FEBRUARY 11, 1994

COMMUNITY FORUM

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 9

Self-destructive squabbling

To the Editors:

In 1960 I attended the national meeting of the Mattachine Society, the pioneer gay rights organization, in San Francisco. I expected to see some high-level strategy planning but instead I watched in disgust as the delegates destroyed the organization by infighting to control what little power the organization had.

That was the end of the national organization but unfortunately it was not the end of the self-destructive squabbling among lesbians and gays that continues to weaken our movement.

As far as I can judge from down here in Akron the same thing is happening now to Cleveland's Community Service Center. Dolores Noll, who has contributed as much as anyone to the advancement of gay-lesbian welfare in Ohio, has been forced out and (apparently) weaker leadership has capitulated to protesters who demand that their agenda take priority over everything else.

I hope that the Center will survive. The only comfort is that such protesters usually soon become bored and drop out, leaving other people to pick up the pieces.

Tyranny

To the Editors:

Walter Sheppe

I do not wish to belong to the Center because I do not believe in unity at any price. Also, I do not believe that gay-lesbian tyranny is any better than straight tyranny. Timothy E. Leiden

When will white gays and lesbians 'get it"?

To the Editors:

After the editorial in the December 10 issue of the Chronicle ("What hath SOAR wrought?") and Mr. Anthony Giglio's letter ("There is more going on than racism"), I find myself writing this letter to ask does the white gay and lesbian community "get it"? As my blood pressure creeps towards a critical point, it is painfully obvious to me that most of them do not.

First of all, I have a real problem with people presenting one side of a story as fact, without bothering to cover the other side's issues. This lop-sided reporting tactic is utilized a little too often by the Chronicle. In the editorial, references were made to attacks on the Center, the reporting of the "fishbowl" meeting, Stonewall's last Townhall Meeting, and the racism workshop put together by SOAR. I'd like to address these four topics individually as an African-American member of Stonewall and a participant in the Townhall Meeting

and the racism workshop.

1. The Center is perceived as not being a welcoming place for People of Color. It is unfortunate that the board shakeup has caused some hard feelings, but it had to occur if this community is to grow. These issues are addressed by Judith Rainbrook, Executive Director of the Lesbian-Gay Community Service Center, in the December 10 Chronicle. Her article, "Racism is perpetrated by remaining ignorant," has given me some hope that things are changing. I think she is finally "getting it" and I applaud her strength and courage to take on the racism challenge.

2. My understanding is that the "fishbowl" participants' displeasure of the Chronicle's reporting was based on a number of issues. Two of the biggest issues were the Chronicle's taping of the meeting without informing the participants, and the insensitivity of the reporting afterwards (article was titled "Black gays tell of frustration in 'fishbowl'" when there was only one man and three women on the panel).

3. Stonewall's Townhall Meeting addressing women's issues did turn into a heated discussion on racism. I didn't particularly care for some of the outbursts that took place either, but I take exception with your flip attitude regarding Peggi Cella's "oft-repeated racism speech." Again, I say to this community that I don't always agree with Peggi's tactics, but I wholeheartedly agree with the message she brings. Too many people are too quick to dismiss her because they think she is just a loudmouthed, African-American, lesbian warrior. I hope that she continues to repeat her speech often (maybe part or all of it will sink in).

4. The racism workshop was an interesting attempt at exchanging thoughts and concerns in a "safe space." The exchange between Martha Pontoni and Peggi disrupted the workshop (I think these two women have some issues with each other, outside of racism, that need to be worked out). Peggi left the room and, to avoid further disruption, Martha was asked to leave the room also. When she refused, some of the women from SOAR (mostly white) stood up and refused to sit until she left. The situation was very tense. While I respected Martha's view, I am tired of her and other people trying to qualify their racism. I (and I believe every other Person of Color) am not concerned with why you are racist or who is putting pressure on you to maintain racist attitudes. I am more concerned with what you are doing to deal with that racist behavior!

The other issue I have is with the presumed "safe space" of the workshop. It would be foolish of me to think that people would not talk outside the workshop about the things that occurred. My issue is with people who come to me with second-hand knowledge of the event and present it as the gospel truth. When the subject of the workshop came up at our Stonewall meeting, people who had not even attended the work-

HATE CRIME UPDATE

Compiled by the Maryann Finegan Project of the Cleveland Lesbian-Gay Center

January, 1994

Lesbian reported that she was suspended from her job pending investigation of sexual harassment charges that fellow women (presumed heterosexual) employees brought against her. Caller stated that she has harassed no one and that this case is homophobia-driven. Caller was referred by the Maryann Finegan Project to a lesbian attorney who specializes in such cases.

Gay man reported that he and his date were harassed by a police officer, after having been pulled over. According to the caller, the officer asked them, "Which one of you is the man and which one is the woman?" and "Do either of you have

AIDS?" The men are deciding about filing an official complaint against the officer, and have been offered support from the Project.

Gay man reported that he was harassed by a convenience store clerk who said: "We don't need your business. You're a faggot." Caller filed reports with municipal authorities.

If you have been a victim of a crime motivated by hate for homosexuality, please contact the Maryann Finegan Project of the Lesbian-Gay Community Service Center at 522-1999 or 781-6736.

shop were speaking as if they knew everything that transpired and why it happened (so much for "safe space").

I agree that the well-intentioned white gay and lesbian community should question the tactics of SOAR. The word racist creates an atmosphere that most people would rather not deal with, but that does not mean that SOAR, Peggi Cella or anyone else should be dismissed out-of-hand just because of the way they bring the message. It is becoming increasingly clear to me that the forceful tactics of SOAR are giving some people in this community the excuse they need for not dealing with the racism issue. Also, the editor's analogy of SOAR to McCarthy's witch-hunts is a bit farfetched and in poor taste. Contrary to popular belief, dealing with racism will not kill us; not dealing with it might.

To Mr. Giglio and others who seem to know little about the racist attitudes of some members of this community, I say use the resources of the community to get informed. Also, I don't think the African-American gay and lesbian community needs a lecture about AIDS or "Gay 101." We fully understand the ramifications of what is happening in our community.

I agree that nationally and locally the straight African-American community has balked at supporting us, but should this be used as a point of contention when nationally and locally the straight white commu-

uary 28 issue, heavily annotated with proofreaders' marks.

In response to the anonymous letterwriter, the Chronicle is not Martha's newspaper. KWIR Publications is an employeeowned corporation, major decisions are made by the editorial board collective, and Martha Pontoni removed herself from the paper's regular editorial process more than 18 months ago.

Stonewall 25 coverage was agreed to in October when Managing Editor Kevin Beaney met with Carter. She provided this article under time and deadline pressures and warned that it was a draft and not her best work. We did edit and enhance it significantly enough for the story to be told without altering the author's style. A friend of hers commented that the article read just like Carter spoke.

After receiving this letter, Pontoni and Beaney met with Carter, who dismissed the criticism as a waste of everyone's time. "If this person has got the time to do this, she or he has got the time to be sending money to Stonewall 25-Ohio," Carter said. And it was made clear that there is no dislike between Pontoni and Carter. The editors wonder whether the anonymous faithful reader is uncomfortable with a writing style that differs from whitewashed monoprose.

-Eds.

nity has been somewhat unsupportive also? Not all Republicans are straight

The religious right is going to be very effective in driving an even bigger wedge between straight African-Americans and gays and lesbians of all colors by convincing African-Americans that there is not enough room at the table for both groups. Cincinnati's failure to establish some common ground with the African-American community cost them a crucial voting block on Issue 3 this past November.

My message in all this is that as an African-American gay man, I am trying to tell this community that if it wants to use my warm body and talents it must be prepared to treat me as a partner in this venture. What needs to be addressed here is how People of Color are treated as participants in this battle. We are not a weapon to be used against our family and friends by the larger gay community, only to be relegated to obscurity when the battle is done.

I also don't think that dealing with the issue of racism marginalizes the focus of our community. As a community we need to get our own house in order, honestly deal with racism and sexism, and establish some level of trust among ourselves so that we can present a somewhat unified voice to the straight community.

Racist and sexist behaviors must be dealt with first. If we can't deal with the racism and sexism issues on a personal level and in our organizations, how can we expect to pull together to fight homosexism? Cincinnati has already learned a valuable lesson-what will it take to make sure the white gay and lesbian Cleveland community "gets it"?

Frank Lowery

Editing submissions

Martha-

I hate to sound rude and nasty, because I love your newspaper and couldn't live without it, BUT, I must ask:

did it occur to anyone to edit Victoria's submission for grammar, for syntax, for punctuation, for journalistic who/what/ when/where, for common sense???

You may not like Victoria, but you certainly haven't helped her image by publishing her report in (what appears to be) her exact wording.

Please edit this shit before you print it. Love,

A faithful reader

Included with the above letter was a copy of Victoria Carter's article "Stonewall 25 steering committee meets" from the Jan-

To the Editors:

Like my learned comrade, Eric Resnick [Community Forum, Jan. 28], I chose not to attack my family. Furthermore, although this is not the forum for partisan debate nor would it be fruitful to challenge his political acumen, rebuttal of his remarks is appropriate.

The Log Cabin Club (LCC) exists because "Not all Republicans are straight, not all gay voters are Democrats." We have made significant Republican inroads; progress is accomplished by educating the ignorant instead of throwing rocks at them. Bigots within the party get most of the media attention, while LCC promotes equal rights for all Americans.

The majority of Republicans believe in individual liberty and free enterprise. The gay/lesbian/bisexual (GLB) community has its share of detractors in both dominant political parties. My politics, and I hope those of my brothers and sisters, are GLB first and partisan second.

I urge Mr. Resnick to remain vigilant of his right of free speech and direct his enthusiasm toward our oppressors. Achieving the freedom to be ourselves through unification and understanding is my goal.

Community Forum

Jack Power

The Chronicle encourages everyone to write and express your opinion about the community or the paper. Please be brief. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. We will print your name unless you specifically ask us not to.

Address letters to the Chronicle, P.O. Box 5426, Cleveland, Ohio, 44101, or fax to 216-621-5282 (24 hours). Include your address and phone number so we may contact you to verify the letter.

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