it would,'' Griffin said.
''If you then expand the parallel system, the civil union system, to
include the opposite-gender couple, you would be giving that group an option
that would not be available'' to same-sex couples, he said. ''I think the
bottom line is the easier case to defend is if you created a third system
for this group you describe.''
The committee is not scheduled to work on civil unions again until
next week.
Associated Press, January 15, 2001
Army Drops Gay Reservist Case
By JACQUES BILLEAUD
PHOENIX (AP) -- The Army on Monday said it has dropped efforts to
dismiss an Arizona lawmaker from a reserve unit because he said during a
legislative debate that he is gay.
An Army spokesman said the case was dismissed after Rep. Steve May, a
reserve lieutenant, agreed not to re-enlist once his current term expires
May 11.
"Given my record of service, I should be allowed to complete my term,
regardless of my sexual orientation,'' May said.
A military panel recommended in September that May be honorably
discharged for violating the military's "don't ask, don't tell'' policy.
Under that rule, gays are allowed to serve in the Armed Forces as
long as they don't declare their sexual orientation. In turn, the military
is barred from asking service members if they are homosexual.
May's appeal of the panel's decision was rejected in November. But
his lawyer, Christopher Wolf, said the military decided on Saturday to drop
the case.
Wolf said he discussed the issue last month with White House chief of
staff John Podesta and on Friday with top military officials.
"I think it's vindication that we were right from the beginning,''
May said of the Army's decision.
But Lt. Col. Bill Wheelehan, an Army spokesman, said the case was
dropped because May agreed not to re-enlist.
"Time was going to run out in the next four months to get this man
out,'' Wheelehan said. "You can't (dismiss) an officer that rapidly when
the officer is using everything at his disposal'' to appeal. The legislator
said he never intended to serve another term.
May, a Republican who was re-elected in November, acknowledged his
homosexuality during legislative debate in February 1999, while arguing for
extending health benefits to same-sex partners. He was an honorably
discharged civilian reservist at the time but was called back to the Army a
few weeks later, during the Kosovo crisis.
--
Southern Voice
Atlanta, GA
January 11, 2001
Lesbian mom takes historic seat in GA General Assembly
by Laura Brown
Thursday, 11 January 2001
ATLANTA-As the 2001 Georgia General Assembly session opened Monday,
gay rights lobbyists said they plan to spend the session building
support for a pro-gay civil rights bill, despite a conservative shift
in the state's Republican leadership.
Lobbyists may also have to contend with high expectations from gay
Georgians. During last year's session, gay rights advocates and their
coalition partners succeeded in passing their number one priority, a
hate crimes bill, which was sponsored by Sen. Vincent Fort
(D-Atlanta).
Although the state's House of Representatives stripped all specific
categories, including sexual orientation, from the bill prior to
passage, the vote still marked the first time the General Assembly
had passed a piece of legislation known to benefit and be supported
by gays.
Last year's session was also remarkable for what didn't happen: For
the first time in recent memory, no anti-gay bills or amendments were
introduced.
With this year's session barely underway, activists are already
cautioning supporters not to expect history to repeat itself. A
comprehensive anti-discrimination bill, which would include a
first-ever statewide ban on discrimination on the basis of sexual
orientation, is expected to take several years to pass and supporters
won't push for a vote this year, they said.
Meanwhile, gay rights supporters are already gearing up to fight one
bill viewed as anti-gay: HB 26, the "Defense of Scouting Act," which
would prevent state and local governments from ousting the Boy Scouts
of America from public facilities.
Activists in jurisdictions around the country have attempted to
persuade school boards and other government entities to stop allowing
the Boy Scouts to use their buildings and promote its programs in
schools, claiming the Scouts' policy of excluding gays violates some
local non-discrimination policies.
The Defense of Scouting Act, an attempt to prevent such efforts from
spreading to Georgia, is sponsored by Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R-Cobb), who
was re-elected House Minority Whip, and Rep. Glenn Richardson
(R-Dallas), who last year was the only House member to speak out
specifically against including sexual orientation in the hate crimes
bill.
"These classes include sexual orientation," Richardson argued during
floor debate on the bill. "For the first time, we are going to create
this class of people? Why are we recognizing this class of people and
protecting them more?"
Ehrhart, who did not respond to an interview request, has said the
bill is an effort to keep the gay rights fight away from children.
"If you want to fight gay politics versus straight politics, let's
fight it out here among the adults and leave the kids out of it," he
told the Florida Times-Union.
The bill is a slap in the face to the state's sizable gay population,
said Harry Knox, executive director of Georgia Equality, the
statewide gay political group.
"The bill is clearly designed to be an insult to the gay and lesbian
community as much as anything else, and we will be working to defeat
it," he said.
But regardless of the outcome of any legislative battles, the first
week of the 2001 session has already proven historic for gays: On
Monday, state Rep. Karla Drenner (D-Avondale) was sworn in along with
other new representatives.
Drenner, who was accompanied by her partner and two children, became
the first openly gay state legislator in Georgia and the South.
'Multi-year' civil rights fight
The planned civil rights bill would provide first-ever protections on
the basis of sexual orientation, while also strengthening and
streamlining the state's other civil rights laws. It is expected to
take at least four years to pass, Knox said.
The bill will ban discrimination on the basis of "race, color,
national origin, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, age,
religion, disability status, or the perception thereof" in
employment, credit, banking, education, insurance, public
accommodations and access to services.
Sexual orientation is the only category in the bill that is not
already protected under either federal or state level
anti-discrimination laws.
The bill, introduced by Rep. Carl Von Epps (D-LaGrange) on day 35 of
last year's 40-day session, had little time to gain momentum. This
year, supporters said they expect the bill to be introduced "sooner
rather than later," but they do not expect to press for a vote on the
measure this year.
Epps could not be reached for comment by press time.
"This year, the movement people will see is additional co-sponsors
being obtained, and commitments to vote for the bill whether they
sign on as co-sponsors or not, and this might be the year we start
hearings on the bill so that people can understand why it is so
needed," said longtime gay lobbyist Larry Pellegrini, public policy
director for the Georgia Rural Urban Summit.
The civil rights bill, which is strongly supported by the Legislative
Black Caucus, is likely to take a back seat to efforts to change
Georgia's state flag to remove the Confederate battle emblem.
"There is frankly a limit to how much civil rights legislation we can
expect to move in one session," Knox said. "But that doesn't mean we
can put off our work as citizens in advocating for this bill with our
legislators."
While urging constituents to contact legislators to ask them to
support the civil rights bill, Knox said Georgia Equality will also
join in the effort to change the flag, both because of the needs of
gay people of color and also because the flag is "offensive to all
minorities."
"The flag is a clear message from the state to all minorities that we
live and work here only at the pleasure of the people in the
majority," Knox said.
The flag fight could also serve as a "bellwether" for the likely
chances of the anti-discrimination bill in the future, said Fort,
sponsor of the successful hate crimes bill and a supporter of both
changing the flag and the non-discrimination law.
The flag controversy "is going to say a lot about whether Georgia is
going to be an inclusive state or an exclusive state," Fort said.
"Gays and lesbians should be watching and involved, because anytime
you see racism and sexism, you will see homophobia-they go hand in
hand."
Hate crimes statute
Last year, the majority of House Republicans solidly opposed the hate
crimes bill. This year, the state's GOP leaders have chosen decidedly
conservative leaders, re-electing Ehrhart as House Minority Whip and
choosing state Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Sharpsburg), known for his
conservative reputation, to replace state Rep. Bob Irvin (R-Atlanta)
as House Minority Leader.
Westmoreland could not be reached for comment.
While Westmoreland voted against the hate crimes bill last year,
supporters of the measure said they don't expect efforts to overturn
it.
"In the last session, we did not get the kind of virulent homophobia
that had been part of past debates on hate crimes, and I think that
is an indication of a reluctance to have that kind of overt bigotry,"
said Fort, while promising a "knock down, drag out fight" should any
attempts to weaken the bill surface.
After the House stripped categories from the hate crimes bill last
session, supporters mentioned the possibility of amending the measure
to add the categories should the current ban on crimes motivated by
"bias or prejudice" not prove strong enough.
So far, no cases have been brought under the new law, and both Fort
and Georgia Equality said they had no plans to try to change it until
they see how it plays out in court.
"At this point, I want to see how it is implemented, because the
proof is in the pudding," Fort said.
AIDS drug funding battle
After years of budget wrangling and lobbying, HIV activists cheered
last year when the state's Department of Human Resources was finally
able to fully fund the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, which provides
funding of last resort for HIV medications, removing the waiting list.
Making sure ADAP receives enough money through the state's
supplemental and general budget to keep the waiting list from being
reinstated will be a top priority for HIV activists, said Jeff
Graham, executive director of AIDS Survival Project, which has taken
the lead on ADAP lobbying.
ADAP advocates estimate the program will need $10.8 million in state
funds to avoid a new waiting list, Graham said. So far, the DHR has
requested $4.3 million in new funding in next year's budget, and the
program has received about $1 million in this year's supplemental
budget, Graham said.
Activists will be monitoring Gov. Roy Barnes' proposed budget, set to
be released this week, and will fight to have additional money for
ADAP added as the budget makes its way through the General Assembly,
Graham said.
An additional $400,000 in funding is also needed for the AIDS
Insurance Continuation Program, which helps people with HIV pay
premiums to maintain their private health insurance, he said.
--
Bay Windows
Boston, MA
January 11, 2001
http://www.baywindows.com
Activists set their sights on Ashcroft
by Peter Cassels
Bay Windows staff
With the embattled Linda Chavez gone, attention now focuses on AG nominee
Momentum is building to block another of President-elect George W.
Bush's cabinet nominees now that Linda Chavez, his pick for labor
secretary, has withdrawn after acknowledging that she sheltered an
illegal immigrant from Guatemala in the early 1990s. Chavez also had
conducted a vicious, sometimes anti-gay campaign against U.S. Sen.
Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., in 1986.
The controversy had overshadowed a campaign to prevent defeated U.S.
Sen. John Ashcroft, R-Mo., a darling of the religious Right, from
becoming attorney general. That effort was re-energized Jan. 9 when a
broad coalition of public-interest groups, including the Human Rights
Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest gay-rights lobbying
organization, launched a major protest urging that he not be
confirmed by the Senate.
Also, a spokesperson for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
(NGLTF) in an interview expressed dissatisfaction with almost the
entire lineup of Bush cabinet nominations and indicated that it would
actively protest several.
Locally, a gay antiviolence advocate has called on U.S. Sens. Edward
Kennedy and John Kerry of Massachusetts to not only vote against
Ashcroft, but also lead the opposition to his confirmation.
"Ashcroft is an extremist who cannot be counted on to enforce laws
equally for all Americans," Don Gorton, chair of the Massachusetts
Gay and Lesbian Antiviolence Project, told Bay Windows Jan. 8.
"Concerns have been raised about his fairness to African-American
civil rights and abortion rights. Those concerns are weighty by
themselves, but when you add concerns about his homophobia, his
unsuitability is just crystal clear."
Besides Ashcroft's record of voting against the Employment
Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and the Hate Crimes Prevention Act and
for the Defense of Marriage Act (DoMA), Gorton underscored the former
senator's pushing through a Missouri hate-crimes law while governor
in the early 1990s that explicitly omitted sexual orientation and
gender bias. "That is something I find very troubling," he asserted.
"When you add emphasis to deter bias against race or religious
affiliation but pass over sexual orientation, you are saying those
crimes are not serious and don't deserve attention. So that is one of
those clear-cut instances of how he does not favor gay and lesbian
equality."
The antiviolence leader said he fears Ashcroft is likely to shut down
the Justice Department's prevention programs that address crimes
against gay and lesbians. Training materials are gradually being made
available to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies that
"make it very clear that violence against gays and women is something
to prevent. What I see is Ashcroft withdrawing these products before
they have been widely utilized and undoing the good that [Janet] Reno
did by making them available."
The right wing in the last session of Congress, he reported, tried to
use the legislative rider process to suppress the crime-prevention
materials, but was unsuccessful. "But that whole battle becomes moot
if Ashcroft through the stroke of a pen can end the department's
prevention message. That's contributing to violence."
Gorton theorized that Bush picked Ashcroft to be the nation's top law
enforcer to "throw a major bone to the conservatives. This is as big
a bone as they could ask for. This job is the one that makes their
issue [blocking protections against gays and lesbians] happen."
In statements to Bay Windows, both Kennedy and Kerry indicated they
would speak out against Ashcroft, but stopped short of saying they
would lead a battle against Senate confirmation.
"The senator has expressed real concern with the nomination of
Senator Ashcroft," Kennedy spokesperson Will Keyser said.
"Specifically he has real concerns on his record on civil rights,
including gay and lesbian issues. He's looking forward to raising
these issues during the confirmation hearings." Kennedy is the senior
member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which, Keyser said, will
tentatively begin confirmation hearings Jan. 16.
Kerry spokesperson David Wade reported that Ashcroft and Sen. Jesse
Helms, R-N.C., were the only members of the Foreign Relations
Committee who vocally opposed James Hormel, the first gay appointed
an ambassador. Committee members Kerry and Sen. Dianne Feinstein,
D-Calif., led the fight to confirm Hormel as envoy to Luxembourg.
"[Kerry] will have a lot to say on the [Senate] floor on Ashcroft's
nomination," Wade said.
In a statement to Bay Windows, Kerry said the Ashcroft nomination is
"troubling because at a time when the country so clearly needs to be
unified, when the new president acknowledges that he must be a
unifier rather than a divider, we are forced to vote on [an
individual] who, in [his] public record, strike[s] chords of division
and could further alienate more of our citizens from the political
process."
The senator contended that differences he has with the nominee are
not political or ideological, but one of public confidence: "Can John
Ashcroft hold the trust of all of our citizens that he will enforce
hate-crimes laws and work hard as the nation's top law enforcement
official to win the cases and champion the civil-rights causes with
which he seemed uncomfortable as a senator? It is a question of
whether...it is in the best interests of the nation to name as
attorney general someone who argued that James Hormel would 'promote
the gay lifestyle' as ambassador to Luxembourg."
Kerry emphasized, "We don't want to make up our minds before we hear
the answers to these questions. Neither should we be willing to have
a process that...sidesteps the reality that an attorney general must
be viewed by all Americans as a kind of neutral force for...equal
distribution and application of the law at a time when the country
really needs that."
At a Jan. 9 news conference at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington,
D.C., HRC Executive Director Elizabeth Birch joined the leaders of
eight other interest groups that have joined forces in opposing the
Ashcroft nomination. They include the Alliance for Justice, Handgun
Control, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, National Abortion and
Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL), National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), People for the American
Way and the Sierra Club. Together, they represent more than 200
organizations. The coalition has launched a Web site,
www.stopashcroft.com, to promote their campaign.
"President-elect Bush is entitled to create a cabinet of his own
design," Birch said. "However, he does so against the backdrop of a
fundamental promise made throughout his campaign to unite the nation.
The nomination of Senator Ashcroft represents the extreme antithesis
of that goal. Senator Ashcroft is a divisive figure who does not
represent the mainstream values of this nation. ...We, like many
Americans, are gravely concerned that Ashcroft, based on his record,
will turn the focus of the department from justice to judgment,
selectively enforcing only laws that he personally approves."
News media coverage of Chavez's nomination to head the Department of
Labor had focused on her harboring an illegal immigrant and largely
ignored the bitter campaign she waged against Mikulski when the pair
faced off in a run for the Senate in 1986.
For years, rumors have curculated that Mikulski, who is not married,
is a lesbian, although she has never directly answered questions
about her sexual orientation. The rumors have their roots in the
campaign, when Chavez accused Mikulski of being a "San
Francisco-style Democrat" who should come "out of the closet."
According to a Jan. 9 Gay.com column by Michelangelo Signorile,
Chavez charged in a debate that Mikulski's support of the Equal
Rights Amendment would "open up the whole question of homosexual
marriage." After the debate, Signorile reports that Chavez's campaign
manager told reporters TV commercials would focus on Mikulski's
relationship with a staff member and her support of gay rights.
Signorile contended that the episode traumatized Mikulski: "While
most of her voting record is supportive of gay rights, in 1998 she
voted with the vast majority in the Senate in favor of [DoMA],
perhaps lest anyone use the issue of gay marriage against her again."
According to the column, Chavez has since criticized lesbian
parenting and in 1996 attacked the TV sitcom Friends because "recent
episodes depicted one-night stands, lesbian moms, homosexual marriage
and intergenerational romance." She also praised 1998 newspaper
advertisements placed by "ex-gay" ministries promoting the idea that
gays and lesbians could change their sexual orientation.
While the controversy over the Bush cabinet nominations now swirls
around Ashcroft, Bay Windows also interviewed representatives of
other gay organizations about the rest of the slate of candidates.
The Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) thus far is
taking a neutral position on the nomination of Rod Paige,
superintendent of the Houston School District, to become the first
African-American secretary of education. While GLSEN gave the
district a failing grade in 1998 for its handling of gay education
issues, spokesperson Jim Anderson was quick to point out that school
boards usually make policy decisions so, "It's difficult to ascertain
the role the superintendent played or did not play." GLSEN gave
Houston an "F" because it did not have a nondiscrimination policy
protecting students or staff, or identifiable inclusive curricular
materials, teacher training or a proactive statement supporting
gay/straight alliances.
In a news release, GLSEN urged Paige to use "every available resource
to combat the pervasive harassment leveled against" GLBT youth in the
nation's schools. According to Anderson, the organization extended
the olive branch because, "We simply must find ways to work with the
new administration. We have a problem of violence and harassment in
our schools that is critically important. We don't have the luxury of
missing the next four years."
GLSEN Public Policy Director Mary Kate "MK" Cullen said in an
interview that Paige seems "not to be in lock-step with the GOP on
issues surrounding school choice, tax cuts and larger education
policy questions. ...We feel Paige is someone we can work with. We
have not seen anything that shows he has extended a hand to gays.
We've also not seen him stop or discourage GLBT students or faculty
from having a say in their schools."
NGLTF spokesperson David Elliot told Bay Windows he is not
knowledgeable enough to assess Paige in detail, but expressed concern
about his limited support for school vouchers.
"That is a GLBT issue because if we send the money to private schools
and students follow that money there are no guarantees that teachers
and students will enjoy anti-discrimination and harassment
protection." He pointed out that more than 95 percent of voucher
dollars goes to parochial schools, which do not have
anti-discrimination policies.
While the HRC indicated it is pleased with the selection of Wisconsin
Gov. Tommy Thompson to take the helm at the Department of Health and
Human Services because of his pro-gay positions, Elliot said the
NGLTF is "disappointed in his nomination and we hope that all
progressive groups will unite to defeat him." He listed a "draconian"
abortion law Thompson signed as governor that was later struck down,
support for school vouchers and welfare reform without a safety net
as reasons gays should be opposed to the nomination.
Elliot criticized the selection of Gale Norton as interior secretary
because, as Colorado attorney general, she led the fight for
Amendment 2, which would outlawed gay rights laws in the Rocky
Mountain State: "The day that Amendment 2 passed at the polls and the
day that it was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court on a 6-3 vote
were milestones for the gay movement. It's disappointing that someone
who is going to be so visible as part of the Bush administration has
such a disappointing and hurtful record on GLBT issues."
His criticism of some other Bush nominees was less severe. "Christine
Todd Whitman [as head of the Environmental Protection Agency] may
have been one of [the] better appointments. I give her a C-minus,
because of her position on racial profiling by the New Jersey State
Police. She could have stepped up and stopped it sooner. She is
pro-choice and at least nominally pro-gay. I don't know that Whitman
has been a hero for our community."
Elliot's concern about Donald Rumsfeld, Bush's choice for defense
secretary, is that he "comes from the old guard. He comes from an era
in which GLBT people did not exist on a federal level in the minds of
our policy makers."
Of Colin Powell as secretary of state designate, Elliot said the
general "fought hard against gays and lesbians serving openly in the
military. He since came around to support the 'don't ask, don't tell'
policy, but that has done a lot of damage. Look at the number of gays
who have been hounded out of the military. Powell isn't as bad as
some of these nominees, but are we going to spend the next four years
saying this nominee isn't as bad as he could have been? Are we going
to praise Bush for nominating someone who is not virulently anti-gay?
Is that as low as the bar has fallen?"
Asked what ways the NGLTF will voice its concerns about the Bush
cabinet, Elliot said it will serve as a clearinghouse for
anti-inaugural protests through its Web site, www.ngltf.org. "We're
also going to urge our members to contact their senators to defeat
some of these nominations." Although it has not yet named which ones
it will oppose, Elliot expects a decision soon. t
ATLANTA ENACTS GEORGIA'S
FIRST COMPREHENSIVE NON-DISCRIMINATION LAW
Victory Fund Lauds City Council Member Cathy Woolard
For Passage by Overwhelming 14 to 1 Vote
WASHINGTON -- Atlanta yesterday became the first city in Georgia to enact a comprehensive non-discrimination law that includes sexual orientation and gender identity. City Council member Cathy Woolard authored the bill and spearheaded its passage in the Council on Dec. 4 by an overwhelming vote of 14 to 1. On Dec. 12, Mayor Bill Campbell signed the measure, which covers private employment, housing and public accommodations. Woolard became Georgia's first openly gay or lesbian elected official in 1997 with support from the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund and the Georgia Equality Project, and is the only openly gay or lesbian member of the Council. She is also a leading candidate for president of the City Council in 2001.
"All of Atlanta's citizens deserve equal protection from unfair discrimination in all of its forms and that is what this inclusive law is about," said Woolard. "Those who supported this common-sense measure can be proud of this triumph for all of Atlanta. This legislation, which brings our non-discrimination ordinances in line with other major cities across the country, is a tribute to our city's core values of fairness and equality."
The new law ensures that all Atlantans will be protected from discrimination based on religion, race, gender, disability, marital status, family status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity and age. Prior to its enactment, citizens were covered by a patchwork of protections that had large gaps, especially in the areas of sexual orientation and gender identity -- and no one had the right to pursue legal action against perpetrators of discrimination. Significantly, the new law expressly includes a private right of action.
"The enactment of this new non-discrimination law is a victory for all of Atlanta's families and a testament to the progress we can make for equal rights when gay and straight public servants work openly and honestly together. Council member Woolard deserves enormous credit for the law's passage," said Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund Executive Director Brian K. Bond. "Also, the inclusiveness of the legislation advances the growing public understanding that faith and fairness go together -- that religious liberty and freedom from all forms of discrimination are complimentary values."
Georgia is one of 39 states that does not yet protect its residents from job discrimination based on sexual orientation. As federal laws also do not yet offer such protection, Atlanta's new local non-discrimination law provides city residents with their only current line of defense against this form of bias.
The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund is the only national organization whose sole mission is to increase the number of outstanding openly gay and lesbian public officials. As the nation's ninth largest nonconnected political action committee, the Victory Fund has generated more than $2.5 million for qualified openly gay and lesbian candidates at all levels of government. The organization can be contacted on the Web at www.victoryfund.org or by calling (202) 842-8679.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Christopher Kingry/Phil Lobel
Lobeline Communications
310-271-1551
lobelinePR@aol.com
CDC STATEMENT PROMPTS TRIGG LABORATORIES TO VOLUNTARILY
REMOVE NONOXYNOL-9 FROM WET ORIGINAL FORMULA PERSONAL LUBRICANT
LOS ANGELES (November 16, 2000) -- In keeping with its commitment
to customer safety, Trigg Laboratories, Inc., creators of WET(r)
products, has voluntarily and proactively removed the ingredient
Nonoxynol-9 from its WET Original Formula Personal Lubricant Gel.
This is the first personal lubricant line in the nation to take
this action. This change was made because of an August 4, 2000
statement made by The Centers for Disease Control. The statement
cited recent findings from an important study about HIV prevention
and the potential health risks that may come from using Nonoxynol-9.
(For more information, visit the CDC website at:
http://www.cdc.gov/HIV/pubs/mmwr/mmwr11aug00.htm)
"After thoroughly reviewing this study's findings on the potential
risks from using Nonoxynol-9, we put safety first and voluntarily
removed Nonoxynol-9 from our WET Original Formula," said Michael
Trygstad, President and Founder of Trigg Laboratories, Inc.
"Safety is the highest priority in the products we market, so
while some competitors have only reduced the amount of Nonoxynol-9,
we've chosen to eliminate it entirely."
This recent HIV prevention study was conducted in Africa by
researchers with the Joint United Nations Program on AIDS (UNAIDS).
The researchers found that the participants in the study who used
Nonoxynol-9 (N-9) gel had become infected with HIV at about a 50%
higher rate than those who used a placebo gel. Further, the results
indicate the more frequently they used only N-9 gel (without a
condom) to protect themselves, the higher their risk of becoming
infected. Simply stated, N-9 did not protect against HIV infection
and may have caused more transmission.
WET Original is the only formula changed, as it is the only formula
WET made containing Nonoxynol-9. Packaging for the new version of
WET Original Formula is clearly labeled with: "DOES NOT contain
Nonoxynol-9."
As a steadfast company policy, Trigg Laboratories, Inc. continuously
monitors research findings in ALL areas of healthcare science and
stands ready to make any and all necessary product changes, based
on recommendations from the CDC, FDA or any other appropriate agency.
WET International products are created by Southern California-based
Trigg Laboratories, Inc. - a leading maker of products to enhance
the most personal and intimate moments of a person's life. For
more information on WET International, visit
www.WETInternational.com.
# # #
(WET is a Registered Trademark of Trigg Laboratories, Inc. Please
print with the registered mark when possible.)
Images available:
High Resolution for Print: http://wwww.gayadata.com/web/wetjpg.jpg
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104 PEOPLE ARRESTED DURING SOULFORCE
CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE AT NATIONAL SHRINE:
Washington DC Actions Condemn Catholic Church Teachings which Lead to
Oppression and Spiritual Violence against Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and
Transgender Individuals
**************************************************************
SOULFORCE PRESS RELEASE November 15, 2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Laura Montgomery Rutt, Media Coordinator
Cell: 717-951-7712 Soulforcemedia@aol.com
**********************************************************
Washington, DC - Yesterday, November 14, over 250 Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and
Transgender (GLBT) individuals, and their families, friends and allies from
all over the United States joined together at the National Shrine in
Washington, D.C. to protest the exclusionary policies of the Catholic Church
toward GLBT Catholics, to ask the National Conference of Catholic Bishops
(NCCB) to STOP SPIRITUAL VIOLENCE against sexual and gender minorities, and
support the inclusion of GLBT Catholics into all aspects of church life.
104 of the protesters were subsequently arrested for blocking the driveway to
the National Shrine, and fined $50 person and released after being processed
by the D.C. Police. Among those arrested were: Rev. William Sloan Coffin,
one of the nation's most distinguished civil rights leaders; Maryanne Duddy,
Executive Director of Dignity/USA; Rev. Mel White, Executive Director of
Soulforce; Rev. Jimmy Creech, chairperson of Soulforce and the minister who
was defrocked in the United Methodist Church for performing a holy union
ceremony for two men; and Fran Taft, a 95 year old grandmother of a gay man.
The protests, which began on Monday, November 13 and continues through today
as a silent vigil today at the Hyatt Regency where the NCCB is meeting, was
organized by Soulforce, an interfaith network of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,
Transgender individuals and their families, friends, and allies, committed to
applying the principles of nonviolent resistance as taught by Gandhi and King
to the liberation of sexual and gender minorities. Also cosponsoring the
protest to confront the NCCB was Dignity/USA, the oldest and largest
independent national lay movement of GLBT Catholics, families, and friend,
and Equal Partners in Faith, a national network of religious leaders and
people of faith committed to diversity and equality.
"Of all the Christian bodies, historically the Catholic Church is the primary
source of condemnation of GLBT people since medieval times," said Rev. Jimmy
Creech, chairperson of Soulforce. By taking a stand at the National Shrine,
GLBT people and non-gay allies from all over the United States let the NCCB
know that Spiritual Violence against them will no longer be accepted in
silence."
The protest began with a press conference and silent vigil at the National
Shrine on November 13 during a special mass for the NCCB and other
dignitaries who are meeting this week in Washington DC. The protesters stood
in silence on the sidewalk as busses filled with bishops pulled in to the
Shrine. Protesters were each holding the name of a bishop who they had sent
letters to and prayed for in the weeks before coming to D.C. On November 14,
protesters returned to the National Shrine as the bishops were meeting across
town and held a prayerful vigil on the steps of the shrine, blessing the
largest Catholic Cathedral in North America prior the arrests of 104
protesters.
"This is an historic moment," continued Rev. Creech. "Today we stand
together determined to change the teachings of the Catholic Church. How can
we remain silent when those teachings cause suffering and incite violence and
discrimination against GLBT people? No matter what our faith traditions, we
must resist Spiritual Violence and refuse to cooperate with the forces that
perpetuate this oppression."
"One of the most powerful moments of these events was to see hundreds of
people, brought together through the pain and oppression of our various
religious backgrounds to witness to the love of God for all GLBT people
everywhere," said Mary Louise Cervone, President of Dignity/USA.
"Dignity/USA looks forward to continuing its relationship with Soulforce and
is proud to have stood with Soulforce in solidarity with our GLBT brothers
and sister everywhere".
For more information on Soulforce or this action, see
http://www.soulforce.org .
Gay Reservist Appeals Decision
By SCOTT THOMSEN
PHOENIX (AP) - An Army general on Wednesday rejected a state
representative's appeal of the Army's decision to dismiss him from his
reserve unit after he said in a legislative debate that he is gay.
Major Gen. John L. Scott, the commanding general of Rep. Steve May's
unit, backed a military panel's recommendation that the lieutenant be
honorably discharged for violating the military's "don't ask, don't tell''
policy.
In a letter written Tuesday and released Wednesday, Scott said he based
his decision on a review of the separation board's records and an analysis by
military lawyers. He said he also took into consideration the arguments in
May's appeal, which included a letter signed by 108 members of Congress who
opposed the dismissal.
"My review of that document found no grounds to disapprove or alter the
findings and recommendations of the board as submitted,'' Scott wrote.
May, a Republican who was re-elected last week, had been open about his
homosexuality since his first campaign for elected office in 1996.
He acknowledged his sexuality during legislative debate in February 1999,
while arguing for extending health benefits to same-sex partners. He was an
honorably discharged civilian at the time but was called back to the Army a
few weeks later, during the Kosovo crisis.
May said he has raised $25,000 to cover legal expenses.
"My intention is to continue to serving in the Army until I am forcibly
removed,'' May said Wednesday. "I'm not going to be fired from my job for
who I am or what I said.''
"But this whole thing is not about me,'' he said. "This policy places
our nation and our citizens at risk. This policy hurts the readiness of our
military.''
The panel's recommendation now goes to the Secretary of the Army, the
Secretary of Defense and President Clinton for final action.
Portland Press Herald, November 14, 2000
Portland, ME
( http://www.portland.com/news/news.shtml )
Gay rights opponents relish victory
By GLENN ADAMS, Associated Press
AUGUSTA - Opponents of the gay rights question on last week's ballot said
Monday that Maine voters sent a loud and clear message where they stand on
the long-debated issue.
Even though unofficial figures show only a 2 percent margin of victory,
it is the second referendum since 1998 in which voters have rejected the law,
said Paul Volle, executive director of the Christian Coalition of Maine.
Volle also said that his only surprise in the latest vote count was that
his side's margin of victory was not larger, even though polls leading up to
Election Day showed comfortable margins for the other side.
''They may have been very surprised but I was not,'' Volle said at a
State House news conference. ''Probably the most unreliable poll you can
take in the state of Maine is on the gay rights issue.''
A big factor in the outcome was a vote by Roman Catholics against the
proposed amendment to the Human Rights Act, said Paul Madore, director of the
Maine Grassroots Coalition, which also battled the referendum.
Many Catholics, Madore said, were offended when the Diocese of Portland
agreed to support the proposal in exchange for exemptions for religious
institutions.
''No more backroom deals with the Diocese of Portland,'' said Madore.
Polls before the election showed an erosion of support for the Yes on 6
side, whose campaign leaders were stunned by the loss but conceded.
Some advocates, noting the close vote, said later that the concession was
being retracted until the numbers could be scrutinized, but the Yes on 6
campaign on Friday said the concession still stood.
On Monday, as rumors of a possible recount swirled around the State
House, Yes on 6 spokesman Tony Giampetruzzi said his campaign would make no
further statements until the referendum tallies become official. Unofficial
tallies from 99 percent of Maine's precincts showed 317,660 votes against the
measure to 310,819 votes in favor, a difference of 6,841.
Volle said his side does not expect advocates to abandon their push for a
law barring discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in housing,
credit, public accommodations and employment.
OREGON VOTERS REJECTING INTOLERANCE
Nov. 8, 2000 - A proposed ballot measure outlawing all positive or neutral
mention of homosexuality in Oregon's public schools was failing today by
34,000 votes with 82 percent of the votes counted. Although it is expected
to take Oregon officials several days to complete the vote tally, the
initiative, known as Measure 9, appeared headed for defeat.
"Oregon teaches us that when we have sufficient local infrastructure to reach
out and communicate to voters the reality of our lives, we are more
competitive
and able to win, and that's the good news," said Elizabeth Toledo, executive
director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "The bad news is that
when the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people are subject
to the will of a transitory, election-day majority, we still face uphill
battles,
sometimes against tremendous odds. The election results do show how much work
we have to do. We must dedicate ourselves to building local movements and
making sure local activists have the support and resources to do the very
important work of reaching out to voters."
Oregon's voters apparently are defeating the misleadingly named "Student
Protection Act," which would have required schools to remove scientific,
factual books from school libraries, prohibit counseling and referral for
GLBT students, ban medically accurate AIDS education and prevent teachers
from teaching respect and tolerance. NGLTF partnered with the Oregon No On
9 Campaign by recruiting activists from across the country to participate
in an advanced training, recruit volunteers, canvass voters, operate phone
banks and help build No On 9's campaign infrastructure. Led by veteran
electoral organizer Dave Fleischer of NGLTF, the Oregon project is the
latest effort aimed at building local and state political power so that
one day, ballot measures that attack the GLBT community are a thing
of the past.
"Oregon teaches us that a strong grassroots campaign can overcome lies,
mischaracterizations, distortions and scare tactics by our opponents,"
Toledo said. "Right-wing extremists who keep subjecting the Oregon GLBT
community to these attacks should realize that a majority of people are
not on their side."
Frontiers Newsmagazine
Los Angeles/National Edition
November 10, 2000
http://www.frontiersweb.com
Local Control
Despite National Uncertainty, Democrats Increase Hold on California Legislature
While uncertainty over the presidential race extended beyond Nov. 7,
there was little Election Day drama in the races for California's
state Legislature. Democrats continued their domination of recent
years, increasing the Party's hold on the Assembly and falling just
one vote shy of a two-thirds majority in the Senate.
"The drama in the presidential race overshadows the huge victories we
had in California," said Stonewall Democratic Club President Eric
Bauman of his Party's pickup of one Senate and four Assembly seats.
"This election actually leaves us one seat shy of a two-thirds
majority and a few seats shy [of a two-thirds majority] in the
Assembly. It's certainly a huge majority."
The two-thirds majority--the percentage of votes needed to override a
governor's veto--is a long-sought goal of both parties, though such
an override is unlikely to be necessary with a Democratic governor.
Notable among the Nov. 7 winners was Sheila James Kuehl, D-Santa
Monica, the state's first openly lesbian assemblywoman, who made
history again by becoming the first openly gay or lesbian person to
win a seat in the state Senate. Also victorious were two lesbian city
council members from Southern California: Jackie Goldberg of Los
Angeles and Christine Kehoe of San Diego, who won seats in the
Assembly, where they will join incumbent Carole Migden, D-San
Francisco, in the "LGBT caucus."
Of those four contests, Kehoe's race was the closest and she won
comfortably, taking 61.5 percent of the vote against her GOP
opponent, Michele M. Nash-Hoff. In her Senate race, Kuehl received
70.6 percent of the vote, while Migden drew 78.9 percent in her
Assembly race. Goldberg ran unopposed. Despite the unsurprising
nature of the victories, however, Bauman said he hopes the doubling
of the LGBT presence in the state Legislature will have a profound
effect.
"When people know us they tend to be more supportive of our rights
because they realize we're just like everyone else," Bauman said.
"Having four champions in the Legislature only helps us with the
education process. I hope that the days of right-wing assemblymen
standing on the floor comparing us to cows and sheep [as they did in
a 1999 debate over a gay-rights bill] will end, first of all,
because, as this election proved, California, overall, is not
supportive of right-wing politics and wedge politics, but also
because there are four very passionate and experienced voices in the
Legislature that come from our community."
Despite the Nov. 7 victories, which give Democrats 50 of 80 Assembly
seats and 26 of 40 Senate seats, it's too early to predict whether
the newly elected Legislature will be more likely to pass LGBT
legislation than the current one, according to Bauman, who also
serves as a special assistant to Gov. Gray Davis,
There were no gay-specific measures on the California ballot, but
Bauman said initiative results from other states may revive fears of
Democrats whose support for LGBT measures weakened after the
overwhelming passage of the Knight initiative in March. On Nov. 7,
same-sex marriage prohibitions won with 70 percent landslides in
Nebraska and Nevada, a gay-rights measure failed in Maine, and
activists only barely managed to defeat an Oregon measure that would
have prohibited any positive presentation of gays in public schools.
In addition, Bauman said, some Democratic politicians will fear being
put in the same situation as Democratic Gov. Howard Dean, who had the
approval of two-thirds of Vermont's residents before signing that
state's civil-unions bill, but won only 50 percent of the vote in his
narrow re-election victory.
"Last night, folks were already opining about the great risk [of
supporting gay rights] and how close [Dean's] race was," Bauman said.
"I'm not sure that bodes well for us anywhere in the country."
An analysis of the 2000 legislative session, conducted by the
California Alliance for Pride and Equality (CAPE), illustrates how
tenuous support for gay rights can be even in a liberal state like
California. In 1999, several of the landmark gay-rights measures
signed into law by Davis passed by extremely narrow margins,
including the nation's first statewide domestic-partnership registry,
which passed the Assembly by just one vote. After the overwhelming
passage of Proposition 22 this March, however, most gay-rights
measures were narrowly defeated.
About 80 percent of the Assembly's 46 Democrats received one of
CAPE's two highest scores, with 22 labeled "outstanding" (voting the
CAPE position on 17 of 17 bills tracked) and 15 were "very good" (14
to 16 positive votes). About 87 percent of the GOP's 32
assemblymembers received one of CAPE two lowest scores, with 18
labeled "very poor" (voting positively on one to three bills) and 10
others supporting no LGBT legislation at all. Very few legislators
were between those two extremes. Three Democrats and one Republican
were rated "poor" (four to six positive votes); three Democrats and
two Republicans were "moderate" (seven to 10 votes); and three
Democrats and one Republican were "good" (11 to 13 positive votes).
While even one vote could have made a difference in the Assembly, it
is unclear how much of a factor the Democrats' four-seat pickup will
be during next year's session. LGBT activists see only positives in
Democrat Simon Salinas' win in the 28th Assembly District, a seat
vacated by term-limited Republican Peter Frusetta, who was rated
"very poor" by CAPE, and Democrat Gloria Negrete McLeod's victory in
the 61st District, which has been vacant this legislative session.
But one of the seats picked up was previously held not by a
Republican but by Independent Audie Bock, who was a very solid
pro-gay vote and received an "outstanding" score from CAPE in 2000.
Bock lost her 16th District seat to Democrat Wilma Chan. Another of
the seats, in the 24th District, was previously held by Jim Cunneen,
the only Republican rated "good" by CAPE. The battle for the seat
vacated by Cunneen, who unsuccessfully ran for a congressional seat,
was won by Democrat Rebecca Cohn.
CAPE found a somewhat sharper division between the GOP and Democratic
lawmakers in the state Senate in 2000. Among the 25 Democrats, CAPE
rated 10 as "outstanding" (12 of 12 positive votes), 12 as "very
good" (10 or 11 votes), and two as "good" (eight or nine positive
votes). Among Republicans, CAPE rated one as "poor" (three or four
votes), three as "very poor" (one or two votes), and 10 as "failures"
for supporting no LGBT legislation at all. Both Parties were
represented only in one category--"moderate" (five to seven
votes)--which included one senator from each Party. Those senators
were Democrat Jim Costa, whose seat was not on the ballot, and
Republican Bruce McPherson, who won re-election.
The one Senate pickup for Democrats is a clear victory for the LGBT
community. In the 7th Senate District, Assemblyman Tom Torlakson beat
incumbent Republican Richard Rainey, R-Walnut Creek, for a Bay area
seat. While Rainey had a "very poor" rating from CAPE in 2000,
Torlakson had an "outstanding" rating in the Assembly.
Sheila James Kuehl's Nov. 7 victory makes her the first openly gay or
lesbian person elected to the California state Senate.
--Tracy Sypert
BOSTON GLOBE, November 9, 2000
Vt. civil unions appear safe
By Kathleen Burge, Globe Correspondent
It may be that Vermont, where fields sprouted angry signs this year and
candidates spouted angry messages, will once again return to quieter days.
The state's controversial civil unions law appears safe, at least for
now, after voters reelected Howard Dean, the Democratic governor who
shepherded through the Legislature the country's first law granting gay
couples legal rights similar to marriage.
Although Republicans took control of the state Senate Tuesday, for the
first time in 16 years, legislators say there is still not enough support to
overturn the civil unions law.
''There's no point in going through the exercise and stirring everybody
up,'' said Oreste Valsangiacomo, a Democrat and ardent opponent of civil
unions, who is retiring this year. ''If I was there, I wouldn't support it,
because you just don't have the votes.''
Even if civil unions were somehow repealed, with a large enough majority
to overcome Dean's expected veto, there's still the Vermont Supreme Court,
which ruled this year that gay couples are entitled to the same benefits as
married couples. The only alternative to civil unions, some opponents to the
law fear, is an even less palatable option: gay marriage.
That's not to say that the civil unions law didn't shake up state
government. Dean won his toughest election yet with his lowest percentage of
votes ever - 50 percent, the bare minimum required to keep the election from
being decided by the Legislature. His rival, Republican Ruth Dwyer, got 38
percent, and Anthony Pollina, a third-party candidate, got 10 percent.
Unlike Dean, many lawmakers who supported civil unions lost this week or
in September's primary.
''We lost some really great folks in the House,'' said Beth Robinson,
director of Vermonters for Civil Unions. ''That was certainly discouraging to
people, to see folks stand up and do the right thing and lose their seat.''
She was talking about legislators including Representative Diane
Carmolli, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, who helped write the
civil unions law. Carmolli was one of three Democratic legislators in
Rutland, all civil unions supporters, who lost to Republicans Tuesday.
''It may have been cathartic to vote us out,'' Carmolli said. ''Sometimes
when that happens, you vent your anger; you kind of calm down.''
Exit polls found that a slight majority of those interviewed Election Day
said they approved of civil unions. Forty-nine percent said they were either
enthusiastic or supportive; 48 percent said they were opposed or angry.
There may still be attempts by some of the state's more conservative
legislators to repeal the civil unions law next year. But others who would
also like to see the law overturned say the exercise would be fruitless.
''I can't in good faith say I'm going to go down there and repeal it,''
said Representative Vincent Illuzi, a Republican who voted against the law.
''If we repeal the civil unions law, it opens the door to a court ordering
same-sex marriage. We're in a constitutional box.''
Even those, like Illuzi, who voted against the law seem relieved at the
prospect of a breather from all the controversy.
''I'm hoping to talk about health and education and matters of
significance to a huge majority of Vermonters,'' said Senator Bill Doyle, a
32-year veteran of the Legislature who also voted against civil unions.
Gay-rights groups outside Vermont that watched Tuesday's election closely
also want to see the state leave the new law alone.
''This was one of our very top priorities,'' said Winnie Stachelberg,
political director for the Human Rights Campaign in Washington, D.C. ''I
think Vermonters came down squarely on the side of equality.''
A state that usually makes headlines for its liberal leanings, Vermont
became known this year for the ugliness of its campaign season. Protesters
strewed thousands of black-and-white ''Take Back Vermont'' signs around the
state, a shorthand complaint against civil unions and other recent laws seen
as evidence of the too-heavy hand of government.
Groups opposed to civil unions formed political action committees
dedicated to ousting legislators who supported the law.
But the state may be entering a new season. Dean has announced he will
meet with opponents of civil unions. And The Burlington Free Press, the
state's largest newspaper, yesterday laid out the task before the governor
and the rest of the state.
''Dean's challenge is to heal the civil divide in Vermont,'' the paper
wrote. ''Vermonters' challenge, likewise, is to accept the verdict of the
voting booth.''
BOSTON GLOBE, November 9, 2000
Maine ballot questions linger
By Beth Daley, Globe Staff
Despite voting for Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore, Maine
showed its conservatism in ballot questions on Election Day, narrowly
defeating measures that would have given gays protection against
discrimination and legalized physician-assisted suicide.
However, votes were so close that no one was admitting defeat yesterday,
particularly on the gay-rights bill, which appeared to be losing by fewer
than 7,000 votes. With about 99 percent of precincts reporting, supporters
took back a concession until all votes are counted.
''We're still optimistic,'' said Representative Michael Quint, Democrat
of Portland.
If the current unofficial results hold, Maine residents will have voted
against every ballot question posed to them this year.
One that also appeared to be failing but was still too close to call
would have given a tax break to fishermen who own waterfront property. The no
votes were winning by fewer than 6,000 votes yesterday.
Soundly defeated were questions restricting timber practices, giving the
right to vote to the mentally ill who have guardians, and legalizing video
gaming at certain racetracks.
Maine residents have faced a series of highly charged social questions in
recent elections, including whether to ban abortion and allow the use of
marijuana for medicinal use. The abortion measure failed, but the marijuana
question passed.
Some saw Tuesday's results as a growing sign that state residents do not
want fundamental change in the way they live.
''There already are laws in Maine protecting people's lives,'' said
Cyndee Randall, staff writer at the Maine Christian Civic League.
The state's Christian right lobbied heavily against the gay-rights and
physician-assisted suicide initiatives. Both questions appeared to be
narrowly rejected yesterday, with the suicide question trailing by more than
17,000 votes.
Maine residents have flip-flopped on the gay-rights issue in recent
years. In 1995, they defeated a referendum question opposing gay rights. But
in 1997, they vetoed a law the Legislature drafted guaranteeing gay rights.
This time around, the Legislature exempted religious institutions from the
law, in hope it would pass.
''It is disappointing; this is a basic right,'' said Mike Saxl, majority
leader of the Maine House of Representatives. ''We are going to take a deep
breath and reflect for now on this.''
Still, Saxl and others viewed yesterday's overwhelming no vote on ballot
questions as a reason to reform the citizen ballot initiative process. On the
East Coast, only Maine, Massachusetts, and Florida allow citizens to place
questions before voters.
Maine has the most liberal standard, needing only signatures representing
10 percent of voters in the last gubernatorial election. Three of Maine's
ballot questions - physician-assisted suicide, video gaming, and forest
restrictions - were sponsored by citizens.
All the rejected ballot questions ''may be a sign from voters'' that an
overhaul is needed, Saxl said. Governor Angus King has said that he wants to
make it more difficult for questions to get on the ballot.
Meanwhile, supporters of ballot questions took stock yesterday.
''While both sides may disagree on this issue, there are many issues we
agree about in improving end-of-life care in Maine,'' said Kate Roberts of
Death With Dignity, a group that fought for approval of physician-assisted
suicide. ''That's what we'll be working on. And we're going to rest for a
while.''
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
--
Mother Can Take Police to Court Over Son's Suicide
Lambda Applauds U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals Decision Ruling That
Pressuring Youth to Disclose Sexual Orientation Violates Rights
(NEW YORK, November 7, 2000) ? A mother whose teen son committed suicide
after police in Minersville, Pennsylvania harassed him and threatened to
disclose that he was gay finally can take her wrongful-death case to trial,
Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund said Tuesday.
"No mother should lose her child because of an encounter with a homophobic
police officer," said Lambda Deputy Legal Director Ruth E. Harlow, adding,
"The Third Circuit has now agreed that police officers should know that
threatening to reveal a teenager's sexual orientation to his family or the
community violates clearly established constitutional rights. It's
important that there be a trial, and we hope there will be some
accountability for what happened to Marcus Wayman."
The Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Monday upheld a district court
decision allowing Sterling's case to go forward against Pennsylvania's
Borough of Minersville, the local police department, and two police
officers. The lower court had rejected the police officers' attempt to win
qualified immunity from suit, ruling instead that their conduct violated
Wayman's clearly established right to privacy as protected by the
Constitution.
Sterling's 18-year-old son, Marcus Wayman, barely two months before he
would have graduated from high school in 1997, committed suicide shortly
after officers harassed him and demanded he disclose his sexual orientation
to his grandfather in the rural town of less than 5,000 or they would do it
for him.
Wayman and a friend had been stopped by police officers for trespassing in
the parking lot of a recently burglarized store. After Wayman's friend
removed condoms from his pocket to prove he was not concealing marijuana,
the officers began questioning the teenagers about their sexual
orientation, subjecting them to Biblical admonitions against homosexuality.
Confronted with an officer's ultimatum that Wayman disclose his sexual
orientation to his family, Wayman committed suicide.
Sterling's lawsuit charges the officers, police chief, and city with
violating Wayman's 14th Amendment rights to privacy and equal protection of
law as well as state laws. It will now go to trial for an ultimate
decision on these claims.
Lambda, alarmed by a case in which the police sought to intimidate a
teenager because of his sexual orientation, had filed an amicus brief
supporting Sterling's claims that police officers violated her son's
privacy rights. Lambda presented social science research on the risks
associated with non-consensual disclosure of youths' sexual orientation to
potentially hostile relatives, especially in settings where information
spreads quickly and sanctions can be severe.
Lambda's amicus brief, authored by Marvin Peguese, Doni Gewirtzman and Ruth
Harlow, was joined by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, the
Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force, and the Center for Lesbian and Gay
Civil Rights. Said Peguese, "This ruling is another important weapon in our
arsenal to combat sexual orientation bias among law enforcement."
Lambda is the nation's oldest and largest legal organization serving
lesbians, gay men, and people with HIV and AIDS. Headquartered in New
York, Lambda has regional offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta.
(Sterling v. Borough of Minersville, No. 99-1768)
? 30 ?
Link directly to Lambda's news release:
http://www.lambdalegal.org/cgi-bin/pages/documents/record?record=740
CBS-Owned Stations Bump 'Dr. Laura' to Overnight
By Steve Gorman
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The struggling TV talk show hosted by Dr. Laura
Schlessinger (news - web sites), whose commentaries outraged homosexuals,
is being bumped to the graveyard shift by CBS-owned stations in seven big
cities -- a sign that the end may be near for the broadcast moralist's
foray into television.
The announcement comes nine weeks after the ``Dr. Laura'' show premiered
amid an uproar in the gay and lesbian community over Schlessinger's
comments on her syndicated radio show referring to homosexuality as
``deviant'' and ``a biological error.''
But CBS said the show's trouble in building an audience led its decision
to replace the daytime broadcast of ``Dr. Laura'' with other shows on its
network-owned stations, starting next Monday.
``The program got off to a slow start ... and has since seen further
ratings erosion,'' the network said in a statement.
Any decision to cancel the show outright rests with its producer and
distributor, Paramount Domestic Television, a sister company to CBS since
Paramount's parent Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA - news) acquired CBS in a merger
earlier this year.
Paramount expressed disappointment with the CBS move but said it had no
plans to fold Schlessinger's tent.
``We continue to believe in the viability of the 'Dr. Laura' TV show and
we will continue to produce it for those stations and the 187 other
stations that are part of the 'Dr. Laura' station line-up,'' Paramount
said in a statement.
A CBS spokesman said all seven stations would be moving ''Dr. Laura'' to
overnight slots, most of them to 2 a.m., long regarded as the death knell
for shows floundering in syndication.
In Philadelphia, the show was being moved from KYW-TV to sister CBS-owned
UPN station WPSG-TV, where it will air at 4:30 a.m., the network spokesman
said.
The other six CBS-owned stations that had been carrying ''Dr. Laura'' and
were now yanking her show from daytime slots are: WCBS-TV New York,
KCBS-TV Los Angeles, WBBM-TV Chicago, KPIX-TV San Francisco, KTVT-TV
Dallas and KEYE-TV Austin, Texas. The New York, Los Angeles and Chicago
outlets represent CBS's three biggest stations.
According to Daily Variety, ``Dr. Laura'' earned a meager national
household rating of 1.4 for the week ended Oct. 22, the most recent week
for which figures were available.
The stations remain contractually bound to carry the show as long as it
remains in production, but they ``put pressure on CBS to find a way with
Paramount to give them some flexibility'' in scheduling because the show's
low viewership ``was hurting the stations,'' a CBS source said. The source
said moving a show to the overnight generally signals its imminent demise.
Besides her TV show, Schlessinger dispenses advice on a syndicated radio
program that reaches an estimated 18 million listeners, often railing
against abortion, divorce and interfaith marriage and berating callers for
their own ethical failings.
But her commentary about homosexuality made her a lightning rod for
criticism, with activists launching protests when Paramount announced
plans to bring Schlessinger to television.
Schlessinger's detractors mounted a campaign urging advertisers to drop
sponsorship of both her programs and according to the Los Angeles Times,
more than 90 sponsors across the country dropped ads on the ``Dr. Laura''
TV show.
The radio-TV host has repeatedly denied being anti-gay or intending to
foment intolerance, saying her most controversial remarks ``were used in a
clinical context'' that were not meant to disparage homosexuals.
Associated Press, October 14, 2000
Gay Chaplain Finds Future Doubtful
By SCOTT THOMSEN
PHOENIX (AP) -- When the Arizona Legislature's chaplain announced this
week that he is gay, he cast doubt on his ministry's future. He also added a
new voice to gay rights issues that may echo in lawmakers' debates when they
return to the capitol.
The Rev. Charles Coppinger has served as chaplain to the House since 1996
and the Senate since 1997. He was appointed, and reappointed, by
conservative Republicans who have been some of his strongest supporters.
Some of that support was based on a shared religious view that homosexuality
was contrary to the teachings of the Bible.
Now that he has acknowledged his sexual orientation, it is unclear
whether Coppinger will remain chaplain.
"He betrayed all of us who have been past supporters,'' Sen. Scott
Bundgaard, R-Glendale, said. "Charley has ruined his credibility as a
teacher on religious issues and as such I believe he's no longer qualified to
be the chaplain at the Legislature. He should resign.''
The chaplain is appointed by the Senate president and the speaker of the
House. The position is unpaid, but Coppinger draws a $30,000 salary plus a
housing stipend from a private organization that supports the ministry.
That group's board of directors asked Coppinger to resign Friday night.
Coppinger agreed to step down from his position with Foundations for
Success but said he wants to remain chaplain, unless legislative leaders ask
him to leave.
"It's their prerogative to have whomever they choose,'' he said.
Coppinger said he has received many phone calls, e-mails and letters
expressing support. He described the revelation about his sexuality as a
matter of honesty and integrity.
While he was ordained as a Baptist minister and has been a member of a
conservative Church of Christ congregation, Coppinger said he now believes
the consistent message of the Bible is that God loves all people, including
gays.
Sen. Darden Hamilton, R-Glendale, a former Foundations for Success board member, said he worries Coppinger has injected politics into a
nonpolitical, non-denominational ministry.
"I feel undercut by that announcement, but I still love Charley,'' he
said. "I'm not a judgmental Christian.''
Coppinger's announcement could affect how lawmakers talk about issues related to sexual orientation, such as who is covered by domestic
violence laws and insurance benefits for unmarried domestic partners.
But the chaplain may be effective at breaking down stereotypes
because of his conservative Christian background, said Rick Tafel, executive director of the gay and lesbian organization Log Cabin Republicans.
"It's always more potent when it comes from someone with a similar
view,'' he said.
Missouri Gov. Carnahan dies in plane crash
By Carey Gillam
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. Oct 17 (Reuters) - Missouri Democratic Gov. Mel
Carnahan, his son and an aide have died in a plane crash while heading to a
campaign event for Carnahan's closely watched race for the U.S. Senate, his
office confirmed on Tuesday.
Carnahan's twin-engine Cessna crashed in rain and fog 30 miles (50 km)
southwest of St. Louis Monday evening not long after taking off from the St.
Louis area. Authorities on Tuesday said the rugged terrain where the plane
went down was hampering efforts to recover the bodies.
"It was a pretty horrific crash," said Jefferson County Sheriff Glenn Boyer,
adding that local authorities had asked for help from the FBI.
"Mel Carnahan was a great man. He's done so many things for so many people,"
an emotional Lt. Gov. Roger Wilson told a middle-of-the-night news conference
in Jefferson City, the state capital, several hours after the plane went
down.
"I'd give anything if the confirmation (of his death) did not occur," added
Wilson, who was immediately named acting governor.
Beyond the personal tragedy involved, Carnahan's death three weeks before
election day was an apparent blow to the Democratic Party's bid to win back
the U.S. Senate, which the Republicans control 54-46.
Carnahan, 66, had been running neck-and-neck with Republican incumbent Sen.
John Ashcroft, whose seat was one of a half dozen or so across the country
that Democratic strategists had considered vulnerable.
Despite the crash, Carnahan's name will remain on the ballot as the
Democratic candidate because a deadline for changes had passed and ballots
were being printed, local radio reported. That could mean his successor as a
candidate would have to run as write-in -- a difficult task in the best of
circumstances.
Ashcroft called off all advertising and campaign activities. And President
Bill Clinton, in the Middle East, called Carnahan's widow to express
condolences.
Clinton has praised Carnahan's welfare-to-work plan, and the Democratic
governor also pushed through a children's health insurance plan with coverage
wider than all but a few other states.
Killed along with Carnahan were his son Randy, who may have been at the
controls, and a former chief of staff who was one of his top campaign
advisers, Chris Sifford, 36.
CRASH SITE IN DENSE WOODS
Boyer said witnesses reported hearing a plane go into a dive and seeing a
fireball. Boyer said authorities have not officially identified the victims
or the airplane due to the remote and inhospitable crash site. Boyer said
some human remains have been found.
"The biggest thing that's going to impact the recovery of anything, whether
it be debris from the crash site or the recovery of any remains, is going to
be the terrain," Boyer added. "It's a very difficult location -- very densely
wooded area with a lot of rock out-croppings. In fact, we had a couple of
firemen who received some minor injuries last night from trying to get in and
out of this area."
Carnahan and his son were both pilots but only the son was rated for
instrument flying -- which would have been necessary Monday evening -- and he
usually piloted the plane on campaign trips, aides said.
The rough terrain meant that the Jefferson County sheriff's office stopped
the search at about midnight and resumed work at dawn.
The crash site is about 300 yards (half a kilometre) from a main road.
Government safety investigators were due at the site on Tuesday.
Carnahan, a lawyer from Rolla, Missouri, was governor of Missouri for eight
years. He had been in St. Louis for a fund-raiser on Monday and was scheduled
to attend a similar event at New Madrid, Missouri on Monday evening. He had
planned to return home to Jefferson City later in the evening.
The crash occurred as officials of both parties were gathering in St. Louis,
site of the third presidential debate between Vice President Al Gore and
Texas Gov. George Bush, which Carnahan was scheduled to attend Tuesday
evening.
SON OF A POLITICAL FAMILY
Carnahan grew up in a political family. His father A.S.J. Carnahan served as
a U.S. congressman from 1945 through 1961, with a two-year hiatus in the
1940s, and was later appointed U.S. ambassador to Sierra Leone.
After serving in the Air Force and attending law school, Carnahan was elected
a municipal judge in 1960 at the age of 26, followed by his election to the
legislature two years later, where he helped secure passage of the state's
civil rights law.
He was elected state treasurer in 1980. And in 1988, he was elected
lieutenant governor under Ashcroft, who was then the governor.
The crash was an eerie replay of an accident two decades ago in which
Democratic congressman Jerry Litton was killed along with his family in a
plane crash in the northwest part of the state on the evening he won the
Missouri's Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2000
HRC MOURNS DEATH OF MISSOURI GOV. MEL CARNAHAN,
A FRIEND OF GAY AND LESBIAN EQUALITY
Carnahan Will Be Missed by the Gay and Lesbian Community, Missouri and
America,
Says HRC
WASHINGTON -- The Human Rights Campaign today mourned the deaths of Missouri
Democratic Gov. Mel Carnahan, his son Randy and an aide Chris Sifford, who
died in a plane crash late Monday near St. Louis. Carnahan will be missed in
Missouri and across the nation for his fair-mindedness and commitment to
equality for all people, according to HRC.
"Gov. Carnahan was an ardent defender of equal rights for all
people, and a leader on gay and lesbian issues," said HRC Political Director
Winnie Stachelberg. "He stood for fundamental fairness and the dignity of
all individuals regardless of their sexual orientation. HRC had endorsed him
in his Senate race and this is a real loss for our community, Missouri and
America."
While governor, Carnahan signed a hate crimes law in 1999 that
included sexual orientation. He also supported the Employment
Non-Discrimination Act and a woman's right to choose.
Carnahan died following a campaign event with the gay and lesbian
community in his bid to unseat virulently anti-gay Sen. John Ashcroft, R-Mo.
HRC also had invited Carnahan to speak at the organization's Midwest Gala on
Nov. 11 in St. Louis, where he was slated to receive the HRC Equality Award
for his work on behalf of equal rights.
The new acting governor is Missouri's Democratic Lt. Gov. Roger
Wilson. Carnahan's name will remain on the ballot as the Democratic
candidate for the senate seat because a deadline for changes had passed and ballots were being printed. If more voters cast ballots Nov. 7 for Carnahan
than Ashcroft, the seat will become vacant when Ashcroft's current term ends Jan. 3. Wilson, a Democrat, would have constitutional authority to appoint a
senator to fill the vacancy through the November 2002 general election, when
the seat would be up for election.
Carnahan, a popular governor for the past eight years, began his career as a lawyer from Rolla, Mo.
The Human Rights Campaign, the largest national lesbian and gay
political organization, with members throughout the country, effectively
lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to
ensure that lesbian and gay Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: David M. Smith
Monday, October 16, 2000 Phone: 202-216-1547
Pager: 800-386-5996
NEW STATS SHOW HATE CRIMES AGAINST GAYS AND LESBIANS ARE UP AS GOP
LEADERSHIP AND BUSH CONTINUE TO OPPOSE HATE CRIMES LEGISLATION
HRC Calls on Bush and GOP Leadership to Stop Ignoring Rising Tide of Hate
Crimes
WASHINGTON - The Human Rights Campaign today called on Republican
presidential candidate George W. Bush and the GOP congressional leadership
to stop opposing hate crimes legislation in light of new FBI statistics that
show an increase in reported hate crimes based on sexual orientation.
"These unprecedented numbers indicate that somewhere in America
every day at least three gay and lesbian Americans are being targeted for a
crime just because they are gay. It is profoundly disturbing that George W.
Bush and the GOP leadership in Congress continue to ignore this growing
problem and to turn their backs on hate crime victims and their families,"
said HRC Political Director Winnie Stachelberg. "People continue to die and
American families continue to be torn apart while Bush and the GOP
leadership pretend these types of crime do not exist."
Yesterday, the FBI released the Uniform Crime Reports for 1999, the latest
year for which statistics are available. As overall serious crime continued
to decrease for the eighth consecutive year, hate crimes based on sexual
orientation have continued to rise and increased 4.5 percent from 1998 to
1999. Reported hate crime incidents based on sexual orientation have more
than tripled since the FBI began collecting statistics in 1991; comprising
16.7percent of all hate crimes for 1999 at 1,317. Hate crimes based on
sexual orientation continue to make up the third highest category after race
and religion, which make up 54.5 and 17.9 percent, respectively of the
total, 7,876.
It is widely known that hate crimes based on sexual orientation are
generally under-reported, and evidence indicates that FBI data does not
paint the whole picture. The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs
(NCAVP), a private organization that tracks bias incidents against gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, reported 1,965 incidents in 1999
in only 25 cities/jurisdictions across the country while the FBI collected
statistics from 12,122 reporting agencies for the year.
These disturbing statistics come only days after Bush misinformed debate
viewers about his stance on hate crimes legislation, saying that Texas had
an effective hate crimes law. Although Texas has had a weak penalty
enhancement statute since 1993, it does not cover sexual orientation.
Legislation was introduced in 1998 that would strengthen the existing state
law, while also adding sexual orientation. Bush opposed this bill because it
protected gay and lesbian Texans, even after the family of African-American
hate crimes victim James Byrd Jr., of Jasper Texas, asked him to support it.
Bush also tried to appear "compassionate" by saying he supported a
federal hate crimes bill put forth by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. But this
version does not include sexual orientation.
In June, the Senate voted 57 to 42 - including 13 Republicans -- to pass
the language of the revised Hate Crimes Prevention as an amendment to the
Defense Authorization bill. On Sept. 13, by a vote of 232-192 - including
41 Republicans - the House passed a motion to instruct conferees to keep the
hate crimes measure in the DoD bill. Despite bipartisan passage in the House
and Senate, the GOP leadership stripped out hate crime legislation while the
bill was in conference. It appears now that the only way hate crimes
legislation can become law is if it is made part of the final budget
negotiations between the House, Senate and the White House.
While the statistics are alarming, the need for comprehensive
federal hate crimes legislation is even made more clear by real life
examples of people who have been targeted because of their sexual
orientation. For example, on Sept. 22, Ronald Edward Gay walked into the
Backstreet Cafe, a Roanoke, Va. gay bar, and opened fire on patrons killing
one person and wounding six others. According to the Washington Post, Gay
told police that he shot seven people in a gay bar because of anger at jokes
people made about his last name. Gay has been charged with first-degree
murder.
The revised HCPA would serve as a tool to help law enforcement by allowing
federal assistance, when necessary, in the investigation and prosecution of
hate crimes. According to a study funded by the Bureau of Justice
Statistics, 85 percent of law enforcement officials recently surveyed
recognized this type of violence to be more serious than similar crimes not
motivated by bias.
A recent Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group poll, conducted August 28-31, 66
percent of all voters care so much about this issue that they would be less
likely to vote for a candidate who does not support legislation that would
strengthen the prosecution of hate crimes motivated by prejudice against the
race, religion, gender, disability or sexual orientation of the victim,
which this bill does. The legislation has the support of 175 law
enforcement, religious, civic and civil rights groups.
The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian and gay
political organization, with members throughout the country. It effectively
lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to
ensure that lesbian and gay Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 10, 2000
RENEWAL OF RYAN WHITE CARE ACT WILL ENSURE PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS
RECEIVE PROPER CARE
Leadership of President Clinton, Sen. Jeffords, Sen. Kennedy, Rep. Coburn
and Rep. Waxman Crucial in Renewal of Bill says HRC
WASHINGTON -The Human Rights Campaign today applauded Congress and
President Clinton for reauthorizing the Ryan White CARE Act. The passage of this
bill was the result of a strong bipartisan effort that will lead to better, healthier
lives for people living with HIV/AIDS, according to HRC.
"This was a major victory for people living with HIV/AIDS and shows what can be
accomplished when the two parties work together with the common goal of bettering
lives and helping people," said HRC Political Director Winnie Stachelberg. "We
commend the president for his leadership and Congress for placing politics aside
to pass public policy that improves lives."
The bipartisan effort to pass this key legislation was led by Sens.
James Jeffords, R-Vt., and Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Reps. Tom Coburn,
R-Okla., and Henry Waxman, D-Calif. These members of Congress worked
diligently, with dedication and purpose to reauthorize this critical act,
according to HRC.
"This was a top priority of the Human Rights Campaign, and we thank our
coalition partners in the HIV/AIDS community who worked for over two
years to build a difficult consensus and accomplish this goal," said HRC
Senior Policy Advocate Chris Labonte. "While we celebrate this hard
fought victory today, there remains a great deal of work to be done. We
need to make sure that the appropriations for the Ryan White CARE Act,
critical prevention programs at the Centers of Disease Control and
Prevention and funds to fight the pandemic on a global stage are
adequately funded."
The Human Rights Campaign was joined by other members of the
National Organizations Responding to AIDS to work for renewal of the CAREAct
such as: the National Minority AIDS Council, National Alliance of State and
Territorial AIDS Directors, AIDS Action, National Association of People with
AIDS and AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth and Families.
Next to the Medicaid program, the Ryan White CARE Act is the largest federal
investment in the care and treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS in the United
States. The CARE Act supports a wide range of community based services,
including primary and home health care, case management, substance abuse
treatment and mental health services, and nutritional services. The CARE Act
also supports the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, which provides HIV-related
prescription drugs to those without access to basic HIV treatment. First
enacted in 1990, the Ryan White CARE Act was reauthorized until 2005.
The renewal of the CARE Act allows more funds to be used for early
intervention services, such as testing and counseling. Funds are targeted
for the drug assistance program to states with demonstrated need and the
renewal doubles the minimum state award. The bill maintains the multi-title
structure of the Act, allowing funds to be targeted to big cities with a
significant HIV/AIDS population.
The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian and gay
political organization with members throughout the country. It effectively
lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to
ensure that lesbian and gay Americans can be open, honest and safe
at home, at work and in the community.
Thursday, October 5, 2000
HRC CONDEMNS GOP LEADERSHIP FOR STRIPPING HATE CRIME LEGISLATION FROM
DEFENSE BILL
Unconscionable Action By GOP Leadership will Hurt All Republicans in
November Elections
WASHINGTON - The Human Rights Campaign has learned today that the GOP
leadership has stripped hate crime legislation from the Department of
Defense authorization conference report. HRC today condemned the leadership,
making it clear that the move was unconscionable. While hate crime
legislation still has a chance of passing in this Congress, the GOP
leadership's actions show they are determined to kill the legislation even
if it means Republican colleagues will be hurt on Election Day.
"The morally reprehensible actions by the GOP leadership sends the
wrong message to the country and will have ramifications for fair-minded
Republicans who supported bipartisan hate crime legislation," said HRC
Political Director Winnie Stachelberg. "The recent murder in Roanoke
illustrates once again the need for our leaders to seriously tackle the
problem of hate violence. But we have a GOP leadership that has instead
turned their backs on hate crime victims and their families and acted
against the wishes of the House, the Senate and an overwhelming majority of
the American people. This is not only bad policy, it is bad politics, and
their irresponsible actions may cost the party in November."
In June, the Senate voted 57 to 42 - including 13 Republicans -- to pass the
language of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. On Sept. 13, by a vote of
232-192 - including 41 Republicans - the House passed a motion to instruct
conferees to keep the hate crimes measure in the DoD bill. Despite
bipartisan passage in the House and Senate, the GOP leadership stripped out
hate crime legislation while the bill was in conference. It appears now that
the only way hate crime legislation can become law is if it is made part of
the final budget negotiations between the House, Senate and the White House.
On Sept. 22, Ronald Edward Gay walked into the Backstreet Cafe, a
Roanoke, Va. gay bar, and opened fire on patrons killing one person and
wounding six others. This attack highlights the continued problem of antigay
hate crimes in America, which have grown increasingly violent in recent
years. According to the Washington Post, Gay told police that he shot seven
people in a gay bar because of anger at jokes people made about his last
name. Gay has been charged with first-degree murder.
Last month, HRC launched a $75,000 HRC radio, television and print ad
campaign that ran for 4 days and held several members of Congress and Gov.
Bush accountable for their opposition to hate crime legislation.
Those targeted in the ads were the following House and Senate
members: Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.; John Ashcroft, R-Mo.;
Rep. James Rogan, R-Calif.; Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss.; and
Sens. Rick Santorum, R-Pa.; Rod Grams, R-Minn.; Spencer Abraham, R-Mich;
Sen. John Warner, R-Va. and Slade Gorton, R-Wash.
A new poll released last month by the Garin-Hart-Yang-Research Group
shows that hate crime legislation is widely supported by the public.
According to the poll, nearly 66 percent of voters say they would be less
likely to vote for a candidate who voted against legislation to "strengthen
the prosecution of violent hate crimes motivated by prejudice against race,
religion, gender or sexual orientation of the victim." 63 percent of
Independent voters say they are "less likely to vote for a candidate opposed
to hate crime legislation.
A coalition of organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign, the
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai
B'rith, and the American Association of University Women are leading efforts
to pass hate crime legislation.
The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian and gay
political organization, with members throughout the country. It effectively
lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to
ensure that lesbian and gay Americans can be open, honest and safe at home,
at work and in the community.
Thursday, October 5, 2000
HRC CALLS ON FAR RIGHT TO STOP PROMOTING FRAUDULENT "EX-GAY" MINISTRIES
AFTER SERIES OF PUBLIC EMBARRASSMENTS AND FAILURES
Premier "Ex-Gay" Spokesman Dismissed From Exodus Leadership After Trip to
D.C. Gay Bar
WASHINGTON - Exodus International, the worldwide umbrella group for "ex-gay"
ministries, removed John Paulk this week from his leadership position after
the group acknowledged he misled the organization about a trip he made to a
Washington gay bar. Paulk's demise follows the coming out of another
prominent "ex-gay" leader in August. In light of these recent failures, the
Human Rights Campaign calls on the far right to stop promoting these harmful
ministries that have ruined the lives of many gay and lesbian Americans.
"The far-right has been anything but straight in their deceptive,
politically motivated promotion of these failed 'ex-gay' ministries," said
HRC Associate Director of Communications Wayne Besen. "The 'ex-gay' myth has
been unmasked and we call on the far right to take the moral highroad and
abandon these programs that have caused a great deal of harm to those
unfortunate enough to have been seduced by their lies."
Earlier this week, the Exodus board of directors disciplined Paulk
by voting to remove him as board chairman. According to an Exodus press
release, he will be able to remain on the board, but he will no longer be
able to vote or attend meetings. Paulk's troubles began after he was
discovered in a gay bar on Sept. 19 by three HRC staffers. Paulk originally
told Atlanta gay newspaper Southern Voice, and later Newsweek, that he did
not know the establishment was gay and had stopped by to "use the bathroom."
However, the story was subject to speculation after witnesses said Paulk was
in the bar for nearly an hour.
"That statement was widely doubted by both other Exodus leaders and
by the gay community," said Exodus Director Bob Davies in a press release.
"John's unwillingness to tell the truth from the beginning was most
unfortunate, as it has further undermined his public credibility."
Paulk's dismissal from Exodus leadership also puts in jeopardy his
position as head of Focus on the Family's Homosexuality and Gender Public
Policy Department, according to an article in today's Gazette, a Colorado
Springs-based newspaper.
In the article, Tom Minnery, vice president of public policy for Focus on
the Family, said the Exodus board's action was appropriate. He then
discussed whether Paulk would still run the organizations anti-gay traveling
road show called Love Won Out - where Paulk used his testimony of "change"
to argue against gay and lesbian equal rights.
"I believe John eventually will be leading the Love Won Out ministry again,"
Minnery said in the Gazette, clearly insinuating that Paulk was no longer in
charge of this program, although he remains on the group's staff.
Paulk first made headlines in 1998 when he and his wife - self-described
"ex-lesbian" Anne - appeared on the cover of Newsweek. The Paulk's were
prominently featured that same year in a $500,000 right-wing newspaper ad
campaign that appeared in major dailies such as the New York Times and USA
Today. The couple also appeared on popular shows like 60 Minutes and Oprah,
and Paulk is the author of, "Not Afraid to Change: The Remarkable Story of
How One Man Overcame Homosexuality."
"If the authors of 'ex-gay' books are failing, imagine how
astronomical the failure rate is for those who are reading the books," said
Besen. "These ministries are rejected by all respected medical and mental
health organizations. The only thing they had going for them was the
integrity of their testimony, and they no longer have that."
In addition to Paulk, in August, high-profile "ex-gay" spokesperson Wade
Richards came out in an interview with the Advocate magazine, once again
damaging the already shaky credibility of the "ex-gay" ministries and
"reparative" therapists who say they can make gay people into heterosexuals
through prayer and treatment.
The "ex-gay" ministries have also been recently setback by the new
formation of groups of former "ex-gays" who say the ministries do not work.
According to a recent Boston Globe article: "In Washington and California,
ex-ex gays have created support groups and others have taken their gripping
testimonies to the Internet."
In July, the Human Rights Campaign released a comprehensive report
on the "ex-gay" ministries and "reparative" therapy, "Finally Free: How Love
and Self-Acceptance Saved Us From the Ex-gay Ministries." "Finally Free" is
a landmark publication that features the personal stories of people who have
survived the "ex-gay" ministries and have come forward to expose the harm
done by these groups.
The "ex-gay" ministries have long been embroiled in embarrassing
episodes of scandal and failure, says HRC. Gary Cooper and Michael Bussee,
who helped found Exodus, fell in love with each other while counseling other
gay men. They left their wives for each other in 1979, and wore matching
wedding bands until Cooper's death several years ago.
In 1998, according to a July Los Angeles Times article, a La Mirada,
Calif. family sued Desert Stream Ministries, alleging that a minister had
sexually abused a teenager while the youth was undergoing religious therapy
to turn him from his homosexuality. The family settled its lawsuit against
the ministry last fall for an undisclosed sum.
Additionally, the onetime leader of Homosexuals Anonymous, Colin
Cook, was ousted for having sex with male counselees.
"We urge Paulk and other 'ex-gays' to come out next week for National Coming
Out Day," said Besen. "We want Paulk and others to know that we will be
there to help them on their journey to self-acceptance long after the
Religious Right abandons them."
The Human Rights Campaign is the nation's largest national lesbian
and gay political organization with members throughout the country. HRC
effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support, and educates the
public to ensure that lesbian and gay Americans can be open, honest, and
safe at home, at work, and in the community.
Supreme Court to Hear Argument in Major Test for ADA
Lambda urges Court not to have protections for people with HIV/AIDS taken
away
(NEW YORK, October 5, 2000) ? In a case critical for people with HIV, AIDS,
and other disabilities, 20 civil rights organizations urge the United
States Supreme Court to uphold the Americans with Disabilities Act's
protections against discrimination by state agencies, Lambda Legal Defense
and Education Fund said Thursday.
"When Congress created the ADA, it knew states still were discriminating
against their workers with disabilities and disabled people seeking state
services, including those with HIV/AIDS. This law was enacted to curb such
irrational mistreatment," Catherine A. Hanssens, Lambda's AIDS Project
director, said before the argument.
Hanssens authored Lambda's amicus brief, joined by 19 other civil rights
groups including the ACLU, the Anti-Defamation League, Gay & Lesbian
Advocates & Defenders, and People for the American Way, which argues that
Congress acted appropriately in passing a federal law banning
disability-based discrimination by states as well as private businesses.
Hanssens and other representatives from the civil rights groups will be
available to the media after the Court hears argument in the case,
University of Alabama v. Garrett, at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, October 11.
"Recently, the Court has decided a number of cases favoring states' rights.
It would be a mistake to do so in this case. When Congress created the ADA
in 1990, it documented the long history of rampant state discrimination
that is particularly severe against people with disabilities," Hanssens
said, adding, "That discrimination has not gone away, and the Court, in its
march to expand states' rights, should not turn its back on those facing
HIV-related discrimination by the states."
She stressed that the importance of the ADA as a tool against HIV-related
state discrimination makes this case particularly critical for Lambda
clients.
The plaintiffs in the case, state employees Patricia Garrett and Milton
Ash, won in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, but the state of Alabama
appealed, arguing that the ADA provision asking states to provide
"reasonable accommodation" for state employees is an unconstitutional
encroachment of states' rights.
Garrett, a nurse at the University of Alabama, was encouraged to leave her
job once the university found out that she had been diagnosed with cancer.
After taking an unpaid leave of absence for treatment, she was demoted.
Ash, a security guard who has severe asthma, sleep apnea and other health
problems, asked his employer to enforce a no-smoking rule and maintain the
truck he must drive so he would not get sick and be forced to leave his
job.
Lambda is the nation's oldest and largest legal organization serving
lesbians, gay men, and people with HIV and AIDS. Headquartered in New
York, Lambda has regional offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta.
WHAT: U.S. Supreme Court hears University of Alabama v. Garrett
WHO: Lambda AIDS Project Director Catherine Hanssens will be available for
comment following the hearing
WHERE:Plaza outside U.S. Supreme Court, Washington D.C.
WHEN: Wednesday, October 11, immediately following the oral argument
scheduled for 10:00 a.m.
(University of Alabama v. Garrett, No. 99-1240)
Link directly to Lambda's news advisory:
http://www.lambdalegal.org/cgi-bin/pages/documents/record?record=719
Wednesday 4 October 2000
Contact: Jeffrey Montgomery 313-537-3323 or 313-506-1847
or Clarence Patton 212-714-1184 or 917-613-8753
SUSPECT IN MURDER OF D.C. GAY STUDENT SUDDENLY RELEASED
Gay Anti-Violence Activists Angered, Seeking Explanations
The following statement has been released by the National Coalition of
Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) in response to the announcement that the
suspect in the murder of Eric Franklin Plunckett has been released, just
twenty-four hours after being arrested on second-degree murder charges in
Plunckett's death:
Today's announcement that Thomas Minch has been released as the suspect in
the murder of Gallaudet University freshman Eric Plunckett, reportedly
because of lack of evidence, is an outrage. This is the latest development
in a murder case that has been characterized by a seemingly confused and
confounded investigation.
If the evidence was in place to arrest Mr. Minch yesterday, what is it that
changed in just over 24-hours?
If Mr. Minch is no longer considered the suspect, he becomes the latest
victim in this dark drama.
It's time for the D.C. Police to come clean and explain the missteps,
reversals and reluctance to discuss the facts in this case.
NCAVP renews the call for explanations of why anti-gay bias continues to be
downplayed or dismissed in the Plunckett case, not only in light of the
release of Mr. Minch, but also as mounting evidence of a hostile, homophobic
climate at Gallaudet becomes more apparent every day.
NCAVP wonders if it's incompetence or homophobia that is the real challenge
for the D.C. Police in the search for a young gay man's killer.
October 3, 2000
DC Police Investigation of Gallaudet Murder
Raises Questions for Gay Anti-Violence Advocates
New York - Today representatives from the National Coalition of
Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) raised questions about the focus of District
of Columbia Police investigators in the murder of Eric Franklin Plunkett.
Many of the issues being raised by NCAVP mirror those raised to local media
yesterday by John Butler of Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV), an
NCAVP member organization.
Plunkett, a student active in a campus lesbian/gay student organization, was
found bludgeoned to death in his dormitory room at Gallaudet University late
last Thursday after a student asked an official to check on him since he had
not been seen for more than a day. To date police have not found the murder
weapon and have ruled out forced entry. Police have stated that they have
no motive but that they are not considering the murder a "hate crime," or
looking into any anti-gay motivation at this time. Media reporting on the
case also seems to have dropped any anti-gay angle to their stories since
the news of the murder broke last Friday.
"We are very concerned that so early in an investigation in which there is
admittedly little or nothing to go on, the police seem to have already
discounted anti-gay bias as a motive for this young man's murder," said
Clarence Patton, of the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project
(AVP), also an NCAVP member. "This was a young man who had just been
elected to office Gallaudet's lesbian and gay organization; fundamental
police work dictates that any anti-gay motive would stay on the table until
it had absolutely been discounted," continued Patton. "To date, there has
been no indication of any evidence that would cause the police to rule out a
bias motive; in fact," concluded Patton.
"We are aware of a few things that mark this as a possible anti-gay
incident," said Jeffrey Montgomery of Detroit's Triangle Foundation, another
NCAVP member organization. "First, this young man was active in campus gay
activities and we know that high visibility often breeds violence. Second,
the level of brutality rose to the point of 'overkill' -- moving far beyond
what is seen in most random or robbery-based murders. And third, Plunkett
was especially vulnerable because of at least two disabilities (he was
reportedly both deaf and had Cerebral Palsy), and so would have presumably
been easy to overpower if simple robbery was the motive, mitigating the need
for such a high level of brutality," concluded Montgomery.
"Students in DC and across the country are grieving and fearful because of
this murder. Investigators owe it to everyone to say why they are ignoring
an anti-gay motive; and the media owes it to everyone to keep part of their
focus on there was a gay student brutally murdered in DC last week," said
GLOV's Butler.
PlanetOut News
September 28, 2000
http://www.planetout.com
Key Senator Swayed by Roanoke
SUMMARY: The horror of the mass shooting in his home state is causing
a powerful Republican to rethink his opposition to federal hate
crimes legislation.
In the wake of the mass shooting at Roanoke's gay-friendly Back
Street Cafe, Virginia's Republican U.S. Senator John Warner appears
to have softened in his long-standing opposition to federal hate
crimes legislation including sexual orientation as a basis for victim
selection. As head of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a
member of the House-Senate conference committee on the defense
appropriations bill to which the Senate added the hate crimes measure
as a rider, Warner is in a unique position to make or break the
measure in the brief time remaining before Congress adjourns. Both
activists and President Bill Clinton (D) have made the hate crimes
bill a top priority.
Warner told the Roanoke Times on September 26 that, "I have to tell
you frankly, the horror of this crime has to influence my judgment
when this thing [hate crimes amendment] is brought back up on the
floor of the Senate. I don't think many people understood hate crime
laws until this horrible crime occurred."
But while this is a hopeful sign for the future, Warner's statement
gives no indication that he will actually allow the rider to remain
on the defense bill, and other Republican leaders have made it clear
that they do not want the hate crimes measure passed in this fashion.
Previously Warner expressed concerns that the rider might damage the
defense bill itself, even though the hate crimes language was added
by a healthy 57 - 42 margin in the Senate and the House recently
easily passed by 232 - 192 a non-binding "instruction" to its
representatives on the conference committee to retain that language.
And in the words of Leadership Conference on Civil Rights executive
director Wade Henderson, "The fate of the hate crimes law hangs in
his hands."
On September 27, Warner told the Washington Post that, "Anyone with a
responsibility as I have, as a legislator, to look at future hate
crimes legislation, would have to be influenced and take into account
the horrors inflicted by this terrible crime. ... [But] I cannot put
at risk all the needs of the U.S. military for a piece of legislation
that is not germane to U.S. military operations."
Since the Roanoke shooting, which left one dead and six injured,
allegedly at the hands of a man who announced beforehand that he was
going to "waste some faggots" (see PlanetOut News of September 25),
the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) has used the incident
in lobbying Warner on the hate crimes measure. On September 25, it
delivered a petition signed by 140 Roanoke residents telling Warner
that he "has the ability and therefore responsibility to ensure that
the existing federal hate crimes law is expanded to cover crimes
based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender or
disability." Calling on him "to send a clear and unequivocal message
that hate violence has no place in today's society," the letter
continued, "Senator Warner, we trust that as a fellow Virginian you
are as devastated as we by the senseless brutality of this crime in
our home state. But we also know that sometimes local communities
need federal help to deal with hate violence. And we know that if
even one senseless act of violence can be prevented by the message
that a federal bill can send, the legislation will be well worth it."
NGLTF also asked Warner to meet with the sister and niece of Danny
Overstreet, the gay man killed in the shooting. His sister Carol
Overstreet feels compelled by his death to political activism to try
to stop hate violence. A Warner spokesperson has said the Senator is
willing to meet with Carol and Misty Overstreet, Danny's 17-year-old
niece who movingly eulogized Danny at his funeral September 27 (see
the preceding PlanetOut News story). NGLTF is also joining with
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (P-FLAG) in
organizing a rally in Washington, DC on September 28 in support of
the hate crimes measure.
At the same time, the Human Rights Campaign launched on September 26
a $75,000 multi-media campaign for enactment of the hate crimes
measure, specifically targeting seven of its leading Republican
opponents. Warner is named in a radio commercial that will run in
Virginia, although not in Roanoke. It refers to the shooting there
and to the bipartisan support for the hate crimes measure, and warns,
"But time is running out because of election year politics. Our
Senator John Warner, a strong and respected leader in the United
States Senate, can make all the difference." Others targeted for ads
include House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois; Representative
James E. Rogan of Glendale, California; Senate Majority Leader Trent
Lott of Mississippi; Senator Rod Grams of Minnesota; Senator Spencer
Abraham of Michigan; Senator Slade Gorton of Washington; Senator Rick
Santorum of Pennsylvania; and also Republican Presidential nominee
Texas Governor George W. Bush.
Warner had a very friendly meeting in late June with the gay and
lesbian Log Cabin Republicans of Northern Virginia, in which he
explained that his opposition to the hate crimes measure rested on
its status as a rider to the defense bill. He took that occasion to
say that the Republican Party should be more welcoming of gays and
lesbians, declaring, "Wake up, Republican Party!" He attributed his
own understanding of gays and lesbians to writers, directors and
others he met in the film industry during his marriage to Elizabeth
Taylor, calling them "some of the most brilliant, accomplished people
I'd ever known."
President Clinton renewed his own calls for enactment of the hate
crimes measure in a speech to the Democratic National Committee Gay
and Lesbian Caucus at a fund-raising luncheon in Dallas, Texas on
September 27. He said, "There has been a sea-change movement. More
and more people are identifying with our common humanity.
Increasingly, society is moving to higher and higher levels of
destiny and justice. We've got the votes. It's just a question of
whether the leadership of the Republican Party in Congress stays to
the right of the country on this issue." He told reporters, "This is
not complicated. The Republican majority does not want a bill that
explicitly provides hate crimes protections for gay Americans, and I
think they think it will split their [socially conservative] base or
something. I just hope and pray we can do it [enact the measure]."
Clinton cited polls showing that more than two-thirds of the public
support hate crimes legislation.
Clinton raised the issue repeatedly during his three-stop sweep
through Texas, for two obvious reasons: one of the nation's
highest-profile hate crimes occurred there when white supremacists
dragged African-American James Byrd, Junior to death behind their
truck in 1998, and the legislature in the state run by Governor Bush
failed to enact a hate crimes measure with explicit protected
categories including sexual orientation. (Texas' existing "generic"
hate crimes law has proven all but impossible to prosecute.) Bush was
able to stand aside from the issue while the state legislature
considered it, but it's widely believed that Texas Republican
lawmakers killed the bill to save him from having to either sign or
veto a measure including sexual orientation. Bush has stated
repeatedly that he does not support hate crimes laws because "all
crimes are hate crimes." Supporters of such legislation believe that
unlike other crimes, hate crimes are intended to intimidate entire
communities.
Among numerous other groups supporting the hate crimes measure is
Danny Overstreet's union, the Communications Workers of America,
which issued a press release September 25 calling for its enactment.
Denver [Colorado] Post
Sept 23, 2000
Activist found in gay bar
By Diane Carman (E-Mail: dcarman@denverpost.com)
Denver Post Columnist
Sept. 23, 2000 - In 1998, John Paulk appeared on the cover of Newsweek
magazine with his wife, Anne, proclaiming that he had "recovered" from a
lifetime of homosexuality.
He explained that he was attending a counseling program by a minister from
Exodus (which claims to help gays become straight) in 1992, and suddenly
he was overcome by a tremendous sexual attraction to a "former" lesbian in
the room.
In an interview later, the gender analyst for Focus on the Family,
chairman of Exodus North America and frequent lobbyist against hate-crimes
laws, AIDS funding and anti-discrimination legislation, told me he had
never been happier in his life. His days as a drag queen, alcoholic and
habitue' of gay bars were sheer misery, he said.
That was then.
On Tuesday night, the old John Paulk was back in circulation. Daryl
Herrschaft and Wayne Besen of the Human Rights Campaign encountered Paulk
in Mr. P's, a gay bar in Washington, D.C.
"I didn't think it would actually be him," said Besen, an associate
director of the gay-rights organization. "I didn't think he'd do something
as reckless and irresponsible as to go to a gay bar in DuPont Circle." But
there he was, sitting at the bar with a drink, watching the drag show.
"I recognized him immediately when I walked in," Besen said. "There's no
doubt in my mind it was John Paulk. And he recognized me right away."
Besen said Paulk "tried to duck away," but he snapped some pictures.
Later, outside Mr. P's, Besen said he "took him to task for all the damage
he's done, the way he's hurt families all across America. He took off at a
run and disappeared into the night."
Paulk did not return calls on Friday, but Tom Minnery, vice president of
public policy for Focus on the Family, told The Associated Press that
Paulk entered the bar to use the restroom. He said he didn't know it was a
gay bar.
Minnery did not explain why Paulk didn't use the restrooms in the well-lit
coffee shop or the hotel across the street.
Later in the day, Paulk released a statement with a different explanation.
"I had not been in (a gay bar) in 15 years and I was curious because I
speak frequently about the gay-bar experience. I stayed a while. That was
my mistake."
Besen said Paulk appeared comfortable in Mr. P's. "He was there about 40
minutes or an hour. When I walked in, he was holding a cocktail in his
hand, talking and laughing with the other patrons."
He had identified himself to the others as "John Clint."
Besen said Paulk's actions expose the ex-gay movement for "the fraud it
is."
"Because of his rhetoric, there's no doubt in my mind that many young men
and women have contemplated suicide, many people I know don't speak to
their parents because their parents have become convinced they can simply
change and they know they can't.
"He's caused untold harm, damage and pain to people."
Besen said Paulk called him on Wednesday and "pleaded for this not to go
public. I urged him to come out and start living with some integrity and
to start undoing some of the damage he's done. His response was, "I'm not
interested. I'm married.' "
Besen said he has received calls and emails from all across the country
since the story was released about Paulk's visit to Mr. P's.
"This is very big news," he said. "Everyone has known these ministries to
be a failure, to be fraudulent. All along, they've had science squarely
against them. The only thing they had was the integrity of their
testimony, and now they don't even have that." Paulk is "a pawn of Focus
on the Family," Besen said, and "a victim of the same rhetoric he's
hurting other people with.
"He needs to know that we'll be here for him when (Focus on the Family
leader) James Dobson's not anymore. He can live as an out-proud
individual. He no longer has to live a double life.
"He's like an actor playing a role, but sooner or later the final curtain
always falls."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsweek
October 2, 2000
http://www.msnbc.com/news/466226.asp?0na=238B1A1&cp1=1#BODY
Tough Questions for an Ex-Gay
A sighting of ex-gay John Paulk in a gay bar raises questions.
NEWSWEEK
John Paulk was a poster boy for the ex-gay movement. His book, Not
Afraid to Change: The Remarkable Story of How One Man Overcame
Homosexuality, touted reparative psychological and religious
therapies aimed at converting gays like him into straights.
In 1998 he and his wife, an ex-lesbian, appeared on NEWSWEEK
cover to illustrate a story about the controversial movement, which is
disavowed by psychiatric organizations. Paulk gives hundreds of lectures
a year, telling how he turned away from his life as a drag queen when he
embraced Christ. Last week he had to explain why he was found in a
Washington, D.C., gay bar, drink in hand.
Two staffers from the Human Rights Campaign recognized Paulk in Mr.
P's, one of the oldest gay bars in the capital. When another HRC
staffer showed up with a camera, Paulk left quickly. It was all a
misunderstanding, he told NEWSWEEK. I went in there looking for a
bathroom, he said. It was poor judgment, [but] that does not mean I
am going back to homosexuality. He could not explain why he chose the
dark gay bar over the brightly lit coffee shop across the street.
Jubilant gay activists, who consider Paulk as harmful as Dr. Laura,
quickly spread word of the sighting via the Internet.
Nebraska Supreme Urged to Correct Injustice in Brandon Appeal
Dozens of organizations file supporting briefs to Nebraska Supreme Court
(NEW YORK, Monday, October 2, 2000) ? A significant group of 31 civil
rights and victims' advocacy organizations are joining Lambda Legal Defense
and Education Fund in appealing the meager amount awarded for a county
sheriff's failure to protect Brandon Teena from a brutal murder.
Among those groups supporting Lambda in its appeal on behalf of the
victim's mother are the American Civil Liberties Union, National
Organization for Women, Southern Poverty Law Center, Parents of Murdered
Children, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, American Public
Health Association, and Anti-Defamation League.
"Like Lambda, these organizations are committed to proving that everyone -
regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, age, or any other factor -
should be able to rely on law enforcement for protection against
hate-motivated violence, least of all should anyone have to fear being put
in danger because of the police's own bias," said Lambda Legal Director
Beatrice Dohrn.
The critically acclaimed film, "Boys Don't Cry" and documentary, "The
Brandon Teena Story," chronicle the tragic events that led to Brandon's
death.
Born Teena Brandon and raised as a girl, he was living as a man known as
Brandon Teena in Falls City, Nebraska, when he was murdered at age 21. In
December of 1993, two men who discovered his sex raped him. His attackers
later shot and killed him after learning Brandon had reported the rape and
was to help police in the investigation.
Richardson County Sheriff Charles B. Laux not only notified the rapists of
Brandon's complaint, but took no steps to protect him, despite his
agreement to assist the sheriff and strong evidence that his life was in
danger Laux, who had been abusive and accusatory while interviewing Brandon
about the rape, even forbade a deputy from arresting the pair.
Joann Brandon, the victim's mother and representative of the estate, sued
Laux because he negligently failed to protect Brandon between the time of
the rape and the murder and was abusive in interviewing him about the rape.
In 1999, the trial court agreed the sheriff was negligent, but in its
ruling assessed just $17,360.97 in damages against him.
"A hefty price tag is necessary to ensure that law enforcement officials
take seriously hate-motivated violence, and do not put someone in worse
danger for turning to police for help," Lambda Senior Staff Attorney David
Buckel, who is assisted in the case by Staff Attorneys Doni Gewirtzman and
Marvin Peguese.
The Nebraska Supreme Court will hear Joann Brandon v. County of Richardson,
Nebraska as early as the first week of November, having ordered the appeal
to bypass the intermediate appellate court.
Lambda is co-counsel with Herbert J. Friedman of Friedman Law Offices and
Michael J. Hansen of Berry, Kelley, and Hansen both of Lincoln, Nebraska.
The appeal argues, among other things, that the trial court made a legal
error on the apportionment of damages where a duty to protect was violated.
Specifically, the trial court was mistaken in shifting most damages for the
sheriff's negligence to the individuals whose violence the sheriff was
duty-bound to prevent.
Friends-of-the-court
The friend-of-the-court arguments include discussion of a child's inherent
value to a parent, the shameful history of law enforcement's
blame-the-victim approach to rape and other hate violence, and the high
rate of violence against transgendered people.
Joann Brandon v. County of Richardson, Nebraska
Amici in Support of Plaintiff-Appellant
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, American Orthopsychiatric
Association, American Public Health Association, Anti-Defamation League,
Association for Women in Psychology, FTM International, Gender Education
and Advocacy, Gender Public Advocacy Coalition, International Foundation
for Gender Education, Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Minnesota
Coalition for Battered Women, National Asian Pacific American Legal
Consortium, National Center for Victims of Crime, National Coalition
Against Domestic Violence, National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs,
National Organization for Women Foundation, National Organization for
Women Legal Defense and Education Fund, National Sexual Violence Resource
Center, National Youth Advocacy Coalition, Nebraska Domestic Violence
Sexual Assault Coalition, Northwest Policy Institute, Oregon Coalition
Against Domestic Violence, Parents of Murdered Children, Pennsylvania
Coalition Against Rape, People for the American Way, Puerto Rican Legal
Defense and Education Fund, Renaissance Transgender Association, Southern
Poverty Law Center, Sexual Assault Report, Wisconsin Coalition Against
Domestic Violence, Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press.
Lambda is the nation's largest legal organization for lesbians, gay men and
people with HIV/AIDS. Headquartered in New York, Lambda has offices in Los
Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta.
(Joann Brandon v. County of Richardson, Nebraska, No. 15873)
Link directly to Lambda's news release:
http://www.lambdalegal.org/cgi-bin/pages/documents/record?record=712
Minneapolis Star Tribune, September 30, 2000
425 Portland Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, 55408
(Fax 612-673-4359 ) (E-MAIL: opinion@startribune.com )
( http://www.startribune.com/ )
Burnsville deaf man apparently slain at D.C. school
Warren Wolfe, Star Tribune
A deaf student from Minnesota who was salutatorian of his high school
class was found dead in his dormitory room Thursday at a university in
Washington, D.C. Police said he apparently died of blows to the head.
Eric Franklin Plunkett, 19, of Burnsville, was found dead in his room at
Gallaudet University, the nation's only college for students who are deaf or
hearing-impaired.
"Eric was such a neat kid -- smart, funny and a hard worker who was
active in everything," said Linda Mitchell, superintendent of the Minnesota
Academy for the Deaf in Faribault. Plunkett, who also had cerebral palsy,
graduated from there in May with the second-highest scholastic record in his
class.
"I can't imagine, I just can't imagine him having an enemy in the
world,"
Mitchell said.
Plunkett was secretary of the Lambda Society at Gallaudet, a gay and
lesbian organization with about 20 student members.
Police have no evidence to suggest his death was a hate crime, police
Cmdr. Jennifer Greene said. Sgt. Joe Gentile, a police spokesman, said he
had no information that Plunkett or any other Gallaudet students had been
threatened.
His body was discovered at about 9:30 p.m. Thursday by a dorm
supervisor
after friends reported that they had not seen him for several hours.
An autopsy has not been completed, but Greene said a preliminary report
showed Plunkett died of blows to the head. Greene would not say if police
have found a weapon or if there were signs of forced entry into Plunkett's
room. Police said they had no motive or suspects.
Plunkett lived alone in Cogswell Hall, one of six dorms on the campus.
The school, established by Congress in 1864, has about 2,000 students and
has
been in session for a month.
Plunkett was the son of Kathleen Cornils, of Burnsville. School
officials said his father lives in Oregon. His mother was on campus Friday
to talk to police.
Plunkett grew up in Oregon and had attended the Faribault school after
moving to Minnesota three years ago. He was well liked "and a real role
model for other students," Mitchell said. "He was a kid who really worked
hard at everything he did."
At graduation, he received the Faribault American Legion's Distinguished
Achievement Award, the U.S. Bank High School Award and the school's American
Citizenship Award.
"I'm smiling, because it seems every time an award was announced, he was
up there -- up and down, up and down," Mitchell said. Plunkett also was a
student government representative, football team manager and a member of the
school's scholastic team, the Brain Bowl.
He tentatively had decided to study to become a psychologist, she said.
Staff officials, psychologists and social workers at the Faribault
school
met with the 160 students Friday morning to talk about Plunkett's death.
A similar meeting was held at Gallaudet on Friday afternoon, spokeswoman
Mercy Coogan said.
"This is a terrible thing. Students and staff are very upset," she
said.
"We have counselors available for students, and many students are seeking
some help."
Although many students became aware of the incident Thursday night
because of police activity on campus, formal notification came in an e-mail
message to students that Coogan sent at 2 a.m.
About 15 students from Minnesota met Friday morning with counselors to
talk about Plunkett's death and their grief and fears, she said.
Other first-floor students were moved to other floors Thursday night,
Coogan said. The dorm is kept locked, and entry is possible only with a key
pass.
" The Associated Press contributed to this article.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NATIONAL COALITION OF ANTI-VIOLENCE PROGRAMS
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jeffrey Montgomery 313-537-3323 or 313-506-1847
Clarence Patton 212-714-1184 or 917-613-8753
September 23, 2000
ONE DEAD AND SIX ARE WOUNDED AFTER MAN WHO 'WANTED
TO SHOOT SOME GAY PEOPLE' OPENS FIRE IN VIRGINIA BAR
Roanoke, VA - Danny Lee Overstreet of Roanoke is dead today and six others
were wounded by a single gunman who said he wanted to shoot gay people
opened fire in a gay bar. The suspect walked into the Back Street Cafe late
Friday night, ordered a beer and after a few minutes, pulled a handgun from
his coat and fired repeatedly, said Roanoke police spokeswoman Shelly Alley.
Seven of the 25 people in the bar were hit. Two remain in serious condition.
Ronald Edward Gay, 53, was charged with murder, and police are
investigating the shooting as a hate crime. Earlier in the evening, police
said Gay visited a different bar and asked people where the gay bar was,
telling witnesses that he wanted to shoot some gay people. A witness
pointed him in the right direction, and then called police. Police arrested
Gay moments after the shooting away from the bar. Gay's address is
listed in Citrus Springs, Fla., but police said he had actually been living
in Roanoke for about a year. He is being held without bond at the Roanoke
City Jail. Shirley Lesser of Virginians for Justice, an NCAVP member group
was dispatched to Roanoke to assist the victims, survivors and local
community.
"This is yet another example of the hatred and violence that lesbian and gay
people fear and face daily," said Jeffrey Montgomery of Detroit's Triangle
Foundation, another NCAVP member group. "This fear is heightened away
from the nation's big city's in places like Roanoke," continued Montgomery.
"We are encouraged that the local police are investigating this as a hate crime
and are looking forward to the results of the investigation," said Montgomery.
"What's incredible is just how vulnerable we are made to be in our spaces
and neighborhoods," said Clarence Patton of the New York City Gay and
Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, another NCAVP member. "In recent years,
fire and nail bombs have gone off at gay bars in Atlanta and London and
now this. Not only did this individual seek out 'gay people' to shoot, he
actually felt comfortable enough to tell people in another bar what he
wanted to do, get information from them to facilitate his mission, and
follow through on it," continued Patton.
"We commend, the folks that called the police, but have to ask if it might
not have been a better strategy and if Mr. Overstreet might still be with us
if they had denied knowledge of a gay bar's whereabouts," concluded
Patton.
NEWS from StopDrLaura.com
Friday, September 22, 2000
Folks, this is big news - BUT, don't let them fool you. We need to
keep calling the advertisers, now more than ever. The show is NOT
canceled yet, but still, this is great news. Thanks for ALL your
help, and make sure you call the advertisers
listed at the bottom of this message.
PARAMOUNT HALTS PRODUCTION OF "DR. LAURA"
WASHINGTON, DC - The Dr. Laura's TV show is doing so badly, that
Paramount Television has stopped production for a week, according to a
report in today's Los Angeles Times. While Paramount is claiming the
stoppage was pre-planned, critics of Schlessinger's anti-gay rhetoric
suspect the show is in trouble.
"Prejudice is bad for business, and Paramount is paying a price for
its insensitivity to civil rights," said John Aravosis, co-founder of
StopDrLaura.com.
The LA Times reports that some in Hollywood think Paramount may be
trying to retool the show, as its ratings have been terrible.
StopDrLaura.com says no amount of retooling will
make Dr. Laura acceptable.
"Paramount is rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic," said
Aravosis. "'Dr. Laura' has sunk, it's time to let it go."
In the two weeks since the "Dr. Laura" TV show launched on September
11, over 45 advertisers have told local TV stations to stop running
their ads on the show, according to StopDrLaura.com's "Advertiser
Scorecard." The list includes scores of big names such as Kraft,
Kimberly-Clark, Unilever, GEICO and IHOP.
It was unclear whether the news about the show meant that the show
wouldn't air next week. StopDrLaura.com's Aravosis said the campaign
would continue until Paramount dropped the TV show. "Had Dr. Laura
maligned Jews or Blacks, Paramount would never re-tool her TV show,
they'd cancel her," said Aravosis. "It's time for Paramount to face
the music, they made a mistake, Dr. Laura is bad for TV and bad for
business. Our campaign will continue, even more so now, until
Paramount treats gays and lesbians as equal citizens."
Schlessinger herself blasted Hollywood on her radio show yesterday,
suggesting that the industry will defend TV shows with sex and
violence, but not her. It was unclear whether her outburst was
provoked by some insider knowledge that Paramount was perhaps no
longer standing by her show.
Schlessinger was also criticized on Thursday by the president of NBC's
entertainment unit, Garth Ancier, at a panel of network executives
Thursday, according to the LA Times story. When asked if there were
any television programs the executives felt they couldn't defend,
Ancier said: "I'm not embarrassed about anything on television, with
the exception
of 'Dr. Laura.'"
Since its launch on March 1, 2000, StopDrLaura.com has had over 50
million hits, and 3 million visitors.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 9-19-2000
Fort Lauderdale Cans Scout Money
by Tim Ribar
©2000 Tim Ribar, All Rights Reserved
In another boisterous meeting Tuesday night Sept. 19th, the Fort Lauderdale
City Commission redirected a $4,167 funding grant for the Boys Scouts to two
other non-discriminatory groups who work with youth and families during the
second reading of its 2000-2001 budget. An overflow crowd composed of mostly
vocal Christians spoke up for the Scouts, outnumbering gay, lesbian and
friendly speakers by almost a four-to-one margin, but the commissioners stood
firm after hearing another three hours of public comment on the issue and
reaffirmed a previous vote eliminating the Scout funding 3-1. Mayor Jim
Naugle cast the lone dissenting vote.
Last month Commissioner Tim Smith suggested the Boy Scout grant be rejected
due to a recent Supreme Court ruling which allows Scouts to bar openly-gay
members and adult leaders. Smith had to wait until the first reading of the
new city budget last week however to make a motion to deny that funding. At
that first budget hearing, commissioners heard almost five hours of public
comment on the issue before voting to withhold the Scout grant. Again this
week over 60 people spoke to the commission including right-wing Coral Ridge
Presbyterian Church Minister D. James Kennedy.
Many of the Christian right speakers portrayed gays as pedophiles and one
even passed out copies of a so-called 1987 "gay manifesto." One woman ended
her comments saying "stop the gay ride and restore America's pride." Another
man said gays claim "being HIV-positive is a badge of honor," while another
told the commissioners "homosexuality had invaded his family." The
most-outrageous comment of the night however came from Christine Theodore who
claimed as fact that "a homosexual lifestyle shortens [a person's] life by 30
years."
Rev. Kennedy, in a rare public appearance outside his palatial Coral Ridge
Presbyterian Church, said "the Boys Scouts shouldn't be punished, they should
be applauded." His somewhat-rambling talk warned of gay Scout leaders, but
didn't really make a strong argument on the funding issue. Janet Folger,
another Coral Ridge Presbyterian administrator, hinted at a recall vote of
the city commissioners and threatened to move the annual Reclaiming America
for Christ conference, set for the end of this month in Fort Lauderdale and
its $300,000 budget, to another city next year. Others spoke about a possible
Christian boycott of Fort Lauderdale and reelection defeat of commissioners
who opposed the Scout funding.
On the other side of the issue, many gays and lesbians spoke against the
Scout funding. Several gay Eagle Scouts, including Mark LaFontaine, expressed
sorrow over Scouting's ban. "Four Eagle Scouts came forward tonight,"
LaFontaine said, "and not one is in favor of a ban on gay leaders." He
concluded his remarks saying "being morally straight doesn't mean you're
heterosexual." Doug White, another gay Eagle Scout, told the commission he
"just wants the Boys Scouts to be inclusive."
Eagle Scout Mark Ketchum, who's past president of the Victoria Park Civic
Assoc. and a member of the city's community appearance board, told
commissioners "I've got a real hard time with Boy Scouts discriminating
against anyone." So he and a friend went door-to-door in his neighborhood and
in just two days raised almost $6,000 for the non-discriminatory Boys and
Girls Clubs. He then presented Mayor Jim Naugle with an envelope stuffed with
checks totaling $5,760.
Gay activist Art Tavernier presented the commissioners with a petition
containing over 1,000 signatures supporting the elimination of the Scout
funding. He also reminded the commission of Broward County's
anti-discrimination ordinance and said "let the churches support the Scouts
with money [raised] through their tax-exempt status."
Kevin Daily, a recent Midwest transplant, said "Broward County is a place
where any human being can come and live and not be discriminated against." He
called the Scout funding issue "a human rights issue" and told commissioners
"Broward County is a leader in human rights." Daily also questioned Mayor
Naugle's support for the Scouts, "twenty years from now we're going to look
back and say 'why did we let people discriminate?'"
City commissioners didn't hold back on their thoughts either. Commissioner
Gloria Katz, who's Jewish, lashed out at the largely Christian-right crowd
and said "it was a difficult public hearing for me to sit through. A number
of things were said that I take offense to."
"I'm not a Christian," Katz continued, "and I resent someone speaking at the
podium [telling me] that I'm not acceptable [due to my religion]." She also
resented several speakers who said if someone wasn't "saved" they wouldn't
get to heaven. "When you ask for public money there are always strings
attached," she said.
Katz concluded her emotional remarks asking the commission "to take a stand
against prejudice, intolerance and discrimination." She was given a standing
ovation by the gays and lesbians in the commission chambers.
Likewise Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson said she was outraged at some of the
Christians' comments. "How dare you question my beliefs in God, I'm a
Catholic," she said, "how dare you question my morals."
Commissioner Smith then introduced a motion to redirect the Boy Scout grant
to Kids Voting, a mock election program for schools designed to develop civic
responsibility. It was seconded by Hutchinson, who asked that the funds be
split between Kids Voting and Justice for Children and Families, a program
for troubled youth and their parents, which was approved. Commissioners Katz,
Hutchinson and Smith voted for the $4,167 grant to be split between the two
groups, while Mayor Naugle voted against the proposal. Commissioner Carlton
Moore was absent.
Commissioners then unanimously approved the budget and members of the crowd
broke out in applause, several chanting "Tim Smith for mayor! Tim Smith for
mayor!"
After the meeting, gay community leaders were elated with the outcome.
Several spoke about the funding victory as another step forward for gays and
lesbians. Activist Tony Ramos president of GUARD, Gays United to Attack
Repression and Discrimination, hugged gay attorney Dean Trentalis in front of
TV cameras on the city hall plaza. "We won, we won," Ramos said, while
jumping up and down and hugging Trentalis.
Tim Ribar is a writer and photographer based in Fort Lauderdale, where he
operates Spectral Images, a location advertising and digital imaging
business. He can be reached at tribar@worldnet.att.net
HOTSPOTS! Magazine
5100 NE 12 Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33334
954-928-1862 • FAX 954-772-0142
www.hotspotsmagazine.com
Study Finds Gays Do Not Undermine Australian Military
19 September 2000 - SANTA BARBARA. A new study of gays and lesbians in the
Australian military has found that after Australia's 1992 decision to allow
homosexuals to serve openly in its armed forces, military performance did
not decline. Furthermore, evidence suggests that lifting the ban has
contributed to improvements in the working environment.
Prior to the lifting of the ban, military leaders argued that allowing
homosexuals to serve openly would jeopardize recruitment, troop cohesion,
and combat effectiveness while also spreading AIDS and encouraging predatory
behavior.
Aaron Belkin and Jason McNichol wrote the study. Belkin is Director of the
Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military at the University
of California, Santa Barbara. McNichol is Doctoral Candidate in Sociology
at University of California, Berkeley.
A copy of the study was sent by Federal Express and received in the Pentagon
in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs (703)
695-0192. The study is available on the World Wide Web at
www.gaymilitary.ucsb.edu.
This peer-reviewed study reflects an exhaustive inventory of research
including in-depth interviews with 18 soldiers, academics, and Ministry
representatives as well as reviews of all published material on the topic.
Its title is "The Effects of Including Gay and Lesbian Soldiers in the
Australian Defense Forces: Appraising the Evidence". Key findings are as
follows:
· Senior officials, commanders, and military scholars within the
Australian Defense Forces consistently appraise the lifting of the ban as a
successful policy change that has contributed to greater equity and
effective working relationships within the ranks. Gay soldiers and
commanders have successfully served in recent active deployments in East
Timor.
· Senior officials, commanders and scholars report that there has been
no overall pattern of disruption to the military. However, some individual
units have reported disruptions that were resolved successfully through
normal management procedures.
· Recruitment and retention rates have not suffered as a result of the
policy change. As Commodore R. W. Gates of the Royal Australian Navy states
in the report, "There was no great peak...where people walked out, and there
was no great dip in recruiting. It really was a non-event."
· Although lifting the ban did not undermine military performance, gay
and lesbian soldiers have had difficulty obtaining domestic partner benefits
for their spouses.
According to Belkin, "The Pentagon claims that lifting the American gay ban
would undermine the military. Data from the 23 nations that allow known
gays to serve including Australia, Israel, and Britain suggest that the
lifting of a gay ban does not jeopardize military performance."
Media contact:
Aaron Belkin (805) 893-5664
belkin@sscf.ucsb.edu
Washington Blade
September 15, 2000
http://www.washblade.com
State legislatures approve crop of new laws
Eleven major new measures, both pro- and anti-Gay, enacted in capitals
nationwide
by Will O'Bryan
When the Blade conducted its annual survey of state legislatures in early
spring, the tally showed the number of pro-Gay bills being introduced was
on the rise, while the number of anti-Gay bills was dropping. Introduction
of a bill is one thing; actually making it through the legislative process
and being signed into law is something else.
With the adjournment of the California State Legislature Aug. 31, only
Nevada and New Jersey are still active and most of the 84 pro-Gay and 26
anti-Gay bills introduced this year have died - as they have in years past
- in committee. But in the final weeks of the many legislatures in session
this year, a small crop of new laws of special significance to Gay people
were enacted -some of them favorable, some not, and some historic - 11 laws
in 9 states.
Five of the states passed favorable laws; of those five, four were in
legislatures in which the Democratic Party is in the majority. In the
fifth, the chambers are split, with one led by a Democratic majority and
the other by a Republican majority.
Four of the nine states passed laws hostile to Gays; of those, two are
controlled by Republicans and two by Democrats - however, the latter are
Mississippi and West Virginia, states where Southern Democrats often have a
reputation for being somewhat less progressive on social issues than the
national party.
In these nine states, governors from both parties signed the 11 pieces of
legislation hostile and friendly to Gays. Colorado's new Republican Gov.
Bill Owens, who entered office in 1999, ushered in a new anti-Gay era in
that state. His predecessor, Democratic Gov. Roy Romer, twice vetoed
Colorado's so-called Defense of Marriage bill that aimed to prohibit
recognition of same-sex marriage. But in late spring, Owens signed such
legislation - titled "Strengthening the Marriage Relationship" and passed
by the state's Republican-controlled legislature.
West Virginia's Republican Gov. Cecil H. Underwood signed a similar
DOMA-like measure, passed by the state's Democratic legislature this year.
The undisputed highlight of state legislation this year was Vermont's
"civil union" law, which grants same-sex couples almost all the same
benefits the state grants to married couples. That law took effect July 1.
Democrats control both the Vermont House and Senate, and the state's
governor, Howard Dean, who signed the legislation, is also a Democrat. The
legislation was almost certainly given a boost by the presence of an openly
Gay sitting legislator - Rep. William Lippert (D) - and long, careful
planning and lobbying by Gay activist attorneys and a statewide Gay
political group focused on securing marriage benefits.
Four of the five states passing pro-Gay measures have openly Gay
legislators who introduced or co-sponsored those bills. In addition to the
lone openly Gay legislator in Vermont, there was California, whose
legislature includes two openly Gay members, Connecticut with three, and
New York with two. Of the five, only Georgia has no openly Gay legislators.
Of the four states passing anti-Gay legislation, only one - Utah - has an
openly Gay legislator. No openly Gay legislators serve in Colorado,
Mississippi, or West Virginia, according to the Gay and Lesbian Victory
Fund, a D.C.-based group that works to elect qualified Gay candidates to
political office.
The nine openly Gay legislators, by the way, are all Democrats. Arizona
State Rep. Steve May is, according to the Victory Fund, the nation's only
openly Gay Republican state legislator.
California's legislature - which is also controlled by the Democrats and
sends its bills to Democratic Gov. Gray Davis - approved two pro-Gay
measures this year. One of California's openly Gay state legislators,
Assemblymember Carole Migden, authored two Gay-friendly bills that passed
both houses this year. One of the bills codified an earlier California
appeals court ruling that attorneys cannot discriminate against Gays in
jury selection. The other makes it easier for Gay people who co-parent to
adopt their partners' children.
Connecticut's Republican Gov. John G. Rowland signed similar
ease-of-adoption legislation passed by his state's Democratic-majority
legislature. He also signed hate crimes legislation this session.
Despite the bills in Connecticut and California, Gays suffered their worst
setbacks this year in adoption.
In Utah, a state with a Republican-dominated legislature and a Republican
governor, a bill was signed into law during the last session that prohibits
Gays from adopting. In Mississippi, a state with a Democratic-dominated
legislature and a Democratic governor, a similar bill was approved and
signed into law.
The two remaining major laws affecting Gays passed this year occurred in
New York and Georgia. Gov. George Pataki (R) - with help from the
Democratic House and Republican Senate - gave New York its first statewide
law to include protections for Gays when he signed hate crime legislation
on July 10 that enhances penalties for bias crimes.
Harry Knox is the executive director of the Georgia Equality Project, the
group that aided in delivering a historic win for Georgia's Gay community,
also in the form of hate crime legislation. That legislation, which passed
the Democratic legislature in mid-March, marked the first time either
Georgia house voted in favor of legislation that specifically contained a
protection for Gays. The legislation, signed by Democratic Gov. Roy E.
Barnes, went into effect this summer.
Networking for success
Georgia Equality Project represents a sterling example of how the
legislative process is influenced. In Georgia, like the other four states
that passed important pro-Gay legislation, a politically active statewide
Gay group appeared to make a difference.
"The fact that GEP has organized GLBT folks all over the state has
effectively made a major difference in what the right wing is doing to us,"
said Knox. "We've been successful in fighting a number of anti-Gay bills. ä
We are the group that funded the lobbyist that fought for the hate crime
legislation."
Knox said about 1,500 people belong to GEP as volunteers or paid staff,
while the mailing list includes about 10,000 people.
New York's Empire State Pride Agenda says it has 12,000 members and offices
in New York, Albany, Rochester, and Buffalo. Jean Harris, executive
director of the California Alliance for Pride and Equality, said her group
counts more than 100,000 names on its mailing list. Vermont and Connecticut
have smaller - yet very active - statewide groups.
In the four states that passed laws unfavorable to Gays - Utah, Colorado,
Mississippi, and West Virginia - there is less Gay political activity at
the grassroots level. While Equality Colorado is a prominent voice for Gays
in the Golden State, Mississippi, Utah, and West Virginia offer fewer
political resources for Gays.
According to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the Human Rights
Campaign, every state in the country has at least one group that acts as
statewide contact for Gay politicking. In some states, however, those
responsibilities are shared by just a few energetic activists. In other
states, there are offices with paid staffs and paid lobbyists.
Although the size and scope of Gay political advocacy groups is different
from one state to the next, Knox said, the statewide political Gay groups
have begun to share resources and experience recently.
"We try to be a resource as often as we can. We're always quick to share
best practices," Knox said, noting that GEP has shared advice with smaller
groups in Alabama, North Carolina, and Tennessee. And the Georgia group has
gotten help from other groups.
"I lean very heavily on Nadine Smith and Equality Florida," he said.
Nadine Smith is not only executive director to Equality Florida but is also
co-chair of the Federation of Statewide Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender Advocacy Organizations. The Federation is a group formed in
1996 through a Creating Change conference, sponsored by the National Gay
and Lesbian Task Force.
Despite living in neighboring states, Smith said she and Knox did not know
one another until they met through the federation.
"We're only just now scratching the surface as to what's possible," Smith
said of the federation. "The state work really has been the missing piece.
Proposed [state] legislation, both good and bad, is being increased
exponentially. We're also seeing more right-wing think tanks being
organized at the state level. They have been communicating at the state
level for a long time. We're behind the curve."
Twice yearly, federation meetings offer a chance to catch up, Smith said.
"One of the most popular things that happens [at the conferences] are the
war stories," she explained. "States who've won or lost a battle will
dissect that battle. The legislative war stories are a big part of it. ä
Laws change from state to state, but there are commonalities. It's about
sharing strategy and offering support."
"There is no best model for state organizing," Smith insisted. "Everybody's
got a piece of the puzzle. If there wasn't this forum, I think a lot of bad
ideas would be replicated. That's really quite powerful."
Kara Fox, Brian Moylan, Bill Roundy, and Rhonda Smith contributed to this
report.
U.S. HOUSE PASSES FEDERAL HATE CRIME LEGISLATION
Federal hate crime legislation that has been stalled for several years,
passed the U.S. House today.
The Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act of 2000 (H.R. 1082/ S. 622),
formerly the Hate Crime Prevention Act, passes the U.S. House today. On June
20, 2000 the bill passed the U.S. Senate by a vote of 57 to 42. That
amendment was offered by Senator's Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Gordon Smith
(R-OR).
The Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act would extend basic hate crime
protections to all Americans by adding real or perceived sexual orientation,
gender and disability to the categories covered. It would also provide the
necessary backstop to state and local enforcement by permitting federal
authorities to provide assistance in these investigations, and by allowing
federal prosecutions when necessary to achieve a just result. As it stands
now, federal prosecution of hate crimes is only permitted if the intent of
the crime was to prevent the victim from exercising a "federally protected
right" such as voting or having a demonstration.
"This legislation is very important because it allows federal prosecutors to
assist local law enforcement agencies in prosecuting hate crimes, especially
in those many cases where they fail or are unprepared to do so. The bill
also bridges a few gaps in the current law by covering the most frequent
motivations for hate violence," said Jeffrey Montgomery, Executive Director
of the Triangle Foundation, a statewide civil rights and anti-violence
organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Triangle
Foundation is also a founding member of the National Coalition of
Anti-Violence Programs.
"We must give law enforcement the tools they need to combat this kind of
violence and to help ensure that every American can live in an environment
free of the terror brought on by hate violence," continued Montgomery.
-30-
© 1999-2000 Triangle Foundation
IF YOU REALLY LIKE NADER, DON'T VOTE FOR HIM
A long-time friend and admirer of the activist says the
country's progressive voters shouldn't be fooled by Ralph's
irresponsible campaign.
By TOBY MOFFETT
I have had the rather unique distinction of sitting next to
Ralph Nader when he launched a national citizen action movement
and sitting next to Al Gore for several years on the Commerce
Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives.
As the first and only "Nader Raider" elected to the House, I find
it painful to watch Ralph on this rash and dangerous course he calls
a campaign for president.
My father was a beer salesman. He used to call on a restaurant in
Winsted, Conn., owned by Ralph Nader's father. Both of the fathers
were Lebanese-Americans and proud of their sons.
In the late 1960s, when both Ralph and I were working in Washington,
the fathers urged us to meet. I had just finished graduate school;
he had just become famous with his book "Unsafe at Any Speed" and his
consumer advocacy on autos and other products.
In 1971, he asked me to return to Connecticut to start a consumer
and enviromenental advocacy group. I moved back and became the first
director of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group, then the only
statewide group of its kind affiliated with Nader.
For the next three years, as the organization fought utility companies
on rates, drug companies on prices and developers on wetlands, I spent
a great deal of time with Ralph. Like almost everyone who has worked
with Ralph, I was inspired by him. I admired his independence, his
integrity, his persistence.
But many of us now fear he is about to throw a critical election to a
genuine conservative, a man who shares virtually none of Nader's views.
His Tweedledum and Tweedledee assertion that there is no important
difference between the major presidential candidates would be laughable
if it weren't so unsafe.
Sitting next to Al Gore on that House committee, I was constantly
struck by not only his intellect but also his passionate advocacy as
he took on powerful interests over toxic waste, air pollution, consumer
rip-offs and other important issues.
That's one of the things that is so stunning about the Nader
candidacy--
that he chooses to ignore the many positions he and Gore shared over
the
years, the many fights they waged together.
"Reckless" is not too strong a word to use when one watches Ralph shrug
off suggestions that his candidacy might result in an
Antonin Scalia/Clarence Thomas-dominated Supreme Court, though he must
be aware that George W. Bush has said those two are his favorite
justices.
"Courting Disaster," a recently published report by People for the
American Way, details dozens of cases in which justices Scalia and
Thomas have written or joined opinions that recommend curtailing of
important rights. The report carefully reviews a long list of
high-court decisions that would likely be overturned by Bush
appointees--decisions protecting civil rights, the environment and
a woman's right to choose, to name just a few.
That's why a number of former Nader associates across the country have
joined with me to warn voters. Our message is simple and direct: A
vote for Ralph is a vote for Bush. We want to tear apart the esoteric
and elitist argument that progressive goals will somehow be
strengthened
by this irresponsible campaign, even if Ralph helps Bush get elected.
We want to show how ludicrous it is to say that the Democratic Party
will have been moved to a more progressive, left-liberal place even if
Bush and his right-wing supporters are in the White House and, in all
likelihood, in control of both chambers of Congress.
If Ralph had wanted to gain a voice for progressive points of view,
he would have entered the primaries, as Bill Bradley did. That's what
primaries are for, to help define where a party should stand.
There's no talking Ralph out of his destructive mission, but my goal
is to convince enough progressives that voting for him comes with a
potentially huge price tag.
2000, The Hartford Courant
Toby Moffett is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Connecticut.
This article was printed in the Portland "Oregonian" 7 September 2000.
House Vote Keeps Boy Scouts' Charter
By JIM ABRAMS
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The House came down solidly behind the Boy Scouts
Wednesday with a 362-12 vote against a proposal to revoke their
eight-decade-old federal charter because of the scouting organization's
policy of excluding gays.
Republicans, who brought the legislation to the House floor to show the
lack for support for critics of the Scouts, labeled it an attack on American
values.
Rep. Cass Ballenger, R-N.C., said half the members of the House were
former Scouts and would defend an organization "as American as apple pie and
baseball.''
While the bill's opponents accused its few Democratic supporters of
extremism, Democrats complained that the GOP's only intent was to embarrass
them. Fifty Democrats and one Republican voted "present'' in apparent
protest of the procedure. One Republican, Rep. James Greenwood of
Pennsylvania, voted for the bill.
David Smith of the Human Rights Campaign, a leading gay rights
organization, said Republicans were "trying to change the subject from hate
crimes to Boy Scouts.'' The GOP leadership is resisting Democratic attempts
to pass hate crimes legislation this year.
Beyond the politics, the legislation offered by Rep. Lynn Woolsey,
D-Calif., spotlighted the uneasy relationship between the federal government
and the Boy Scouts since the organization's stance toward gays became a
national issue.
Woolsey said she was a Girl Scout and one of her sons was a Boy Scout.
"We're not saying the Boy Scouts are bad; we're saying that intolerance is
bad.''
"I know the value of scouting, and that's why I believe scouting should
be available to all boys, not just to some boys,'' Woolsey said during
Tuesday night's debate. She was the only Democrat to speak in favor of the
legislation.
In contrast, a long line of Republicans rose to condemn the bill.
"It's an attack on the fundamental values of America,'' said Rep. Chris
Cannon, R-Utah, led by "a small group of extremists on the minority side.''
But Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee,
said Republicans were engaging in a "political stunt'' in bringing to the
floor a bill that had had no hearings or committee vote and didn't have a
chance of passage.
Woolsey said she wasn't told until Monday evening that Republicans were
taking up her legislation. It "was a total surprise to me.''
"We're disappointed that this bill would even be considered,'' Boy Scouts
spokesman Gregg Shields said. Having a federal charter is an honor and "we
hope to continue to live up to that honor,'' he added.
The Boy Scouts got their federal charter in 1916, six years after it was
founded. It is one of about 90 groups with such designation, an honorary
title given to patriotic, charitable and education organizations.
While it confers no specific benefits, receiving a federal charter is a
mark of prestige and national recognition for a group. Among other groups
with federal charters are the American Legion, Future Farmers of America, the
National Tropical Botanical Garden and the National Ski Patrol.
The Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision in June, upheld the Boy Scouts' ban
on homosexuals serving as troop leaders. That ruling may also give legal
backing to the 6.2 million-member organization's rejection of gay youths as
members.
The Scouts asserted that homosexual conduct is inconsistent with the
values it seeks to instill.
Separately in June, President Clinton issued an executive order barring
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in federally conducted
education and training programs.
The Interior Department in August asked the Justice Department for
guidance on how that order affected the holding of Boy Scout Jamborees on
federal lands.
GOP presidential nominee George W. Bush and other Republicans quickly
accused the Clinton administration of trying to throw the scouts off federal
lands. But Attorney General Janet Reno, in a statement this month, said the
tradition of Boy Scouts using federal lands for camping and other activities
could continue.
After the June Supreme Court ruling, Clinton said he is "generally
against discrimination against gays.'' But he refused to criticize the
Scouts or the court's ruling. "The Boy Scouts still are -- they're a great
group. They do a lot of good.''
The bill number is H.R. 4892.
Note from Doug: Here are the twelve courageous members of the House who
voted for the bill: Ackerman, Hastings (FL), Roybal-Allard, Davis (IL),
Kennedy, Stark, Deutsch, Lee, Wexler, Greenwood, McKinney, Woolsey
SAAB DROPS ADS ON "DR. LAURA"
- Another Major Company Says 'No' to Schlessinger
- Who Will Support the TV Show?
Washington, DC -- After an inquiry from StopDrLaura.com, automaker Saab
quickly dropped its advertising from Laura Schlessinger's radio program. As
Saab joined the parade of major companies distancing themselves from
Schlessinger, StopDrLaura.com asks "Who will support her TV show?"
"Saab has an important audience and customer base in the gay and lesbian
community, and it would hardly be our intention to offend this audience by
appearing to support Dr. Laura's points of view..." wrote Dan Chasins,
president of Saab USA, in an e-mail today to StopDrLaura.com. "Our agency
has been instructed to pull any Saab radio spots from the Dr. Laura show,
and
that we will not place any further advertising on the show," Chasins wrote.
SAAB's announcement was made just 24 hours after both Radio Shack and Motel
6
made similar announcements. "At this point, we'd like to know just who is
going to support Schlessinger's TV show," said John Selig, a spokesperson
with StopDrLaura.com.
Schlessinger's TV show, offered by Paramount Television, is set to debut
September 11. StopDrLaura.com has announced National Days of Protest to
coincide with the show's debut, and are organizing activists to monitor
local
advertising that may appear. "The success we've had in mobilizing the
community on these advertisers will be translated to the local level," Selig
said. "Advertisers big and small will hear from customers and the
community:
intolerance is bad for business, and so is Schlessinger."
Other companies that have severed connections with Schlessinger include:
Procter & Gamble, Priceline.com, Natrol, Red Lobster, Gateway Computers,
EchoStar/Dish Network, Skytel, Geico Insurance, Xerox, ToysRUs.com,
More.com,
BoxLot, the Ohio State Lottery, United Airlines, AT&T, American Express,
Kraft, Kroger, Amica Insurance and TCF Bank.
Richard Hatch Wins 'Survivor' Contest
By FRAZIER MOORE
.c The Associated Press
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (Aug. 24) - He was taunted for his penchant for nudity,
condemned as manipulative and even called a snake by a fellow castaway.
On Wednesday, Richard Hatch earned another label: millionaire.
The 39-year-old corporate trainer took home the cash prize and a new car on
the final episode of CBS' ''Survivor,'' confounding those certain his
scheming would cost him in the end.
''I didn't think he'd win it,'' said Andrew Gold, co-owner of Golds Wood
Fired Grill & Cafe, where Hatch ate almost daily while he trained for the
show. ''He wasn't worried if people liked him or didn't like him. You can
hate him for that or call him arrogant. Obviously, it worked.''
Outlasting Susan Hawk, Rudy Boesch and Kelly Wiglesworth, Hatch became the
sole survivor from the original 16 who marooned themselves on the remote
tropical island Pulau Tiga at the series' launch in May.
The final choice - between Hatch and Wiglesworth - was handed down by a jury
of seven former tribe-mates. Their vote - some complete with personal
vitriol
- was a squeaker: 4 to 3.
''I wouldn't change anything that I did,'' Rich told the jury in a final
statement.
Then, waiting for the ballots to be tallied, he admitted, ''I can't
breathe.''
When ''Survivor'' host Jeff Probst finally called out his name, there was a
sprinkling of applause from his fellow castaways. Rich looked stunned.
His sister, Sue, however, leapt out of her chair at the Sportsticket bar in
Middletown. ''Good for him,'' she said. ''He played the game well and he
deserves it.''
The scene in Kernville, Calif., was different: A chorus of boos and hisses
followed news that Wiglesworth, the 23-year-old runner-up, would be taking
home the second-place prize of $100,000.
''I'm so disappointed, but I'm proud of her at the same time,'' said Amanda
Szecsei, 25, who works with Wiglesworth as a river guide for White Water
Voyages.
When ''Survivor'' premiered three months ago, critics called it ''Gilligan's
Island'' meets ''Lord of the Flies.''
But the TV show more directly comparable was ''Dallas.'' Since that drama's
''Who Shot J.R.?'' stunt in 1980, nothing on television had gripped the
nation in quite the same way - until ''Survivor.''
An audience that experts said might reach 40 million viewers awaited the
final resolution. Fans threw ''Survivor'' parties, complete with tropical
costumes and the ever-present threat of getting voted out of the bash.
At the Newport Athletic Club, where Hatch trained before going on the show
and still works out, a crowd of about 40 people watching the final episode
erupted in cheers.
The club was decorated with balloon parrots and mini-torches with the names
of the final four contestants. The bartender snuffed out the torches one by
one as the finalists were eliminated.
Jon Smyth, Hatch's personal trainer, said he never had an inkling who the
winner was. Then he thought back to a moment before Hatch left for the
island.
''He looked me dead in the eye and said, 'I'm going to win this competition'
and I said, 'I know,''' Smyth said. ''It was strange, but he said it with
the
most confidence I've ever seen.''
Hatch's friends and family said he gave no hint he was the winner - even
though it had been several months since he returned from the island. The
only
sign of his new wealth: major renovations on his house.
''He walked in, I saw him, and I said, 'What happened?' and he would only
say
'What do you think? How do you think I did?''' said Karen Massaro, a fitness
director. ''Believe me I tried to get it out of him.''
Jumping on the reality-TV bandwagon, CBS launched the 13-week ''Survivor''
show on May 31 to breathe life into a prime-time schedule largely filled
with
reruns. The show had been taped during 39 days last spring.
Hatch, 39, quickly became the contestant everyone loved to hate. In his
professional life, he specializes in team building and conflict resolution.
On the remote island off Borneo, he used lies and subversion to form an
alliance that helped him win.
''That's a side of Rich I've never seen before,'' said Smyth. ''In real life
Rich is a warm, fun guy to be around. He's funny.''
The victor began reaping the spoils of fame even before Wednesday. Hatch
will
spend next week as the host of a morning talk show on a local radio station
and he's featured with the final four in a ''Got Milk?'' mustache
advertisement. He's been hounded by autograph seekers and, openly gay, has
been inundated with marriage proposals from men and women.
But when Hatch got back home he faced an unforeseen challenge:
Just days after returning from the island last April he was charged with
second-degree child abuse.
His then 9-year-old son told police Hatch pulled him by the ear and wrapped
his hands around his neck when the youngster grew fatigued on a run. The
criminal case is pending. Hatch is suing police and state child welfare
officials for false imprisonment and defamation and is seeking more than $1
million in damages.
March 8, 2000
Gay.com
FBI investigates missing
Millennium March funds
by Michelangelo Signorile
Gay.com Editor at Large
Just when the controversy surrounding the Millennium March on Washington
was dying down, what may be the most explosive chapter is unfolding. Last
week, the Federal Bureau of Investigation launched an investigation of
several people associated with MMOW and the disappearance of up to a
million dollars in proceeds from the Millennium Festival.
Two special agents from the FBI's white collar crime unit met with Michael
Boucher, an attorney with the Washington law firm of McKenna & Cuneo who
has acted as general counsel for the March, and two MMOW board members,
North Carolina attorney Michael Armentrout and Human Rights Campaign
staffer Margaret Conway. Armentrout is also on the board of HRC.
"I would love it if they have taken the case and will be speaking to
people," Boucher said Monday morning.
By Monday afternoon he got his wish: An FBI spokeswoman confirmed that
"(the FBI has) received the referral and we will begin an investigation
into an undetermined amount of money missing from the Millennium March on
Washington."
At least three people associated with MMOW have been identified as
suspects, Boucher said.
The money in question is from the Millennium Festival, the fenced-in
street fair chock full of merchandise booths and food vendors. Admission
to the Festival was $5. Each of the several hundred thousand attendees was
given a wristband when they paid. According to Boucher, the wristbands and
the money do not match.
"There are wristbands that are unaccounted for, and there is money that is
missing," Boucher said.
"There's a lot of money that wasn't deposited. Where is it? I don't know.
We all want to see the perpetrators caught, but I don't know if that will
happen." Nonetheless, Boucher is determined. Whether or not the FBI finds
enough evidence to charge the suspects, he said MMOW will file a civil
suit.
"We want the money," he says forcefully. "People have donated their time
to this and to have a bunch of crooks run awayâ€"it gets me angry."
According to Boucher, the exact amount missing is not known. "It could be
a million, yes," he said. "We are being told it is still being counted. A
million dollars is a lot of cash if that's what's missing, but so is
$500,000 or $250,000. You don't just lose that."
More than a week after the March and Festival, the full MMOW board of
directors has not been informed about the missing money.
"This is the first I've heard of this," board member Rev. Troy Perry of
Metropolitan Community Churches said when he heard the news. "I'm
shocked," he whispered.
As of Monday morning, MMOW's board of directors had not scheduled any
post-March meetings. Nor has the full board been given a complete
accounting of the March and the Festival.
Board member Deborah Oakley-Melvin has been waiting days for word of a
final board meeting.
"As a board member, I'm entitled to information about the running of the
March and of the Festival, and the thing I'm most distressed about is not
knowing on the levels that I should," Oakley-Melvin said via telephone
from Rome, where she is organizing World Pride 2000, 10 days of events in
the Eternal City in July.
She is one of the few members who has been on the MMOW board since its
inception two years ago.
"There hasn't been a financial accounting to the board yet. Clearly,
things are happening, people need to be paid. I would like to know that
things are being taken care of and that staff has been compensated and
vendors have been compensated." She says that she has "reason to believe"
that at least one vendor has not been paid.
Told about the FBI investigation, Oakley-Melvin said, "I just heard that
today myself," though not officially through the MMOW board. "Of course,
one hopes it's not true. It's not difficult to let people know when
there's a problem and I would like to know as a board member when there's
a problem."
Boucher said he hadn't contacted board members because of the gravity of
the investigation. "With so much money missing, and you don't know who did
it, we were reluctant to broadcast this widely," he said. "It doesn't help
with an investigation. It muddies waters. We wanted some time to figure it
out."
MISSISSIPPI PASSES LAW BANNING GAY COUPLES FROM ADOPTING
Gay Adoption Ban is a Blow to Family Values and Hurts Children, Says HRC
JACKSON, Miss. - Mississippi Gov. Ronnie Musgrove (D) signed a bill into law
that has made Mississippi the third state - along with Florida and Utah - to
ban gay couples from adopting. The new discriminatory, unconstitutional law
is a direct assault on family values and takes adoption decisions out of the
hands of trained professionals and places them in the hands of politicians,
according to the Human Rights Campaign.
"The process of trained professionals basing adoption decisions on
the best interests of children was usurped by politicians who are only
interested in the best interests of their reelection campaigns," said HRC
National Field Director Seth Kilbourn. "It is tragic that with nearly a
half million children still languishing in foster care nationwide, the only
thing the Mississippi legislature is willing to adopt is an anti-gay law
that denies children loving, secure homes."
According to the Associated Press, the American Civil Liberties
Union has vowed to file suit on behalf of an unidentified gay couple
planning an adoption in Mississippi. Mississippi already has a 3-year-old
law that bans same-sex marriages.
In the legislative battle over adoption, religious groups were
divided on the issue. According to the AP, the state's top Episcopal leader
urged the defeat of the ban. Baptists and Methodists lobbied for it. The
law, which takes effect July 1, says "adoption by couples of the same gender
is prohibited."
An August, 1997 poll conducted by Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates shows
that more than half of voters (55 percent) would oppose a law that would
prevent gay men and lesbian from adopting children. The poll also shows that
75 percent of Americans agree that lesbians and gay men can be just as good
parents as heterosexuals.
The American Psychological Association reports that studies
comparing groups of children raised by gay and non-gay parents find no
developmental differences between the two groups of children in their
intelligence, social and psychological adjustment, popularity with friends,
development of sex role identity or development of sexual orientation.
The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian and gay
political organization, with members throughout the country. It effectively
lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to
ensure that lesbian and gay Americans can be open, honest and safe at home,
at work and in the community.
Southern Voice, May 4, 2000
( http://www.sovo.com )
Ala. close to passing pro-gay hate crimes bill
from Staff and Wire Reports
A bill to add "sexual orientation" to Alabama's existing hate crimes law
was within one vote of passing the state's legislature at press time.
Alabama State Sen. Alvin Holmes played a key role in manuvering the hate
crimes amendment toward passage.
Despite Republican opposition, the Alabama state senate's judiciary
committee approved the bill on April 26 with a vote that split 6-3 on party
lines.
As Alabama's legislative session winds down, the bill now faces only one
more vote-before the full Senate-before it could be passed on to Gov. Don
Siegelman, a Democrat, to be signed into law. A spokesperson for Siegelman
did not respond to questions about whether he would sign the bill.
At press time Tuesday, the bill was pending on the Senate calendar, but
had not been scheduled for a vote, and the legislature was set to adjourn on
May 15.
But supporters in the legislature, including the bill's sponsor, Rep.
Alvin Holmes (D-Montgomery), and Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Rodger
Smitherman (D-Birmingham) suggested it could pass.
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance of Alabama has used e-mail to urge supporters
to contact legislators and ask them to vote for the bill. George Olsson, the
group's Montgomery coordinator, predicted constituent contact could be the
key to passing the bill through the full Senate.
"If it only goes this far, than this is at least farther than it went
last year," Olsson told Southern Voice. "But I'm just hoping that enough
homosexuals and their friends have called their senators to let it be known
that this has been covered hither and yon.
"The entire nation's aware of this vote," he said.
The plight of gays in Alabama made national headlines last year when
Billy Jack Gaither, a gay Sylacauga resident, was beaten to death and burned
on a pyre of tires by two men who claimed he made a pass at them.
Action Info
Alabama State Senate
Lt. Gov. Steve Windom
Suite 725, 11 S. Union Street, Montgomery, AL 36130
swindom@ltgov.state.al.us
In the wake of Gaither's death, GLAA surveyed more than 200 participants
at gay events in Birmingham. Of those surveyed, 39 percent reported
experiencing hate acts like vandalism, threats, or assaults.
Alabama law already mandates minimum prison terms that felons must serve
for crimes motivated by race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity or
physical or mental disability.
FAMILY GARDEN AT MMOW IS LARGEST EVER GLBT FAMILY EVENT
7000 Parents, Children, Family and Friends Celebrate & Rejuvenate at Family
Garden, coordinated by the Family Pride Coalition, COLAGE & PFLAG and
sponsored by Gay.com
Washington, DC-- The Family Garden during the Millennium March on
Washington (MMOW) drew 7,000 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender parents
and their children, friends and other family members to the Mall in
Washington, DC on Sunday, April 30. Martina Navratilova, Melissa Etheridge
and her partner Julie Cypher energized the Family Garden crowd when they
visited in the morning.
The event is the largest ever GLBT family event, and marks the first time
that a national march featured a special location devoted to GLBT parents and
their children.
The Family Pride Coalition, a national coalition of GLBT parenting groups
and individual parents, and Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere (COLAGE)
coordinated the Family Garden, with sponsorship support from Gay.com.
Volunteers from Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
also assisted during the day. The Family Garden featured a special Toddler
Zone with toys; a picnic and game area that included three-legged races and
tug-of-war; a craft area; a quiet and private area for napping,
diaper-changing or breast-feeding; and a stage that featured clowns, drummers
and other performers or spontaneous performances by children throughout the
day. The site was located at a tree-covered, grassy corner of the Mall at
Madison and 7th Street, NW, near the stage of the MMOW.
"During an election year, our opponents will use rhetoric about 'family
values' to attack GLBT individuals and families. The Family Garden embodied
the reality of our community's family values - love, respect and commitment,"
said C. Ray Drew, executive director of the Family Pride Coalition.
A Family March kicked off the day, with several hundred people marching
from the Smithsonian Castle to the Family Garden at 9 AM. Throughout the
Family Garden, which featured free snacks, water and fruit juices, families
picnicked, played, and met up with old friends and made new ones. A group of
men and their children gathered around a sign that read, "Men with
Strollers." Other T-shirts and signs said, "My Mommies Rule," "Proud Bisexual
Daughter of a Lesbian Mother," and "I Love My Transgender Parent." Older
COLAGE kids painted the faces of younger children and helped make signs and
T-shirts with paints and glitter. Some families spent the entire day at the
Family Garden, while others stopped by to rest or rejuvenate after a long day
of marching and rallying.
"The Family Garden allowed parents to participate in the day's events
without leaving their children behind," Drew said. "GLBT parents often face
a choice between their families and their political involvement. By creating
a space for families, we wanted to make sure no families need to isolate
themselves from political and community events."
"Many parents told me that their children didn't want to leave the Family
Garden," said Suzette Southfox, program director for Family Pride and a
coordinator of the Family Garden. "Others said that they almost didn't come
to the march because they were worried about their children in the crowd.
They were thrilled when they heard about the Family Garden."
The Family Garden at the MMOW was modeled after a similar area at the
GLBT pride festival in San Diego, which is where Family Pride is based.
Carolina Ramos, a longtime Family Pride supporter and board member of the
Latino/a Lesbian and Gay Organization (LLEGO), originally created the idea
and was instrumental in producing the Family Garden at MMOW. Siobhan
Hinckley produced the event. COLAGE staff members and volunteers, including
executive director Felicia Park-Rogers and Jude Koski and DC area COLAGE
member Ryan Lalonde, spearheaded numerous activities for small children,
teens and young adults. A small but dedicated group of volunteers helped
ensure a smooth and safe event. Family Pride and COLAGE also sponsored a
Family Dance on Saturday night attended by several hundred people.
Family Pride produces a publication called, "How to Create a Children's
Garden," to help other communities create similar events. The publication is
available at Family Pride's web site at www.familypride.org.
--end--
For Immediate Release: Contact: C. Ray Drew, executive director of the Family
Pride Coalition, 619-296-0199
**************************
Family Pride Coalition
P.O Box 34337
San Diego, CA 92163
619-296-0199 phone ** 619-296-0699 fax
pride@familypride.org
Founded in 1979, the mission of the Family Pride Coalition is to advance the
well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents and their
families through mutual support, community collaboration, and public
understanding.
Contact: Corri Planck, Communications Director
(202) 467-8108
cplanck@mmow.org
MILLENNIUM MARCH ON WASHINGTON PARTICIPATION EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS
800,000 GLBT People and Supporters Converge on National Mall
WASHINGTON, April 30, 2000 -- An estimated 800,000 gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender people, along with their friends, families and
allies, marched on the national mall today as part of the Millennium
march on Washington for Equality.
"The gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community and their
supporters sent a powerful message to the rest of the country today,"
said Dianne Hardy-Garcia, executive director of the Millennium March on
Washington. "We ushered in the new millennium by declaring our
commitment to families, employment non-discrimination, racial justice
and an end to hate crimes and HIV/AIDS.
The crowd began by marching from the Washington Monument to the National
Mall. The crowd was led by activists including Melissa Etheridge, Ellen
DeGeneres, Anne Heche, Wilson Cruz, the parents of Matthew Shepard,
Martina Navratilova, Rev. Troy Perry, U.S. Reps Tammy Baldwin and
Jerrold Nadler, co-chairs of the Millennium March on Washington board of
directors Nicole Murray-Ramirez, Duane Cramer and several others.
The Millennium March on Washington was the fourth national GLBT civil
rights march to promote equal rights for all gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender individuals.
For Immediate Release: May 1, 2000
NEWS FROM: The Ad Hoc Committee for an Open Process
A Movement in Reverse: MMOW 125,000 Crowd Size Further Exposes Failed
Leadership
April 30th's Millennium March on Washington (MMOW) was attended by 125,000
people, a dramatic plunge in participation compared to the 1993 and 1987
national marches. The low turnout helped to confirm criticisms aimed at the
closed-door organizing process of this event.
In 1993 the Washington, D.C. Police estimated the crowd size to be one
million, but this year estimated the MMOW crowd size at 200,000. The 1987
March on Washington drew 500,000.
Propelled by sponsorship agreements and propped up by a collection of
privately produced for-profit events, the MMOW saw such a small turnout
because it failed to involve and mobilize the grassroots activists and it
failed to be accountable to the community it claimed to represent.
Activists from across the country sat this event out, opting instead to
organize voters locally and donating their time and money to real
grassroots work.
Desperate to inflate the poor showing, MMOW media doctors sent out a bold,
even laughable press release claiming 750,000 in attendance. However, no
amount of media spin can manufacture over 600,000 people out of thin air.
THE NUMBERS
First hand accounts of the crowd size and other data confirm the more
realistic figure of 125,000 for the event. The claim by the organizers that
the Mall was filled from at 2 PM EDT from 4th to 14th Streets is not true,
according to people attending the event. By 1:30 PM EDT the entire march
was on the Mall, leaving the Washington Monument Grounds empty.
The western quarter of the Mall (12th-14th Streets) was virtually empty at
2 PM EDT — the height of the event.
The distance from the stage to 14th Street was 4,400 feet. The width of the
Mall between Madison and Jefferson Drs. is 600 ft. The Mall area used for
the rally crowd was 2,640,000 sq. ft. If there were 750,000 people on the
Mall, then each person would have only 3.52 square feet of area. Further,
since the Mall was not filled at the western end and there was only a very
thin crowd on the tree-covered panels of the Mall, the crowd populated less
than half of the Mall. If each person was on a 3-ft. x 3-ft. area (9 sq.
ft.) then only 147,000 people could have filled the available area.
However, the crowd was not that densely packed. Even in the middle of the
crowd, there were significant spaces. Traffic passed through on 7th St. The
areas behind tents and the media risers were empty. The true size of the
MMOW crowd was closer to 100,000 people. If 25,000 were at the festival,
then the total for the day was at most 125,000.
Comparisons to the 1993 March on Washington (MOW) also demonstrate that the
event was no where near what the MMOW organizers claim. In 1993, virtually the
entire Mall was filled at 4:30 PM EDT. (This is an analogous time to
the MMOW's 2:30 PM since the 1993 March On Washington started at Noon
and the MMOW started at 10:00 AM.) In 1993 the western end of the Mall was
thinly populated at 4:30 PM. However, at that time there still were more
than 100,000 people on the Washington Monument Grounds waiting to march and
tens of thousands were still marching along the entire march route.
Additionally, the fact that the 1993 March took seven hours to complete
compared to the MMOW's 3 1/2 hours indicates that today's event was
significantly smaller. The 1993 march route was longer, but the width of
the march was nearly double, and many people abandoned the 1993 route
and marched straight down the Mall from the Washington Monument Grounds.
Both of these facts support the idea that far fewer people attended the MMOW
than attended the 1993 MOW.
THE SIGNIFICANCE
What this means is that the Millennium March was not only dramatically
smaller than the 1993 MOW, it was significantly smaller than the 1987
March. Both the 1987 and 1993 events built on the 1979 March (100,000),
showing increasing movement strength and political power. MMOW has taken
several steps in the opposite direction. The message for the GLBT community
is that if national leadership fails to organize democratically, then the
people will not be mobilized. A fourth national march on Washington should
have been supported by over a million people, like the MMOW organizers had
earlier promised. Instead, the closed process of the MMOW shut out hundreds
of thousands of people from an important organizing process. The crowd size
at the MMOW is the hard fact that resulted from the failed leadership of
the Millennium March on Washington.
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