EVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY SOCIAL SCIENCES DEPT.

PERIODICAL

gay people's

HRONICI L

November, 1991

Volume 7 Issue 5

Cleveland, Ohio

60 cents

Friends of HIT getting ready to walk for AIDS on October 26. Over $5,000.00 was raised to continue the efforts of the Health Issues Task Force.

Stonewall-Cleveland hearings set for November

Public hearings will be held November 7 and 8 to enable Greater Cleveland's gay and lesbian community to express their opinions on the pending legislation being introduced into Cleveland City Council.

The November 7 hearing will be at the Chronicle office, 2206 W. Superior Viaduct, 1st floor. The November 8 hearing will be in Hatch Auditorium, in Baker Building, at Case Western Reserve University. Both hearings will be held from 7:00-9:00 p.m., and are being sponored by Stonewall Cleveland and CWRU's Lesbian-gay/Bisexual Alliance.

The purpose of the hearings will be to: collect information on discrimination against Northeast Ohio gays and lesbians; acquire input into the language that should be included in the legislation; and to provide an opportunity for members of our comunity to vent feelings about discrimination.

To enable an orderly process, a format has been established by Stonewall Cleveland. The format will parallel that of a standard,

Photo by Tom Ritter

professional hearing so that the voice of the community can be presented to city officials in a professionally recognized format.

Upon arrival, those choosing to speak will be given a form that will require them to provide the following information: name (optional, but recommended); address (your city and ward number can be substituted); the topic to be addressed,e.g., discrimination in housing, employment discrimination, etc.; age; sex; and race (optional).

After completing the form, the person wishing to speak will be asked to give the form to the designated Stonewall Cleveland member. The member will be responsible for giving the form to the hearing facilitators in the order that it is received.

When the speaker's turn arrives the hearing facilitators, who will be two men and two women from the lesbian and gay community, will ask the speaker to present their thoughts, feelings, and information. The roles of the facilitators will be to listen

An Independent Chronicle of the Lesbian & Gay Community

Thousands march on capitol

by Marghe Covino

Sacramento--Rumor and speculation are flying in the capital as local activists prepare for the hordes of lesbian and gay demonstrators expected to arrive October 10 and 11.

Four major events have been planned for the day. At 6:00 a.m., the local National Coming Out Day coalition will meet at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the Capitol grounds.

The group is planning to tie rainbow ribbons to the trees surrounding the Capitol building. Permits have been obtained and state police will make sure the affixed ribbons will not be removed prematurely.

After a press briefing on the north steps of

the Capitol at 11:00 a.m., the rainbow flag will be draped over the portico at the west steps. At noon the main rally, which was called by Torie Osborn of the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, will begin and is expected to last until 4:00 p.m.

The rally will be held outside of the Capitol on the west steps. Inside the Capitol from 3,000 to 5,000 African Americans will be meeting in a long-planned legislative session pertaining to issues that affect their communities.

"We don't want to do anything that is disruptive to the goals and aims of the Afri-

attentively, be responsive to the speaker's feelings, provide emotional support, seek clarification, question and record the message. Speaking time will be limited to five minutes.

If the speaker does not want to make a public statement, arrangements will be made for a private hearing. Those waiting to speak will not be able to comment on the testimony presented.

The entire lesbian and gay community is encouraged to attend at least one of the two hearings. In order to convince the City of Cleveland that gays and lesbians experience discrimination, the community must speak out in a big way. The hearings offer an opportunity for the estimated 280,000 Northeast Ohio gays and lesbians to speak about their experiences with discrimination within the confines of their own community, and have those feelings influence local gay and lesbian civil rights legislation. ▼

Police ask for leads in Hamilton homicide

by Kimberly Taylor

If you were asked to remember what your life was like three years ago this November, maybe you could recall a few major events, the bars that were open, the crowd you ran with, some personal incidents.

Would you remember a black man about 44 years old, big and solidly built? He was a religious man, "decent and hard working.' He hung out at Porky's and Domino's, and drove a brand-new, silver Chevy Cavalier. He worked as a car salesman.

His name was Wilbur Hamilton and East Cleveland homicide detective Robert Kalvitz really hopes you can tell the police something about this man. Or, more to the point, something about his killer.

It's been three years since Hamilton was found shot to death in an apparent robbery in his 14074 Superior Ave. apartment. Time has not eased the loss felt by his family, or the determination of the detective who is still

hoping for leads in the case.

The killer, who police speculate Hamilton may have met in a bar or pickup spot in either Cleveland or Akron, “did him dirty," said Kalvitz. "It was a vicious killing that should not go unsolved."

What particularly irks Kalvitz is that the killer deliberately left things around to humiliate Hamilton. "Sort of, 'ha ha, I got you' stuff."

One of the reasons police believe the killer may have been someone Hamilton willingly let into his apartment was because many of his friends say Hamilton was known to be attracted to young, tough, rough-aroundthe-edges types, mug boys.

When asked if police had considered the possibility that the killer may not have been gay, Kalvitz said yes. He does believe, regardless of sexual preference, that this is a person who preys on gay men.

Della, Hamilton's former wife, frequently calls the police to find out the status of the case. She is determined that the killer of the man who remained her best friend be brought to justice.

“I will never give up because, knowing him as I did, he would do the same for me,' she said. Before they divorced in the early '70s, she had two sons with the man she had known since her teens. "The killer does not realize what he's put our family through." A frustrating aspect of the case is that Kalvitz believes people who might know something about the case are afraid to speak up. "He [the killer] ran his mouth to somebody, and we need that person to step forward."

The detective wants people who might have leads in this case to know that he is not interested in their personal lives.

Continued on page 6

can-American community, which has worked hard and planned for this meeting for years," said Laurie McBride, executive director of the Lobby.

National figures such as Urvashi Vaid of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and Tom McFeeley of the Human Rights Campaign Fund are expected to speak at the noon rally. Among others, Carmen Vasquez, Connie Norman, and Marga Gomez of San Francisco are also slated to be present and representatives of the Victory Fund, League American, and Queer Nation are expected to address the crowd.

McBride, Capitol personnel, and other notables will be on hand throughout the rally. At 6:00 p.m. reportedly two marches are planned. One will start at 27th and P Streets in Winn Park and will end at the Capitol where the rainbow ribbons will be removed from the trees. The other march will start at McKinley Park at Alhambra Boulevard and will also end at the Capitol.

Also at 6:00 p.m., 20th Street between K and M Streets is designated for a block party. People too tired to go on the marches can go to the party and stop at the Lambda Community Center, Faces, the Mercantile of the Western before boarding buses for the trip home.

The Lambda Community Center and Metropolitan Community Church are opening their doors to people who are sleeping overnight. Arriving buses will park at MCC and local groups will greet Thursday night arrivals with coffee, tea, and snacks.

Meetings with state and local police have elicited a great deal of cooperation. However, state police are very clear in their warnings that any damage to the Capitol, which is considered a historic museum, is regarded as a felony.

According to state police, bail will be $1,000 and because this is a three-day weekend anyone arrested on felony charges can expect to spend those three days in the county jail.

Regarding spray painted slogans on steps and sidewalks, the rule is simple: "The difference between a felony and a misdemeanor is water-based paint," state police said.

Porta-potties will be located at the Capitol and at MCC to accommodate the crowds.

Shakers, the Town House and Joseph's restaurants are standing by for an onslaught of customers. There are also a number of other gay-supportive coffee houses and cafes in the Continued on page 7

area.

Movie Review..

National Notes..

CONTENTS

Editorials.. Letters..

Question of the Month.. Forty Wacks..

.11

.13

Center News

Charlie's Calendar

Personals.

Resource Directory

Race in your face. My Turn... Sports Pride. Bits & Pieces..

Are there any any queers in Lakewood? see pg. 2