Newsgroups: bit.listserv.gaynet
Date:         Sat, 22 Aug 1992 23:17:07 -0400
From:         gaynet@ATHENA.MIT.EDU
Subject:      GayNet Digest Volume 5 Issue 648

In this issue:
    Scott Sawyer Released on $40,000 Bail. Houston Cop Claims Bite.
                                request
                         RNC stuff, expression
                       Claremont Colleges alumni?
                         RNC stuff, expression
                       flag burning and freedoms
                     What can the average Joe do...

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Date:         Sat, 22 Aug 92 10:37:01 EDT
From: Ken Sherrill <KSSHC%CUNYVM.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
Subject:      Scott Sawyer Released on $40,000 Bail. Houston Cop Claims Bite.

Scott Sawyer, my research assistant and student at Hunter College, has been
rel;eased on $40,000 bail following his arrest in Houston for disrupting a
Jerry Falwell event during the Republican National Convention. He has been
charged with disrupting Falwell's press conference and with assault. The latter
charge is a consequence of a Houston police officer's accusation that Scott bit
him -- a charge which Scott steadfastly denies.

The police obtained a court order to draw Scott's blood for the purpose of
testing for antibodies to HIV. Scott fears that once the results of the blood
test are in, he will be charged with attempted murder.

Videotape of the Falwell event, which I saw on the CBS Morning News, shows the
police charging the ACT-UP and Queer Nation demonstrators. Scott can be clearly
seen standing in the back of the room and being tackled by a police oficer.

Scott is being represented through the ACLU AIDS project. Lambda Legal Defense
and Educational Fund and the National Lesbian and Gay Task Force are also pro-
viding assistance. Contributions to these organizations would be greatly appre-
ciated.

Ken Sherrill

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

From: Paul Bobbitt <paul.bobbitt@canrem.com>
Date: 	Fri, 21 Aug 1992 20:00:00 -0400
Subject: request

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

Subject: Re: RNC stuff, expression
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 92 12:52:21 -0600
From: Chris Petrilli <petrilli@gnu.ai.mit.edu>

>>>>> On Sat, 22 Aug 92 09:16 EDT, SCHANK83%snypotva.bitnet@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
 said:

Andy> (Finally back from the summer, hope yours went well :)

I see you didn't have any more car accidents Andy ... that's
definately a good omen for the rest of the year. :-)

Andy>    3)  While watching Bush's speech, I noticed very few people in the
Andy>        crowd with the red ribbons on their chests -- a stark
Andy>        contrast to the DNC, but I suppose that can be
Andy>        expected...  Anyhow, one shot showed Barbara Bush with a
Andy>        ribbon pinned to her.  However, after George finished
Andy>        ranting, and the family joined him on stage, her ribbon
Andy>        was not there any more.  All these people claim to care
Andy>        about AIDS, but refuse to prominently show their support
Andy>        for people in front of the cameras.  Just another
Andy>        hypocritcal facet of the current administration I
Andy>        suppose...

According to the reporters at the RNC that I was watching
(McNeil/Lehrer, about the only ones I trust), Mary Fisher was the
first person they had seen with a red ribbon on her chest.  While I
did see Mrs. Bush with one in a shot, I never saw one again after
that.  I guess the Pats go to them and converted them into
gay-bashing, hatefilled people that the Pats epitomize.

Andy>    Finally, as usual, the RNC avoided the major issues for the
Andy>    most part.  They're going to focus negatively on the GBL
Andy>    community, and it's up to all of us to remind people what the
Andy>    issues REALLY are.  Think it's time for people to realize
Andy>    that there are more important things that affect them than
Andy>    who I sleep with...  then again, I'm prolly preaching to the
Andy>    choir, so I'll stop here... :)

I think Mike Lax said it best when he compared the Republican party to
the Nazi party in the 30s.  I could forward Michael article to GAYnet,
it was posted in alt.politics.homosexuality, and will soon appear in
the Austin American-Statesman.  The talk of ``religious and ethnic
war''' and a ``cultural cleansing'' are the exact same terms that the
Nazi party was using in the 30s and 40s, and that the Bosnians use
today.  Is this what we want from out governement?

Andy>    Oh yeah, about the flag-burning/expression thing.  As far as
Andy>    I'm concerned, if they want to label me unamerican, then let
Andy>    them.  I see very little to actually be proud of in this
Andy>    country, but that's partly because a good portion of my
Andy>    memory is from the Reagan/Bush years.  It might not win us
Andy>    any votes, but it's better than just jumping into another
Andy>    closet and hiding how I feel just so people will like me
Andy>    better.

I think it has been 8-10 years since anyone was truly PROUD to be an
American, something they held without any reservations.  Reagan did
one thing, and he did it well.  He ignited some passion in American
people.  Whether you agree with his policies or not, that has to be
recognized.  Bush lacks this, and has the same faults of no policy.  I
don't think he has a chance of really inspiring people this time
around.  Instead he continuies to be the wimp he always has been,
blaming everyone except himself when it comes time to figure out what
happened.

Harry Truman had a sign on his desk that said:

        `The Buck Stops Here'

George Bush has a sign on his desk that says:

        `The Buck Stops Somewhere Else'

Chris Petrilli
--
| Chris Petrilli                                             ____
| petrilli@gnu.ai.mit.edu             ``Quayle is a bozoe.'' \  /
| I don't even speak for myself.                              \/

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

Date: 22 Aug 92 14:45:31 EST
From: Larry Goldsmith <LGOLDSMI@PENNSAS.UPENN.EDU>
Subject: Claremont Colleges alumni?

Does anyone out there know if there's a lesbian/gay alumni group for the
Claremont Colleges?  If so, how can I get in touch with them?

Larry Goldsmith
lgoldsmi@pennsas.upenn.edu

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

From: kadie@eff.org (Carl M. Kadie)
Subject: Re: RNC stuff, expression
Originator: kadie@eff.org
Organization: The Electronic Frontier Foundation
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1992 19:16:47 GMT

[...]
>   1)  There were, according to the radio, 2 openly gay delegates at the
>       RNC.  (Someone previously said that they were only alternates, I
>       honestly don't know).  I heard a brief interview with one of them,
>       and this guy, in spite of all that was said, is still FOR Bush.
[...]

The author of _Coming out Conservative_ was on NPR's Fresh Air a
couple of days ago. He is a (founding?) member of the Log Cabin Club
(the Republican gay group) . He said that they are not endorsing Bush
this year which he considered important given that they are
Republicans.

- Carl
--
Carl Kadie -- I do not represent EFF; this is just me.
 =kadie@eff.org, kadie@cs.uiuc.edu =

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

Date: Sat, 22 Aug 92 18:06:11 EDT
From: Tim Pierce <twpierce@cs.amherst.edu>
Subject: flag burning and freedoms

Loren Meissner <lmeissne@u.washington.edu> said:

> So enjoy your role on the stage of guerrilla theatre and national
> politics, but if you play your role too strongly, you will play into the
> hands of the Bush campaign and the Religious Right and we will have four
> more years of Bush. You will probably argue that you don't like either
> Bush or Clinton, but as a pragmatist, I sure feel Clinton is the lesser of
> the two evils, and is more inclusive of GLB people and their issues, even
> to the point of taking heat from Bush and the Religious right for it.

I feel sure of that too -- which is why I will continue to argue
unequivocally for Clinton.  However, I think that you may not be
looking far enough into the future on this issue.  It will be MUCH
easier to lay all our cards on the table at the beginning than it will
be to introduce issues later in the fight.  Our enemies are already
distrustful of "the gay agenda" -- think how receptive they will be if
we argue for anti-discrimination laws now and for marriage laws later,
or one freedom now and another later.

I'm a little disoriented with sinus headache now, so this may not be
too clear.

-
____ Tim Pierce                / The Queer Resources Directory: access via
\  / twpierce@cs.amherst.edu   / anonymous ftp at nifty.andrew.cmu.edu in
 \/ (BITnet: TWPIERCE@AMHERST) / directory /pub/QRD.

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

Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1992 19:54 EDT
From: JDL764%ALBNYVMS.bitnet@UACSC2.ALBANY.EDU
Subject: What can the average Joe do...

     Well I think that if a poll was to be done on this net over
Clition vs. Bush for the next U.S. President, Clition would win.
The real question is what can joe average gaynetter do to help
insure that win in November.
     I would like to see a discussion on the net were folks share
their ideas on how to help the Clition/Gore campaign.  To get the
ball rolling here are some of my questions and suggestions.
     Suggestions:
     1. Contact the local Board of Elections office and pick up
some registration forms and help get the people you know to get
registered.
     2. Talk politics with the people you encounter in your
everyday life and discuss the weakness of the GOP platform (Anti-
Choice [no exceptions], Anti-Gay Rights, The Poor Economy, ect.)
     Questions:
     1. I am real weak in Political Science.  Can someone please
explain in laypersons terms how the Electorial College works and
how the College may effect the election?


                                             In Peace;
                                             Leo

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

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