Page 8 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE July, 1989

Local activists "picket the bigot"

by Faith Klasek

Over fifty lesbians and gay men picketed outside the home of State Senator Gary Suhadolnik on Saturday, June 3. Suhadolnik introduced Senate bill 162, which would bar gays and lesbians from being foster and/or adoptive parents.

Picket organizers say the idea was spawned as a result of a spontaneous suggestion during a Friday night rap group. A "Picket the Bigot" committee was formed to facilitate the four weeks of planning that preceded the event.

The protesters met at 2:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Parmatown Mall. There the pickets gathered signs which read, "Suhadolnik Fosters Fear! Hatred! Prejudice," "Shame Shame Shame," "Don't Make Love A Crime," and, "It's The Gary Suhadolnik Show An Alternative To Saturday Morning Cartoons."

After a short orientation, the protestors made their way to Suhadolnik's home on Roxberry Road in Parma Heights. According to one organizer, Suhadolnik said he would not be home. The Senator remarked that he "would be at a wedding -of a man and a womann."

By 3:00 p.m. approximately fifty people picketed peacefully in front of Suhadolnik's small home, walking up

JUST JOCKS

Play ball!

by K.D. Mahnal

Softball season has arrived once again with the familiar cry of “Play Ball!" The North Coast Athletic Association (NCAA) kicked off its seventh season June 4 at Brookside Park.

Opening day activities included the introduction of NCAA officials, coaches and teams, a cookout and four ball games.

Crisisline

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coordinator. "What this shows is the lack of reliable and honest information about being gay in many parts of the country. Gay and lesbian people need to know the facts, and so do their families and friends. The Crisisline is often the only source available to them."

and down the sidewalk chanting such phrases as, "Hey Hey Ho Ho Bigotry has got to go." Two people held a large pink sign which read "Gays And Lesbians Are Better Parents Than Bigots!" Ten minutes after protesters arrived, Suhadolnik and his wife were escorted through their back yard by two police officers.

Neighbors cluttered the sidewalks many of them videotaping the event. One neighbor, upon approaching a friend.

The North Coast Freedom Band performed the national anthem, accompanied vocally by Dick P.

This year's NCAA officials are Bob Johnson, commissioner; Bob Nusser, vice president; Bob Kish, correspondence secretary; Chris Albert, treasurer; and Curtis Gage, recording secretary.

The league consists of six teams, each of which may carry 20 players on its roster. Amateur Softball Association rules govern league play throughout the nine-week season, which ends Aug. 13.

About 36 percent of Crisisline calls are from California, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, with significant numbers of calls coming from Ohio, Texas, Florida, North Carolina and Ilinois.

For more information, call Coordinator Julien Maurice, Fund for Human

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GAYS

BUTTER

PARTANS

THAN

BIGOTS

HATEMONGER

said, "What a bunch of sickies, I swear." Another woman told a nearby reporter, "I don't think they should come bother him like this." Many of Suhadolnik's neighbors showed little sympathy for the protestors.

The picket brought with it a mass of police protection. By 3:30 p.m. officers from Parma, Parma Heights, and Brooklyn were gathered at the end of Suhadolnik's street. There were at least 15 market police cars, an assortment of

Team sponsors pay $200 which is applied to City of Cleveland fees. Players pay $30 to cover umpire and scorekeeper fees. With approval, the league may accept new players throughout the season at a pro-rated fee.

The NCAA league is a blend of fun and competition, but it is struggling to build membership. Johnson said the most important goal of the 1989 season is "having six teams finish. [We are] not a real competitive league; come on out and play."

The opening game was a five-inning slugfest, with Keys overpowering Numbers, 28-2. Game two once again had Numbers taking it on the chin, this time at the hands of Memoirs, 19-5.

In game three, A Man's World rallied from behind to defeat Club Body Cen-

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protesters trespassing on private property and attempting to block access to the building were removed in a timely and efficient manner, despite the fact that each one had to be carried away as a dead weight.

The situation in Cleveland was in direct contrast to the situation in Akron, where a clinic was closed for seven hours.

Akron police treated the true lawbreakers with kid gloves while threatening to arrest patients attempting to enter the clinic by climbing over seated protesters. Women returning to the clinic for the second part of a two-stage procedure were denied access for hours, with each hour increasing their chances of severe pelvic infection.

We were able to stop "Operation Res-

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unmarked cars, one paddy wagon, two tow trucks, an ambulance, and a fire truck to aid them.

Seven officers wore riot helmets. Some officers wore riot sticks at their sides, while others preferred to hold theirs. Many wore rubber gloves, presumably because of their fear of AIDS. The firefighters looked on in full rubber suit.

There were no confrontations between picketers and police. The hordes of officers, however, brought even more residents onto the streets. Some feared there had been a shooting. One woman, who arrived home after the protest was already underway said, "This is Parma Heights. They have to have at least five police cars to stop a speeder. They spend all morning chasing our dog. When I got home, I was afraid the dog got out again."

Picket organizers felt the protest was a success. One woman commented on how the experience empowered both the group and the individual. She went on to say, "All the police being there showed they're afraid of us." Another woman commented, "This puts them on alert that we're not going to let anyone walk ever again." The event attracted media coverage by several area newspapers and at least two local television stations. ▼

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ter/Leather Stallion Saloon, 12-7. The final game featured CBC/LSS bouncing back from its earlier loss, to defeat Memoirs, 12-4.

The only disappointments of the day were the City of Cleveland's inability to provide a more playable field and its failure to have public restrooms open near the field.

Over The Rainbow was suspended from league play for one week for failing to submit its roster to the city. It forfeited its scheduled game against Keys.

The league invites spectators to come to Brookside Park's Field No. 5 (behind Elder field, next to the soccer field) Sundays at 12:30 p.m., to watch the fun.

For more information, call Bob Johnson at 651-4933. ▼

cue" in Cleveland' with the commitment and dedication of pro-choice activists and people who believe that reproductive decisions are a private matter. Our combined efforts proved to be a victory as we kept the door open to Preterm.

However, we would be foolish to think that "Operation Rescue" will not hit Cleveland again. Therefore, we are urging all people interested in individual freedoms to join us in stopping this rightwing threat to women's lives. Please call 368-1006 and ask to speak to Carol, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Also, financial support is needed and welcome. ▼

Smith is a Cleveland pro-choice activist.

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