GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE MARCH 19, 1993

EDITORIALS

Make sure they know why we march

When the Cleveland Committee for the March on Washington visited Mayor White, asking him to support the March, they initially got something they hadn't planned for: a 'no.' It turns out that the mayor thought the March was recently planned only to show support for removing the military gay ban. White didn't agree with putting pressure on President Clinton right now. Informed that it is a civil rights march that has been planned for years, the mayor is now endorsing the March on Washington (story, page 1).

His support is greatly appreciated, but not surprising. Mayor White has long been a supporter of the gay and lesbian community. But the initial confusion makes us wonder: If the mayor was confused about why we are marching, are others?

Do you know why we are marching on April 25? What are you going to tell your parents, co-workers and friends when they ask you why you are going?

Trying to be clear about why we are marching and getting that message across will be hard. There will be many people who believe that this march is a "gays in the military" march, even though that is only a small part of our march.

Remember this March, like all lesbian and gay civil rights marches, is not for people outside our community to approve of us.

We as a community do not march to become more accepted, more loved or more mainstream. We march for ourselves. We march to show pride in a community that has existed despite centuries of oppression and genocide. We march to help other lesbians and gay men overcome what society has taught them; we invite them to step out of the closet, into the light. We march to galvanize ourselves for our continuing fight against homophobia, hetrosexism, racism and sexism.

In April there will be millions of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transsexuals, dykes, fairies, faggots, queers, and homosexuals gathered to celebrate our lives and demand the equal rights give to all other people. This march was planned long before Clinton took office and even if George Bush had been re-elected we still would have been marching. As a community, we are not a source of embarrassment for

anyone. There is nothing to be embarrassed about.

As the saying goes, "We are everywhere," except on April 25, most of us will be in Washington D.C. for a celebration the likes this country has never seen before.

Then the lesbian and gay men of Northeast Ohio will be back to march in Cleveland on June 19. We will bring with us the enthusiasm, hope and pride that was fostered in April to help us make changes here in Cleveland. When we gather in Cleveland to celebrate our lives, and demand our equal justice we will be black, white, Hispanic, and Asian. And we won't just be speaking out against homophobia and heterosexism, we will be decrying racism and sexism and every evil that keeps anyone oppressed in the nation.

Lesbians and gays are not just that, we are everyone and everyone is one of us. We do not work just for ourselves and not for others, because we have learned a long time ago that

it doesn't mean much if someone has to rent you an apartment if you are black, but doesn't have to if you are gay, when you are both.

As a community we have systematically been beaten, refused employment, thrown from our homes, deprived of our children, unfairly taxed but we have always survived. We have built our own community with its own justice and culture and no one can destroy that. We continue to be born, we continue to find each other, we continue to love each other and that will always be no matter who is president.

It won't hurt our movement if no straight people or groups march with us in April but it certainly can help get the message across that we are part of American life that just can't be erased with a law (such in Colorado), or cowed into submission by religion.

So we will march in Washington, under our Cleveland banner. Let us be proud of community we have built here and even prouder that our mayor stands with us.

New and improved

After many weeks of planning and experimentation, the staff of the Chronicle and some talented friends have put together a new design and format for the paper, which debuts with this issue. A special thanks! goes out to Marie Smith for her design assistance. We've overhauled just about everything and hope you like the changes and the fresh new look.

Our staff is also changing. Brenda Mack,

becoming a member of the Associated Press. We are working to bring you more information from around the nation and the world that impacts our lesbian and gay community.

Comments, criticisms and suggestions are always welcome; please drop us a note. Or call 621-5280 if you hear things that we should look into.

who formerly worked in the office of the An apology

U.S. District Attorney, Northern Ohio, takes over administration, including Classifieds and Personals. Doreen Cudnik, who held that position, has moved to Alice Paul Printers and Mail Service, which shares offices with us.

The Chronicle is now distributed to more than 400 locations across northern Ohio; look for it in your neighborhood, or save some footsteps by subscribing.

We're also proud to announce that the Chronicle has taken a big step forward by

In the February 19 issue, Ron X.'s commentary, "Gay and lesbian hypocrites: come out of denial," was introduced by an editorial explanation of why the author chose to remain anonymous. That incorrect explanation made assumptions that were based on the editor's judgment rather than knowledge of the author. The Chronicle apologizes to Ron X. for imposing its opinion on a commentary that should have stood on its own.

SPEAK OUT

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Volume 8, Issue 9

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Navy Times is surprisingly balanced on gay ban

by Robert Laycock

I've had an opportunity recently to read several issues of the weekly Navy Times, "The Independant Newspaper Serving Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard People." I have been very impressed with the overall intelligence and balance of its news articles, editorials and opinion columns. Probably the most shrill anti-gay piece I saw, other than some letters to the editor, was a reprint of civilian Mike Royko's column from the Chigago Tribune.

The newspaper has apparently issued an official editorial in favor of ending gay ban. The issues I've read include some letters complaining about the paper's position. Among the pro-gay columns was a very good piece written by Ward W. Reeves, a senior chief in the U.S. Navy. Among his comments: "In dealing with the whole gay rights issue, the Navy has consistently appeared less a noble knight and more a nasty Neanderthal... [I]t's time the Navy simply got on with it and admit homosexuals into the service."

Reeves continues, "Unit cohesion, usually the first "concern" to be trotted out by [proponents of the ban], doesn't seem to be affected by the thousands of homosexuals currently serving in the Navy. It's a safe bet that many of their shipmantes either know or

suspect their sexual orientation, yet still function well as a team. With a few notable exceptions--such as the recent episode in Japan where an off-duty seaman was beaten to death near his base, allegdly by personnel from his unit--shipmates are shipmates.

"Moreover, former Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney allowed an "outed" senior department official [spokesman Pete Williams] to remain in office, calling the issue "a bit of an old chestnut." The underlying assumption by heterosexuals is that homosexuals are somehow immoral or defective. And that leads to hatred... Ten percent of our population being biologically different [referring to recent hypothalamus research] does not equate to their being defective.

"It's time the Navy and other services get on with the business of recognizing gay rights."

Not too bad. Even columnist Fred Reed, writing in support of the ban, had a few "nice" things to say: "Now, gay people are not bad people. They are on the average harmless and, in my unscientific judgment, brighter, better behaved, and more productive than the rest of us. May they prosper. But not in my bedrooms...

His central point was the familiar concern about our inability to contain our libidos in cramped quarters, and straight sevicemen's discomfort at being "ogled"

while lounging in their skivvies on their bunks. He writes in an open letter to President Clinton, "I think that 19-year-old gays are like 19-year-old heterosexuals--sexually wired. Suppose I was a young stud, Mr. Clinton, and I told you that, if I were living in a girls' dorm, I wouldn't take advantage of it, if only to get an eyeful. Would you believe me? You would? Where do you want the bridge delivered?"

Reed continues, writing that if gays serve, straight servicemen should be allowed to bunk in the women's quarters: "If gay guys are going to have the fantastic treat of living up close with gobs of the country's bestdeveloped beefcake, we straights should definitely have the same privilege with the very nice young women in uniform (or, in barracks, out of it). Fair is fair."

The February 9 Navy Times ran an article countering claims that Clinton failed to consult with Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sam Nunn, General Colin Powell, and others before "springing" his proposed executive order on everbody after the inauguration. The paper reported that John Holum, a Washington lawyer working for the incoming administration, held over 40 meetings during the transition with senior military leaders, civilian Defense Department leadership and Senator Sam Nunn. During this period, Holum interviewed ships'

crews, examined showers and sleeping quarters, and solicited views on the gay policy. "throughout the the civilian and uniformed military command structure." Holum prepared a 35-page report for President Clinton summarizing his research and presenting a range of policy options.

Another article reported on reaction within the Navy of the gay-bashing murder of Seaman Allen R. Schindler near the Sasebo base in Japan. The paper reported that a number of uniformed Navy servicemen attended a candlelight memorial service in Washington, D.C. on January 19, organized by Queer Nation. Among them was Hospitalman Allen Pemberton. The paper described him as a married heterosexual stationed in Bethesda, Md., who was outraged by the killing of one sailor by another. He was pictured holding a candle during the memorial service.

Another straight sailor was quoted saying the death of one sailor at the hands of another violates his sense that the Navy is a family.▼

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