PAGE 10 Q-Notes T March 1994
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Supporting Tfie Gay Community
NC Pride PAC hosts reception
by Eagle White
Q-Notes Staff
CHAPEL HILI^-On February 10, de
spite the worst ice storm of the season, more
than 60 gays, lesbians and “straight-but-not-
narrow” supporters gathered to honor various
individuals key to the past and future success
of NC Pride PAC for Gay and Lesbian Equal
ity. The evening reception, held in the ball
room of Chapel Hill’s Carolina Inn, featured
a well-heeled cross section of the Triangle
area’s gay and lesbian activists, officials,
future candidates and interested community
members.
Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development Roberta Achtenberg had been
slated to appear. However, when her confer
ence in the Triangle area was postponed, Ms.
Achtenberg elected to stay in Washington.
She did indicate to Pride PAC that she would
attend a function held at a later date.
Pride PAC fundraising chair Michael
Armentrout, one of 41 sponsors of the event,
said, “We were expecting 250 people here
tonight, and we have over 60. Given the
weather and Roberta’s [Achtenberg’s] ab
sence, I am pleased with the turnout.”
Armentrout stated that Pride PAC’s pur
pose in hosting the event was “to introduce
prominent gay and lesbian officials, on both
the federal and local level.” He added, “Pride
PAC needs to expand its base of members.
There are basically two ways to further the
fight for gay and lesbian rights. The first is to
raise money, which can then be redistributed
in areas where it will most help our cause.
The second way is to build a solid base of
people with time and commitment to our
goals.”
The reception suffered little from its low
attendance; the enthusiasm of those present
ran high. Festivities began with a half-hour
period of beverages and hors d’oeuvres, dur
ing which the crowd mingled and discussed
various issues faced by gays and lesbians in
North Carolina.
Former Chapel Hill Town Council mem
ber Joe Herzenberg began the speakers’ por
tion of the event. Herzenberg Eluded to the
weather conditions by use of a quote he
attributed to George Washington. “Washing
ton spoke of ‘sunshine patriots’ and ‘summer
warriors’,” said Herzenberg, “bull don’t think
anyone in this room tonight can be put into
either of those categories.”
Introduction of several candidates for of
fice followed. Joe Buckner, an attorney, has
declared his candidacy for Orange/Chatham
County District Court Judge. Margaret Pol
lard was announced as a candidate from
Chatham County for the North Carolina Sen
ate. Another young woman, who asked to
remain anonymous in this article, declared
her intention to run for NC Second District
Representative for the U.S. Congress.
Jesse White, former chair of Pride PAC
and now head of the Appalachian Regional
Commission (see “Jesse White receives Sen
ate confirmation” in this issue), spoke about
his then upcoming move to Washington and
his involvement with NC Pride PAC. White
said, “It’s a long journey for a ‘boy from
Mississippi’ to a job with the federal govern
ment in Washington. I intend to maintain my
ties with this area. My partner lives here, and
I want to thank him for all his support during
this process of confirmation.” White added
that his work with Pride PAC had “expanded
his humanity.”
Carrboro Alderman Mike Nelson ad
dressed the group by saying, “I am proud to be
the only openly-gay elected official in North
Carolina, but I would like to be one of many.”
Nelson encouraged gays and lesbians to run
for office, saying, “Being an elected official
provides a unique access to higher-ups in
government. Governor Hunt recently asked
for a meeting with ten officials from Chapel
Hill/Carrboro to discuss issues. I am one of
the ten, only because I am a member of the
Carrboro Board of Aldermen.” Of the up
coming meeting with Hunt, Nelson said, “I
intend to use this access to the governor to
discuss sodomy, the Crime Against Nature
law and the Hate Crimes law.” He added with
a chuckle, “Of course, I may not be invited
back for another meeting.”
I
Bob Barrett
Nelson also remaiked on Charlotte Mayor
Richard Vinroot’s apparent opposition to
holding the 1994 Pride March in that city.
Discussing his founding of NC Pride PAC,
Nelson said, “I look back with the most pride
at forming an organization which has gotten
gays and lesbians directly involved with the
electoral process.”
The evening continued with the introduc
tion of Pride PAC’s new executive director,
Derek Charles Livingston. A former HIV
and AIDS prevention educator, Livingston
has worked extensively in the fields of health
and gay/lesbian civil rights, both in Rhode
Island and Florida. On his role as one of four
national co-chairs for the 1993 March on
Washington, Livingston said, “Despite the
Park Service’s crowd estimates, which ren
dered us one-third human, the March on
Washington was nonetheless the largest hu
man rights demonstration ever. Being a part
of the March was very important to me.”
Livingston said he sees his role as Pride PAC
director as one to “insure that our community
has equal rights by the end of this decade.”
He added, ‘There is a certain atuaction to
doing this work in the back yard of Jesse
Helms.”
In closing remarks to the group. Pride
PAC board chair Bob Barret said, “We are
looking at a budget this year of $68,000. We
must raise and give away as much money as
we can in places where people will fight the
fight for our rights.” On a final note, Barret
added, “Coming out is a process that never
ends. I urge each of you, wherever you are, to
take the next step in that process. Coming out
allows us to be seen as individuals, rather than
as ‘them.”;
Speaking For Myself
Continued from page 3
federal bench will be able to tell the differ
ence between the two, especially since it is
stiU heavily weighted with conservative hold
overs from the Reagan/Bush years.
So, as much as I am pleased to see Oper
ation Rescue hoisted by its own petard, I
have this numb feeling in the pit of my gut
that we may be next.
After all, ACT UP’s activities have fre
quently been illegal and often costly to busi
nesses. ACT UP has defied court orders and
done what it can to interrupt the free flow of
commerce. As RICO is currently being
interpreted by the federal courts, I think all of
these add up to a RICO suit, and I’m a little
surprised nobody on the other side has thought
of it yet.
The Operation Rescue opinion did have a
major good point: the Supreme Court in
structed the lower courts to factor in First
Amendment issues which may be implicat
ed. As I read the decision, courts will be
required to balance First Amendment impli
cations against alleged illegal activity. How
ever, I’m not sure this offers much protec
tion.
The courts have consistently drawn a
distinction between speech and conduct. For
example, what they have said to Operation
Rescue is that the group is free to oppose
abortion, to advocate against abortion, to
speak, to demonstrate, to lobby, and to do
anything else that gets their point across.
What they may not do is to engage in conduct
which violates the rights of other people.
Using that analysis, ACT UP may well be
told that it can speak, demonstrate, lobby,
and otherwise engage in speech. What it may
not do is violate laws against trespassing,
disorderly conduct and so forth.
It would not be a bad idea to closely
follow how the lower courts apply the RICO
decision in actual practice. I never thought
I would live to see the day when ACT UP and
Operation Rescue were on the same side of
an issue.