Rage 6 HIGH GEAR September 1980
HIGH
CEAR
OPINION
A Publication of the Gear Foundation
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 1
1980 GEAR
HIGH GEAR journai .. » publication of the Gay Educations and Awareness Res G FAR I Enundation of Cleveland Ohio it is distributed free of I haʼyor any establishment and with an anisation that w permit die wh..bor We are a non profit federa ̧ no orompt public alium
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EDITOR
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Columbus
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Mailbag
Dear Friends:
The GEAR Foundation's major commitment is to justice for all gay Americans. In pursuit of that goal, we are turning to our friends in the Greater Cleveland gay community, sharing with you Our commitment to that equality and equity. We hope you will post and publicize the enclosed resolution. Together, we as a people can achieve not just a tolerated "lifestyle" but the full exercise of our civil righs as gay Americans.
Sincerely yours, John Lehner, President, GEAR Foundation. Thom David Gianfagna,
Trustee; Director,
Gay Community Center:
(See page 7 Ed.)
Dear Editor:
Last Saturday night my companion and I were to meet two
Editorial
A knife in your
On July 22 most of the members of the U.S. House of Representatives stabbed their gay constituents in the back.
On that day the appropriation bill was being considered for the Legal Services Corporation, the non-profit, non-governmental program funded by the U.S. government which supports hundreds of legal clinics across the country. These clinics provide legal aid for various American citizens who have difficulty paying for lawyers.
Representative Larry McDonald, a Democratic Representative from Georgia (who is supported by the Christian Voice, an anti-gay, fundamentalist lobby) introduced an amendment to the bill which says, "That no part of this appropriation shall be used by the Legal Services Corporation to provide legal assistance in promoting, defending, or protecting homosexuality."
This amendment passed by a record vote of 290 to 113 with 30 members not voting.
Said Representative John L. Burton, a Democrat from California, in the debate which preceded the voting. "The millions of Americans who are gay, who are taxpayers, are being told that we are going to take their money but we are not going to use it for some cause that may affect their personal lives or the lives of some others similarly situated."
Urgently needed right now is contact between gay constituents and their Representatives--by letter, or even by personal meeting--to let them know that this particular betrayal will not be gotten away with easily.
This is only the second time ever that a specifically gay issue has reached the floor of Congress. (The first time was in 1977 when the same Larry McDonald introduced a similar amendment to another Legal Services Corporation Appropriations bill. This amendment passed the House but was killed in the Senate.)
Anti-gay forces are now seeing what they can get away with, seeing how easily Congresspersons can be intimidated into voting their way during an election year.
This particular measure was quite obviously passed in the House according to political calculations rather than personal conscience. In the untallied voice vote that took place before McDonald asked for a recorded vote the "Nays" had it.
men at a local bar on East Long Two basic facts
St., called "Trends." At the door we were asked for,"membership
In considering the political situation this year, there are two basic, cards" or the $5. each to pur-interrelated facts that gay men and lesbian women cannot afford to
chase them, as well as $1 each to
enter.
lose sight of.
The first is that no one is likely to take more of a continuing interest the well-being of gays than gays are taking themselves. Most people do not make special efforts to learn about people whose concerns they do not see as being related to themselves.
Certainly the fact that appar-in ently "anyone" can purchase said membership cards denies any exclusivity and seems more geared to another method of "bleeding" the gay community
here in Columbus.
It is time the gay community bands together and refuses any longer to pay ridiculous sums for the privilege of being together. Five dollars is certainly not an enormous sum, my complaint lies more in the principle of being asked to "join" something simply to be able to "have" a card to get in.
Some Congresspersons are much more tolerant and much more sensitive to human values and needs than others, but all Congresspersons tend to be very busy. Dealing all the time with the various demands of many different types of people, they are certainly going to give most of their attention to those who bother to tell them what they need and want.
Congresspeople must be reminded continually that gays are attentive voters.
The second fact to not be lost sight of is that the basic strategy of anti-gay forces consists of corrupting justice. The basic strategy of anti-gay forces consists of denying gay men and lesbian women a basic right of people living in a free society-the right to defend
themselves.
Gay men and women are not asked what they have to say for themselves. Those who answer even the foulest and most insane even-accusations made against lesbian women and gay men are told that they are "advocating" and "flaunting."
We would certainly have spent well over the $5. each that ing for our own enjoyment, not simply five dollars each to line the pockets of someone who is seemingly out to make a clear profit from our so-called minority.
We are use to, and indeed have no complaint against, paying $1 or $2. cover charges, which we well know go to pay performers and employees of other bars in the community but $5. simply to "join"? No way!
And we both hope that others. of the gay community here will 170.00 Classifieds are for the advertisers rise up and put a stop to such
85.00
monetary gain. Messages can be
65.00 used by individuals and clubs/organ3.00 Izations, and are not for mor ary gain.
ridiculous practices:
In unity there is strength........ Sincerely yours, Joyce T. Morris Columbus, Ohio
The form taken by the House's anti-gay amendment, denying legal assistance to gay men and women, reflects the basic situation of lesbian women and gay men in the United States--being continually on trial in a kangaroo court.
Seizing and keeping control of this kangaroo court situation is the basic aim of anti-gay forces.
Elected officials must be reminded that while people are resigned to such kangaroo court situations in the Soviet Union, and while such situations went over big in Nazi Germany, many American citizens might react vehemently when they realize that basic rights that they are supposed to have are being ripped off.
A slap in the face to anyone trying to be conscientious, civicminded, and fair, voting for McDonald's anti-gay amendment calls into doubt more than the basic fitness of certain Representatives to function in public office and provide decent leadership. It also calls into 'doubt the basie fitness of these Representatives to call themselves American citizens.
R. Woodward