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.
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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
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“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
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Portland, Oregon 97214
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