From: snodgras@lclark.edu (Bil Snodgrass)
Newsgroups: soc.motss
Subject: Re: Austin, TX joins Colo. Boycott
Date: 29 Dec 92 19:00:04 GMT
Article-I.D.: lclark.1992Dec29.190004.20792
Organization: Lewis & Clark College, Portland OR

In article <85913@ut-emx.uucp> esm@june.che.utexas.edu (Edward Scott Meadows) writes:
>In article <1992Dec29.170734.1806@PacBell.COM> rjwill6@PacBell.COM (Rod Williams) writes:
>>> snodgras@lclark.edu (Bil Snodgrass) writes:
>>>> buckmr@aix02.ecs.rpi.edu (Ron Buckmire) writes:
>>
>>>>Are you saying hat AUSTIN, TEXAS has had a gay rights ordinance on the
>>>>books since 1974??
>>>
>>>I don't see how Austin could have an equal rights ordinance for g/l
>>>because of Texas law 26.01....but it is a real hip place.  Austin was
>>>one of the first cities in the nation to ban discrimination in housing
>>>and on the jobs in the case of AIDS....
>
>It's true that Texas has a sodomy law, but that doesn't prevent the
>passage of local gay and lesbian civil rights laws.

So there is a equal rights law protecting Gays in Austin?  That is
funny, because in Oregon City laws cannot override State and or Federal
Laws.....

 Also, Austin was
>the site of a legal challenge to 21.06 (not 26.01) that resulted in
>the sodomy law being ruled unconstitutional.  (The state constitution
>has an explicit right to privacy included.)


I am delexic and a poor poor speller....but you are right about
it being 21.06.....I always found it strange that in Texas there would
be a Sodomy Law.  The Texas hate government.  I mean they hate it
more than most places.  Don't they have the biggest state Constitution
in the nation?  The Constitution was set up to support the rights of
the individual....

>
>The ruling is being appealed to the state supreme court, to be heard
>early in 1993.  The costs (>$100,000) are being borne by the Texas
>Human Rights Foundation.  They have almost no money and can probably
>use some help if anyone is interested (Ph. (512) 479-8473).

Thanks for the phone number.  I am really impressed with some of
the movement for equal rights that are occuring in Texas....By the
way didn't the Civil Rights movement occur in the backwater south? ;-)

Bil Snodgrass

Hippie Hallow!!! Don't forget Hippie Hallow?  Can women still go
Topless in Barton Springs?  I know that in 1989 it was alright!

>
>>>Don't think Texas when you think about Austin....It is sort of like
>>>a Shangrila in the middle of the whole of the Bible belt, which starts
>>>just on the north fringes of town......
>
>And don't forgot that Austin has one of the nation's few openly gay
>state representatives, Glen Maxey.  He was chosen best legislator by
>the local alternative (not gay) newspaper and was re-elected in
>November by a 2-1 margin.

Not only that, but he was elected in a predominantly Hispanic/blue Collar
neighborhood!!! Not a rich white gay neighborhood....Harvy Milk almost
slips off my tongue....

>
>Armadillo World Headquarters was before my time, but I have been to
>Esther's Follies, Barton Springs, and to see the bats.  It's a magical
>place! 


Back at the turn of the century when cities all across the nation were
putting in street lights Austin decided to go with tower lights.  The
idea was to make Austin bask in Moon light everynight of the month.
These towers are still up in the central area and the glow at night
is very magical.  From the Crossing (my coming out bar) the patio has
a very clear view of the police station just across Waller Creek...

>
>-- 
>Edward S. Meadows
>Department of Chemical Engineering
>University of Texas
>Austin TX 78721-1062
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