GAY PEOPle's ChroNICLE September 27, 1996

COMMUNITY FORUM

Hot, drunk, and unsafe

An Open Letter

to the AIDS Taskforce of Cleveland:

I recently attended Dancin' in the Streets for the first time. I had a fantastic time. The weather was wonderful, and I saw a lot of friends.

Coincidentally, the day before, I happened to hear the Taskforce give a talk on AIDS prevention. One of the messages they repeatedly stressed was that situations that combine sexuality and alcohol oftentimes lead to unsafe behaviors. Yet, interestingly enough, the Taskforce itself sponsors an event that provides just such an environment.

Dancin' is a big party with hot, drunken, sweaty people rubbing up against each other. This fact is a major incentive for attending such an event.

I am curious as to the ethical perspective that continues to motivate the justification of sponsoring such an event. Perhaps your organization can provide me some clarity on this issue.

Mark E. Hricko Perez North Olmsted

Hatch shouldn't read

To the Editors:

On January 5, 1996, my son died of AIDS. Last week, I received confirmation that the panel made in his memory had been accepted and cataloged by the Names Project. I also receieved assurance that his panel would be among those shown in Washington D.C. in October.

On that same day, I received literature regarding the D.C. display of the Quilt. Named in that literature were a few of the prominent people of the country who will be reading names of the people memorialized on the Quilt. Among those named was Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.

On September 11,, the Columbus Dispatch carried an article on the defeat of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) by the Senate. In that article, Senator Hatch is quoted as saying, "Many employers have very strong religiously based and morally based objections to homosexuality, which they reflect in their employment practices. The moral and religious sensibilities of millions of Americans will be overridden if this legislation becomes law."

Have the people at the Names Project forgotten that the highest percentage of AIDS victims were gay men? The defeat of this bill leaves gays and lesbians as the only minority of society that have no protection against discrimination in the workplace. According to the quote in the Dispatch, Hatch based his vote against this bill on "employers strong religious based objections to homosexuality." Doesn't our Constitution call for a separation of church and state? And doesn't his use of the phrase "the sensibilities of millions of Americans" put those millions above the several thousand among the gay community? Isn't there something wrong here? Is it not pathetic that in this great America, the

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"sensibilities" of the millions should be put before the rights of others.

I try to imagine how small the AIDS Quilt might have been, if the disease had erupted in a small community-affecting every man, woman and child—instead of first appearing in the gay community. Although our elected officials and health officials treat the disease as a social, religious and moral issue, instead of a public health issue, the gay and lesbian community is still here, even after 15 years of AIDS. And the gay and lesbian community will still be here in spite of the regulating of morals by censorship.

I am deeply offended when I think that Senator Hatch, whose vote resulted in blatant discrimination against my son, if he were still alive, might be the same person to memorialize my son's name after his death. By his vote, Senator Hatch has proven that the thousands of gay men who have died of AIDS mean less to him than the "religious and moral sensibilities of the millions." Orrin Hatch may vote for AIDS funding and research, but he apparently is not compassionate toward all of mankind. Based on his vote, Hatch should not be reading the names of so many gay men who have died of AIDS.

Nancy T. Carroll Reynoldsburg

Mockery of marriage

To the Editors:

Well, they did it again! The Grand Old Poobahs in Washington, working to shore up the exalted state of matrimony, have determined that we must not be allowed to enter that state. Considering the mockery some of their members have made of marriage, methinks they protest too much. A third marriage for Mr. Barr (a DOMA sponsor) seems to fly in the face of the phrase "from this day forward, until death us do part."

The issue is much deeper than protecting an institution. This is a concerted effort to deprive gay and lesbian citizens of our civil rights. We have been told we are too selfish

Keith A. Oliver, Ph.D. psychologist

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and pleasure-driven to sustain a committed relationship. As that line of thought was disproved, now we are told that the state of marriage is sacred and we are not good enough to take part. Because we have been judged lacking we will not be eligible for spousal tax credits, partner hospitalization benefits, inheritance recognition, or legal acceptance as a family unit.

In the last several years, attempts have been made to downplay the strength and size of the gay and lesbian community in an effort to undercut our political clout. Now, when it seems possible we can break through and achieve rights that should be ours without question, a cry goes up. Now the gay and lesbian community is too large and for us to achieve true equality the various benefits costs will overwhelm the system!

That is not an acceptable answer or reason to deny us what is rightfully and legally ours. I would remind legislators that, as a group, because of our forced single status, we pay the highest tax rates levied by the government. Now, these elected officials seem determined to reduce even those benefits.

The defeat of the Employment Non-Dis-.. crimination Act sends a frightening message into the workplace. Building on remarks made by [Sen.] Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, an employer could conceivably terminate a worker by simply stating the employee was gay and other workers were not comfortable around that worker. If the terminated worker was not gay, he would have to prove he was straight to make a case against the employer. That case could drag on for weeks and months. If the employee was gay, there would be no recourse against the employer for wrongful termination. This fact of life is simple. It is not illegal to discriminate against a gay per-

son.

As upsetting as these events are, a certain amount of responsibility rests with the gay and lesbian community for this sad state of affairs. Please note the words "elected officials" above. To all of you that are "the silent ones," I would suggest it is time to give back to the community for the "openness❞ you now enjoy. If you think your secret closet is safe, you are wrong. People know you are gay. Until self-acknowledgement takes place they assume you are ashamed of your life so it must be wrong. All of which perpetuates the lie that we are less than deserving of equality.

By living an open life with pride, the gay and lesbian community is strengthened and expanded. By becoming more active politically, change is possible. Let's all work together so that the changes are positive.

Eric L. Floyd Akron

Has care declined?

The following letter was sent to Dr. Michael Lederman, interim director of the Special Immunology Unit at University Hospitals of Cleveland:

Dear Dr. Lederman:

The City of Cleveland is proud to be the home of many world-class medical facilities such as University Hospitals of Cleveland. Access to quality care, as well as our past

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partnerships to address such public health threats as infant pulmonary hemosiderosis and hepatitis A have greatly improved the health of the citizens of Cleveland.

Among the greatest public health challenges we currently face is preventing the spread of HIV and providing services to persons living with AIDS. To achieve true success in this arena, it is critical that our entire community join forces and work collectively.

The purpose of this letter is to bring to your attention several communications that the City has received from members of ACT UP. It is ACT UP's contention that the level of medical services provided by University Hospitals to persons living with HIV and AIDS has declined since the untimely and tragic death of Dr. John Carey. According to ACT UP, this perceived decline is attributable to reduced staffing levels in the SIU. The mayor has requested that I make these

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