Letters
Five Cent Decision
Continued from Page 2.
For some of our patrons, the Five Cent Decision is one of the few places where they can openly engage in intimate conversations without having to watch their words, where they can hold hands, or exchange hugs, or lovingly gaze into the eyes of their lover without being subjected to stares, ridicule or vulgar comments by individuals who somehow find their love and passion for each other threatening. Further, some patrons, out of respect for young and impressionable children, are not comfortable being their uninhibited selves in front of these children. Did these patrons realize when you walked in that you were only staying for a short while or that your son knew that Mom is a lesbian? Did they know that he was prepared and mature enough to handle perhaps seeing two women kiss just like Magnum does on T.V.? Or that he's been initiated to some of the choice and colorful words some patrons may use in describing a fight with their ex or a bad day at work? Do we quickly assess each parent joining us with their children to determine that they have the good judgement to place their children's interests first, that their behavior, and that of their children, will be acceptable?
Children are not allowed in a variety of situations and we have all been subjected to some of these instances throughout our childhoods. They represent some of the many rules we experience while growing up. Yet, would it not be far worse on a child to be singled out if our policy was not consistent with "21 and over" only? For the child to know that he or she, in particular, was not allowed because Dad gets too unattentive when he's babysitting at our bar, or because the child is not accustomed to the discipline we require and therefore exhibits behavior that we and our patrons find unacceptable?
We are very involved with the children that make up our lives: our nieces and nephews, our neighbors, our 'friends' son and daughters. Unlike W. C. Fields, we love children and because of our active involvement in our business, don't see as much of them as we would like. We are genuinely impressed with what you wrote you were attempting to share with your son and find it a rare blessing that you enjoy such an open, honest and loving relationship with him. We could all have enjoyed a much different scenario had you shared your intentions with us as the owners of the Five Cent Decision. And we could have explained to your young son, in a non-personal way, that as much as we liked his wanting to visit
our place, that this is another one of those situations reserved for adults only.
We remain committed to our need to be consistent with each of our patrons and our desire to maintain a safe, pleasant, yet adult-only, environ-
ment.
We regret that we may have offended you or your son and hope you understand that it was not a decision we enjoyed making.
More regrettably, we are disturbed that you find us so unapproachable that your distress could not have been communicated to us directly and privately.
Connie Takach and Patti Harris Owners Five Cent Decision
Pull together
To the editor:
I read in a recent edition a letter complaining that the Lynn Lavner concert was "a dismal failure." In the past 12 months Cleveland has seen the Detroit Gay Mens Chorus perform at the Allen Memorial Hall and the Names Project at the Convention Center. Neither of these events were sell out crowd either. Publicity in all three events could have been better. However, as a comparative newcomer to this area I see something else. Something that I get from reading the Chronicle and talking with other lesbians and gay men. We pick at each other, at each other's organizations and events instead of pulling together. There have been articles and letters critical of Dancing in the Streets, Health Issues Task Force, the language someone used in an article and so on. Every group seems to want to get their name across to the public without regard to other groups. Instead of interaction we go the opposite way. Each group seems to want to stroke their own ego and the hell with everyone else.
Someplace along the line we have to start to learn to pull together for the common good of the gay and lesbian community. It means working together instead of against each other. I have no answer as to how that can be done but I hope someone will 'think about it. Criticism is a way of life, but what happened to constructive criticism?
A. Paul
Judge
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January, 1989 GAY PEOPLES CHRONICLE Page 3
Out Day is credited with bringing more gay men and lesbians out of the closet, and they have joined the previously small group in taking an active and vocal stand against Hampton.
There is no provision for the recall of judges in Texas, and the procedures to unseat a judge are cumbersome. The State Commission on Judicial Conduct, which is established in the Texas constitution, is the only recourse. The commission may reprimand, censure or recommend the removal of a judge. However, the actual removal can only be made upon the order of what is essentially a board of inquiry, made up of three state Supreme Court judges.
The commission members were appointed by Texas Governor
William Clements, who also appointed Hampton to the bench. Thus far, they have received 14 private complaints, as well as from many organizations, including the Texas Human Rights Foundation, the Dallas Gay Alliance, and the American Civil Liberties Union.
While the New York Times reported that Hampton has received death threats and has been advised to leave Dallas for his safety, no official reports of those threats have been recorded with the police department. However, W. William Waybourn, president of the Dallas Gay Alliance, has reported two specific telephone death threats to the police on December 20.
Bill Travis of KNON-FM radio in Dallas contributed to this story.
Reprinted with permission from The News, Los Angeles.▼
NORA AIDS Bush
National
Organizations
Responding to AIDS (NORA) released recommendations regarding future executive action on the AIDS epidemic.
Presented to officials from President-elect George Bush's transition team, the document calls on the incoming administration to develop policy initiatives and budgetary priorities to lead the United States in a combattle passionate and competent against the HIV epidemic.
"During the campaign, the president-elect endorsed the recommendations of the Presidential Commission on the HIV Epidemic and called for a 'kinder, gentler nation,' said Jean McGuire, executive director of the AIDS Action Council. "With this meeting and the recommendations presented, the NORA coalition hopes to insure that the Bush administration makes the AIDS crisis a top priority and continues to support the anti-discrimination recommendations of the commission."
areas
The NORA recommendations encourage expanded efforts in the of research, prevention education, health care delivery and financing, and AIDS-related discrimination. In issuing the document and transition meeting with officials, NORA sought to encourage Bush to take a more aggressive and visible role in addressing the AIDS crisis.
Within the context of major issues affecting people with AIDS, NORA called attention to three critical
issues which need to be addressed at the highest levels of the new administration:
Aggressive leadership from Bush in the battle against AIDS; Strengthened anti-discrimination assurances in all levels of public and private sector employment, housing, public accomodations and health-care services; Reforms in healthcare financing and delivery.
NORA, a coalition representing more than 90 national organizations, responds to the complex publicpolicy challenges presented by the HIV epidemic. Organized in 1987, NORA includes representatives in medical and health-related services, education, counseling, civil rights, labor, the clergy, the disabled, the gay and lesbian communities, people with AIDS and other organizations that serve them.▼
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Appeal
Continued from Page 1.
display of nudity nor had any sexual activity occurred. The police later testified in court that they were watching the men with binoculars because neighbors has been complaining of outdoor sex occuring at the swim club.
Miller asserts that none of the men had engaged in a flagrant or reckless display of nudity nor had any sexual activity occured. The men were not read Miranda rights nor were the charges revealed to them when they were booked. They were not allowed to make any telephone calls.
Details of the arrests, including names, were carried in the Akron Beacon Journal and other local papers for several weeks thereafter. Stories suggested after-hours gay sex parties and covered enraged community meetings where club area residents urged Norton city officials to do something about the situation. Homophobia was evident throughout--one Norton councilman claimed that gays have more rights than "normal" citizens.
On the day following Miller's arrest, two men and a woman were also arrested for public indecency on the
swim club's grounds. However, they were allowed to plea bargain for trespassing charges instead. Miller and the other men were not.
With the conviction each man was fined $250, $200 of which was suspended, and given 30-day jail sentence, which was also suspended as long as he is not arrested for any other offense in the next two years. They were also ordered to never again swim in the nude at the swim club.
Miller and two of the other men have filed for an appeal. Already facing over $4,000 in legal fees, Miller is committed to reversing this conviction and somehow repairing the damage he has suffered to his reputation and the physical and emotional stress he has experienced since August. Miller has some reason to hope---the Barberton Herald, whose coverage in August and September was less concerned with civil rights, recently editorialized about a witch hunt and gaybaiting in Norton.
Editor's Note: Anyone wishing to help Mr. Miller in his legal challenge can contact him at P.O. Box 598, Northfield, Ohio 44067 or his attorney, Thelma Furry, at The Coach House, 50 Munroe Falls Ave., Munroe Falls, Ohio 44262.▼
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