July 1986
Gay Peoples Chronicle
page 3
AIDS PRAYER SERVICE
from p. 1
judices and barriers that cause dissension.
AIDS a "Human Disease
Calling AIDS a "human disease," he noted that its victims include heterosexuals and homosexuals. He said AIDS transcends boundaries of gender identity, sexual orientation, and religious conviction.
Some persons attending the service had hoped the Bishop might offer a hospice for people with AIDS, but drew comfort from his promise to pray for them.
With the recessional, many participants in the service gathered again in the courtyard, where they sang "We are a Gentle, Angry People." Since the vigil for Bob Navis, this Holly Near song has become the anthem of such gatherings in the Cleveland
area.
After the service, Dignity /Cleveland and its friends hosted a reception.
Bishop Pilla officiating at the Prayer Service.
SUMMERFEST '86
The Health Issues Taskforce of Cleveland is sponsoring the second annual Summerfest--Dancing in the Streets street fair on Sunda, July 20, from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.
The event will again be held on West 9th Street, between St. Clair and Lakeside Avenues.
Currently planning this year's event, HIT is planning to offer even more entertainment and community information than last year.
The Summerfest '86 Committee expects over 3000 people this year. Pointing out that Summerfest
opportunity for community groups to let others know about their organizations and what they have to offer the Committee adds that it also provides an occasion for groups to raise funds for themselves or for HIT.
Non-profit organizations may obtain booth space without charge if used for information purposes only. If used for its own fundraising activities, $50 rent will be charged each organization unless profits from the booth are donated to HIT. Profitmaking organizations can rent space
$125. offers a unique
PRAYERS
In spite of round-theclock prayers at the Kennebec Valley Baptist Church and an enthusiastic endorsement by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Maine, an obscenity referendum was defeated by Maine voters on June 11 by a 2-to-1 margin.
The bill would have made criminal the sale or ownership of sex toys and any material containing explicit sexual descriptions or photographs. Possession of one such item could have brought a one-year jail term.
booth
UNANSWERED
for
Promoted by conservative Christian groups, the bill's defeat was attributed by the Gay Community News to a liberal, feminist, and gay/lesbian coalition. The New York Times reported strong opposition from librarians as well.
Dale McCornick, president of the Maine Lesbian and Gay Political Alliance, told the GCN he attributes its defeat to the large number of public figures who opposed it and to widespread sentiment against government interference in personal life.
UNITED WAY ANTIGAY?
The Bay Area Reporter notes that a group of lesbian and gay activists who are United Way volunteers charge that organization ignores
the AIDS health crisis. Although United Way raised over $44 million in the Bay area last year, gay services received only $500,000.
Because Summeerfest is its main fundraising event for the year, HIT has reserved certain concessions for itself: all beer, soft drinks, raffles, and t-shirt sales. Any organization wishing to sell food must coordinate this with the Summerfest Committee, which is trying to offer as wide a variety of food as possible.
To encourage creativity in the design and appearance of booths, the Summerfest Committee is offering a $75 prize to the nonprofit group whose booth is judged to be most creative, atractive and effective.
POLICE HARASS
BAR
from p. 1
1s
have
bar because it is gay, points out that they ignored violations of the obscenity law occurring in nongay establishments.
Dancer Accuses Police
Danny Daniels, one of the dancere arrested, also denied that complete nudity had occurred. Accusing the police and their informant of lying, he told the Lorain Journal that all dancers had worn swimming trunks. He also charged the police informants with having drunk too much to observe events accurately.
Daniels charged that the police had not read them their Miranda rights at the time of the arrest. When he asked about his rights one officer said, "People like you don't have any rights."
Bar Owner Asks Support
Ellis and both the dancers pleaded not guilty. Their pre-trial hearings are set for July 9. In the meantime, Ellis says, it is very inportant that gay people continue to patronize the 1504 Club.
Lorain city officials have issued a number of statements about exploring ways to close the 1504 Club permanently. Most of their suggestions seem unfeasible.
AS FRIENDS, LET'S TALK
The Third Annual series of discussions, As Friends, Let's Talk, begins July 9 at the Gay/Lesbian Community Center. Held Wednesdays through August, the sessions run from 8 to 10:30 p.m. The As Friends, Let's Talk series is separate from the regular Friday night raps. They are co-sponsored by GEAR and BWMT/Cleveland.
VICTORY IN SEATTLE
In Seattle a judge has invalidated petitions that would have required a referendum on the King County Fair Employment Ordinance. Passed in December 1985, the ordinance prohibited discrimination in employment on several grounds, including sexual orientation.
A fundamentalist group, Concerned Citizens for King County, filed 40,000 signatures calling for a referendum.
The Litigation Committee a gay/lesbian group, brought
suit challenging the pețition's validity. Forms circulated by Concerned Citizens covered the actual wording of the ordinance by a flap reading "Repeal special rights for homosexuals, transvestites, child molesters, sadomasochists, rapists and other persons with deviant sexual orientations!*
Judge Robert Dixon, calling the Concerned Citizens tactics "very close to fraud," ruled that their petitions were invalid.
KOCH VETOS AMENDMENT
New York Mayor Koch surprised everyone by vetoing an amendment passed by city council that would have weakened the housing provisions of the city's gay
rights law. Although Koch had previously agreed to accept the amendment, its ultimate provisions went far beyond those originally discussed.