NATIONAL

Continued from previous page.

The Issues and Practices project will build on an exploratory study of hate crimes

completed by NIJ in October, 1987

crime victims."

The Issues and Practices project will build on an exploratory study of hate crimes completed by NIJ in October, 1987, which concluded that "homosexuals are probably the most frequent victims" of hate violence. Despite efforts by NGLTF and more than seventy members of Congress to persuade the Justice Department to conduct a followup study, no action has been taken for a full year. Accordingly, NGLTF-joined by Gay and Jewish groups in Connecticut-urged Senator Weicker to seek appropriations report language requiring additional study of the issue. The Weicker language was adopted by a conference committee and the bill passed the House and Senate on September 27.

which are

Issues and Practices studies routinely conducted by NIJ are practical, in-depth examinations of critical issues facing law enforcement and criminal justice practitioners. Whereas the initial NIJ exploratory study on hate crimes cost less than $20,000, the Issues and Practices project is expected to cost as much or more than $100,000.

"We are delighted that Senator Weicker and his colleagues in Congress have directed NIJ to combat hate crimes," said Kevin Berrill, Director of NGLTF's Anti-Violence Project. "An Issues and Practices study should significantly improve the law enforcement response to bias-motivated attacks against Lesbian and Gay people and other minority groups. We are very grateful to Senator Weicker for his help on this issue and for his continuing support of our struggle to be free from discrimination and violence."

JLDHS to hold 7th gathering Nov. 11-13

BOSTON On November 9, 1938 on what became know as Kristallnacht -the Holocaust began. Fifty years later, Jewish Lesbian Daughters of Holocaust Survivors (JLDHS) will gather to commemorate that night in a weekend of discussion, support, and networking around issues faced by children of survivors.

The gathering, to be held November 11-13 1988 in western Massachusetts, will be the seventh semiannual meeting of JLDHS since the group began with six members only three years ago. Today there are more than 100 members from across the United States and Canada, and the list is growing as more Lesbian daughters of survivors learn of the existence of this support group.

JLDHS is for Lesbians whose parent or parents survived the Holocaust. This includes parents who were in nazi Europe or North Africa in 1933 or later and who survived death camps or in hiding, by passing as non-Jews, or by managing to leave for safer territories. Jewish and non-Jewish Lesbian partners of daughters are welcomed, and may attend workshops specifically for part-

ners.

For further information write Box 6194, Boston, MA 02114, or call (617) 321-4254. ■

On Quayle

INDIANA Republican Vice President candidate R. Danforth Quayle accused thenincumbent Senator Birch Bayh of being a liberal soft on Gay rights during their 1980 Senate campaign. One piece of Quayle campaign literature accused Bayh of "promoting homosexuality," and won the election by 167,000 votes.

-Entertainment Cruise Magazine

LOCAL

Democratic hopeful Dukakis speaks in Seattle

by Chuck Martin

Gov. Michael Dukakis at the Pike Place Market.

A crowd estimated at 10,000 braved the wind and rain last Friday, packing the area around the north end of Pike Place Market to support

Dukakis.

Presidential candidate Mike

But some of the largest cheers were for a person conspicuously absent: Mike Lowry.

Dukakis was joined on the platform by his wife, his daughter, actress Debra Winger, Seattle Mayor Charles Royer, Lieutenant

Governor candidate George Fleming, and Governor Booth Gardner.

Dukakis' speech, essentially the same he had given in Sacramento earlier in the day continued the issues raised in the debate the night before.

"Think of where we'll be in four years from now if we elect a man who thinks Ed Meese was a great Attorney General; who thinks that James Watt did an excellent job as Secretary of the Interior; who thinks, as he said last night, that Robert Bork would have

Photo by Chuck Martin

made an outstanding member of the Supreme Court; and that Dan Qualyle is the man best qualified to be one heartbeat away from the Presidency.

"Think of where we'll be four years from now if the Republicans win this election. A Supreme Court full of Robert Borks. Turning the clock back on civil rights. On the right to privacy.

"We can do better than that."

One might have expected, with the backdrop behind Dukakis' speech would have been his standard good jobs at good wages rhetoric. But he came out firing with both barrels, a strategy likely based on recent polls showing him trailing in many areas.

Yet Governor Gardner, in introductory remarks, noted a current Washington State poll showing Dukakis leading the state 47 percent to 40 percent.

About an hour before Dukakis' appearance a small pocket of Bush supporters made themselves known with chants and ugly signs. They were quickly drowned out.

As Royer warmed up the crowd an especially difficult task considering the weather it became obvious who the crowd also wanted to see; the chant "Lowry, Lowry, Lowry" was one of the loudest.

And Dukakis earned some of his biggest cheers near end of his speech with his comment: "And I want to make sure that the same time you send Mike Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen to Washington, you send Mike Lowry back there with us in the U.S. Congress. He's one of the best.

Chris Crowley, of Dukakis' Washington campaign, said before the rally that the candidate would make another appearance in the state before the election.

OFFICIAL NOTICE TO VOTERS

The following proposed constitutional amendments are to be submitted to voters at the state General Election to be held on November 8, 1988. The following ballot titles and explanatory statements were prepared by the Office of the Attorney General. This is a legal publication as required by law from the Office of the Secretary of State.

HOUSE

JOINT

RESOLUTION

4222

Official Ballot Title: Shall the legislature's authority to exempt from tax $300 of a family head's personal property value be increased to $3,000?

The law as it now exists:

While the State Constitution requires that taxes be uniform on the same class of property, it specifically authorizes the legislature to exempt $300 of personal property value from taxation for each head of a family.

HOUSE JOINT

The effect of HJR 4222, if approved into law:

If approved, HJR 4222 will increase from $300 to $3,000 the value of personal property that the legislature is authorized to exempt from taxation for each head of a family.

RESOLUTION

4223

Official Ballot Title: Shall the constitutional authority for public utilities to assist residential energy conservation continue and extend to other structures and equipment?

The law as it now exists:

The State Constitution prohibits municipal corporations, such as counties, cities and public utility districts, from giving or lending their funds to private persons who are not poor or infirm. In 1979, the Constitution was amended to specifically permit the legislature to authorize municipal corporations which sell or distribute energy to assist owners of residential structures to finance the acquisition and installation of materials and equipment for the conservation or more effective use of energy.

Official Ballot Title:

The law as it now exists:

This 1979 HOUSE JOINT

constitutional authorization expires on January 1, 1990. The effect of HJR 4223, if approved into law:

If approved, HJR 4223 will permit the continuation of the energy conservation program for residences by eliminating the expiration date of January 1, 1990. It will also permit the legislature to expand the eligibility of the program to all structures and equipment but will exclude any purposes which result in a conversion from one energy source to another.

RESOLUTION

4231

Shall references in the State Constitution to "idiots, insane, dumb, and defective youth" be removed and new language be added?

The State Constitution declares that "idiots and insane persons" are not eligible to vote. The Constitution, in describing educational, reformatory and penal institutions which shall be operated and supported by the state, also refers to the institutions for the benefit of "blind, deaf dumb or otherwise defective youth, and for the insane or the idiotic."

The effect of HJR 4231, if approved into law:

If approved, HJR 4231 would remove from the State Constitution references to "idiots, insane, dumb, otherwise defective youth and idiotic." New language would provide that individuals who are judicially declared mentally incompetent would be ineligible to vote during the period of their incompetency. The description of institutions operated or supported by the state would add new language referring to "youth who are blind or deaf or otherwise disabled; and persons who are mentally ill or developmentally disabled."

For more information on elections and voting, call the toll-free Secretary of State Voter Information Hotline: 1-800-448-4881

October 21, 1988

Seattle Gay News ⚫ 7