page 10

Navis Interview continued from p. 8

comes out of people's not knowing other people as human beings.

This church is doing nothing for gays and lesbians; nothing. There are no programs in this Diocese for gays and lesbians; there are no retreats. You talk about pastoral care and full membership in the Church: in this Diocese that doesn't exist.

The Catholic Church has educated its people to look to the Church to make their moral decisions for them. When you have a structure with that much power over people's minds, then it has far-reaching implications in society. What the Church teaches influences how society looks at right and wrong, healthy and sick, natural and unnatural.

How do you feel about Dignity's decision to not support the prayer vigil?

I feel that Dignity has withdrawn from me. I feel abandoned by a group of which I felt an integral part. I was on its Social Justice Committee and worked with the choir for three years. When I really needed to feel strong support, I did not feel any support. feel mistrusted by them, and I don't know why they mistrust me.

I've heard things from people that make me feel that there are erroneous stories being passed around. I feel that I'm not being dealt with honestly. Not one person from that organization has called me in the past three weeks. Not one person has called me to find out how I am, what happened, to get the real story.

and

Dignity's position on my firing has hurt the gay community and it has hurt themselves. An organization that calls itself "Dignity" cannot take a firm stand and support one of its own members who is losing his job because he is gay, is losing its credibility.

Should everybody come out?

Yes, I think everybody should come out. They should do that to the level they feel comfortable. For every gay man and woman it should be their life's work.

It's time to stop thinking about the closet as a place of comfort. It offers some comfort, but it's very destructivé. We want other people to know who we are, but when we stay in the closet we deprive them of that information. How are our families, and the people in our workplaces, and society in general going to know who we are, what is beautiful about us, what is healthy about us, what is affirmative, what is gifted, what is essential about us, unless we say who we are and decide not to take a back seat anymore?

When you talk like that, the usual reaction, from the closeted community, is "Everybody can't do that' I'm tired of hearing that. I know everybody can't do that. But that's not going to stop me from knowing that the extent to which you stay in the closet is the extent to which you continue a whole cycle of destructive patterns:

Gay Peoples Chronicle

The Community Responds

Since the Cleveland Chapter of Black and White Men Together is committed to justice within the gay community and to justice for the gay community, we find that we must speak out on behalf of Mr. Robert Navis, Jr. We believe that "due process" is one of the necessary conditions for there to be justice and in as much as Mr. Navis is being deprived of it, in his being denied continuing employment, an injustice is being done to him. Therefore, we add our voices in protest with others in the gay community. And since the Midwest Regional Discrimination Response System, Inc. is

a project of the Cleveland, Columbus, and Youngstown chapters for the achievement of such justice, it too must join in the protest.

Yours truly,

Cleveland Chapter

Black and White Men Together

Midwest Regional Discrimination Response System, Inc.

The case western Reserve University Lesbian/Jay Student Union wishes to lend its support to 3ob Mavis, Jr. and Jeffrey verhardstein in their courageous attempt at letting justice

be heard.

The Catholic Church has for centuries nelped fouter te against our gay brothers and sisters by twisting, distorting, and withholding the truth. In the name of Church doctrine, millions have had to live closeted lives full of fear, self-hatred, and shake.

Ae thank you, Bob and Jeffrey, for showing Cleveland that no one should have to live life according to the expectations of others. Thank you for standing up for who you are in the face of overwhelming bigotry. You are an inspiration.

Sincerely yours,

Michiel Smith

Michael Smith

Fresident

Lesbian/Jay Student Union

The Case Western Reserve University's Minority Interests Committee of the University Program Board strongly supports Bob Navis and Jeffery Gerhardstein

in their efforts to take a stand for their basic human right to love.

We are appalled at a Church that on the one hand preaches peace while on the other hand it continuously violently disrupts the lives of our lesbian and gay friends and family members. It is a Church that seems to believe that God wants lesbians and gays to be lonely, lifeless pawns of the Church.

"

We thank God that Jeffrey and Bob have the courage to stand up against this hypocrisy, and we join them in celebrating their loving relationship.

Sincerely yours,

Cor Dawn

Robert B. Daroff, Jr.

Chairperson

Minority Interests Committee

It is appalling that in these days of (alleged) enlightenment and education that an excellent teacher stands to lose his job due to sexual preference.

This action would be inexcusable even if society were still stagnating in the superstition that male homosexuals should be banned from teaching to prevent molestation of little boys--Bob Navis is teaching at an all girls school! Is it believed that he will teach the the young ladies salacious songs? (Further, heterosexual males overwhelmingly are the molesters of children. Keeping Bob Navis at Erieview might actually be protection for the young women.)

The action taken at Erieview is ludicrous...and frightening.. A man perfectly capable of teaching and doing a wonderful job is in danger of losing his job. Shameful!

The Women's Center of Case Western Reserve University offers its complete support to Bob Navis and his lover Jeffrey Gerhardstein, and hopes that Erieview comes back to its senses and prevents a great wrong--the possible ruination of a man's life.

In Solidarity,

Kathurne Clark

Katherine Clark Co-coordinator C.W.R.U. Women's Center

The Board of Directors of Dignity/Cleveland, Inc. wish to express our concern regarding social justice issues involving members of the gay and lesbian community. Dignity/Cleveland does not condone any type of discrimination based on sexual orientation. We believe all persons deserve the basic human and civil rights necessary to promote human dignity.

As we request others to be sensitive to the needs and concerns of the gay and lesbian community, we also appreciate the need for sensitivity by all. sides in any situation. At this time, we do not feel all the, facts have been presented in the current situation between Robert Navis, Jr. and the Catholic Diocese and therefore, we will not make a statement on this issue.

The Board of Directors believes we must work within the current structure of the Catholic Church to eradicate every type of discrimination, yet we do not support militant reactions against any organization. We must attempt to be Christ-like in our relationships with all our brothers and sisters regardless of anyone's personal preferences.

The Board of Directors Dignity/Cleveland, Inc.

"

July 1985

The leanor Roosevelt lay Janocratic Club strongly opposes discrimination, particularly discrimination based on sexual orientation or affectual preference. e firmly believe that all people are createi squal and that sexual orientation should not be a criteria for determining employment, buying or renting a hone, ottaining credit, insurance, health care or use of public accomodations. The Clat strongly supports the prayer vigil as an expression of community sentiment.

The Eleanor Roosevelt Gay Jemocratic Club urges Cleveland City Council to enact a municipal ordinance which would outlaw such discrimination and provide a fair legal process where those who have been victims could seek redress in the courts.

Yours truly,

GuineJay

Jerry Lords Fresident

The Cleveland chapter of the Gay/Lesbian Academic Union strongly backs the actions that Bob Navis and Jeffrey Gehrardstein are taking. Forcing gay people to conceal their sexual orientacica is a very common techaique of the heterosexis: elements of American society. As a chapter of a national organization that was formed partly to ensure the right of persons engaged ia teaching to be gay without being penalized, we are particularly concerned about Mr. Navis' treatment.

1

ت

S. Vrie

J. S. Price

The Jay Educational and awareness Resources Foundation (LAN) was founded to promote basic human rights for all Americans. Frimary to our objectives is equal constitutional protection for all citizens" without regard to sexual orientation. History has proven that when people stand by and watch otners lose their liberty, they too soon lose their freedom.

In this light, the Jear Foundation wholeheartedly supports Robert Navis Jr. in his quest for due process and equal constitutional protection. nen un individual's basic human rights are violated, each American becomes more vulnerable to discrimination and loss of liberty.

Sincerely,

Dr. H. Bockma

The Gay Mothers Group wishes to add their support to Robert Navis whose contract with the Cleveland Catholic Diosese was not renewed for next year because it was discovered he was gay. Seventeen years of service as a Musical Director means nothing now, because he is gay. We are 100% behind him in his decision to fight the loss of his job because of discrimination against his homosexuality.

God created homosexuals as surely as he created heterosexuals, and numerous variations in between. We are no more able to change our sexual orientation than heterosexuals can change theirs.

We are mothers, and we are gay, and we don't molest our children or try to alter their sexual orientation. Your children are more at risk from heterosexual males than they ever will be from gay males. Statistics tell us 98% of all rapes, child molestation and incest are committed by heterosexuals. With that in mind, would you eliminate all male teachers in our schools just to be safe? Of course not.

The church could perform a great service in helping stamp out sexual prejudice in this country, by keeping Robert Navis on the job. Being gay doesn't automatically make a person a danger to society. We must eliminate all prejudices against any one who happens to be different from the majority, whether that be race, religion, or sexual preference.

Stop the persecution! We can't change who we are any more than you can. Sincerely,

The Westside Gay Mothers Group and

The Eastside Gay Mothers Group

The Gay Peoples Chronicle absolutely opposes any attempt by any institution to force a gay person back into the closet. The strength of the gay/lesbian, community, here and nationally, depends upon its members being openly gay. Any attempt to prevent this directly threatens the entire community. We strongly support the prayer vigil as an expression of community sentiment and a gesture of support for Bob Navis and Jeff Gehrhardstein. He give equally strong support to the press conference. As a newspaper,

we hold that any person has the right to present his or her case publicly.

Parl Branham

Chole Calleder

Charles Callender

Editor-in-Chief

Le Jole lub of Lorain wishes to extend to you our ill support in your effort to uеkan constitutional rights.

inly through courage and fortituse on the part of people such as yourself can the Jay Community hope to overcome the discrimination and bigotry that each of us feels every day of our lives.

It is our hope that through heroic examples such as

yours, gay men and women everywhere will find the courage to join together and openly resist the forces which refuse

as due process under the law. One Bun CA Bude a difference.

Mares. Kince Co. H.X

Tim W. Jacde

Bands of Woods

Jood luck,

Donna Power Members of the Jold Club