GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

JUNE 12, 1998

COMMUNITY FORUM

Going to the Games

To the Editors:

The Gay Games are coming up August 1-8 in Amsterdam. The Games are held every four years and continue to grow larger with each event.

I had the honor of competing in the 1994 Games in New York. There were between 11,000 and 12,000 competitors in those games. The air was electric with energy for one entire week from the opening ceremonies to the closing ceremonies. The athletes had worked hard and were now ready to show their best skills in their individual events.

Three medals were awarded to the top three finishers in each category in each sport. Each competitor brought home a participant medal to be proud of.

The closing ceremonies were overwhelm-

the Olympics, but never had the direction to

get there. Today, I have the determination,

motivation, experiences, desire, and stamina.

As I continue to prepare for my trip to Holland, I wonder if there are other competitors from Cleveland going. I have been trying to locate you, wherever you are. Come out of the woodwork and let's support each other. In New York, we had Team Cleveland with jackets and all. It would be nice to know if I have any comrades going to Holland.

I am trying to raise money to help pay for my trip. So if you're out there and are interested in supporting me at the Gay Games, come to my garden party/silent auction on June 28 from 4-7 pm. If you are interested, you can call 216-397-9363. If you are going to Holland please let me know.

Becky Mckee Cleveland

ing. “Standing room only" in Yankee StaWe're on holy ground

dium. All the competitors marching in with their respective states and countries. Individual, national, and international records had been broken--the cheers were deafening.

These are but a few of the memories from the '94 Games.

I feel honored to get in shape to compete in my age category in the '98 Games in "Physique." The road thus far has been tough trying to get all of the training hours in, plus working a full week.

For bodybuilding, a competitor needs to work out between 15-18 hours a week. The diet is very interesting (few foods, but lots of it), the energy levels vary from one day to the next, and your social life becomes the people at the gym. All in all, if you can keep the vision of the "gold" in your mind, you do get through it.

My name in Becky Mckee and I've been competing for the past ten years. Getting to compete in the Gay Games is like a dream come true. As a kid, I always wanted to be in

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To the Editors:

Last night [Sunday, May 31], the Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco was picketed by 15 or so members of the Westboro Baptist Church from Topeka, Kansas. While we still wonder how these wayward fundamentalists found themselves from Topeka to Eureka [Street], we still had an extraordinary blessing in the midst of it.

In the morning services, the Rev. Penny Nixon preached a sermon based on Romans 12 about Christian non-violence. Drawing on the historical lesson of the Student NonViolent Coordinating Committee and its theological principles and her own experience working in South Africa, Nixon articulated principles that would end up guiding the day and shaping our response in the evening.

It was an eerie sight to see dozens of police officers and vehicles begin to mass on quiet little Eureka Street as evening approached.

Sorrow and dismay at church bomb threat

The following was sent by Dr. Joan Brown Campbell, general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Christ (USA), to the Rev. Elder Troy Perry, moderator of the gay and lesbian Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.

This was sent after the MCC in Bournemouth, England received bomb threats. Twenty MCCs have been burned or bombed in the denomination's 30-year history.

Dear Troy:

Today I have read with deep sorrow and great dismay of the bombing threat to the MCC congregation in Bournemouth, England.

Our experience of recent years with the burning of black churches in the United States has been an object lesson to us in the ways thoughts and words of hatred and bigotry are quickly transmitted into deeds of destruction.

My deepest sorrow comes from the fact that such threats and deeds are carried out in the false belief that they are motivated by Christian faith. The Gospel of our Lord without exception proclaims love of neighbor and the dignity of all persons.

On behalf of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, I greet you in the peace of Christ and want you to know that we uphold you, the MCC churches, clergy and faithful in our prayers. We are grateful to know that investigations both in Bournemouth and in Dallas are ongoing. Our communities will be best served when the perpetrators are exposed and made accountable under the law.

In these days be upheld in Christ's sure promise to be with us always. In His name, we too make bold to assure you that we stand with and for you today and in the days ahead. Joan Brown Campbell, General Secretary New York City

This was offset by the cheering sight of supporters from around the neighborhood and around the Bay Area who also began to gather peacefully to express solidarity. Persons and groups who identified themselves included people from Pacific School of Religion, Trinity United Methodist Church in Best wishes for Pride Berkeley, First Unitarian Church in Oakland, St. John's United Church of Christ, Golden Gate MCC and Dolores Street Baptist Church in San Francisco. It was comforting to hear and see that we were not alone.

As prepared as I thought I was for this, it was still shocking to stand on the steps of MCC San Francisco and see signs waving such as AIDS CURES FAGS, etc...

By 7:00 pm the Westboro Baptists were on their way without real incident, and people gathered inside the church for an unforgettable service.

I, too, preached on Romans 12, posing the question, "God Loves Queers... do we?" The music was the usual professional quality. When Jack St. John sang the solo for "We are Standing on Holy Ground" and the congregation joined the chorus, we knew beyond a doubt that we were on holy (and protected) ground. The building was once again packed beyond capacity for the fifth time this year. It was so packed we could only pass communion in the pews because there was no room for people to maneuver. The hallways inside and outside were also filled.

We felt very protected by guardian angels in the room and the prayers of people sent from around the world via e-mail, as a result of Troy Perry's supportive letter that also went out via e-mail.

I hope never to see Fred Phelps et. al. at MCC San Francisco or anywhere—but I am also grateful for the many blessings we received during this highly stressful period, and the support we received from others. Rev. Jim Mitulski San Francisco

Community Forum

To the Editors:

We would like to extend our best wishes to everyone participating in the 1998 Gay and Lesbian Pride celebration.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our nation's gay and lesbian community for its support of the president, vice president, and the entire Democratic ticket in 1996. The support of our nation's gay and lesbians truly make a difference for Democrats in 1996 and we need your help again in 1998.

The Democratic Party is committed to ensuring that all Americans have the opportunity to achieve the American dream. We believe that local, state, and federal laws which promote equal opportunity for all Americans by prohibiting discrimination based on race, gender, religion, ethnicity, disability and sexual orientation are representative of the Democratic party goals.

We are proud that the president issued an executive order last week that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation in the federal civilian workforce.

We also support the Employment NonDiscrimination Act because no American should be denied employment on the basis of something that has no relationship to their ability to perform their work. We are working to put a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, so that non-discrimination legislation like ENDA will become the law of the land.

The Democratic National Committee, the governing body of the Democratic Party, has had a long history of protecting the rights of

The Chronicle encourages everyone to write and express your opinion about the community or the paper. Please, however, keep letters constructive, and avoid namecalling 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.

Letters must include a street address and phone, for verification only. They can be sent via U.S. mail, or fax to the addresses in the masthead above, or by E-mail to letters@chronohio.com

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its gay and lesbian employees. The DNC has joined several hundred Fortune 500 companies, labor unions, and non-profit organizations which treat all similarly-situated employees equally be extending health benefits to the domestic partners of its gay and lesbian employees. We are proud to support our gay and lesbian employees who have decided to serve their party and their country by contributing their talents and abilities to the Democratic Party.

Just recently, the DNC amended the delegate selection rules for the 2000 convention to encourage more active outreach to gay and lesbian Democrats to encourage their participation in the delegate selection process. Becoming a delegate in one of the best ways to increase participation and awareness in our party.

Although millions of Americans now stand opposed to discrimination against lesbian and gay Americans, there are still those who seek to divide us with their comments and actions. Although government has a responsibility to protect the basic civil rights of all Americans, we will only be successful in our fight for economic and social justice if all Americans use their votes and their voices to speak out against homophobia, racism, intolerance, prejudice, hatred, and fear.

Again, congratulations to everyone participating in the celebration of gay and lesbian Pride in 1998. We hope to continue working with you in the months and years ahead to promote equal opportunity and build one America for all.

Democratic National Committee National Chairs Steve Grossman Roy Romer, Governor of Colorado