Date: Mon, 25 Jan 93 17:29:08 EST
From: gaynet@gallifrey.kent.edu
Reply-To: gaynet@gallifrey.kent.edu
Subject: GayNet Digest Volume 11 Issue 18
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.gaynet

In this issue:
                                homo hop
                                Gay News
                 Memo to Bob <jacobson@selway.umt.edu>
                          Inaugural poem texts
                    anti-gay banner, after the ball
                       Thanks for MOW information
                           angelou-poem (fwd)

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

Date: Mon, 25 Jan 93 15:37:16 -0500
From: jromero@husc.harvard.edu
Subject: homo hop

I hear that Vassar College will soon be having its infamous "Homo Hop"
in the near future.  Does anyone know when?

Javier Romero
romero@husc.harvard.edu

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

Date: 25 Jan 93 15:52:18 EST
Subject: Gay News
From: An Anonymous Sender


  WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Clinton, preparing to meet with the
Joint Chiefs of Staff, Monday underscored his pledge to lift the ban
on gays in the military despite opposition from Pentagon leaders.
   "I intend to keep my commitment," he said.
   But Clinton said he did not know how soon he would revoke the ban.
"I want to talk to the chiefs about that," he said, promising a
statement on the subject later. "I want their input on how we should
do it...I think they're entitled to really be listened to."
   The Joint Chiefs had a late-afternoon appointment with Clinton.
   A top military aide said the chiefs believe Clinton has given
little thought to such issues as same-sex marriages and spousal
benefits.
   The chiefs realize that "maybe they're being naive, but they hope
they have a chance to influence Clinton on the issue," said an
officer close to the chiefs who spoke Sunday on condition that his
name not be used.
   He said the chiefs have questions relating to whether gay spouses
would receive survivors' benefits, health care and housing, which are
given to heterosexuals.
   And the military leadership also wonders whether the
administration is ready to pay for extensive courses to teach
heterosexual troops tolerance for homosexuals.
   "The danger of violence against gays is very real. It can't be
discounted," the officer said.
   On Sunday, Defense Secretary Les Aspin said he hoped to avoid a
potential "revolt" in Congress and among the Joint Chiefs of Staff
over Clinton's plan to end the 50-year-old policy.
   "My argument to the military is sooner or later, the courts are
going to come at you on this issue," Aspin said on CBS-TV's "Face the
Nation."
   Clinton should give the defense secretary six months to draft an
executive order lifting the ban, according to a Jan. 18 draft of a
memo from Aspin to the president.
   That time lag would "avoid an immediate debate in the Congress --
a debate that is likely to be against this position," according to
the memo, which was obtained by The Associated Press.
   On CBS, Aspin said he hoped to work out a solution so that "there
will not be a revolt in the military" and to avoid a possible
confrontation with Congress. "I think it's possible to do that."
   Time magazine reported in this week's edition that Joint Chiefs
Chairman Colin Powell might resign if Clinton lifts the ban on gays.
However, Aspin said "that's not in the cards. We're trying to work
together on this thing."


   TOKYO (AP) -- An American sailor who pleaded guilty in connection
with the beating death of a homosexual shipmate is emerging as a key
witness in the case of an airman who could face court-martial on
murder charges.
   The case has become a rallying point for gay-rights activists who
contend the Oct. 27 slaying in a public restroom near Sasebo, Japan,
was a hate crime. They have accused the U.S. Navy of failing to
aggressively investigate the killing, which the Navy denies.
   Some activists also say the case underscores pervasive hostility
toward gays among the military at a time when the new Clinton
administration is preparing to lift the ban on homosexuals in the
armed services.
   Testimony in a closed hearing that is the military equivalent of a
grand jury proceeding concluded Friday.
   A Navy investigating officer now weighing evidence is expected to
determine by week's end whether the accused airman will stand trial,
said Cmdr. Mike Todd, spokesman at the Yokosuka base where the
hearing was held.
   The hearing examined whether charges should be filed against
sailor Terry Helvey, 21, of Westland, Mich., in the beating death of
Allen Schindler, 22, of San Diego.
   The star witness at the hearing was a third sailor who earlier
pleaded guilty to lesser charges in connection with the killing.
   Airman Charles E. Vins agreed to testify against Helvey under a
pretrial agreement, the terms of which were not disclosed. Vins, 20,
of Sturgis, Mich., was convicted at a November court-martial of
concealing a crime and resisting arrest.
   Todd refused to discuss the substance of Vins' testimony but his
appearance was clearly key: the hearing was held up while Vins
recovered from an emergency appendectomy.
   Schindler had told his commanding officer of his homosexuality in
September, a month before the slaying, and was awaiting discharge.
   Friends have said Schindler wanted out of the Navy because of
harassment. The Navy contends it was not aware of any harassment or
threats against Schindler.
   Schindler was killed near a Navy base where his vessel, the
amphibious assault ship USS Belleau Wood, was berthed.
   The autopsy report said his skull was crushed, his genitals
mutilated, all but two ribs broken and most of his vital organs
damaged. Schindler's mother said his face was so smashed she could
only identify her son's body by a tattoo on the arm.
   Todd insisted the Navy is doing its best to find out what happened
and said it is moving as swiftly as its rules of procedure allow. The
military's investigation, conducted jointly with Japanese
authorities, began immediately after the slaying, he said.
   The spokesman refused to say whether charges against other sailors
were being contemplated.
   Mike Petrelis, a gay-rights activist of the militant group Queer
Nation, has said he received reports that five sailors may have been
involved.
-----------------
On Tuesday at 10pm, NBC has a one=hour special on the Gay COmmunity!

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

Date: 25 Jan 93 15:57:54 GMT
From: "TMEIER" <HANCHER.TMEIER@UIAMVS.WEEG.UIOWA.EDU>
Subject: Memo to Bob <jacobson@selway.umt.edu>
Comment: Memo to Bob <jacobson@selway.umt.edu>

TO:        GAYNET   INTERNET  Users on the Internet

FROM:      TMEIER   HANCHER   Timothy L. Meier, Secretary II, Hancher

DATE:      January25,1993
SUBJECT:   Memo to Bob <jacobson@selway.umt.edu>


Bob <jacobson@selway.umt.edu) living in Montana, please e-mail Tim
<tim-meier@uiowa.edu> living in Iowa (but raised in Montana) with
further information about the Montana bill and a phone number for me to
call to help support your good work.  Thanks.

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

Date: 25 Jan 1993 16:30:50 -0500 (EST)
From: HARKINS@Butler.EDU
Subject: Inaugural poem texts
Mime-Version: 1.0

I followed Paula Gober's directions to get the text from info.umd.edu,
to check out Loren Meissner's claim that the wire services scrubbed her
gay reference. It's in the UMD text, so... now I wonder who the hell
is responsible...                                       James

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

Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 13:42:33 -0800 (PST)
From: John Medlin <jmedlin@u.washington.edu>
Subject: anti-gay banner, after the ball
Mime-Version: 1.0

	I have to agree with Gary Geise that rejoicing at police repression of
those holding up the Military Straight Forever (or whatever it was) banner
is not appropriate.  OK, I DID rejoice for a minute, but only because it
was such a surprise that they weren't repressing the gay folks.  Had the
sign said something to the effect of 'Kill Queer Soldiers', police action
might have been more appropriate, since that sort of sentiment incites
violence and perhaps shouldn't be protected, but as it was, the phobes had
every right to wave their sign undisturbed as the gay folks did to march,
or whatever they were doing.

	Someone posted me privately with a startling sentiment about After
the Ball--one of those things one knows, of course, but somehow hasn't
processed.  (or maybe it's just me).  He pointed out that Jews in Germany
had been out for centuries as Jews; Bosnian Moslems likewise (well, as
Moslems), yet that didn't seem to have any effect on what happened to
them, so why should everyone's coming out as gay necessarily improve our
lot?  I know there isn't a one-to-one correspondence here, and remain
convinced that the more we are out the better off we'll be, but I must
hink more about it.  It's too logical.  somebody tell me how his reasoning
is skewed!

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

From: Seth T Hill <sthill@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Subject: Thanks for MOW information
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 93 16:03:49 EST

     Many thanks to Terence P. Ma, who sent telephone numbers for
accomodations for the March on Washington on 25 April 1993.  I called the
hotel coordinating center this morning, and talked to a wonderfully helpful
woman.  As a result, my partner and I are booked at the Ritz-Carlton in
Pentagon City for only $150 per night!  There are many other options
available, ranging from $75 for a motel in nearby Arlington, Virginia,
to $175 for the Ritz-Carlton in downtown Washington.  If you are interested
in attending the March, I would not hesitate to call this service immediately
to arrange for accomodations for the weekend.  (If you did not get the number
the first time, it is 800-554-2220 or 202-289-220 or FAX 202-483-4436.)
     Thanks again!


===============================================================================
                           ____
    Seth Tennyson Hill     \  /  An attack on one of us is an attack on us all.
The Ohio State University   \/                  Fight homophobia.

===============================================================================

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

Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 10:41:08 -0800 (PST)
From: Loren Meissner <lmeissne@u.washington.edu>
Subject: angelou-poem (fwd)
Mime-Version: 1.0

Here's the Info-On-line version from University of Maryland
with the gay reference intact.
Was this version transcribed from the radio/TV, or is
it based on a written text?
The questions still stand:
1. Why did UPI omit the gay reference? (Is UPI homophobic?)
2. Was the gay reference an ad-lib, last minute addition or
a part of the"original" written text?

(Please post responses to the group. Due to lack of time, I cannot
respond individually to private e-mail on this subject.)

                     Maya Angelou's Inaugural Poem
                           January 20, 1993

                       "ON THE PULSE OF MORNING"

A Rock, A River, A Tree
Hosts to species long since departed,
Marked the mastodon.
The dinosaur, who left dry tokens
Of their sojourn here
On our planet floor,
Any broad alarm of their hastening doom
Is lost in the gloom of dust and ages.

But today, the Rock cries out to us, clearly, forcefully,
Come, you may stand upon my
Back and face your distant destiny,
But seek no haven in my shadow
I will give you no hiding place down here.

You, created only a little lower than
The angels, have crouched too long in
The bruising darkness,
Have lain too long
Face down in ignorance
Your mouths spilling words

Armed for slaughter.
The Rock cries out to us today, you stand on me,
But do not hide your face.

Across the wall of the world,
A River sings a beautiful song,
It says, come rest here by my side.

Each of you a bordered country,
Delicate and strangely made proud,
Yet thrusting perpetually undersiege
Your armed struggles for profit
Have left collars of waste upon
My shore, currents of debris upon my breast.
Yet, today I call you to my riverside,
If you will study war no more. Come,
Clad in peace and I will sing the songs
The Creator gave to me when I and the
Tree and the Rock were one.
Before cynicism was a bloody sear across your
Brow and when you yet knew you still
Knew nothing.
The River sings and sings on.

There is a true yearning to respond to
The singing River and the wise Rock.
So say the Asian, the Hispanic, the Jew
The African, the Native American, the Sioux,
The Catholic, the Muslim, the French, the Greek
The Irish, the Rabbi, the Priest, the Sheikh,
The Gay, the Straight, the Preacher,
The privileged, the homeless, the Teacher.
They all hear
The speaking of the Tree.

They hear the first and last of every Tree
Speak to humankind today. Come to me, here beside the River.
Plant yourself beside me, here beside the River.

Each of you, descendant of some passed
On traveller, has been paid for.
You, who gave me my first name, you
Pawnee, Apache, Seneca, you
Cherokee Nation, who rested with me, then
Forced on bloody feet, left me to the employment of
Other seekers--desperate for gain,
Starving for gold.
You, the Turk, the Arab, the Swede, the German, the Eskimo, the Scot,
You the Ashanti, the Yoruba, the Kru, bought
Sold, stolen, arriving on a nightmare
Praying for a dream.
Here, root yourselves beside me.
I am that Tree planted by the River,
Which will not be moved
I, the Rock, I the River, I the Tree
I am yours--your Passages have been paid
Lift up your faces, you have a piercing need
For this bright morning dawning for you.
History, despite its wrenching pain,
Cannot be unlived, but if faced
With courage, need not be lived again.

Lift up your eyes upon
This day breaking for you.
Give birth again
To the dream.

Women, children, men,
Take it into the palms of your hands.
Mold it into the shape of your most
Private need. Sculpt it into
The image of your most public self.
Lift up your hearts
Each new hour holds new chances
For new beginnings.
Do not be wedded forever
To fear, yoked eternally
To brutishness.

The horizon leans forward,
Offering you space to place new steps of change.
Here, on the pulse of this fine day
You may have the courage
To look up and out and upon me, the
Rock, the River, the Tree, your country.
No less to Midas than the mendicant.
No less to you now than the mastodon then.

Here on the pulse of this new day
You may have the grace to look up and out
And into your sister's eyes, and into
Your brother's face, your country
And say simply
Very simply
With hope
Good morning.

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

End of GayNet Digest
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