From: Glenn S. Burke <gsb@cambridge.apple.com>
Subject: Some question Boston Ski Party in Vail
Followup-To: amend2-discuss@cs.colorado.edu
Originator: doherty@ucsu.Colorado.EDU
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 00:11:56 GMT

A slippery slope for black skiers               reprinted without permission
John Robinson, Boston Globe
12/15/92

The Boston Ski Party and its national affiliate, the Brotherhood of
Skiers, constitute an African-American network of surpassing
prominence and economic clout.  When the combined clubs from all over
the nation descend on a resort for their now-famous annual ski
summits, the impact is vivid and profound.

Even celebrated slopes in the most unbuttoned party towns are
transformed by the concentrated presence of 4,000 to 5,000 rich,
recreating black Americans in full flight against a background
of snow-clad mountains.

"The first summit 20 years ago was in Park City, Utah," recalled
Dianne Young, a manager for IBM in Boston.  "The city was in the red
when we got there.  They were in the black when we left.  They
underestimated our power."

Nobody underestimates their power any longer.  Local affiliates as
well as the national organization are courted assiduously for their
business, and the black skiers from the worlds of politics,
entertainment, the professions and business have become a particular
force in the industry.

But along with their prominence has come responsibilities, not the
least of which are political despite the members' insistence that the
ski clubs are just social.

"It's a recreational thing," local builder John Cruz 3d said the other
day.  "We try not to take things too seriously.  It really provides
camaraderie that I've rarely experienced, and it's a great experience
to be among so many well-behaved, well-mannered folks.  There are no
great concerns.  The big decisions are where to eat, where to ski and
where to party."

Then came Colorado's Amendment 2, the referendum last month that
repealed the state's law protecting gays and lesbians from
discrimination.

Some gay activists have called for a boycott of Colorado, much as
other activists called for a boycott of Arizona a few years ago when
voters there repealed a law establishing a holiday commemorating Rev.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Ironically, the black ski summit this year not only has been scheduled
for Vail, but was planned to coincide with the King holiday on Jan.
20.

"This is a 20-year anniversary [of the ski summit] and it was very
important for us to have this around King's birthday," said Young.

But the confluence of reactionary Colorado politics and civil rights
sensibilities has put the black skiers in a quandary.

"I think it should be a matter of concern where policies are being
made and where the clock is being rolled back on these issues," said
Boston magistrate Vivian Beard, who has decided not to attend this
year's black summit.  "It's gays now;  who's next?"

Prominent Boston lawyer Fletcher Wiley put it this way.  "If it were a
question of discrimination against black people, I don't think there's
any question what people would do."

Wiley, whose law firm associates have included such distinguished
legal beagles as current associate US Attorney General Wayne Budd and
the district attorneys of both Suffolk and Middlesex counties, cannot
afford to be seen giving tacit approval to bigotry in any form.  He
says he is undecided about attending the summit.

The boycott, which even some gay groups are ignoring this year,
according to Aspen gay activist Tom Mooney, is abound to put people in
compromising positions.

Boston Ski Party president Pricilla Douglas, for instance, works for
the Commonwealth as undersecretary for public safety.   Among her
assignments, she is chairwoman of the governor's commission on hate
crimes, which deals with a panoply of discrimination issues,
particularly those involving gays and lesbians.  Gay activist Don
Gorton is the commission co-chair.

She says she intends to join the fun in Vail next month because the
event has been planned for two years.  But she predicts Colorado's
reactionary referendum will affect future decisions for the black
skiers.

"We have to think about future summits in Colorado, where we have a
multiyear agreement to hold our meetings.  In the whole are of
intolerance, there is a spectrum of discrimination.  Intolerance for
one group is just a sokescreen for anti-black attitudes."

Douglas said she plans on attending the summit.  She might take some
comfort knowing that some important local gay activist will be
vacationing in Colorado this year, including Boston's gay and lesbian
liaison, John Meunier, who is vacationing there on his own.

But that's scant comfort.  With all the ski options in the ocuntry,
Colorado whould be shunned.  It would have no negative repercussions
on anyone but the state's bigots and the neighbors who have not
leashed and curbed them.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glenn S. Burke                | gsb@cambridge.apple.com
Phone: 617/374-5313           | Applelink: GSB

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