OCTOBER 13, 1995
GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 9
Bob Hattoy speaks at dinner
BARB BODEMER
Bob Hattoy, right, speaks with congressional candidate Eric Resnick in the Winton Place lobby.
Continued from page 1
want me to start reading off names of gays and lesbians. I hope they call me as a witness, I really do, because the second they call me to do that, I'm going to start reading off the names of every closeted gay and lesbian Republican staff member that I know of." While at the White House, Hattoy spoke honestly and sometimes critically of the administration's handling of the AIDS cri-
sis and the gays in the military issue. His
quotes often landed
on the front pages of
national publications, and he found himself
in trouble with then
White House Press Secretary Dee Dee
continues to be his passion, and he works constantly to see that the issue will not be forgotten by Washington lawmakers.
"I still make those phone calls. I still bring up AIDS all the time," Hattoy said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. "I don't know what impact I have, but I can't let it go unaddressed. That's been my problem," he laughs.
He is currently working to create a presidential advisory council on AIDS, which many in the gay and AIDS communities see as amounting to nothing more than lip service. But Hattoy says that the upcoming '96 election will have people talking about important issues, including AIDS, and that the gay and lesbian community needs to work diligently to make sure their issues don't get swept under the rug.
"There's a whole group of folks who are well-intentioned, good, liberal folks, who be-
lieve that gay and lesbian issues are losers politically," Hattoy said. "And they believe that because they bungled the gays in the military issue so badly. Any time they hear gay or lesbian or AIDS, they get worried about the issue and shy away from it. We just have to keep fighting to inject these things back into the agenda."
Hattoy predicts that we will see an inter-
"I think the president has a record for this community that could be defended and there's still time to repair some things that we've made mistakes on.'
Meyers as well as the president for what was termed his "off-message" comments. After several trips to the "principal's office," he was transferred to the Interior Department, where he now works as White House liaison on environmental issues.
Although he remains loyal to the president, Hattoy finds it impossible to keep quiet about the issues that are facing the gay and lesbian community. Of the highly anticipated "no promo homo" House committee hearings ordered up by religious right leader Lou Sheldon, Hattoy said, "I think it's so absurd, but it shows just how obsessed they are with us."
At this point, the hearings have been postponed indefinitely, but Hattoy said that there are still plans to hold them sometime in the future. "I think that even Newt Gingrich is a little nervous about the hearings, because Candace will probably show up and talk about the history of homosexuality in their family. But really, if they have hearings on homosexuality in Washington, then we should have hearings on heterosexuality in every community in America to make sure that we talk about divorce, domestic violence and child abuse, because these are, after all, heterosexual issues."
Spending time with Hattoy, it's hard to remember that he is terminally ill. His irreverent humor and in-your-face activism has made him a sought-after speaker at AIDS fundraisers and conferences around the country. As an example, over a breakfast meeting, he told a reporter, "Tell Stonewall that next time they invite a person with AIDS to speak, not to book them at the Terminal Tower!" Talking openly and honestly about AIDS
esting political phenomenon over the next year with the possibility of a third party emerging. "I think that Bill Clinton will be the Democratic nominee, I think Bob Dole will be the Republican nominee, but I don't think Colin Powell will run as an independent candidate. I think President Clinton will win re-election whether a third party is there or not.
"
Defending the president's record on gay and lesbian issues, Hattoy said, “I think the president has a record for this community that could be defended and there's still time to repair some things that we've made mistakes on. And I don't see any third-party candidate that's talking about our issues."
Hattoy encouraged people at the Stonewall dinner to be as out and as visible as they can."I don't think people hate us once they know us. I don't think they hate people with AIDS, I don't think they hate lesbian and gay couples... but I do think they misunderstand us when they let others define us. So, I'm just saying, when you look at how bad the other guys are, don't think you have to give up on your neighbors and your friends, but instead let them know what a really good person you are. And I think that will be the thing that helps change everything around and helps us stand up to the Phil Gramms and the Pat Buchanans and all those kind of people.
After thanking the crowd for "making me feel like I'm going to be around for a while," Hattoy left the function in order to appear with Buck Harris on The Gay '90s radio program. The "Something Dada" Improvisational Troupe delighted the remaining crowd with their performance, which they had donated to Stonewall Cleveland for the dinner.
Bob Bucklew of Stonewall Cleveland said that organizers of the event were very pleased with the turnout considering that the event had been moved from June to October this year to coincide with National Coming Out Day.
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