From: ulmo@armory.com (Brad Allen)
Newsgroups: soc.motss,ba.motss,alt.politics.homosexuality
Subject: Peaceful demonstration planned in SF re AB2601,3825,3019
Date: 2 Sep 92 22:00:31 GMT
Distribution: ca

[I typed much of this from a press release.  Typos are mostly mine. -Brad]

The Committee for Contemporary Family Values
Celebrating Diversity * Conquiring Igorance * Promoting Change

September 1, 1992

For immediate release

Media Contacts:	Gregory Adams or Bennett Carlson
(415) 864-0454

Joe van Es-Ballesteros
Office of Supervisor Roberta Achtenberg
(415) 554-5556

Coalition formed to peacefully address governor's anticipated veto of
civil rights legislation

A broad coalition of leaders and organizations from San
Francisco's diverse multi-cultural communication calling themselves
The Committee for Contemporary Family Values is currently formulationg
plans for a non-violent rally and march to be held one day after
Governor WIlson's anticipated veto of AB 3825, the omnibus civil
rights bill sponsored by Assembly Speaker Willie Brown.  This
comprehensive piece of civil rights legislatioon is far-reaching in
the communities it affects as it would:  (1) prohibit discrimination
based on economic status; (2) award damages in cases of housing and
employment discrimination; (3) throw out "English-speaking only"
rules; (4) prohibit discrimination in employment and housing for
persons with physical handicaps; and (5) prohibit all arbitrary
discrimination by business establishments.

Also at issue is the fate of other legislations impacting
civil rights, such as AB 2601, a bill that would prohibit
discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation; AB
3019, a bill similar in scope abnd content to AB 101 (the lesbian/gay
rights bill vetoed by Govenor WIlson last year); and the proposed
statewide needle exchange program.  Additionally, the march and rally
will address the homophobia, divisiveness and gay-bashing that
permeated the recent Republican National Convention in Houston.
Organizers expect several prominent legislators and politicians to
send a message of solidarity to Governor Wilson by participating in
the event.

The day following the veto of any one of the aforementioned
bills, participants will gather at 7 p.m. in Dolores Park at Church
and 20th Sts. (popularly known as "Queen's Beach") for a brief rally.
The march will begin at 7:30 p.m., and will follow Church St. north to
Market St., southwest on Market St. to Castro St., then south on
Castro St. to 18th St., where the rally will continue at the old
Hibernia Beach.  Organizers expect the event ot last for several
hours, and have given Castro area merchants advance notice of their
plans.

The Committee, which was formed under the auspices of San
Francisco Supervisor Roberta Achtenberg over the past few days as an
attempt to create a vehicle through which to respond to WIlson's
anticipated veto, will actively take steps to encourage participants
to express their frustration and anger in a manner reminiscent of th
peaceful demonstrations led by Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) during the
Civil Rights movement of the 1960s.  The Committee further plans to
work with local authorities and a team of trained safety and medical
volunteers to help provide for the personal safety of all participants
in the event.

"Members of the lesbian and gay community are outraged that
yet again we are being treated like second-class citizens," said
Supervisor Acthenberg.  "The Governor is giving short shrift to the
civil rights of four million Californians.  Each and every time we are
ignored we will express our contempt and anger, both through peaceful,
non-violent means and in the voting booth."

Supervisor Carole Migden also supports the efforts of The
Committee:  "I welcome the formation of The Committee for Contemporary
Family Values.  George Bush has created a vision of the morally
upstanding American that ignores the realitis of three fourths of our
nation.  Pete Wilson appears to want to perpetuate the hatred that
puts the lives of gay men and lesbians at risk.  I encourage
participation in the non-violent actions of The Committee to attempt
to restore civility in this country."

# # #

[Brad's note:

The emotion of Wilson lying to us on an election promise to sign the
likes of AB101 demanded the kind of large protests which we had for
that action.  Having Wilson veto any and/or all of these bills will no
longer be a surprise to us, since we pretty much know he will.  In
addition, many people are afraid of going to protests now that they
associate these with violence and mass arrests.  Finally, it appears
(evident from the above!) that certain political persons are seeking
credit for a nonviolent protest (this realization courtesy of G.T.),
when indeed this protest doesn't even seem nearly as important as
previous ones.

However, I feel that the elected officials should be held accountable
for their actions almost regardless of what we expect out of them.
Protests are a way to demand that accountability.  Although tainted by
personal political gain, this protest has a definite core pure purpose
of demanding human rights.  With this in mind, I think it is well
worth considering whether you are up to this protest or not.

I know one of the best ideas that got killed by Queer Nation
infighting was the one to do periodic protests at the Capitol until
the politicians did something about our rights.  This would have both
kept it a political issue that politicians couldn't get away from, and
keep up the moral, energy and attention of the protestors (in
theory!?).  These protests could even be thought of in that vein.

Finally, Jessy Greenman (of SF/BA GLAAD), as one of the three females
in a meeting of 20 people, kept making herself known, saying a few
things I'd be glad to repeat here; she said it would be a very good
idea to develop long term protest strategies (ala Queer Nation?!), so
that a sort of organized approach to this whole issue could be done.
Ah, duplicating efforts of history, and all that, but it sounds good.

I may see you there!

Brad Allen]

***
[Notes from:]
September 1, 1992
Ad Hoc Planning Meeting #3 [held at 1695 Market St 8pm]
phone 1+415-554-5556

Demonstration scheduled for [evening of day after] the Governor's
anticipated veto of civial rights legislation affecting lesbians and
gay men.

Kick-off:  Dolores Park at 7 PM.  Short program (30 minutes).

March:  Dolores Park to Market Street to Castro Street to 18th Street.

Rally:  Main Program at 18th and Castro.  Music.  Into the evening.

Medical, Media, Outreach, Sound/Stage, Police Issues, Legal
Observation logistics being planned.

Contingency plan set in case crowd heads downtown.

Still need to beef up Community Alert Team, Safety Team.


[my various notes follow:]

People with time grab voter registration forms and simply hand them
out (clipboards not needed) during protest.

"CUAV useless"  [shows how corrupt even gay SF City organizations can
be]

[Oct 11 Sunday is 1992s National Coming Out Day (NCOD), protest
planned for Sacramento Capitol]

If people gather night of any vetos, do whatever and also ask all
these people (with bullhorn & flyers?) to come back the next day.

Efforts are being made to get police cooperation on certain items;
such as asking them not to have motorcycle (trouble) cops, no batons
near crowd, etc.

For those of you who bring video cameras, please "video the law
enforcement, not the protesters", since often video footage can be
incriminating against protesters (not our purpose!)

"Every symbol of law enforcement will be draped in a force field
around the state buildings" ... "We can't get within 1000 feet of
buildings" ... says one person.  Also, Jessy suggests the idea of
people chaining themselves to the police barricades if it ever gets to
that.

If you know of good rally speakers (not the >extremely awfully boring<
ones for the AB101 protests according to many), then please call
554-5556 and tell them.

===================

An enlightening (well, funny) article from Los Angeles Times, page B3,
date unknown, titled "Gays Press for Signing of Rights Bill" ...
I want to quote a part here (the beginning):

  It was all a bit confusing.  Hissing activists waving water pistols
  protested a news conference about the protests planned for the
  expected veto of a state gay rights bill -- while non-hissing
  activists urged Gov. Pete Wilson to sign the bill and make the
  protests unnecessary.

.. and later ...

  But more militant activists have other ideas.  Variously dressed in
  drag and Middle Eastern terrorist garb, several of them crashed
  Monday's press conference, arguing with speakers and vowing violence
  if Wilson rejects the new bill.

  "You are not our leaders," they yelled, identifying themselves as
  "independent activists," members of Queer Nation and ACT UP/LA.  "No
  candelight marches, torches."  "The Los Angeles riots will continue."
  [Brad's comment:  please keep riots away from ourselves; instead bring
  them to the culprit.  I.e. go to the area of the discriminators, not
  the victims, to riot!]  "I'm going to die anyway.  You think I'm going
  to sit back with a candle?" snapped one man who said he had AIDS.

***
[from green flyer, outdate by above:]

Peaceful Demonstration

There are currently three measures up for review by governor Wilson.
They are:

* AB 2601 - Intended to protect lesbians and gay men from
discriminiation in employment and housing.

* AB 3825 - an omnibus civil rights bill

* AB 3019 - very similar to AB 101

* NEEDLE EXCHANGE (Statewide Program)

The lesbian/gay/bisexual community is expecting Gov. Wilson to veto
these measures and are preparing for it.  Supervisors Robert
Achtenberg is planning a peaceful protest.  To help become involved
with the planning of this protest, go to a meeting on:

Tuesday, September 1st
8:00 p.m. at
1695 Market Street
(Project Inform)

Or, for more information, contact someone at LYRIC at (415) 703-6150

--------------------------------------------------

[Please note that the Peaceful Demonstration contact # is 554-5556,
office of Sup. Roberta Achtenberg]

- Brad

P.S. In a companion message is a smaller announcement of another event
regarding health framework to be held on the 8th, 8pm, @ the new state
building.