Date: Mon, 25 Jan 93 14:25:02 EST
From: gaynet@gallifrey.kent.edu
Reply-To: gaynet@gallifrey.kent.edu
Subject: GayNet Digest Volume 11 Issue 16
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.gaynet

In this issue:
                  March On Washington - April 25, 1993

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From: koffron@staff.tc.umn.edu
Subject: March On Washington - April 25, 1993
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 93 12:41:09 CST

Greetings!

I have seen a few inquiries about the March On Washington (MOW) here and there,
and I thought I'd give a few items of info . . . .

* as the subject line states, the March will be April 25, 1993 (Sunday)

* each state has been assigned to a specific "region" - for example,
  "Region 12" consists of the states: N/S Dakota, Minn, and Wisc.

  Knowing what region you're in is important to local fund-raising efforts


* the "festivities" will actually start Wednesday (4/21) and run through
  the following Wednedsday (4/28)

* for those who will be travel buy car or bus, I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE
  MAKING PLANS NOW TO ARRIVE IN WASHINGTON D.C. NO LATER THAN THURSDAY! The
  expected attendance is over 1 million - (can we say "grid lock"?)

* for those who have not made travel arrangements such as air or housing
  accomodations - I would strong urge you to contact your travel agent
  TODAY!

************************ why should you attend the march ********************

In 1987, over 650,000 Lesbians, Gay men, and their families, friends and
relatives converged in Washington DC for four days of celebrations, protests
remembrance, and civil rights demonstration.

Because of the epidemic of hate violence; because of the discrimination we
endure at the workplace, using services, or finding a place to live; because
of the expulsion of lesbian and gay military service personnel; and because
the response to the AIDS crisis continues to be a plague of bigotry,. . .
ON APRIL 25, 1993, WE WILL MARCH AGAIN.  THIS TIME, OVER 1,000,000 OF US WILL
EXPEREINCE IT!

****************************************************************************

Join us!  Help make this March a successful one! Get involved in planning!
Donations are also critically needed!

For more information, please call your local (or regional) lesbian/gay/bisexual
action or community council.  If you need assistance, and live within Region 12
you may call the Gay and Lesbian Community Action Council at 1-800-800-0907.

Or, you may write (for a registration flyer) "M.O.W. - PO BOX 8214  ST Paul
MN  55108-8214."

Thanks!  And I hope you can join us at the March on Washington.

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

Date: Mon, 25 Jan 93 12:53:51 EST
From: jeff@millie.loc.gov (Jeff Mallory)

************* some wonderful, first person accounts of Inaugural activities,
************* from GLIB, Washington, DC

01/19/93 19:29:07
From: MERTLE TURTLE
  To: ALL
Subj: LOUISE AND VIVIENNE
Hi All -

Please look for our friends Louise Young and Vivienne Armstrong during the
parade tomorrow!  They are on the "America's Family" float representing Lesbian
couples.  Louise says they'll be wearing black coats with rainbow sashes and,
along with 2 gay men, will be waving rainbow flags.

They were asked to come up from Dallas.  Please give them a warm welcome.

Mertle Turtle

01/21/93 14:58:40
From: DEACON MACCUBBIN
  To: MERTLE TURTLE (Rcvd)
Subj: REPLY TO MSG# 18816 (LOUISE AND VIVIENNE)
Unfortunately, I did not get a glimpse of the float that contained a
representation of America's families, including a gay male couple and a lesbian
couple. But I understand that they did not display the rainbow flag on the
float. It seems that everyone was given American flags, and I suspect they
didn't want to let people wave their own flags. Disappointing (especially since
we donated four rainbow flags for use on the float). But it was only a minor
disappointment in an otherwise fabulous day. President Clinton became the first
president to mention AIDS in his inaugural address, and Maya Angelou became the
first person participating in an inaugural event to use the word "gay" in her
address. And when Clinton drove past 7th Street (where most gays had gathered
with signs and rainbow flags), he pointed out the gay signs to Hillary and gave
the gay onlookers his trademarked "thumbs up" sign of approval.


01/21/93 15:59:34
From: STEVE CRUTCHFIELD
  To: DEACON MACCUBBIN (Rcvd)
Subj: REPLY TO MSG# 19742 (LOUISE AND VIVIENNE)

 > Unfortunately, I did not get a glimpse of the float that contained a
 > representation of America's families, including a gay male couple
 > and a lesbian couple. But I understand that they did not display the
 > rainbow flag on the float. It seems that everyone was given American
 > flags, and I suspect they didn't want to let people wave their own
 > flags. Disappointing (especially since we donated four rainbow flags
 > for use on the float). But it was only a minor disappointment in an

I saw that float as I was getting ready to march out with the Names Project
contingent. As we marched by, the Lesbian couple FURIOUSLY waved a couple of
rainbow flags at us.

As for me, I had mixed emotions. By the time the Quilt Qontingent passed by,
many of the onlookers had gone home. How depressing it was to wave to empty
bleachers! However, those that DID see us were UNIFORMLY supportive. No boos or
hisses at all! Lots of "WE LOVE YOU" and "YAY NAMES PROJECT!" calls from the
crowd. The howls and screams from the Queer Qrowd at 10th and Pennsylvania
brought tears to my eyes. How wonderful it was to see a leatherman, in chaps
and biker gear, arm in arm with a JRs Sweater Clone as they waved a HUGE
rainbow flag as we passed by.

The Names Project Contingent was a true picture of America. We were gay men and
lesbians. Grandmothers and Children. Parents of gays. Daughters of lesbians.
White, Black, Hispanic, American Indian. Famous, and anonymous. I carried a
panel with a straight black woman. Next to me, an indian woman carried a panel
with a white Lesbian. How diverse we were, and how PROUD we were to be there.

I got chills as I passed by the President. I raised my arm in the ASL "I LOVE
YOU" sign. Tipper and Al Gore saw my gesture, and waved back. I changed to the
"thumbs up" sign, and Tipper followed my signal, all the while smiling and
waving back at us. I understand that, just before we passed by, the Gores and
Clintons were chatting with people on the platform, somewhat distracted. As we
passed by, though, they stood at attention and honor as the names of our fallen
heroes passed.

Twelve years. 160,000 dead. 25,000 panels. Never ONCE did a Republican
president view the Quilt. And on Day One of the Clinton presidency, we brought
the Quilt to him at his own request. And he honored us and our struggle. Never
in 20 years as an out-of-the-closet gay man have been as proud as I was
yesterday.

Steve


01/21/93 20:57:27
From: KEVIN SCOTT
  To: STEVE CRUTCHFIELD (Rcvd)
Subj: REPLY TO MSG# 19787 (LOUISE AND VIVIENNE)
BRAVO!

From the view from the couch...(TV)....

The NAMES PROJECT got the largest applause when they passed the reviewing
stand.  I don't know who or from where the applause came.  Yes,you are right,
Clinton =before= the NAmes Project was distracted, having picture taken, etc.
But...when the quilt panels went by..he indeed gave your group full attention.
On TV you could see Gore give the ASL sign, and Clinton the thumbs up.  Also
the TV stayed with the quilt panels for a long time, showing close ups of the
quilt, especially the one of the Clinton quote.  Also you could hear the
marchers say THANKS and GOOD LUCK toward the reviewing stand.

I too am sorry it came so late in the parade....but after 12 years...it is so
nice......

BTW...AS the quilt was shown, I hugged my dog and cried.  Seeing the quilt, and
FINALLY =my= President acknowledge the panels, was the happiest, proudest, (and
saddest) I can ever remember being.

YOu must of had goose bumps...what was the reaction of the marchers?


01/22/93 16:43:23
From: CALVIN HOBBES
  To: KEVIN SCOTT (Rcvd)
Subj: REPLY TO MSG# 19930 (LOUISE AND VIVIENNE)

 > YOu must of had goose bumps...what was the reaction of the marchers?

Well, the reaction of this marcher was one of elation.  It had been a long,
long, long day of waiting and false starts.  But it was all forgotten when we
marched onto the parade route.  The crowd, as Steve mentioned, was very
positive.  I didn't see anyone give a negative reaction the entire parade
route.  When we finally got to the presidential reviewing stand, the announcer
said that "these people have waited a long time, let's give them support."
That is when the crowd really roared.  And to see the President stand right
there giving us his undivided attention, especially now know that he wasn't
before we arrived, was incredible.  I turned to the woman marching on my left,
a straight woman from Arizona, we were both choked up with emotion.  Elation,
relief, tears all welled up.  It wasn't til I got home late that night and saw
us on the videotape that I finally cried.

All in all, it was an incredible day, a once in a lifetime chance.  It was a
very postive start for the next four years.

I also want to share what happened during the swearing in.  We were gathered at
the Pentagon.  The leaders had brought a megaphone with which to give
announcements.  They put the microphone up to the headphones of a walkman so
that we could all hear the swearing in.  As President Clinton took the oath of
office, I looked over at one guy who lost his lover to AIDS.  There were tears
streaming from his eyes.  It occurred to me that of all the thousands of people
at the Pentagon parking staging area, there wasn't a group happier or more
hopeful for the next four years.

It was quite a day for me.  One which I will be able to mull over and recall
bit by bit for a long time to come.



01/21/93 17:17:55
From: DEACON MACCUBBIN
  To: ALL
Subj: INAUGURAL OBSERVATIONS
I feel drained of all energy today -- and only partly because of my consumption
of Maker's Mark bourbon last night. :)

The past few days have been a whirlwind of parties, parades, and special events
of great significance to me. On Tuesday, I attended the reception for Dave
Mixner and the NGLTF inaugural dinner. I watched as Peter and Mary (or Peter,
<homophobic> Paul & Mary) opened the Mixner reception. That was a special
moment for me. As I told Mary Travers later, I have been a fan of theirs since
Puff was a lizard, and it was nice to see that the magic was still there. These
people have always been on the right side of the right issues.

I listened as Teddy Kennedy gave the best pro-gay speech of his career. I've
seen him speak to gay groups often in the past, and he's always said the right
things. But this time, the words were clearly coming from his heart. His
commitment to our cause had suddenly gelled. And he ended his remarks by saying
that this year, when the federal gay rights bill is reintroduced in the Senate,
it will bear HIS name as the chief introducer and sponsor. That's political
clout unmatched in the Senate and bodes well for advancement of this
legislation.

David Mixner was impressive, too. Flanked by members of his family (many of
whom had tears of joy in their eyes), he gave a brief speech that held echoes
of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech.

And then, at the dinner, another "relic of the '60s" showed up. Janis Ian took
the stage sang her most familiar songs -- "Jesse," "Society's Child," and "At
Seventeen" -- songs that were an anthem for my generation. It was a moving
experience for this old hippy. The announcer had indicated that this would be
Ian's first gay performance, but she set the record straight herself. "This is
not my first gay performance," she said. "My first gay performance was at the
age of 15, with my best friend, Amy." The crowd roared. This was Ian's coming
out event. Most of her fans had long believed she was a lesbian, and her songs
certainly spoke eloquently to gays and lesbians even in the '60s and '70s, but
she had never before publicly acknowledged her orientation.

Yesterday, Jim (who had been ill for the past week and thought he would be
missing everything) felt well enough to attend the swearing in with me. We
couldn't see much from our position on the south Mall, but it was enough just
to be there, to hear a president actually mention AIDS in his inaugural
address, to hear Maya Angelous say the "G word" in her moving poem.

We stood on the parade lines until 2:15, but Jim was tiring rapidly, so we went
home before the parade started (and arrived there only minutes before Bush
reached Houston -- ain't modern transportation wonderful?!) and watched the
parade on television. We heard later, though, that the president acknowledged
the gays and lesbians gathered at 10th and Pennsylvania with his trademarked
thumbs up sign, and that he stood in respect when the AIDS Quilt panels passed.

And last night, having recovered our energies, Jim and I attended the Triangle
Ball at the National Press Club. What a party! -- perhaps the best gay party
I've ever attended. Everyone looked so dashing in their formals and tuxes (even
the sole drag queen looked great!), and the dance band played just the right
music for such a gathering. I wish we could have a formal gay dance party like
that EVERY month.

I am left with a marvelous feeling of peace, of satisfaction, of a realization
that all the work of so many people over the past decades has finally come to a
head and we are on the threshold of a new and exciting time -- a time of
inclusion and respect and advancement. Of course, the work is not over -- in
many ways, it has only just begun. But we have a president who listens and
understands. We have a president who responds. We have a president who has "a
vision for America" and who says to us 'You are a part of it." What a seachange
this week has been!

01/22/93 18:20:59
From: DEACON MACCUBBIN
  To: KEVIN SCOTT (Rcvd)

RE: "There was no way to tell that the gay and lesbian vote would be such a
factor (was it?)"

Yes, it was. As Senator Kennedy pointed out in his remarks on Tuesday, one out
of every seven votes cast for Bill Clinton -- MORE than the margin of victory
-- was cast by a gay man or lesbian. There are other groups that can make
similar claims, of course, but if gays and lesbians had voted this year the way
we voted in the most recent past elections, we'd have been nursing our wounds
on Wednesday instead of celebrating.


01/21/93 19:20:51
From: ONE HOAR
  To: ALASKAN FOX (Rcvd)

This afternoon at the White House (Russwin and I were among the honored,
fortunate lottery winners), I told the President that I felt like a son being
welcomed into a family that I had been away from for a long, long time.  He
noticed my pink triangle pin, and responded "Welcome.  Everythings going to be
great.  Thanks for commin', man."  Now, whether that means he's going to end
the ban, I don't know but it sure as hell gave me the warmest feeling I've had
in a long, long time.  And finally, a President who can talk to a fellow
citizen like he's a friend.  "Thanks for comin', man."  Damn!
                                Ralph

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

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