From: Carlos Maltzahn <carlosm@tigger.cs.colorado.edu>
Subject: NOW votes to boycott Colorado for No.2
Followup-To: amend2-discuss@cs.colorado.edu
Originator: doherty@ucsu.Colorado.EDU
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 21:00:52 GMT


Reprinted without permission from Colorado Daily (11/25/92):

NOW votes to boycott Colorado for No.2

By Bronson Hilliard

The National Organization for Women has joined the ranks of 
those boycotting Colorado in the wake of the passage of 
Amendment 2, says a local NOW member.

Lou Facey-Muench, a Boulder resident, national NOW board 
member and diversity chair of Colorado NOW, announced ear-
lier in the week that a February conference in Denver of 50 
to 75 NOW state presidents was cancelled after a Nov. 14 
unanimous vote in Washington, D.C.

The vote, she said, reflects NOW's continued concern over 
the passage of an issue against which the group campaigned 
strongly before the election, and also symbolizes its sup-
port for gays, lesbian and bisexuals.

But, she added, the reason for the vote was not simply to act 
in solidarity with gay people, but to ensure protection and 
safety for lesbian NOW members and state coordinators who 
would have attended the conference.

"There are lesbians on NOW's National Board, and many les-
bian supporters of NOW. The board just didn't want to put 
their people in jeopardy," Facey-Muench said.

"Overwhelmingly, the sentiment was we had to take action. 
This just isn't a state people want to enter."

Although she argued initially that the cities of Denver, 
Boulder and Aspen voting against the amendment proved anti-
gay sentiments weren't universal in the state, Facey-Muench 
said, more contemplation convinced her that joining the boy-
cott was the right strategy.

"After thinking about it, I realized it is too dangerous," 
she said.

But that is not to detract from the symbolic gesture of the 
cancellation, nor the continued support of NOW for "all 
those who are disenfranchised by the system," Facey-Muench 
said.

NOW's boycott comes on the heels of a number of cancellations 
by gay groups, and other supporters of civil rights, who have 
cancelled everything from personal appearances in the state 
to vacations.

On Saturday, the Rocky Mountain Rainbeaus, a local chapter 
of gay and lesbian square dancers, announced it was boycott-
ing a Denver workshop at which 100-150 dancers from the 
United States and Canada were scheduled to attend.

The workshop was scheduled at the Warwick Hotel in Denver for 
Oct. 1-3, 1993, but a statement from the group indicated it 
would be cancelled and moved to Portland, Ore., to reward 
that state for defeating an anti-gay measure similar to 
Amendment 2.

Boycott Colorado, a Denver group organizing state and 
national boycotts of Colorado products, services and events, 
announced early this week it had called for a boycott of 
Aspen Gay Ski Week, planned for late January of 1993.

Boycott Colorado organizer Terry Schleder said Tuesday she'd 
received no official word from the event's organizer on 
whether it would be cancelled. Still, Schleder said, the 
boycott effort is gaining momentum; she and the other eight 
organizers in Boycott Colorado will continue past even the 
possible repeal of the amendment.

"We're laying the foundation for as long as it takes in a 
two- to four-year effort. The mission is to apply it until 
gays, lesbians and bisexuals are protected under civil 
rights laws in the state and federal government," Schleder 
said.

Schleder said she is confident the people of Colorado fully 
support civil rights for all, but credits "right-wing hate 
groups" for successfully distorting civil rights into "spe-
cial rights."

"It was really deceit on their part, and it worked. If these 
people are such good, loving Christians, then they are also 
hypocrites. Many of my friends who are Christians are out-
raged that these people call themselves Christians," Schle-
der said.

But that opposition isn't daunting to Boycott Colorado, or 
the citizens who believe in civil rights protections who are 
supporting it, and who will make the issue of civil rights 
for gays, lesbians and bisexuals an issue in the future.

"I really think this will lead the civil rights battle of the 
`90s." Schleder said.

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