Page 14 HIGH GEAR

Cleveland: "boundless potential"

Editor:

The February issue of HIGH GEAR carried an opinion article by John Nosek entitled "Cleveland Needs a Gay Ghetto." It took

a little time but I've done some checking of the expressed "facts" in the article and have found a couple of errors that need correcting.

Despite what NEWSWEEK might have reported concerning Cleveland's uniquely lower income population count, figures reported by the U.S. Census Bureau show Cleveland within 5% (above or below) of the 36 largest cities in the U.S. with regard to percent of the population qualifying as "lower income."

Since no census report has ever listed "professional living within the central city" as a tabulation, there rests a question of credibility in Mr. Nosek's reporting"...the city has no professional residents." (For the sake of argument, since Mr. Nosek resides in Cleveland, I wonder if he considers himself in the "professional class"; he is obviously a resident of the city.)

In regard to the cost of living downtown, one bedroom apart-

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ments in Park Centre and the Chesterfield (the two most expensive living units downtown) start at $270.00 per month including utilities and amenities. (i.e.. pools, saunas, etc.) Comparable units in the suburbs begin at $225.00 per month with no utilities and usually an outdoor pool as the only amenity. Comparing dissimilar structures of downtown high rises and Ohio City apartments of equal floor space one finds Ohio city apartments beginning at $185 per month, with no utilities, no amenities, and usually an absentee landlord (which for those of us with experience usually means a long wait for repairs; not the case in maintenance staffed structures.)

The concept of "urban development" Mr. Nosek referred to was the now infamous Urban Renewal Program. One would be hard pressed to prove that Cleveland, was the first city to "undergo" urban renewal however as nearly every major city in the country embraced the program as the new hope for the depressed post-war urban centers. The program's primary emphasis was destruction of old structures to make way for new

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more appropriate space, but was not aimed at removing housing per se, though housing was not exempt. The "gorgeous Victorrian homes" in and around Cleveland's downtown were the victims of the central business district expansion. No special program here, just plain capitalism and its less favorable side. The loss of that heritage occurred long before the 1948 start of urban renewal.

While it is true Cleveland was one of the first cities to have the Federal Governent cut off its urban renewal moneys because of misappropriation, it is not true that other cities "learned" from Cleveland's mistake. There are volumes of material available that analyze the national disaster that was urban renewal; "urban removal" as it later became known.

Regarding the cost of Ohio City homes (for purchase), a quick market comparison findsstructures of comparable quality. (state of renovation) and size, as much as $3.000 to $12.000 less noise, and less crime. Some quick examples include

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Buckeye-Woodland. St. Clair Superior, and Tremont. In addition, all the above areas have "block clubs" (community involvement) of not only longer dura'tion but greater community effect in solving local problems. A short conversation with community organizers will show the Ohio City block groups to be among the most divided ineffective in the city..

minority (that of a gay) attacks another minority when both are residents of a city with more than enough problems already. Common sense would dictate cooperation not division. Mr. Nosek.

The City of Cleveland is a city of almost boundless potential. Given current trends it is clearly the center of new development and progressive change within the next five years. It can become a center of conflict or a center of progressive change; the latter being a model for other cities to follow. The choice, as residents of Cleveland, is ours, and ours alone to make.

Finally, I fail to find any empirical evidence that correlates the Puerto Rican or Appalachian ethnic groups with high incidences of burglary. Sociological studies would indeed tend to indicate that because of the strong hispanic traditions of a close-knit family and equally strong religious upbringing, the reverse would be true; overall crime should go down. The first question that comes to my mind given this consideration is the issue. value to be found when one

Given the "errors in judgement" made concerning Cleveland. I've begun checking the merits of 'gay ghettoization", and plan to report on that in the next

John Lehner

Gays for NO ON BIGOTRY IN CALIFORNIA (NOBIC) 1428 North McCadden Place Los Angeles California 90028 (213) 463-3928

Dear Editor.

FOR: Concerned civil and human rights advocates. Amnesty International, the Gay and Lesbian Press, concerned non-gay press, and contact persons with the government of Iran.

The Situation: The wire services reported from Tehran, Iran, March 7th and 8th, 1979, that executions of homosexual men had occurred in Iran. These reports were carried with pictures of the executed by firing squads in the Los Angeles Herald Examiner on March 7, 1979, on page A-4 captioned: "Islamic revolutionary firing squads executed nine more persons yesterday, seven of whom where convicted and shot for sex offenses..."; "Local press reports said that three men were shot to death in Shiraz for sodomy.": "Four men were lined up before a four-man execution team in Tehran late Monday after an Islamic court convicted them of raping a male student..."; and further, in this city of 300,000 passed sentence in secret trials and determined the time of death." "Nearby, pictures of the royal family... The Shah is painted as a transvestite with heavy lipstick and a blonde wig." Radio reports stated that some of the executed were "members of a homosexual ring."

It is impossible to get total and credible facts from Iran. However, the executions of ten homosexual men seem to have occurred.

American lesbians and gay men would recognize the code phrase. 'homosexual ring," as a very familiar one. Such phrases have been used widely to describe our social, religious and political gatherings. Surely, we find that familiar term to be threatening. As for the charges of rape, all of us abhor rape and work to offset its inherent violence. and none of us fails to see threats or possible ruse in these reports. Assessment: These trials seem not to have any of the quality of written charges, filed in open court, due process, trial by jury, hearings, evidentiary proceedings, or advocacy which we have come to respect and demand in any court proceedings. We protest these "trials." What to do about it: Concerned persons are urged to protest to: Dr. Djafar Faghidh. Embassy of Iran, 3005 Massachusetts Avenue. Washington, D.C. 20008.

The Honorable Ayotollah Khomeni and Prime Minister Mehdi Bazargan c/o Embassy of Iran, 3005 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, D.C. 20008. There it might be sent by diplomatic pouch to Iran. Such effort would not be wasted.

Mr. Jamal Shemprani, Deputy Permanent Representative, IranianMission to the United Nations, 622-3rd Avenue, New York City, New York 10017.

Other Constituencies: Are also complaining of life as projected in Iran today. Feminists are righteously protesting the return to chador. the veil, and to a subject role for women. An Iranian committee for the Defense of Human Rights has emerged in Iran. Iranians who are not islamic feel threatened and may be protesting.

Support: In our dealings with the new forces in Iran we need always remember that many members of our community felt that the Shah should go. that the Savak was a horror, that outside military forces used Iran as an armed camp, and that the Shah, his family, and cohorts expropriated much of the wealth of Iran to their own uses. This does not mean that we need to approve the present excesses we read of in the press, but it also means that none of us is urging a return of the Shah with all the exploitation and destructiveness that would involve. Nevertheless it would be irresponsible of us not to protest in direct and orderly ways these "trials" and executions