www.GayPeoplesChronicle.com November 20, 2009

•

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 3

Gay Games will change cities 'forever,' say organizers

by Eric Resnick

Cleveland-Gay Games organizers kicked off a national tour with the ring of a bell instead of passing a torch.

Backers of the 2014 Gay Games in Cleveland and Akron joined organizers of next year's Games in Cologne, Germany, at the Cleveland City Club. The November 14 event began with the ringing of the club's famous bell.

"When the Gay Games come, it will change Cleveland forever," said Cleveland Ward 13 councilor Joe Cimperman, who moderated the forum.

Doug Anderson of the Cleveland Synergy Foundation said the idea to bring the games to the area were borne out of economics, and the belief that the area could attract some LGBT tourism money.

The two were joined by Michael D. Murphy of Fleishman-Hillard International Communications, Dirk Breiding of the Akron Summit Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Sharon Gronowski of Positively Cleveland.

Stephan Collet and Annette Wachter, organizers of the 2010 Games in Cologne,

were

Organizers expect the 2014 Gay Games to attract 15,000 to 20,000 participants and 200,000 spectators and support personnel

News Briefs

Continued from facing page

and Judiciary on November 10, a bill allowing same-sex marriages will move to the Washington D.C. City Council for a vote on December 1.

During the same committee meeting, an amendment that would allow the refusal of goods and services related to same-sex marriage was defeated by a 4-1 vote.

The vote came one day after a revised version of the bill was introduced eliminating a January 2011 end to domestic partner registration in the city and expanding exemptions for religious organizations.

The changes, made by committee chair Phil Mendelson, were approved by almost all members of council, including David Catania, who is openly gay.

The D.C. Board of Elections ruled November 17 that a proposed public vote to halt the measure could not take place, because "an initiative that authorizes discrimination [is] prohibited under the District of Columbia Human Rights Act."

However, Congress has 30 days after any D.C. law passes to overturn it, if it chooses. This could thrust the local measure onto the national stage.

'Don't ask' repeal may be next year

Washington, D.C.-Amid mounting studies indicating that military attitudes toward openly gay service personnel is changing, Democratic leaders indicated that they will use next year's defense spending authorization bill as a vehicle to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" ban on gay men and lesbians in the military.

During last year's presidential campaign,

Nancy Marcus, S.J.D.

Attorney at Law

Berkman, Gordon, Murray & DeVan

Constitutional Law and Civil Rights

Criminal Defense

Trial and Appellate Practice

Personal Injury

Medical Malpractice General Civil Practice

Free Initial Consultation

(216) 781-5245

nmarcus@bgmdlaw.com 55 Public Square, Suite 2200 Cleveland, OH 44113-1949

over the event's ten days, said Anderson. The Games, set for August 9 to 16, 2014, are expected to bring $80 million to the region and launch a new era of cooperation between the cities of Cleveland and Akron. It will be the largest event the region has ever hosted.

"Every good and service used will come from Northeast Ohio first, Ohio second, and the U.S. third," Anderson said.

Murphy added that it will also be "the biggest games in Gay Games history.”

"Part one of the story is the Cologne story," Murphy said. "We need to get the media machine behind Cologne to make it as successful as it can be, then take the Cleveland story on the road to answer the questions, 'Why not Cleveland?' and 'Why not Akron?' and get people to commit to come."

Murphy said the site inspectors were so impressed with Cleveland when they visited last summer that one will vacation on Ohio's north coast, and another has purchased a home.

Anderson said there will be five "cultural, artistic and athletic" events for fundraising, starting with a sports festival in April.

Murphy pointed out the positive developments in the area for LGBT people, including passage of Cleveland's domestic

Barack Obama promised a repeal, and reiterated the vow in October.

Now, an aide to gay Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts said that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the White House favor using the authorization bill.

This year, an LGBT-inclusive hate crime law was enacted as a rider on the defense authorization bill.

Adding the DADT repeal to the authorization would present a poetic symmetry, as the policy officially became law as a rider to the same annual measure in 1993.

Frank told Kerry Eleveld of the Advocate that using the bill was the plan all along, and that the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and hate crime legislation was the priority for 2009 and the DADT repeal was always intended for 2010.

"We have been saying this from the very beginning," Frank said.

Man held in teen's beheading, burning

Cayey, Puerto Rico-Police on November 17 arrested a 26-year-old man in connection with the brutal murder, dismemberment, beheading and immolation of a 19year-old gay man.

Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado's body was found in a wooded area on November 13. The body was partially burned and both arms, both legs and the head were cut off. On November 17, police arrested John A. Martinez, impounded two cars and searched

John Heimke DMD

General Dentistry

partner registry in December, passage of the Equal Housing and Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the Ohio House, and the election of Sandra Kurt, Akron's first openly lesbian official, as changes the Games want to spotlight.

"We have the entire package here," Anderson said, "We want to share it with the world."

Pointing out that the Games will open in 236 weeks, Cimperman closed the program noting that Cleveland put Jesse Owens on the world stage and elected Carl Stokes, the nations first black mayor of a major city.

"In 2014," Cimperman continued, "Cleveland will set the stage again for human rights."

ROBERT OLAYAS

LU

Stephan Collet and Annette Wachter, organizers of the 2010 Gay Games in Cologne, Germany, ring the Cleveland City Club bell instead of passing a torch to promote the events in both cities.

a nearby house.

Police have yet to determine whether the murder was a hate crime, but LGBT activists are pointing to the extreme level of overkill, which is often typical in anti-gay murders.

Investigator Angel Rodriguez drew accusations of homophobia when he told the press, "This type of person, when they get like this and take to the streets, know what can happen."

While Rodriguez' supervising officer Jose Figueroa Sanchez dismissed the allegations of homophobia, Civil Rights Commission executive director Vance Thomas urged that administrative charges be filed

against Rodriguez immediately, and an investigation launched.

As an American territory, the newly-enacted Matthew Shepherd-James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crime Act is in force in Puerto Rico. The United States Department of Justice can step in and file hate crime charges against Martinez if U.S. attorneys feel it is merited.

"It's at a very preliminary stage," Lymarie Llovet, the spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's office in San Juan, told CNN.

Compiled by Brian DeWitt, Anthony Glassman and Patti Harris.

"Hot..White... Natural...."

FAD

Dr. John Heimke

Facial Aesthetic Design, FAD Veneers

Smile Makeovers

Full Mouth Reconstruction Aesthetic Injectables

Call for Your Smile Consultation 1.888.255.3588

www.EveryoneLovesMySmile.com

FAD Studio Cleveland OH

♡