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Gays Charge Brutality And Harrassment

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SEPTEMBER 1982

Bertha "Booble" Dinslo, owner of Dinslo's Lounge, will appeal court decision resulting from the December 6th, 1981, police raid.

Dear Editors.

Lawyers File Civil Rights Complaint

Tony Walsh and Carter Dodge, a pair of Cleveland attorneys with Civil Rights backgrounds, are. handling the appeals and civil litigation in the Dinsio's Lounge case. Walsh has been involved in such landmark cases as the Attica prison riots, the Indian uprisings at Wounded Knee, and the Kent State incident.

Dodge has worked for such causes and the American Indian and migrant workers rights movements and the Greensboro (N.C.) murders by the Nazis, and is preparing a book on civil rights law and litigation.

"We have fired an opening salvo with the filing of litigation charging deprivation of civil rights on behalf of Kimberly Stringer." said Walsh Stringer was found innocent of all charges

relating to the case.

"What has transpired here is a pervasive intimidation and ha. rassment which has an impact on the entire Gay community."

Dodge indicated plans to file five to ten additional suits as part I of the legal strategy. "Our first suit, on behalf of Ms. Stringer, is for tactical reasons which I cannot disclose at this time. The additional suits will reflect the systematic nature of this incident by joining high level, policy-making officials and additional police officers involved in the conspiracy and subsequent cover-up," he stated.

The complaint filed in Federal Court charges four Canton Police officers on seven counts, including assault and battery, false arrest, malicious prosecution, abuse of process and conspiracy.

A fund has been established to collect money and other support to help defray the enormous costs such as travel, depositions expert witnesses, preparation of documents and attorney's fees involved with a major civil rights case such as this one.

Said Dodge, "As an attorney. I'm impressed by the development of support from concerned individuals and organizations. I know I speak for Tony also. We are not liberals. We believe that marauding police and their kind don't protect the people, they are actually the enemy. We deplore institutional violence and will use our legal skills to prevent this kind of thing."

ED. NOTE: Send your contributions to: Canton Legal Defense Fund, Suite 253 The Arcade, Cleveland, OH 44114.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Over the past several years I have had the opportunity to direct several successful fundraising events in the Cleveland area. As a result of these experiences I volunteered to coordinate a community effort to end violence against women, the benefit concert/dance for the WomenSpace Reward Fund.

This event proved quite difficult to coordinate since not all the concerned individuals and organizations shared the same agenda for the evening. On the other hand, I enjoyed the opportunity to work with many willing and talented women who generously offered their support through words and actions.

I appreciate the thanks offered me by the crowd that night, but I hope that all those in attendance recognize the significance of the community effort that was evident at the benefit. The real credit goes to those women who gave unselfishly of their time and energies and made the effort a'

success.

Sincerely. Romaine Reeves

Dear High Gear,

In her self-righteous letter in the August 1982 issue of the New High Gear, Ms. Beth Shapiro makes an obvious reference to my speech at the Columbus Gay Pride Rally when she asks, "How dare anyone treat what happened to Jews during the Holocaust with

such utter contempt and nonchalance." I submit that Ms. Shapiro searches for wounds where no injury could possibly be intended. No one abhors the Nazis' treatment of the Jews more than I do, and I for one am shocked (as she is) by the rising AntiSemitism our society exhibits. If my Gay Pride Rally remarks can be interpreted as Anti-Semetic (and I do not believe they can). then I apologize. My point was not that homosexuals suffered more during the Holocaust, but simply that they suffered at all (a point not conceded by the historians-. indeed, a leading six-volume treatise on the Holocaust gives one sentence to homosexuals).

Douglas J. Whaley Columbus, Ohio

To the New High Gear staff.

Just a quick line and pat on the back to say that after just three issues of the New High Gear, you're doing a great job. Are you jumping on the Xerox to be in so many places at once? You're doing 'a helluva job!

Thanks for all the coverage at the Grand Opening. Brenda, you're great. It was quite a show!

Keep up the great work on covering all gay functions and activities as well as you have been.

The gay community should stand honored to have the New High Gear as their voice.

Thanks again, A.C. Martinez

The Bar Lorain, Ohio

Dear Editors,

I am a resident of Ashtabula County. It was recently suggested to me that I would probably be happier if I moved. This comment came after I had complained about the lack of gay friends and activities in this corner of Ohio.

Ashtabula County is surrounded by large cities. However, I am tired of having to drive at least 50 miles (one way) to attend or participate in some type of gay-oriented activity. With approximately a population of 90,000 people, I find it hard to believe that there are no gays in this county.

Yes, I could move, or I. could keep the oil companies happy with my gasoline consumption. Nevertheless. I think. it is about time for my county to enter the 20th century. It is definitely time for the gays of Ashtabula County to have an organization to turn to if they have a question or prob lem. Speaking for myself, I would like to become acquainted with gays in this area, and I think becoming organized (formally or informally) would bring us closer together..

If you live in the county and have felt the need for a group or organization, I would like to meet on Sunday, September 19th. For more information, drop me a line at the following address with a way to get in touch with you. Thanks.. . Dick GAC

..P.O. Box 591 Geneva, OH 44041

Dear Editors.

our

This is just a little note to say thank you for printing Geauga Lake coupon. An estimated 40% of the park's attendance was there to support H.U.G.

The weather was very rainy and the park closed at 4:00 p.m. All who were present received a free pass to go back to Geauga Lake on a nicer day.

The large turnout wouldn't have been possible if it weren't for your support. Thanks for printing our coupon and thanks for the nice articles on H.U.G.

Please extend a special thanks to your readers for their fabulous support. Thanks again!

Dear Editors,

Sincerely,

Mr. Dana K. Hartney H.U.G.'s new

chairperson

P.O. Box 3564 Akron, OH 44310

Having been active in the community for several years I've reached a saturation point. With separatists of both sexes, how can anyone expect to accomplish anything if we don't work. together! Will it always take an Anita Bryant, Jerry Falwell or a major crisis to get people to cooperate? Why don't we put aside the petty bigotry we criticize in the straights?

Name Withheld. *Cleveland