HIGH GEAR/NOVEMBER 1977

BRIGGS WITHDRAWS INITIATIVE

On November 1st, State Foundation filed a reply in the Court in which they disclosed that not only was the title and summary misleading but that the petitions circulated by Briggs differed substantially from that authorized by the Attorney General.

Senator John V. Briggs, R.-Cal., withdrew his anti-homosexual teacher initiative. Two weeks earlier, the Pride Foundation, a pro-gay organization, filed a lawsuit in the California Supreme Court on behalf of teacher David Goldman. It asked the Attorney General to withdraw the initiative on the ground that it did not conform to the California Election Code. The Code requires that the title and summary inform the electorate of the major purposes and effects of an initiative.

On October 21, the Attorney General filed a memorandum urging that the request be denied because the suit was brought too late. The Attorney General, Evelle Younger, mainfained that thousands of signatures had already been gathered and that the reason for the suit was to keep the proposed initiative from qualifying for the June, 1978 ballot.

On October 24, the Pride

The California Attorney General is required by law to prepare the title and summary of any initiative proposed for circulation. The Attorney General described that the initiative "prohibits hiring, and requires dismissal by school district board of any probationary or permanent teacher, teacher's aide, school administrator or counselor who has engaged in a public homosexual act described in Penal Code, Section 286 or 288a, or who has engaged advocating, soliciting, imposing, encouraging or promoting of private or public homosexual acts directed at, or likely to come to the attention of school children and/or other employees."

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TRAXX TORCHED

At 5:03 a.m. Monday, October 31, 1977, the fire alarm rang at the Cleveland Fire Department Station at 16th and Superior. Traxx Disco, Cleveland's most popular gay bar, was on fire.

An intensive investigation by the Cleveland Arson Squad has proven that arson was the cause of the holocaust. Apparently someone climbed to the second floor patio of the bar, broke a window over the stairway to the third floor, doused the immediate interior with gasoline and ignited it.

The extensive damage was most prominent on the third floor, which was completely gutted. The second floor lounge was not entirely ruined and the first floor's bar and dance floor were ruined more by water than fire.

Earlier in the evening, Traxx had been celebrating it's Freaker's Ball for Halloween. No patrons or personnel were injured in the blaze.

With the proceeds from the insurance settlement, Traxx

management intends to relocate at the Adonis Theatre Building on West Ninth Street, as a multilevel gay entertainment center with room for over 1000 people. Plans for this move were finalized November 3.

With the passage of the recent arson prevention law, the city of Cleveland is now offering a $10,000.00 reward for information leading to the arrest and

PARTIAL VICTORY

Rep. Edward Koch, D.-N.Y., handily defeated Secretary of State Mario Cuomo for the Mayor of New York. Mr. Koch has actively supported gay rights during his political career. A life-long bachelor and resident of the Village, he introduced H.R. 2998 in the House of Representatives. This bill would extend the protection of the 1964 Civil Rights Act to everyone regardless of sexual or affectional preference.

The possibility of Mr. Koch's homosexuality was rumored throughout the campaign, but was blatantly scurrilous during the closing days. "Do you want Cuomo or a Homo?" The voters spoke.

Carol Bellamy, also single and active on the pro-gay rights

issue will become the first woman to hold city-wide elective office. Ms. Bellamy becomes city council president, a post which has frequently been the stepping stone to the mayor's chair.

Robert Wagner, Jr., son of New York's former mayor was

defeated by Andrew Stein for

Borough President. Mr. Wagner openly courted gay support and has previously sponsored the has previously sponsored the Gay Civil Rights Bill in the City Council. He has also lobbied for its passage on the media and at demonstrations with gay groups.

Mr. Stein, a State Assemblyman, has conspicuously avoided the gay rights issue during his political career. In the closing weeks of the campaign, he actively sought gay support. Mr. Stein did pledge, if elected,

On the same day, October 24, Chief Justice Rose Bird retained the case for the Court's consirleration, an action that was interpreted as an indication of the Court's concern with the problem. The case was scheduled for the Court's conference on November 2.

At 4:00 p.m. on November 1, Briggs held a press conference where he announced that his lawyers had advised him that the petitions being circulated did not conform to the title and summary issued by the Attorney General and probably would invalidate all the signatures already gathered.

Briggs stated that, rather than engage in expensive litigation in the Courts, he would withdraw the petitions and start over. In characteristically harsh words, he said he is "not going to put the fate of California's children in the hands of Rose Bird." Ms. Bird is a political appointee of Democratic Governor Jerry Brown.

Pride Foundation attorney

conviction of the person(s) responsible for the blaze.

Don Knutson said that "from it's summary, one would suspect that this initiative deals only with teachers who have made homosexual advances to their students, or those who commit public sex crimes, or those who advocate the commission of such crimes. If that was its purpose," Knutson continues, "the initiative would not ba necessary at all." California law presently deals with such cases even more severely than would the initiative.

Knutson claims that the title and summary "purports to deal only with criminal conduct when, in fact, the initiative applies the same sanctions to conduct that is perfectly legal under California law." That reference is to the decriminalization of private homosexual acts in California by the legislature in 1975.

The lawsuit also charges that the summary does not mention that "the initiative placed severe restrictions on the freedom of speech of all California

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teachers, teachers aids, administrators and counselors." A reading of the initiative indicated that even straight teachers could be fired for advocating gay lifestyles and the rights of gays to practice their sexual lifestyles.

Briggs is a candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in next June's

primary but has consistently denied that the initiative is only a publicity-seeking device to boost his candidacy.

One of his opponents for the GOP nomination is Attorney General Evelle Younger. Younger announced publicly several weeks ago that he opposes the initiative.

Briggs announced his intention to seek legislation or an initiatve measure against gay teachers shortly after the Dade County defeat where he campaigned with Anita Bryant. The southern California senator then came to San Francisco where he announced his anti-gay drive from the steps of City Hall.

BARBERTON RALLY

On Saturday, November 5, 1977, the Summit County Coalition for Gay Rights sponsored a rally in the city of Barberton in defense of their own civil rights.

At 1:00 in the afternoon, a boisterous fifty people gathered at the Lake Anna Pavilion in the center of the city. Featured speaker at the event was Dolores Noll, professor at Kent State University.

But the welcome mat was definitely not extended by the residents. On reaching the Lake Anna Park, the Cleveland representatives were taunted by what appeared to be Anita Bryant-type crusaders. Even

Overwhelmed by the offers of ANITA

sympathy and assistance in reconstruction and relocation, Traxx management expresses a sincere thanks to all their friends and patrons. As a sign of their thanks, they only say, "Wait, 'til you see the new place."

to "be a fast study" in the area and to have an office open to the gay community.

Gary Deane came within 5000 votes of representing 2 1/2 million people in the city council. Mr. Deane came in third in the race for two councilmen-at-

large from the Brooklyn

borough.

He has run openly as a gay, and was opposed by Vincent Ricco. Ricco published a letter that he had written to Anita Bryant in the New York Daily News requesting her assistance. It read in part; "I don't think the people of Brooklyn should be represented by Deane or any homosexual because the basic beliefs such an individual has are contrary to those held by the overwhelming majority of

DUNDEE, FLORIDA: On October 26th a top state Florida Citrus official said that Anita Bryant's campaigns are interfering with her role as salesperson for Florida Orange

borough residents."

Mr. Deane had the endorsements of the New York Times, The New York Post, AFL-CIO and the United Teachers Union. He polled over 33,000 votes in this four man race.

MILK ELECTED

Harvey Milk was elected as a San francisco supervisor in Tuesday's election. Milk, a 47 year old camera store owner, garnered 30.5 percent of the vote in the 5th District to become the first gay office holder in that city's history. Mr. Milk said that his election was not only a personal triumph, but was a victory for all homosexuals.

though the heterosexual crowd outnumbered the gays, the rally Iwas in fact peaceful. Speakers were challenged on the issues they voiced; but both sides acted with restraint.

It was just a few short months ago that the Coalition introduced a gay civil rights or. dinance to the Barberton City Council. A more-informed member of city council questioned whether this type of ordinance was really needed: Were there any gays in Barberton that this law would protect?

Certainly with the rally the case for gay rights in Barberton has been firmly established.

juice.

Eward Taylor, executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus, told a growers' meeting in Dundee that they will have to change their strategies to meet consumer tastes.

What prompted the changed of the FCC attitude was new market research studies which shows that Anita Bryant's standing has slipped badly. Mr. Taylor added that when the consumer sees her, they don't think of orange juice, they think about the gay rights issue.

Lima, Ohio: Although Anita Bryant has given up her "Save Our Children" campaign, she appeared at Lima's Memorial Hall on October 26th at 7:30 PM. Ms. Bryant is now running the "Revive America" crusade and not charging admission fees for her speaking. About 150 gays showed up at the Lima engagement resulting with the arrest of one gay woman protesting ouside the hall. Approximately 100 gays walked out as Ms. Bryant began her speech.