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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 6, 1995)
Jw«t o u t ▼ o c to U r a , 1 9 9 5 ▼ 7 national news ICA enlists aid of right- wing militia Idaho Citizens Alliance leader Kelly Walton announced that the United States Militia Associa tion has joined with the ICA to ensure that its anti gay, anti-abortion and education initiatives ap pear on the 1996 Idaho ballot. “W e’ re proud to address them, to answer ques tions about the initiatives, and get petitions in their hands,” Walton said, referring to a planned September meeting between the two groups. “We appreciate their interest in getting signatures for us.” Bill Tuttle, the USMA’s state director and an ICA volunteer, confirmed that Walton would address the militia group’s leadership meeting, according to the Associated Press. Tuttle did not comment on the militia’s role in the initiative campaigns. • • vf .. Vi' ?*’ Kristine Chatwood Will it play in Clearwater? PHOTO BY JOAN City commissioners in Clearwater, F la , are concerned about the nudity, profanity and gay themes found in the Tony Award-winning play Angels in America. Interim City Commissioner Bill Justice believes Tony Kushner’s play may violate Clearwater’s “anti-nudity” ordinance, which is aimed mainly at adult nightclubs. If Angels in America is found to be in violation of the city’s ordinance, it will not play. Robert Sella (left) and Reg Flowers o f the Angels touring company The ordinance contains provisions to allow artistic performance, reports the Associated Press. Jan Hiclrin, director of marketing and public rela tions at Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall, where the play is scheduled for a December performance, said, "This is brilliant, brilliant theater. It ranges from Earth to heaven, from politics to sex and religion, from Washington, D.C., to the Kremlin. It’s two plays in one monumental drama. It’s eight hours of the most riveting drama you’ll ever see.” An opinion on whether the performance would violate the “anti-nudity” ordinance is expected from City Attorney Pam Akin. Kristine Chatwood Sexual minority groups meet with Reno Several national lesbian and gay organiza tions met with Attorney General Janet Reno and other Justice Department officials in mid-Sep tember. Topics discussed at the meeting included hate crimes; homophobic ballot measures; and pending and potential legislative attacks on les bian, gay and bisexual people. The meeting was held in response to a request by the groups to meet directly with Reno follow ing her decision against filing an amicus brief in the pending Supreme Court case involving Amendment 2, Colorado’s anti-gay and -lesbian initiative. The Amendment 2 case is scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court during the current session. “We wanted to express our disappointment with the department’s decision in the Colorado case, and explore opportunities for the Justice Department to weigh in on future civil rights issues related to gay citizens,” said Helen Gonzales, public policy director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. “By meeting di rectly with the attorney general, we can elevate the department’s awareness of critical civil rights issues facing the gay community. The attorney general seemed genuinely moved when we dis cussed the issue of hate crimes and interested in using her office as a bully pulpit in condemning hate violence.” Organizations participating in the meeting with Reno included NGLTF; the Human Rights Cam paign Fund; Lambda Legal Defense and Educa tion Fund; the American Civil Liberties Union; tbe National Advocacy Coalition on Youth and Sexual Orientation; the National Latind/a Les bian and Gay Organization; the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund; the Service members Legal De fense Network; Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays; and People for the American Way. Kristine Chatwood Acupuncture «Chiropractic «Massage Counseling • Naturopathic Medicine ( 503 ) CIRCLE HEALTHCARE CLINIC Brooke Winter, L.Ac. ^ Jan Corwin, D C j Kip M. Hard, D C S Valerie M. Lyon, MS, LMT ^ Suzanne Scopes, N D Elizabeth Carlson, D C , LMT Simone Koos-Gibbs, BS, LMT > .T*V • .>» j y v ¥ v« -‘ « ’ r\>> -*• * * TV* y * ^ ' 9 s r ' ’ r “* 316 NE 28th Street • Portland, Oregon 97232 “Don’t ask, don’t tell” in court again Navy Lt. Paul G. Thomasson quietly slipped into the lead position of legally challenging the “new” policy of “don’t ask, don’t tell” in its likely course to the U.S. Supreme Court. The date was Sept. 12, the place a federal court house in Alex andria, Va., only a few miles from the Pentagon. His case was being heard by a three-member panel o f the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit. Thomasson began his challenge on March 2, 1994, when he delivered a letter stating “I am gay” to four rear admirals under whom he had directly served. The 10-year veteran aviator had received exemplary performance reviews from those men. Seven days after the letters were delivered, the Navy initiated discharge proceed ings against Thomasson. He was separated from service on June IS, 1995. He had lost the initial round in court and was now appealing that deci sion. The three-member panel includes J. Michael Luttig (a 1991 Bush appointee), M. Blane Michael (a 1993 Clinton appointee), and Diana G. Motz (a 1994 Clinton appointee). The judges’ knowl edgeable, penetrating questioning of both parties indicated skepticism o f many arguments put forth but did little to reveal their likely verdict. Allan B. Moore, Thomasson’s attorney, ar gued that the policy violates his client’s First Amendment right to free speech and Fifth Amend ment right to equal protection under the law. He cited the ruling earlier this year in the 2nd Circuit, the Able case, which came to those conclusions in striking down the ban on gay men and lesbians openly serving in the military. Able involves six plaintiffs across the country and was constructed as the principle test case of the “new” policy. The military seems to be drag ging its feet on that case but not on Thomasson’s. And the 4th Circuit— known as “the rocket docket” for the speed with which it dispatches cases— used its own initiative to schedule the hearing in September. The court is likely to make its decision known later this fall, possibly as early as October. The 2nd Circuit will hear arguments on the Able case in New York at about the same time. Its decision is expected to come early next year. Both cases will presumably end up before the U.S. Supreme Court, possibly as early as the spring but likely in the fall of next year. Bob Roehr 230-0812 G a rd e n Statuary • S o a p s • Ic o n s 3707 SE Hawthorne Portland, Oregon 97214 503-235-1257 IF YOU ARE ILL AMD MONEY HAS BECOME A CONCERN . . . We understand the fin a n cia l d ifficu lties that occur when livin g with a life threatening illn ess. (VBF) secu res p u rc h a se rs for your life in su ran ce policy, provid ing you w ith th e fun d s you need today. 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