Page 10 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE January, 1990

Fundies blast 'thirtysomething' sponsors; GLAAD needs response

A national action to make advertisers of the ABC television program thirtysomething aware of the numbers and strength of the gay and lesbian community has been launched by all nine chapters of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

The November 8 episode of the series featured a "sensitive and honest portrayal of a gay male couple," Bohdan Zachary, chair of GLAAD's response committee said.

"That's the good part,” he said. “Unfortunately, extremists and fundamentalists launched an immediate attack against the ABC television network and directed their anger as well toward the sponsors who advertise on thirtysomething."

According to the New York Times, several sponsors dropped their advertising because of the fundamentalist effort. ABC will not release the names of those sponsors to either GLADD or the fundamentalists.

As a result, GLAAD is calling on people to write to all the advertisers to let them know of the community's support for the program and that episode in particular. They are also asking that letters be sent to the president of ABC.

Those addresses and sponsors are as follows:

Robert Iger, President

ABC Network

2040 Avenue of the Stars

Los Angeles, CA 90067

US AIR

Edwin Colodny, Chairman Crystal Park Four

2345 Crystal Dr.

Arlington, VA 22227

Ragu Italian Sauce

Morris Tabaksblat, Chairman

Lever Brothers

390 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

100% Columbian Coffee Manufacturers

no address given

Johnson Wax

Samuel Hohnson, Chairman

S.C. Johnson & Sons, Inc.

1525 Howe Street

Racine, WI 53403

Thera Flu

Richard Furlaud, Chairman

Squibb Corporation P.O. Box 4000 Princeton, NJ 08543

Playtex

Joel Smilow, Chairman P.O. Box 10064 Stanford, CT 06904

Toys 'R Us

Charles Lazarus, Chairman 461 Fram Road Paramus, NJ 07652

Hemdale Film Corporation John Daley, Chairman 1118 N. Wetherly Drive Los Angeles, CA 90069

Van Munching & Co.

(Heineken & Amstel Light) Leo Van Munching, Jr., Chairman 1270 Ave. of the Americas New York, NY 10018

Dimetapp Cough Syrup John R. Stafford, Chairman American Home Products 685 3rd Avenue

New York, NY 10017

Del Taco no address given Remington Microscreen Shave W. Michael Blumenthal, Chairman

Unisys Corporation P.O. Box 418

Detroit, MI 48232

Orville Redenbacher's

Light Microwave Popcorn Frederick Rentschler, President Beatrice Companies

Two North La Salle Street Chicago, IL 60602

U.S. Sprint James Johnson GTE MTO Inc. One Stanford Forum Stanford, CT 06904

Dase Fragrance-no address given Reprinted with permission from the News, Los Angeles.

Hate crimes bill can move in Senate

Senators Jim Sasser, D-Tenn., and Sam Nunn, D-Ga., last month signed on as cosponsors of the federal Hate Crimes Statistics Act, bringing the total number of Senate supporters to 56, out of 100 senators.

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, which has lobbied Sasser, Nunn and a host of other cosponsors and potential supporters, is optimistic the bill can pass during the current 101st Congress — providing attempts by Senator Jesse Helms, R-N.C., to delete gays from the bill can be defeated.

The House of Representatives passed the bill last June by a vote of 368 to 47. In 1987, the bill was passed by the House but killed in the Senate during a last-minute move by Helms.

The Hate Crimes Statistics Act directs the U.S. Department of Justice to compile and publish data on crimes that manifest prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity. Gay and lesbian activists see the bill as an important first step by the federal government in stemming the alarming increase of "gay-bashing."

NGLTF's Anti-Violence project reported in 1987 about 7,250 cases of anti-gay violence and defamation, with a vast majority of the incidents going unreported because of fear of anti-gay stigmatization and discrimination. In an earlier survey, NGLTF reported that one in four gay men and one in ten lesbians have been "punched, kicked, or beaten" because of their sexual orientation.

"Getting Sasser and Nunn to cosponsor this critical legislation is proof that ongoing constituent pressure works," said Peri Jude Radecic, NGLTF legislative director. "When the local gay and lesbian community puts its mind to winning and exerts its political muscle, legislators are more likely to do the right thing."

NGLTF is now pressuring Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell to set a firm date to move the bill as early as possible in 1990. Advocates for the legislation have until the end of the 101st Congress, scheduled to adjourn in the fourth quarter of 1990, to pass the bill under the current list of cosponsors. ▼

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