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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 6, 1995)
'P « t but 4 O ctober 6. 10*8 Vo Em ily S im on 620 SW Fifth Ave„ Ste. 1204 Portland, Oregon 97204 (5 0 3 ) 2 4 1-15 5 3 (503) 241-2587 FAX Ready or net... Em phasizing representation of the accused in all m isdem eanor, felony, traffic and DUII actions in state, federal, ju ven ile courts and ad m inistrative actions The Nation o f Islam is calling for black men to march on Washington and black gay men and lesbians will be there , ▼ by Bob Roehr that you can have an event of this magnitude as lack gay men and lesbians will be they are planning, and say it is for black men, and marching in the Million Man March not have on the stage someone who is openly gay scheduled for Oct. 16 in Washington, and someone who is going to address the issues in D.C. The only question is: Will they a positive fashion about how we empower black be welcomed participants or will they gay men.” be marching in protest to their exclusion? The Leadership Forum has moved to address The purpose of the march is “to chart...[the] some of these concerns. It has been in discussion future [of black men] as responsible heads of our with march organizers “for several weeks,” said fa m ilies, to reclaim and reb u ild our Boykin, trying to secure an official presence in the neighborhoods...and to save our children,” says march and speakers on the platform. The Leader the Rev. Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of ship Forum would like to resolve matters at least Islam and inspiration for the march. His co-leader a week prior to the event. is the Rev. Benjamin Chaves, former executive Another factor underlying response from the director of the NAACP, who was forced out of Washington, D.C., community is the Nation of that position when it became known that he se Islam’s local involvement providing AIDS ser cretly misused organization funds to settle charges vices. The Abundant Life Clinic, run by the group’s brought against him of sexual harassment in the national Minister of Health, is aggressively pur workplace. suing government AIDS contracts. Many observ The positive messages of the march resonate ers believe the Nation of Islam sees this as a pilot strongly within the African American commu program it can roll out into nity. But for many they are other cities. tempered by concerns with / cannot and will not Abundant Life claims that Farrakhan, the Nation of Is accept that you can have the dominant local AIDS ser lam and the exclusionary char an event of this vice o rg a n iz atio n , the acter of the event. “Farrakhan W h itm an -W alk er C lin ic, is a virtual Renaissance man magnitude as they are which grew out of the white of hate— whites, Jews, homo planning, and say it is gay community, cannot ad sexuals— and he is not so hot equately serve black and non on women either,” wrote syn for black men, and not clients. The question of dicated colum nist Richard have on the stage some gay how an organization that is Cohen. one who is openly gay extremely hostile to homo Controversy has swirled sex u ality and drug use around the project from the and someone who is is more capable of providing start. The initial proposal was going to address the services is left unanswered. to allow only men to fully “There are lots of ques participate in the march, while issues in a positive as to whether folks are women could serve in support fashion about how we tions getting appropriate medical or auxiliary roles. The Nation empower black care [at Abundant Life],” says of Islam traditionally excludes Robinson. Much of the con women from many of its ac gay men. ” tro v ersy cen ters around tivities. Kemron, a form of alpha-in Some o f the more extreme terferon, which the Nation of edges of the march have been —Alexander Robinson Islam maintains is effective in softened, as more mainstream fighting HIV. Traditional clinical trials have not elements have joined in support and as the orga backed up those claims. But Abundant Life con nizers have tried to attract others. tinues to prescribe the drug and fills the orders The Congressional Black Caucus and the from its own pharmacy, charging about $400 a Southern Christian Leadership Conference en month. That is a significant markup over the dorse it. Individual members of the NAACP will wholesale cost of the drug, which has led many to participate, but the body itself will not formally do believe that the clinic is ripping off sick people so. The National Urban League is keeping an and pocketing huge profits. arms-length distance. This combination of local and national factors The Rev. Jesse Jackson threw his support led the D.C. Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gay behind the march at the end of September, and Men and Bisexuals to first give a conditional claimed that leaders of the nation’s two largest endorsement of the march and then rescind it. black religious denominations were doing like The Leadership Forum held off endorsing the wise. No we aren’t, thundered back the Rev. march because of “its sexist and patriarchal tone Henry J. Lyons a few days later. The president of and the homophobic comments made by some the 8.2-million-member National Baptist Con march organizers.” But it “strongly encourage[s]” vention called Jackson’s statement “an absolute black gay men and lesbians to participate in the lie.” activities it has planned. Gay men and lesbians are adding their con “This march is bigger than the Nation of Islam, cerns to the clamor. “We will be at the march, it is a nation of black people, African Americans regardless. Whether we are there as full, happy participants, or whether we are going to be there coming together. We are part of that community. And we want to be there,” said Boykin. “If the in protest,” said Keith Boykin, former press assis march organizers believe in black unity, then we tant in the Clinton White House and newly ap will be welcomed at the march in all ways.” pointed executive director of the Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum. “The fact is that Farrakhan and the Nation of The Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum Islam consistently express disdain for gays and can be contacted through its Los Angeles office lesbians of all colors,” said Alexander Robinson. (213) 964-7820 or through its ad hoc march He is a longtime lobbyist on gay and AIDS issues coordinators in St. Louis, Dennis Holmes for the American Civil Liberties Union and presi (314) 454-1654, or Houston, Steve Walker dent of the black-oriented National Task Force on (713) 864-2242. 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