gay peoples CHRONICLE

Vol. 2 No. 6

Cleveland, Ohio

CHRISTINE STOCKTON

PP7-8

GAY PARENTS PP8-9

July 1986

BISHOP PILLA URGES COMPASSION

By CHARLES CALLENDER

Describing people with For the June 20 AIDS Vigil AIDS as wanting love rather about a hundred people gaththan pity, Swindler stressed ered around the fount LEVELAND STATEpport throughout the courtyard of the, Cathe the VERSITY LIBRADty ral of St. John the EvangelRSIT ist.

Vigil Speakers

as necessary to get through the present crisis.

JUL 18 1986 Prayer Service

ERGPC president Jerry BorAfter the speeches, Vigil es opened the Vigil. He deERIOparticipants

cribed it as one of those events justifying the designation of this summer as a Celebration of Pride for the gay community in Cleveland.

Noting the need to support AIDS victims, their families and their friends, Bores predicted that the community will survive the AIDS crisis and in doing so strengthen itself.

HIT president Jeff Swindler cited three reasons for holding the vigil: remenbrance of AIDS victims, concern for future victims, and showing concern for the families and friends of people with AIDS. Denouncing arguments that AIDS is a divine punishment of gay people, he singled out preventing its spread as the most important task facing the community. Other priorities he stressed were eliminating myths and stereotypes through educating nongays, and helping people with the disease.

BY DORA FORBES

for

formed into pairs and proceeded two by two into the cathedral a service of prayer and healing the Cleveland Catholic Diocese sponsored, with help from Dignity/Cleveland, in response to the AIDS crisis. Many more people attended the service.

Pilla des-

Bishop Speaks Bishop Anthony J. began his address by cribing the quality of compassion as a "golden thread" running throughout the gospels. The current AIDS epidemic, he said, places upon the Catholic church and all its members a serious pastoral obligation: responding with care and compassion to those suffering suffering from from the disease and to the society affected by it.

Parallel with Gethsemane

The bishop compared victims of AIDS to Christ in Gethsemane, in suffering the foreknowledge of their own imminent deaths.

Although the cathedral was far from overflowing. the Prayer Service drew more people than the Vigil

Careful Sympathy

members Unlike of the Catholic hierarchy at similar services in some other cities, Pilla made open reference to AIDS and to homosexuality. But he carefully remained within the current limits of propriety, avoiding any possibility of the reprimands drawn by the Archbishop of Seattle other Catholic Catholic clergy

and

ac-

cused of being pro-gay.

Pilla called for education about AIDS and its transmission, and especially education directed toward ending activities that facilitate its spread.

Referring to "centuries of prejudice," he described the current epidemic as an opportunity for reconciliation and healing, overcoming prePage 3, col. 1

BAR OWNER ACCUSES POLICE

The owner of a Lorain bar, arrested during a raid his establishment, charges local police with harassment of gays and asks for community support.

of

Early on the morning of June 3, Lorain police raided the 1504 Club, arresting its owner, two men accused dancing in the nude, and one customer who tried to leave. Their raid was carried out under a new obscenity law that Lorain voters had approved last November.

about nude dancing at the bar, they assigned three informants to monitor it. Informed that two naked men were dancing, they entered the bar.

Conflicting Police Accounts

Although the police first claimed they found nude dancing, the only dancer in action when the raid occured was wearing black bikini underwear, falling within the range of legality. He was not arrested.

Two men were arrested on a complaint filed by a police informant, who claimed that had been dancing nude before the raid. One

Lorain police claim that after receiving complaints

they

just

is how

unanswered question the men could have done a strip, danced, and resumed their clothing before the police waiting outside, who were informed when their act began, entered the building. Other questions surround police accounts that the dancing took place in the basement of the bar. It has no basement.

Owner Denies Allegations Charles Ellis, owner of the 1504 Club, told the Chronicle that the charges "totally false." He said, "There has been absolution no nudity at any time." Accusing the Lorain

were

police

of long-term harassment, he suggested the purpose of the current charges is to close his bar.

Referring to police statements that he called them in the past to quell disturbances in the bar, Ellis says this is untrue. He had sometimes called police about disturbances outside the bar, not involving patrons. On these occasions. Ellis reports, the police harassed gay patrons rather than doing anything about those causing the trouble. As the

further evidence that police had targeted his Page 3, col. 4