GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

DECEMBER 9, 1994

COMMUNITY FORUM

It won't happen again

To the Editors:

I have just received my copy of the 11 November issue of the Chronicle, and read the page 2 article concerning the Canton leafleting credited to Oberlin College's Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual Union. The article quoted an anonymous member of the group as saying that the "intent was good," and I can assure you, as an officer within LGBU's ranks, that this is true. However, I feel that some additional explanation is necessary.

The group that undertook the leafleting was indeed authorized to carry the LGBU banner. However, this authorization was apparently arrived at somewhat fraudulently. The individual who organized the leafleting had repeatedly assured the LGBU leadership that she would be contacting the victims in the Canton rape case in order to secure their permission to proceed. Further, it was understood that any and all information to be distributed in Canton would be confirmed and truthful. Apparently, it was neither. This type of behavior is not encouraged by LGBU, and I feel terrible that it could have occurred on my watch. Political action is a serious business, and it seems that it was treated as something of a game in this case. At the very least, the organizers were ill-prepared for such a dramatic undertaking, and while they had misled the LGBU leadership, I still feel a great deal of responsibility for having allowed such an event to take place.

That said, I wish to offer my sincerest apologies, both on behalf of myself and the LGBU, to the Canton Repository, the Canton

First, me take on and defeat Oregon's Measure 13. Then me defeat Idaho's Proposition 1. Tarzan tired, very tired...

POOR

TARZAN BABY!

GOP

TARZAN MAYBE NEED Hot COCONUT OIL Full Body MASSAGE!

раж

HOUSE

To the Editors:

LANDSLIDE

while AIDS and gay rights organizations. Just call us Come out if you can, and live a happy life. Filling yourself with hate is not the way to live longer. Stand up for what you believe in, but do it in a way that you feel comfortable with! Heal the world with love and light, and pray for unity, not separation.

Joe Dubrovick Twentysomething leader and co-founder Cuyahoga Community College GLBA

co-founder Cleveland

Police Department, the Gay People's Where is Bill's voice?

Chronicle, Stonewall Akron, and especially the victims in this case. I have taken (and am taking) steps to insure that this type of unfounded action cannot and will not happen again. I wish the authorities all speed in making an arrest in this case.

Once again, my sincerest and humblest apologies to all involved.

Samuel Bergman Oberlin College Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual Union Oberlin

Unity, not separation

To the Editors:

I want to voice my support of R. Wagner's views on ACT UP [Community Forum, October 28]. Guilt, fear and shame kill more of us each year through suicide, stress, drugs and alcohol than AIDS does. ACT UP does not help the community grow or unify. The efforts made by others are done in vain as far as they're concerned. I do as most people do, I ignore them.

Unlike them, I won't tell you how to think, but I will give my advice. I recycled their list of demands. I don't tolerate guilt and mind control! I urge all of you to continue to wear your freedom rings and red ribbons. They help create a positive image for our community. Donate your time and money to worth-

The following letter was sent to President Clinton on World AIDS Day, December 1. Dear Mr. Clinton:

My friend Michael Snider died yesterday afternoon of AIDS-related starvation and other complications. The nightmare of the last months of his life cannot be conveyed in words. He was loved by many people and was cared for around the clock by his friends in his home as he wasted away into a shell of flesh and bones. He is but one of the many people to have died yesterday from his disease in our country and around the globe. There will be as many or more today and tomorrow and the next day and the next.

Where is your voice, Mr. Clinton? You openly courted the HIV community in your campaign and we hoped that AIDS would remain on the national agenda. Today we see the bigots and hatemongers in the daily news and in our capital city while your administration has engaged in futile and half-hearted attempts to placate them in this country and around the world. It saddens us to know that the concerns you raised in your election have disintegrated into political rhetoric and the hope we placed in you personally has been shattered by your silence. Your cowardly capitulation to the forces of meaness and hatred will not be forgotten.

Happy World AIDS Day, Mr. Clinton. Michael Deighan Cleveland

jew Lower Subscription Ras Subscribe Today!.

Don't Miss a Single Issue

13 Issues for $15.00 or 25 Issues for $30.00 If you'd like to receive the GPC first class mail (faster service), $21.50 for 13 Issues or $42.50 for 25 Issues.

Enclosed is my check for $

for

Issues

Name

Address

City

State

Zip

Send coupon with payment to: GPC, P.O. Box 5426, Cleveland, Ohio 44101

GOVERNMENTS

4'1

Hoover

Plover 47.94

OPEN PRAIRIE SYNDICATE

Now that World AIDS Day is over I feel I must make these few final comments. It was never ACT UP's intention to terrify the people attending our march, or to promote unsafe sex, or behave in any sort of irresponsible way.

It came as a total surprise that the city officials and the medical community here reacted in such a hysterical and childish manner, If the city or the researchers at the AIDS Clinical Trials Group had that much of a problem with the proposed action, why didn't anyone simply call ACT UP to discuss the situation? We have a close enough working relationship with the health department that a phone call might have been sufficient. That is the reason we bothered to develop that relationship, to avoid exactly this sort of situation. The same goes for the ACTG. Dr. Lederman and ACT UP have faced other issues at which we found ourselves at opposite ends of an argument. We have always worked out a compromise in the past.

It is certainly beneath Dr. Lederman's dignity to reduce himself to name calling and scare tactics. The government sponsored researchers put us on notice this World AIDS Day that the search for the cause of AIDS is over. There will be no further investigation into the cause of this disorder. Treatment will be based on the HIV theory and God help anyone who dares to suggest otherwise.

It was always our belief that medical research was about different divergent theories followed by discussion and debate, and even handed research. The research on AIDS is being conducted in the narrowest minded ways. What if they are wrong? What are they hiding? Why is any suggestion of another cause for AIDS silenced with the biggest guns the government has?

This is a dangerous and frightening time for people living with AIDS if we are to believe the search for the cause of AIDS is finished. Not one doctor will tell you absolutely positively that HIV causes AIDS, nor can anyone prove it. There is some mention of co-factors.

Without getting into a chemistry lesson, let's look at the facts we do know:

1. No one has survived AIDS due to the current treatment strategy.

2. AZT stops replication of all cells, including the same cells, T-cells, we are trying to increase and preserve.

3. AZT, DDI, DDC and D4T are all we have to treat HIV. Four drugs of the same chemical make up. All patented, all expensive, all ineffective.

4. 13 years of failed research, billions of wasted dollars and 300,000 wasted AmeriI can lives should indicate that we are not making accomplishments.

5. Regardless of how well esteemed, accomplished or recognized (including Nobel

Community Forum

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Volume 10, Issue 12

Publisher:

Business Manager:

Managing Editor: Associate Editor: Columbus Editor:

Martha J. Pontoni Patti Harris Doreen Cudnik Brian De Witt Brad Burget

Reporters & Writers: Keith Arnold, Cesar Chaves, John Carey, Barry Daniels, Brynna Fish, Joe Graham, John Graves, Charlton Harper, Taylor Hart, Jeff Hirst, Jerry Kaiser, Stu Koblentz, Troy May, Diane Moor, Keith A. Oliver, Carol Patzkowsky, Timothy Robson, Paul Schwitzgebel, Jerry Semas, Steven St. James, Rich Warren Photographers: Barbara Bodemer, Lee Ann McGuire, James Stennies Jr., Pat Young

Art Director: Production/Admin: Sales Manager: Account Executives:

Promotions:

Christine Hahn

Gina Adkins

Patti Harris

David A. Ebbert, Lisa

Pruett, Tami Turner David A. Ebbert

The Gay People's Chronicle is dedicated to providing a space in the Ohio lesbian-gay community for all of its members to communicate and be involved with each other. This means that every Chronicle, to the best of its ability, will be equally dedicated to both men's and women's issues, as well as issues that affect the entire community. This balance will provide lesbians and gay men with a forum to air grievances and express joys.

The Gay People's Chronicle is copyrighted under federal law. Any reproduction of its contents is prohibited unless permission is obtained.

Any material submitted for publication will be subject to editing. The Chronicle cannot guarantee return of any such materials unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

The Gay People's Chronicle is not responsible for claims made by advertisers. We reserve the right to reject advertising which is unsuitable for our publication.

P.O. Box 5426 Cleveland, OH 44101 216-631-8646

P.O. Box 12235 Columbus, OH 43212 614-253-4038 Fax 614-253-1367 E-mail ChronOhio@AOL.com

Fax 216-631-1082

Next Chronicle comes out Friday, December 23

The Gay People's Chronicle is published every other Friday, except the first January issue. Display ad and article deadlines are 10 to 12 days before an issue comes out. Call for specific dates and times. Calendar, Classified, and Personal deadlines are earlier, and are shown in each of those sections. Advertisers:

Call for rate sheets and information, in Cleveland, 216-631-8646; in Columbus, 614-253-4038. Or, write the Chronicle at Box 5426, Cleveland, OH 44101; or Box 12235, Columbus, OH 43212. Subscriptions:

Subscriptions are 13 issues for $15.00, and 25 issues (1 year) for $30.00, sent in a plain envelope. (For faster first-class delivery, add $6.50 for 13 issues, 12.50 for 25 issues to cover extra postage.) Mail check or money order with your address to the Chronicle, P.O. Box 5426, Cleveland, 44101.

prizes) a researcher may be, once they challenge the HIV = AIDS theory they are ostracized and shunned by the research establishment. Called quacks, idiots, charlatans. With not one shred of evidence to back up the accusations. We have experienced this first hand.

I could go on but this should be enough to allow those dying of AIDS, their care givers, and all who are affected by this disease, to at least have the right to inquire about the current theory. Question it. Doubt it. And demand further investigation into the cause of AIDS. These people should be allowed to maintain some glimmer of hope that another component of this immune breakdown, as yet undiscovered, could be the Achilles heel of the disease. Is it any wonder there is such a sense of despair among the HIV challenged?

It has always been divergent ideas, conflicting concepts, even bizarre experiments that have yielded the best knowledge. Creative thinking is stifled, even silenced in todays research agenda. Obviously, there is no room for conflicting ideas. Why?

Joe Carroccio ACT UP Cleveland

The Chronicle encourages everyone to write and express your opinion about the community or the paper. Please, however, keep letters constructive, and avoid name-calling and personal attacks. Please be brief. We reserve the right to edit letters. We will print your name unless you specifically ask us not to.

Address letters to: Chronicle Editors, P.O. Box 5426, Cleveland, Ohio 44101; or P.O. Box 12235, Columbus, Ohio 43212; or e-mail ChronOhio@aol.com; or fax to 216-631-1082 (24 hours) or 614-253-1367. Include your address and phone so we may contact you to verify the letter.