8 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

JULY 9, 1993

COMMUNITY FORUM

Religious music at Pride was insensitive

To the Editors:

I am writing this letter in response to the group "Trilogy" which was part of the entertainment lineup on Pride day. I thought that the comments from the stage delivered by members of Emmanuel Metropolitan Community Church and the music that was chosen showed a lack of sensitivity and good judgment.

Although EMCC is not my home church, I have worshipped there on occasion. I always felt welcome and I commend them on their outreach ministry to the gay-lesbian-bi community, so many of whom are ostracized by their own church. It is for this reason that it is appropriate that EMCC should have a booth at Pride. Let people who are searching for that brand of spirituality know who you are, where you are

located, what worship is like, etc. If you are

visible at an event like Pride, those who are

searching will find you. I don't, however,

believe it is appropriate to espouse beliefs that may make some uncomfortable, just as I don't believe it was appropriate for that young woman who prayed as a part of her address to the student body at her high school commencement to do so.

As someone who identifies as lesbian and Christian, I know the desire to "give witness" can at times be very strong. But this desire must be tempered with tolerance for other beliefs. The music performed by representatives of EMCC reflected beliefs that, although valid, had little to do with what Pride is all about.

Once a year, we get together in all our diversity; Jew, Muslim, and Christian, gay, bi, transgendered; black, white, Asian, Hispanic to celebrate our differences, but also

our commonality. Pride is about inclusiveness. Certainly, there are songs available that reflect this theme. Scripture even teaches us that there is an appropriate time for everything.

It is especially important at this time when right wing, so-called Christians have made us the target of such vicious attacks that we need to be sensitive about the way we as Christians share our message. The Pat Robertsons and Jerry Falwells of the world have given us all a bad name, and given true Christianity and Christian ideals a bum rap. I would hate for people to get the wrong idea about EMCC and its mission because of insensitivity and bad timing.

So, I pray that next year we will have an all-inclusive Pride day celebration with nothing from the stage that might bring back bad feelings or be hurtful to anyone. In the spirit of Sister and Brotherhood, Doreen T. Cudnik

Thanks to all who helped Pride

To the Editors:

This is to acknowledge the many people who helped with the Bar Nights, or the Lesbian-Gay Pride March '93.

We must first thank the following bar owners and staffs for donating their space and talents; Over the Rainbow, Memoirs, Numbers, Ohio City Oasis, Leather Stallion, Legends, 5¢ Decision, Mix, Higher Power'd, Interbelt, Club Impulse, and Met-

ronome.

For working the Pride tables, our thanks to: Jay, David and Dianne, Lou, Kevin, and Mark, Clifford and Chuck, Patrick and Don, Martha, Sandy and Sharon.

For the time and talent donated to the

Leather-Drag Extravaganza, our hats are off to the following performers: Candi Carter, the Cleveland City Country Dancers, Paris Coleman, Danielle Davis, Ramona Del Reo, Nastasia Diamond, Roseta Estevan, Tasha James, Kari Nickels, Dene Lambea, Stella Montclaire, the North Coast Mens Chorus, Pappy, Alex Perry, Melissa Ross, and Twiggy.

A very special thanks to Jennifer Phillips for her show-stopping performance at both the Extravaganza and at the Festival. Another special thanks to Dene Matthews for his electrifying performance and words of inspiration.

And a very, very special thank you and big hugs to Sandy, Elvira, Buffy and Kim for help above and beyond all our expectations.

Thanks also to the Cleveland Police Motorcycle Division, Andrew Lang and Berta of Trinity Cathedral, Giggles the Clown, John (aka Werewolf), the peacekeepers Joan and Betsy, Brian, Mark R. and Mark L., and everyone we may have missed.

Most of all, we thank every group and individual who marched on June 19 through downtown Cleveland and made the Cleveland Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender March 1993 such a success. You're all stars in our eyes.

With our undying thanks,

Tim and Ray Newborn-Hilyard

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GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Volume 9, Issue 1

Publisher: Martha J. Pontoni Business Manager: Patti Harris Managing Editor: Kevin Beaney Production Manager: Brian DeWitt Reporters & Writers: Martha J. Pontoni,

Dora Forbes, Marne Harris, Kevin Beaney, Timothy Robson, Barry Daniels, Scott C. Hare, Mike Radice, John DuAne Graves, John Chaich, Charlton Harper, Joe Morris

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Artist: Christine Hahn Sales Manager: Patti Harris Account Executives: David A. Ebbert, Mark Walsh Editorial Board: Martha J. Pontoni,

Patti Harris, Kevin Beaney, Brian De Witt, Christine Hahn

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SPEAK OUT

Black ministers declare war on lesbians and gay men

by Leslye Maria Huff

Several African-American ministers in the Greater Cleveland area have declared war against the lesbian, gay male, bisexual and transgender communities of Greater Cleveland.

Armed with quotations from various writings of C. Eric Lincoln, Ph.D., regarding definitions of the "Black Church" in America, this almost exclusively male group of local preachers have assigned themselves the role of speaking for the "Black Church" and have disavowed themselves of other ministers who, according to group members C. Jay Matthews and Andrew W. Edwards, "... do not represent the Black Church."

According to Matthews, "a variety of persons are allowed to speak on behalf of the 'Black Church' and it's rarely us." Edwards added that "Periodically people are interviewed and speak as though they are speaking for the Black Church . . .' Specifically, he pointed to the recent March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights where there was a "very prominent black person there embracing and hugging gay people . . . He is probably one of the most high-profile black persons in America."

Both men smiled and patted each other on the back when asked by this interviewer if they were referring to Rev. Jesse Jackson, who Black Church leaders nationwide presented as their choice for President under the banner of the Rainbow Coalition, using the slogan "Run, Jesse, Run!"

According to Matthews and Edwards, recently-appointed NAACP national director Rev. Benjamin Chavis, who also appeared at the March on Washington representing the national office of the NAACP

and its board president, may not speak as a representative of the Black Church because his denomination is not "black."

In the June 10 Call and Post newspaper, this group who referred to themselves as the "true leaders" of the Black Church, issued a call for all "concerned clergy" to attend a meeting held June 11 at Shiloh Baptist Church. At the meeting the discussion centered on the national gay civil rights bill, according to Matthews and Edwards.

These preachers have formed a coalition to oppose this legislation since passage of the bill would guarantee basic civil rights such as fair housing, fair employment protection, fair taxation, and representation to all human beings regardless of their sexual orientation. In the videotaped interview immediately following their gathering, Matthews, pastor of Mt. Sinai Baptist Church and his associate, Edwards, minister of Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, explained that they plan to obtain over 100,000 signatures from the Greater Cleveland area alone in an effort to secure the defeat of the bill.

They also plan to organize in other cities as well: specifically Pittsburgh and Detroit. Matthews and Edwards, who also coauthored the June 10 Call and Post article titled "The Black Church Position Statement on Homosexuality," stated that this group of preachers believes that gay men, lesbians, et al "do not fit the category of a 'minority' group," because, according to them, "gays and lesbians have prestige, power, and influence."

Also according to Edwards "No minority has prestige, power, and influence except the Jews." Matthews and Edwards stated that their gathering is no longer just a meeting, it has become “a Movement”: a movement against gay men and lesbians' "lifestyle" described as a set of same-sex

behaviors that they further denounce as "sin." Edwards and Matthews further stated that "people can sin if they want to" but no law should give them the right to.

Ironically, in his June 10 news article, Matthews stated, "However, it should be understood that we as members of the Black Church are not in opposition to supporting human rights for homosexuals or any other individual(s). We strongly believe that all individuals should be protected from violence, harassment, and discrimination in employment" (emphasis theirs).

The irony is that the human rights protection that lesbians, gay men, et al seek is embodied in the basic civil rights position of the bill they are against, and to date, lesbians, gay men, et al, do not share the basic civil rights that is afforded to other citizens of this nation. This irony is reminiscent of the predicament of light-skinned black people during slavery who obtained a precarious hold on human rights only if they pretended successfully to be a white person, but as soon as their true identity was revealed they ceased to benefit from basic human rights.

In her 1984 collection of speeches and essays called Sister Outsider, African-Caribbean-American lesbian poet activist Audre Lorde warned that "Your silence will not protect you," (found in her essay, “The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action," page 41). For the extremely silent and closeted black lesbian, bisexual, and gay men's communities of Greater Cleveland, her admonition has proven to be prophetic. The so-called Black Church of Greater Cleveland, in the person of these ministers, has aligned itself with notorious bigots such as Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and Rush Limbaugh; and using the misguided analyses of the Negro elite, the divi-

sive tools and strategies of the far-right fascist leaders, has declared war on lesbians and gay men despite the silent, traditionally passive, and acquiescent political and social behaviors of Cleveland's black lesbian and gay male population.

This is a momentous attack upon members of the black community forged by members of the black community itself. Never before in the history of the Black Church has it ever formed an organized effort to attack members of its own black community. The ministers interviewed seemed to have no comprehension that they are attacking their own sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, and even some of the ministers themselves. Black lesbians, bisexuals, and gay men are the Black Church. Black lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals Continued on next page

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