AUGUST 1981 HIGH GEAR page 5

"Family Protection" Act introduced

A new version of the so-called Family Protection Act was introduced in Congress on June 17-as S. 1378 in the Senate and as H.R. 3955 in the House. It was introduced by Senator Roger Jepsen, a Republican from lowa, and by Representative Albert Lee Smith, a Republican from Alabama.

The new version of the Family Protection Act does not contain a major anti-gay provision found in the previous version. Two major anti-gay provisions, however, remain.

The eliminated provision is a statement that discrimination against declared homosexuals would never be considered "an unlawful employment practice." This was one of the most anti-gay provisions ever considered by Congress and probably would have reversed any court decisions concerning Civil Service employment favorable to men and women who are gay.

The new legislation retains the provision which prohibits the use of funds by the Legal Services Corporation for gay causes and the provision which denies fed-" eral funds to any organization suggesting "homosexuality.. male or female, as a life style."

In a press release dated June 23, 1981 Steve Endean, Executive Director of the Gay Rights National Lobby, said that it was very unlikely that Family Protection legislation would pass this session. The Family Protection

Act might receive hearings in the right leaning Senate, but it faces several hostile Democratic Subcommittees and full Committee Chairmen in the House of Representatives.

Whether passed itself, however, or not, the Family Protection Act could be dangerously influential, Endean said.

"Not only does its introduction tend to legitimize ideas that are wholly foreign to this country's pluralist approach," Endean said, "but it's clear that the Radical Right will use the Family Protection Act's provisions as floor amendments to other bills."

An example of a Family Protection Act type of provision being. tacked onto another bill is the McDonald amendment to the Legal Services Corporation funding bill, an amendment passed in the U.S. House on June 18.

McDonald's anti-gay amendment actually goes beyond the provision in the Family Protection Act to prohibit the use of Legal Services funds for civil cases involving gay rights.

"I must say it's frustrating." said Endean, "that our community seems to take various anti-gay floor amendments, which could actually have greater impact, less seriously."

Seen as being particularly dangerous is the Family Protection Act provision which states that "no federal funds may be available under any provision of federal law to any public or pri-

vate individual, group, foundation, commission, corporation, association, or other entity for the purpose of advocating, promoting, or suggesting homosexuality, male or female, as a life style."

Said Village Voice columnist Alexander Cockburn about this provision in an article entitled "The Last Socially Acceptable Form of Bigotry" in the July 2 issue of The Wall Street Journal, "We may note that the Congressional Research Service has said that such a provision is open to court interpretation that spokesmen for gay rights be denied their social security pensions. The provision would certainly deny federal funds for any research which did not presume that homosexuality is an illness, or a condition which, in any counseling, should be changed rather than come to terms with Under the provision, indeed, The Democratic Party--which has a gay rights plank--could be denied federal campaign funds." As introduced, the Family Protection Act covers six areas which its writers have labeled Family Preservation, Taxation, Education, Voluntary Prayer, The Rights of Religious Institutions and Educational Affiliates, and Jurisdiction.

The sections dealing with homosexuality are under Family Preservation.

A news conference was held on June 17 in the Capitol Build-

ing by Senator Robert Jepson to reverse the "accelerated erosion announce his introduction of the of basic family values due to new version of the Family Protec-government intrusion and growtion Act in the Senate. He told ing secular humanism.” reporters that it is designed to

Dem Clubguest speaker

by Rick Berg

Guest speaker for the August meeting of the Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club will be Jay Seaton, Democratic Ward Leader at Large. for Cleveland Heights. The meeting is Monday, August 24, 8 p.m., at the Cleveland Heights home of David Batz and Rick Berg.

Seaton will speak on the need

for gays to work within the Democratic Party. In addition to his position as ward leader at large, Seaton is also a member of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Executive Committee. He is currently head of Credit Consumer Counseling Service of Northeastern Ohio, co-chair of the Cleveland Automobile Dealers' Association, chair of the steering committee of the Cuyahoga County ombudsman's office, and an arbitrator for the Better Business Bureau. He is a board member of the Consumer League of Ohio, the Ohio Consumer Association, and Heights Community Congress.

Seaton originally moved to Cleveland in 1970 as a VISTA volunteer. He now lives in Cleve-

land Heights. Last year he was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention.

The meeting is open to all interested people. Call David or Rick at 229-7529 or 421-2122 for the address.

GEAR trustees

select officers

Inits first meeting of the new fiscal year, the board of trustees of GEAR met on July 7th for an organizational meeting.

At this meeting officers for the coming year were selected.

Elected President was John Lehner. Handling finances again is VP Earl Korb. Services will be under VP Pat Baskin. Melinda McGeorge is again VP of Communications. Publications is the area under VP Erich Andrews.

It was noted that minutes of the annual meeting and all other meetings of the board are available on request.

The meeting was adjourned 10:30 PM.

DANCE CONTEST

AUGUST 29th

FIRST PRIZE -$200.00

SECOND PRIZE -$100.00

THIRD PRIZE -$50.00

SEE DENNIS FOR DETAILS

$2.00 COVER $5.00 ENTRY FEE

417 Kenmore Blvd., Akron, Ohio

at the corner of Lakeshore

375-5275