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PAGE 6 T Q-Notes T September 20, 1997 guest editorial Telling truths Kerry Label Like many people, I have found myself moved by the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. While it is true that I am a soft touch for determined blonde femmes with strong so cial convictions, I also appreciate that Diana sought to provide comfort for oth ers while at the same time looking for love her self I am glad that the media has focused on Diana as an agent of change and on her work with survivors of land mines, the homeless and people with AIDS. Few of us come to fame by marrying an heir to the throne. And few have the advantages that come to those with wealth and royal privi lege. Yet each of us can make social change in our own way. I’ve been reminded recently of two such women who have profoundly changed the world in which we live, Dorothy Hadjys and Adrienne Rich. Dorothy Hadjys is the mother of Allen Schindler, a sailor who was brutally murdered by his shipmates because he was gay. Adrienne Rich is a remarkable writer whose nearly two dozen volumes of poetry and prose have been transformational. Two of her essays, “Compulsory Heterosexuality” and “Women and Honor: Some Notes on Lying,” trans formed many in my generation. Dorothy Hadjys came to her activism be cause of her son’s murder. When the Navy stonewalled Dorothy, she worked tirelessly (with help from the gay, lesbian and bisexual community) to ensure that Allen Schindler’s killers would be brought to justice. Dorothy’s vigilance can never end. Now, with the help of the Servicemember’s Vol. 12, No. 9 - September 20, 1997 Mailing Address: PO Box 221841 Charlotte. NC 28222 Phone-. (704) 531-9988 Fax-. (704) 531-1361 E-mail-, pridtype@vnet.net Street Address: 4037 E. Independence Blvd., Suite 611 Charlotte, NC 28205 Publisher & CEO Jim Yarbrough Editor David Stout Associate Editor Dan Van Mourik Arts Editor Brian D. Holcomb Typesetter Dan Van Mourik Personals Larry Jackson Advertising Sales Jim Yarbrough Contributing Writers-. Julia Adams, James N. Birkitt Jr., Peg Byron, DJ Instant T, J. Lynn Davidson, Brian D. Holcomb, Kevin Jennings, David Larson, C. Lichtenstein, Kerry Lobel, Thomas E. Roth, David M. Smith, David Stout, Miss Paige Turner, Dan Van Mourik Q-Notes is published every other week in Charlotte, NC by Pride Publishing & Typesetting. Advertisements are published with the understanding that the advertisers are fully authorized to publish sub mitted copy; having secured any necessary written con sent for all copy, text, photos and illustratiotu, and that no ad submitted is in violation of a patent, copyright, first right of publication, or a right to privacy. The ad vertiser assumes all liability for claims of suits based on the subject mater of its ad, and agrees to hold Pride Pub lishing & Typesetting and Q-Notes harmless from any such claim. The Publisher assumes no liability for typographical errors or omissions beyond offering to run a correction. The entire contents of Q-Notes are copyright (c) 1997 by Pride Publishing & Typesetting, and may not be re produced in any manner, cither in whole or part, with out the express written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved. Publication of the name or photograph of any person or organization in anicles or advertising in Q-Notes is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual ori entation of such person or organization. The views of this newspaper are expressed only in edi torials. Opinions expressed in columns, letters, articles and cartoons are those of the writers and artists and do not necessarily represent the opinions of C^Notes. Legal Defense Network, Dorothy is trying to collect one million signatures to ensure that Allen’s killer is never considered for parole. Her story was recently portrayed in the film Any Mother’s Son. When I met Dorothy this past August, she said there were only two places left where she wanted to tell her story —- to Oprah Winfrey and the President of the United States. She understands there is great power in telling her story and the story of her son. Earlier this summer, Adrienne Rich got word that she had been selected to receive the presti gious National Medal for the Arts. Each year, the award is given to 12 recipients. She turned the Medal down flat because accepting it would be viewed as condoning the Administration’s social policies with which she disagrees. She wrote to Jane Alexander, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, “A president cannot meaningfully honor certain token artists while the people at large are so dishonored.” Rich told journalist Laura Flanders, “You know, I really wouldn’t mandate what some one else should do in a situation like this and, as I’ve said, there’s no simple formula for the relationship of art to justice. I did what I had to do because of who I am.” As Rich says in “Women and Honor: Some Notes on Lying,” “Truthfulness anywhere means a heightened complexity...The politics worth having, the relationships worth having, demand that we delve still deeper.” And each of these women has. Each came to their political work from widely divergent starting places. Each was passionately and tire lessly driven to tell the truth in their own way. Each teaches us that truth-telling transforms both the teller and those of us who listen. Again from Adrienne Rich, “...truth is not one thing, or even a system. It is an increasing complexity.” The stories each of us tells about our lives and our willingness to dig deep and take risks, transforms not only our own gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community, but the lives of millions around the world. It is this transformation connecting personal to po litical action each day of our lives that makes social change. T — Kerry Lobel [Kerry Lobel is the executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.] Index Articles Baseball fundraiser hits a homer with attendees 4 Carolina Celebration fundraiser readies for ’98 4 Ellen’s mom leads Coming Out Project 1 Feds ordered to foot the bill 12 Four Raleigh bookstores raided 5 Historic meeting to take place in South Africa 5 Judge says lesbian custody case should go forward 1 Lesbian’s grave to get gay-identifying headstone 5 Military ban upheld again by a Court of Appeals 1 Rights supporters file appeal to learn plaintiff’s identity 12 Sheriff breaks the law to out high school coach 1 Features A new frontier for the gay traveler ... 20 The buzz on Broadway 14 Charlotte’s Bohemian district? 14 Helping today’s gay youth 3 High school homecoming 3 Q-Culture Recommends 15 Star Trek’s next exploration may be into lesbianism 16 Columns Advertiser Index 22 Classifieds 22 Community Cards 23 Curbside 26 GLAAD Notes 18 Inside Hollywood 15 Money Matters 17 National Notes 11 Out and About 26 Out In The Stars 19 Personals 24 QFYI 20 Q-Crossword 13 Reason For Hope 8 T’s Top Twenty 16 l||ll| Mill III.HT iiinnniiiniiiiiinmniitttBiiiiii lammiin: jEssei TH' Te>6AccA coMPAMys AR' MARKETIN' TD TH' lifestyle/ DOmV lOORRY AR' CAMpMiANS WILL CrlT TH- HOMO SEXUALS MONEY AND CANCER WILL. FINISH OFP THE - Sodomites THAT ^ AIDS missed letters The price of impotence Just a note to say thanks for your article by Dr. Wynn. [September 6 issue] I would like to correct a few notations in the text. I have been very successfully using the injections of Pros taglandin for over a year. Dr. Wynn is in error on his pricing of this method. It costs me about $ 18 per raging 4-hour erection. I also differ on his suggestion to stay away from the clinics that advertise in the newspaper. I found Dr. Alan Resnik and the staff at National Mens Health to be very professional and fair-priced. — Bob Rahilly, Charlotte Into the lion’s den Mecklenburg County Commissioner Bill James took a giant step into the lion’s den on Sunday, September 7. At the request of Ed Williams of the Charlotte Observer, James was the first in a series of speakers for an issues- based Sunday School class at Myers Park Bap tist Church (MPBC). MPBC, a church with a history of liberalism, was not the most likely choice for James, a member of the Evangelical Calvary Church, to speak. A crowd of almost 100 came to hear him speak and ask questions. James has, for several months now, been considered one of the buffoons of the County Commission. In fact, were it not for Joel Carter’s trademark mustache, James would almost cer tainly be considered the least articulate and most nonsensical member. His tendency to speak in soundbites and his penchant for confusing an swers have given the public this image, which made this Sunday more shocking than expected. James,'sadly, is not an idiot. In fact, he is, when allowed to express his opinions without interruption, an eloquent speaker — frighten ing news to those predicting an effortless cam paign to replace him in Nov. of ’98. In addi tion to his eloquence, James is a zealot. What he proved in his exchange was an unwavering conviction in his correctness, based entirely upon moral grounds, and a resolve to stand firm against what he considers a growing tide of anti- Christian sentiment in Charlotte. The morning began with a litany of the achievements of James’ ancestors. Tracing his lineage through a maze of militia, judges and sheriffs, James gave the distinct impression that he was proving his divine right to his current position. Every comment was tinged with self- righteousness as he endeavored to prove that his view of Christianity, and the exclusivity it demanded, was the proper foundation for po litical rule. James denounced what he called “universalism,” that is, the belief that salvation could be achieved through beliefs other than Christi^ity. No, he proclaimed, Jews and Hin dus and Muslims are not going to Heaven. They can’t. Neither can non-Evangelical Christians. James’ first questioner was concerned with religion. Phil Wells identified himself as a gay Christian with strong traditional values. Did James think that there was a place in the Church for him and other gays and lesbians? James’ re sponse: “There are some precepts that you hold that I disagree with; that you were born this way, that you can’t change. As an elected offi cial, should I turn a blind eye? I can’t.” Typical of most of his answers, he managed to inflame the crowd without answering the question. James claimed he felt he represented his con stituency faithfully, for the only letters of pro test he’d received came ftom Lloyd Scher’s dis trict. “However,” he added, “if people had pro tested, I would have voted the same way [on the county arts issue].” He made veiled accusa tions that much of the arts funding debacle was a racial ego trip of Commissioner Hoyle Martin’s. He pointed out that Martin had made demands of the Arts & Science Council which they refused to meet, which wounded his ego. When Six Degrees of Separation was staged, which concerns a black male homosexual, “that set him off.” He thought it was interesting that radical measures were not taken in response to Angels In America, a “much worse play” whose only hlack character is a supporting role. James’ final question was on the issue of tol erance, responding, “Am I opposed to tolerance? No. Do I believe that tolerance should be used as a shield for behavior that is unhealthy and Immoral? No. When you denigrate Christian precepts, you lose your moral basis, until toler ance becomes simply ‘anything you want.’” ▼ — Brian D. Holcomb, Charlotte Advertising Deadlines Issue Date Deadline October 4 Monday, September 22 October 18 Monday October 6 November 1 Monday October 20 Subscribe! Subscriptions are by 1st and 3rd class mail in sealed envelopes mailed in Charlotte, NC. Subscription rate for one year (25 issues) is $52 (1st class) or $28 (3rd class). Subscription rate for six months (12 issues) is $25 (1st class) or $15 (3rd class). To subscribe, mail this form to CfNotes, PO Box 221841, Charlotte, NC 28222. Make checks payable to (fNotes or provide credit card information below. 25 issues: □ 1st class, $52 □ bulk, $28 • 12 issues: □ 1st class, $25 □ bulk, $15 Name Address City, State, Zip Credit Card (circle one): MasterCard Visa Discover American Express Card Number: Exp. Date: Signature
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