Page 6

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Letters

Continued from page 3 Billy's disappoints

To the Editor:

In regards to the review of Billy's on Clifton in the August issue of the Chronicle, I totally disagree with Ms. Walsh's opinion of the new establishment. I don't know what restaurant she dined at, but it certainly wasn't Billy's.

I was a long-time patron of Scoops and Ladles, which Billy's took over. When I found out that it was going to be under new management I was apprehensive. The first thought that crossed my mind was that I would have nowhere to go to be able to relax and have a good, reasonably-priced meal in an atmosphere that was in tune with the gay community.

My fears were soon confirmed. On my first visit to Billy's I had a late lunch. There were only a few other patrons in the restaurant, yet it took more than fifteen minutes to even get my water with lemon. I gave them the benefit of the doubt and returned the following Sunday for brunch. The meal I had was by no means good and was also very overpriced. The omelet my lover had was greasy, the home fries uncooked, and my bagel was stale.

Leaving this aside, as I looked around I noticed that I was surrounded by unfamiliar faces. Straight faces. The service was unfriendly, and again slow. I felt too uncomfortable to even have a second cup of coffee, whereas before I had never felt pressured to leave the table. All I can say is it feels as if someone closed our neighborhood clubhouse and replaced it with Billy's.

To end on a good note, bravo to the decorator and best of luck to Billy.

September, 1991

Coast Men's Chorus identified as a gay organization, and have expressed the view to members, and by not donating to the group, although we have supported it by attending the concerts. We have made our quiet statement, so be it.

As for other groups, their names often

almost $20,000 for the Lesbian and Gay Community Service Center. So, thank you, Chronicle!

Marc Goodman

Leigh Robertson

express, or by reputation imply, affiliation WMJI won't change

with national and international organizations that are actively supportive of gay rights. Stonewall is the pivotal event for male gay activism, and numerous groups in the movement have willingly ascribed to a moniker using stonewall as an identifying link to the broader community. Cleveland's political organization is officially Stonewall Cleveland—a lesbian-gay political organization of Northeastern Ohio. For practical reasons, the full name is not used, but it is, and has been since its inception, used on all official correspondence.

As a proud member and past president of the Cleveland City Country Dancers, past president of the Gay Educational and Awareness Foundation (now the LesbianGay Community Center), Stonewall Cleveland, and having been a member of numerous other social and service groups in the Cleveland gay community, I believe that it is important for the leadership to be totally out, and that we have an obligation to support our peers in that process, to nurture, encourage and enable, in order that all Americans can enjoy the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution.

To that end, those of us who are willing to accept leadership roles must be willing to accept the responsibility of truly leading, and bear the criticism of others, as well as the accolades. Names are important, but actions demonstrate our convictions.

Out is right; yesterday, today and tomorrow. It is our right!

Bob Reynolds

Name withheld by request Thanks for support

Leaders should support coming out

To the Editor:

The controversy over the names of organizations locally serving the lesbiangay community is energy poorly spent. It diverts our attention from significant issues and creates another emotional barrier between individuals who should be working together for the common good.

I personally would like to see the North

Sweet

To the Editor,

On behalf of the 1991 Garden Party Committee and the Lesbian and Gay Community Service Center, we would like to express our thanks to Martha Pontoni and the staff of the Gay People's Chronicle for their generosity in the advertising and promotion of the Garden Party fundraiser held this past July 21.

Without the timely promotion and advertising, we might not have sold out all tickets to the event, and raised, ultimately,

Arts"

Cakes & Sweets Custom Cakes • Candy • Pastries

Please Call To Order

Commitment Cakes

The following was sent to WMJI general manager Dean Thacker.

Dear Mr. Thacker:

As we had agreed [at our earlier meeting], July 30th was the date we would hear from the station regarding our concerns about ongoing on-air anti-gay and lesbian commentary, I'll assume you've decided to discontinue the dialogue.

As other groups unrelated to the Center-both within the community and without-will become more and more involved in this, I think it's important to clarify that the Maryann Finegan Project's goal remains one of making the media aware of an unprecedented rise in local hate crimes against gays and lesbians and, in particularly, urging WMJI management to recognize a connection between bias in broadcasting and a climate of prejudice which fosters abuse and violence.

We will continue encouraging the station to set a standard of broadcasting much needed in Cleveland where crimes motivated by bias (of many kinds: racist, ethnic, sexist, etc.) severely impair the quality of life for all of us.

I see no further purpose in meeting with present broadcasters. Not that I mind being repeatedly compared to a Nazi on the air, but it was clear after our attempted awareness meeting (when no one from management responded to statements from your announcers like, "you people are going to push us too far and straight white men are going to get fed up with picking up the bill for this disease") that some of the station's talent pool are, in fact, very reactionary, clearly calling the shots, and only after major internal changes will we hear otherwise.

The past two times we've met, I've given you a list of local men and women who've been victimized-some unbelievably brutally-solely because of their sexual orientation.

Every week, I add names. Every week, WMJI broadcasts reinforce anti-gay and lesbian attitudes.

To hold that no link exists between the

standards you set for the station and their permanently altered lives remains selfserving and unconscionable. Yours in the struggle,

Aubrey Wertheim Director of Services

Lesbian-Gay Community Service Center

Equal' bashing is still bashing

The following was sent to the editors of the Plain Dealer.

I am writing in response to your article on WMJI and gay bashing that appeared in the PD on July 19..

I just can't believe WMJI can rationalize bashing any minority group! This crap that they attack everyone equally is for the birds. In a world where violence is increasing, and racism is making a significant comeback, how can any public broadcasting corporation with any conscience allow anti-gay or anti-any minority commentary?

I live in the Baltic/West Blvd./Clifton area, where attacks on gays and lesbians have increased dramatically in the last four months. I can't help thinking that some sicko who is sitting home listening to John Lanigan is saying to himself, "well, Lanigan says it is okay to hurt people who are different, especially gays and lesbians, so I must be morally right."

I have turned off WMJI and have encouraged my colleagues and clients to do so. In fact, I am telling everyone I know to quit listening to the racist garbage that comes out of Mr. Lanigan's mouth. This is my choice today. Perhaps when WMJI realizes that Lanigan is losing them listeners then they will try to monitor their DJs.

What I have been told is that Mr. Lanigan has really become quite obsessed with trying to convince everyone that he is not prejudiced against gays and lesbians, yet his commentary proves just the opposite. I don't know, but when I hear someone going on and on about a topic, trying to convince me of something that is not ringing true, well . . . to quote Shakespeare, "The lady doth protest too much..."

Zak Haley

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