DECEMBER 9, 1994 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 13

COMMUNITY GROUPS

Can't class be dismissed?

by Bill Henderson

The day after the elections the 1994 NGLTF "Creating Change" conference opened in Dallas. Last year the conference had stirred me to put more energy into fighting the growing exclusionist vision of what America should become and to begin work to assure full legal protections from discrimination for all members of our Ohio community. With the Republican nationwide sweep this year, I expected to hear and see lot of angst and finger pointing, particularly at people of faith, over the continuing assault on civil rights from the Radical Right.

What I encountered instead was gen-

enemy in our struggle for liberation. Is it laziness that has kept us from organizing an effective database and structure for "Get Out The Vote" capability to support councilmembers, representatives, senators? Or is it the belief that type of political structure building is tedious and beneath us? Is it just poor sportsmanship that keeps some of us from supporting or being involved in local organizations unless we can control who participates and benefits? Is it lack of interest in standing

OUTVoice

eral agreement among the 1,500 activists that our true enemy is not politico/religious right wing organizers. I also found, instead of "Christian-bashing," a good deal of support for those people of faith who wish to reclaim spirituality from the political grip of the Radical Right organizations.

It was clear that the work NGLTF began seven years ago to educate and motivate us to do critical thinking and create change in ourselves, then in our local communities and American society, is beginning to bear dramatic results. There are incredible obstacles facing lesbian, gay, bi, and transgender people, but change is being accomplished, and full, open participation in American society will come, despite our enemy.

Before going on to that, many Northern Ohio people need to receive public acknowledgement from Out Voice for the work of creating change they are doing already. This is risk work; it requires trading "social safety" and personal advantage for the benefit of others. Out Voice this past year has been working with local organizations to create and conduct political education about the link between Radical Right anti-gay activities and the history of racist and sexist oppression in America. I am thankful for the energy and expertise of Out Voice members in SOAR (Stop Oppression And Racism) of Cleveland who have customized this information and are conducting on-going training for women in Northeast Ohio. I am also grateful to John White and Mary Miller and the board of the Lorain County Lesbian-Gay Center; to Cleveland LesbianGay Center director Judy Rainbrook, administrator Linda Malicki, Speakers Bureau coordinator Ellie Strong, and the participants in HOMES, Fred Smith and David Volk especially.

Also helpful on their own in educating others for change are Judy Byrd, the members of Stonewall in Akron; my special sister Glorianne Leck, who has me striving hard to follow her footprints; the Gay and Lesbian Alliance folks of Youngstown State University; and Rachel Eisenberg and Rich Oldrieve, straight folks who have reached out to work with us.

For beginning to see the roles they will have to play, I want to thank and encourage onward the members of the Liberation United Church of Christ congregation and the many other people of faith active in our community. And, finally, I encourage the members of Stonewall Cleveland as they create change by considering what roles they might fill to create true political power in Cuyahoga County.

Here's the other shoe: we have barely made a dent in educating all our community members, let alone the rest of Northern Ohioans! Even worse, we still have no political infrastructure (organized voter power) in Northern Ohio! Both education and infrastructure are vital for us to achieve full protection from discrimination at work, in public, and in housing. If we continue to avoid this work we lay ourselves prostrate before bigots and say "Tread on me."

Let's return to who or what is our real Nexxus & Lanza Retail Centor Open St

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up for ourselves, in the face of right wing threats, that keep some of us from working in or financially supporting groups trying to keep those wolves at bay? Are non-heterosexuals somehow lacking in ability to organize effectively for political power?

I don't think any of these are true about our community in general. But, they clearly reflect on specific effects of our worst enemy-it is all about class! We are personally held back by our fears of losing status at work, at home, in public, among friends. Or we are manipulated by others because of our willingness to hold status over another group at work, at home, in public, among friends.

These two pressures: fear of loss, or desire for power over others, keep some members of our community in their closets. These two pressures divide us along race, gender, and identity lines. These two pressures for status breed racism, sexism, homophobia and the other barriers to full enjoyment of America's rights and freedoms.

To the extent that any one of us is willing to participate in creating such barriers we become the weapon of the Radical Right assault on civil liberties! Our true enemy is the willingness of any American to exclude others from any facet of life-it's not just Newt, not just Jesse, not even just Robertson or the Christian Coalition.

It's not a Republican vs. Democrat issue either. It's about inclusive thinking vs. exclusive thinking. In our own hearts we can think of ourselves as deserving as others for equal treatment, or we can think of ourselves as more deserving than some others. Where are you in this regard? Please, think this through carefully and critically.

I believe, if you support inclusion and resolve your fears, you will see the need to do the work necessary to create political power for ourselves; you will step into your rightful places in the organizations at work in our communities; you will give financial support to the organizations struggling against the exclusionist vision of the Radical Right; and you will never become the weapon or the victim of oppression.

A last footnote on this year's "Creating Change" conference: I spent an afternoon with Mel White, a now openly gay minister who worked for years as an insider with Falwell and Robertson. He told me that they truly want lesbian, gay, bi, and transgender folks to not exist. He said, "They want us dead." I relayed this conversation to a gay friend at home who replied, "Mel White is so tedious. You don't really believe any of that, do you?"

Does that help you understand our true enemy?

To promote education in our community and throughout Ohio send $25 ($10 limited income) to: Out Voice, 1487 West 5th Ave., Suite 226, Columbus, Ohio 43212. To arrange an educational program through Out Voice call 216-651-2341 or the Cleveland Lesbian-Gay Center at 216-522-1999. To support candidates who like us just as we are, send any size donation to: Ohioans Against Discrimination, 395 E. Broad St., Suite 310, Columbus, Ohio 43215. AnOAD affiliated PAC is being formed for Northern Ohio. For more information call 216-651-2341.

Bill Henderson is vice-chair of Out Voice. Appointment Suggested

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