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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1988)
March on Sacramento hears Jackson Jesse Jackson addressed gay and AIDS issues and a healthcare , policy ‘based on need, not money ‘ B Y B I L L S T R U B B E n spite of heavy rains, the largest demon stration in the history of Sacramento rallied together thousands of gays, lesbians and their supporters from around California to protest inadequate funding for AIDS education, to op pose Proposition 69, and to hear presidential candidate Jesse Jackson speak. Police counted the crowd at about 5,000. but rally organizers estimated that more than 20.000 persons braved the rain. The march and rally on Saturday, May 7, kicked off three days of events in the California capital. On Sunday, several hundred men and women staged a “ die-in” on the Capitol steps and left chalk outlines of bodies and the names of the AIDS dead on the concrete. Monday was a day of lobbying and a civil-disobedience action in Gov. Deukmejian’s office, where 41 demonstrators were arrested. The highlight of the rally was the keynote speech by Jesse Jackson, who squarely addressed gay and AIDS issues as well as an I ’ ’ end to off-shore drilling in Northern California, an increase in the minimum wage, conversion of military jobs to peace jobs, and a “ comprehensive healthcare policy based on need, not money.” In reference to the “ hate-based, LaRouche- backed Proposition 69” and AIDS education, Jackson said, “ I want to move our nation from mass hysteria to mass education.” Jackson received overwhelming cheers when he said, “ We are within striking distance to win this nomination. When we win California, we will change the course of this nation.” Openly gay San Mateo County supervisor Tom Nolan spoke, as did San Francisco’s Pat Norman, AIDS patient and activist Leonard Matlovitch, and independent presidential candidate Dr. Lenora Fulani, who received waves of applause for her unequivocal support of gay rights. “ Iam militantly pro-gay. Not only pro-gay when I speak to you here, or in San Francisco, but all over this country, and from Cuba to Libya. I am committed to the full inclusion of gays and lesbians in the cultural. Fulani blasts mainstream media's hom ophobia r. Lenora Fulani, the independent candi date for president of the United States who has made lesbian and gay rights a corner stone of her campaign, blasted the national media for ignoring a militant march for lesbian and gay rights that brought more than 20,000 persons into the streets of Sacramento, California on May 7. Fulani and the Rev. Jesse Jackson were the only presidential candidates to accept invitations to address the marchers. “ The corporate-controlled, rampantly homo- phobic national media never miss an oppor tunity to portray lesbians and gays in terms of negative stereotypes,” Fulani charged. “ They have played a shameful role in whipping up Photo by Jay Brown anti-gay hysteria around the AIDS issue. And they have systematically excluded the lesbian and gay community from participating in the dialogue on presidential candidates. On Satur that lesbian and gay rights, like civil rights for day California’s lesbian and gay community black people, is an issue for all Americans. made a very militant and powerful statement. Lesbian and gay rights and AIDS must have They are not going to be passive victims — of the highest priority in the current political dia AIDS, or of the corporate media’s homophobia. logue, she said. “ We can’t allow these issues to They are standing up and speaking out. It is an die of rhetoric while our people — gay men, outrage that only a handful of West Coast news people of color and poor people — are dying of papers came out to cover a story of major sig a murderous disease aided and abetted by the nificance about the coming together of people bipartisan political monopoly that serves the of color and the gay community. The national interests of white corporate America.” media have a responsibility to report on that The Fulani plan for 1988, “ Two Roads Are story — not to censor it.” Better Than One,” calls for supporting Jackson Fulani, the first African-American woman in his bid for the Democratic Party nomination. ever to receive federal primary matching funds, If he is not nominated, she will run in the is using her independent presidential campaign general election as an independent who stands — which she says is “ a crusade for fair elec for the inclusive social vision of the Rainbow. tions and democracy” — to lobby for a federal In November Fulani will be on the ballot in all lesbian and gay rights bill and an AIDS Bill of 50 states and the District of Columbia. • Rights. She told the marchers in Sacramento D Clarification: The Oregon School of Massage offers stu dent clinics to the public for the minimal fee of $8. These are not "professional” massages but are provided by students with three to six months of hands-on massage training under the supervision of a licensed massage technician. In order to support the work of hospices, OSM has further reduced its fee to the employees and volunteers of Hospice House and Juniper House to $5. political and economic systems of this country.” Fulani said. John Dukakis, son of the presidential candi date, received considerably less applause, and a number of boos, when he tried to clarify his father’s position concerning placing foster children in gay homes in Massachusetts. He said that gays and lesbians were not excluded from foster parenting, but would be low on the priority list because children “ should be placed in homes where there has been previous parenting experience.” At Sunday’s “ die-in” the names of several thousand AIDS dead were read aloud over three microphones while hundreds of people fell to the ground and waited to have their bodies out lined in yellow and white chalk while police and news reporters took in the scene. At several points during the action the participants sang the words to Holly Near’s song, “ We are a gentle angry people, and we are fighting, fighting for our lives.” Many of the onlookers and demon strators shed tears of sadness and rage at the loss of their friends and loved ones. At Monday’s sit-in. demonstrators pounded the walls and doors of Gov. Deukmejian’s office, stuck signs, banners and stickers on the tumiture and walls, blew up condoms and floated them around the room, sang songs, and refused to leave until they spoke to Deuk- mejian. Their demands included the governor’s signature on legislation that would end dis crimination against gays and lesbians, and allocate more money in the fight against AIDS. When Police Captain Bob Donnelly entered the room and ordered the demonstrators to leave, all refused. They were arrested one by one and received misdemeanor charges for dis rupting an office building and refusing an order to disperse. Gov. Deukmejian was in Southern California and did npt witness any of the three-day events. But Michael Ryan, a person with AIDS and one of those arrested on Monday, said, “ I know that Deukmejian heard us.” • Forever Bronze 25” h Jerry Joslin Group Show Opening Reception June 2nd 7-9 pm • • • • • oils watercolors sculpture glass ceramics HilIton Gallery r ' 715 sw second avenue • portland, O re g o n 97204 • 503-274-9544 PET SA M A R IT A N CLINIC P A T R I C I A E . H U F F , D .V .M . COMPANION BIRDS, DOGS, CATS AND OTHER SMALL ANIMALS CO M PLET E M EDICAL/SU RG ICAL SPAY/NEUTER FACILITIES V A C C IN A T IO N S • N U T R IT IO N A D V IC E D E N T A L C A R E • B IR D B L O O D T E S T S 6 C U L T U R E S “ IN T H E R E D BRICK B U IL D IN G ” 233-5001 2 5 1 9 E. B U R N S I D E P O R T L A N D , OR The OREGON GAY DATING LINE Personal telephone ads for dating, friendship and romance. Only $2.94 per call. C a ll 24 hrs. Just Out • 9 • June 1988