PI
The Carolinas’ Most Comprehensive Gay & Lesbian Newspaper
Published Every Two Weeks On Recycled Paper • Volume 12, Number 23 • April 18, 1998 • FREE
Frank calls march
a “diversion” Page 5
Gay play sure to
raise protest Page 20
FACE
OFF
PRIMARY COLORS
When Mecklenburg County voters go
to the polls May 5 to vote in the Demo
cratic and Republican primaries, they will
be participating in one of the most cru
cial elections to face the community in
some time. Out of these races will come
the next set of Mecklenburg County
Commissioners. It will be a pivotal mo-
rnent in local politics.
Because the foundation of our region
wiU, in large part, be built upon the men
and women selected from the candidate
slate, it is vital that we know what we
want before casting our ballots. Here are
some questions to ponder in that regard:
Do we want elected officials who value
diversity or those who only value citizens
like themselves? Do we want elected of
ficials who believe in the spirit of com
promise or those who entrench them
selves in their own positions — no mat
ter how wrong-headed? Do we want
elected officials who have the vision to
lead us into the next cenmry or those who
are too blind to even join us in this one?
In short, do we want elected officials who
will stretch toward the highest ideals of
this community or those who have al
ready demonstrated how low they can
drag it down?
It is not hard to guess how everyone
answered these questions. It is difficult,
though, to gauge how committed every
one is to making their answers reality. Be
cause, even though there are unending
calls for change, voter turnout remains
abysmally low firom year to year. We have
to fight that apathy; there is simply too
much at stake. If we defeat the Gang of
Five commissioners, we can curb the di
vide and conquer politics that h'ivt‘'vili-
fied us as the enemy for the last year and
splintered this community in the process.
We have heard plenty about “tradi
tional family values,” now it is time for
us to display our values (solidarity, in
tegrity and civic responsibility among
them) in voting booths across the county.
— David Stout, Editor
CANDIDATE RECOMMENDATIONS
Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners
(Recommendations are not given in races where all candidates will
advance or if there is no preference or insufficient information.)
At-Large (3 seats; 2 years)
Republican: William C. Focht; Tom Vance (only vote for these two)
District 1 (1 seat; 2 years)
Republican: Edna Chirico
District 4 (1 seat; 2 years)
Democrat: Lloyd Scher
District 5 (1 seat; 2 years)
Republican: Tom Cox
District 6 (1 seat; 2 years)
Republican: David Misenheimer
Need a Ride? If traiisportation is an issue, Mecklenburg Gay and
Lesbian PAG volunteers will take voters to their polling locations. Call
them at (704) 553-7906 to make arrangements.
RAIN walks a mile (plus) for AIDS
by Brian M. Myer
Q-Notes Staff
CHARLOTTE—^The Regional AIDS In
terfaith Network (RAIN) will hold its second
annual one and one-half mile AIDS walk Sun
day, May 3 with registration being held inside
the Fellowship Hall of the First United Meth
odist church beginning at 1:00pm. The walk is
organized to heighten awareness of AIDS and
of the non-judgmental service
offered through the faith
community. The short-walk
enables those living with
HIV/AIDS and other dis
abilities to participate.
Chris Werth, RAIN’s
director of development,
has high hopes for this
year’s Walk. “Last year
we had 267 walkers
Regiam! AbS Interfaith Network
mmwuKm
and raised $33,000.
This year we hope to
have 500 walkers and
our goal is $50,000.”
The Walk will be
gin in the courtyard of theTransAmerica build
ing direedy adjacent to the First United Meth
odist Church. The walkers will proceed down
Tryon Street to St. Peter’s Catholic Church, turn
around and end inside the sanctuary of the
church.
RAIN will appeal to businesses to under
write Walk expenses so that 100 percent of the
money collected by the walkers will support
direct services for persons living with HIV/
to faith compiunities but will include those re
cruited through businesses, civic organizations,
clubs and neighborhoods as well as congrega
tions of all faiths. Individuals raise donations
for the one and one-half mile Walk through
family, friends, co-workers and fellow congre
gation members. Proceeds will help expand
rain’s development, training and coordina
tion of new and existing AIDS Careteams which
provide direct care to those
living with HIV/AIDS.
Prizes, all of which are do
nated, will be awarded to
both the individual and the
team receiving the most
pledges. Teams participating
have the opportunity to cre
ate a special banner for their
group which will be judged
by members of the Hodges/
Taylor gallery.
RAIN was founded in
1992 to engage area congre
gations (eight counties in two
states) of all faiths in meeting
the challenges of the AIDS pandemic. RAIN
identifies, cultivates and provides on-going pas
toral support, education and leadership for con
gregation-based Careteams partnered with per
sons living with HIV/AIDS. To date, RAIN’s
Careteams have served more than 230 men,
women and children suffering from AIDS.
For more information on how to take part
as a walker, create a team, be a sponsor or to
receive general information, call the RAIN of-
AIDS. Members of walk teams are not limited flee at (704) 372-7246. ▼
SC Pride anti-rally rally planned
erable. The problem with attaining happiness
is that they are deviating from what they are
created for. We want to help them come out of
the homosexual lifestyle. Many have come out
of it to lead a normal, happy life.”
Community Forum
On April 2, a community forum was held
by the Coastal .Carolina University Student
Government Association and Psychology Club
along with the SC Gay and Lesbian Pride Move
ment on the upcoming festival. The forum gave
participants a chance to talk frankly about ho
mosexuality, spirituality and the law.
Participants in the forum at Coastal Caro
lina University were the Rev. Tom Summers;
Bill Clinard, a member of Parents, Friends and
Families of Lesbians and Gays; Myrtle Beach
City Manager Tom Leath; Heather Lee; Linda
Robertson, co-chair of the festival; Myrde Beach
Police Chief Warren Gall; and Steve Hubbard.
Forum organizer Amy Love said Mayor
lylark McBride and representatives from
Burroughs & Chapin Co. Inc. declined to par
ticipate. Both McBride and the company have
publicly opposed support of the festival.
“I am a little concerned we are parading
sexuality in front of the community,” Hubbard
said. “We are not condemning the person, but
the sin.”
But Robertson said the festival is not about
parading sexuality. “Our organization lobbies
for equal rights, not special rights,” she said,
adding that the march is just to show people
that homosexuals are normal people.
Summers urged everyone to focus on work
ing together and to enjoy the diversity of the
community.“I am strongly convinced orienta
tion is not necessarily chosen,” he said. “These
are issues of the heart. I’m not sure sexual ori
entation is the right term. I think maybe we
should call it affectional orientation. I think
when we look back in 10, 15, 20 years, the re-
See ANTI-RALLY on page 12
by Dan Van Mourik
Q-Notes Staff
MYRTLE BEACH, SC—The 9th Annual
SC Gay and Lesbian Pride March and Festival
will be held over the weekend of April 30 - May
3 in Myrtle Beach. Since the event was an
nounced, opposition has been voiced in many
forms — from church leaders to private citi
zens to Myrtle Beach Mayor Mark McBride.
The latest protest will take the form of a
thinly veiled anti-gay rally. Organizers are
choosing to classify it as a gathering of like-
minded individuals who seek a return to tradi
tional family values. But the timing makes its
true intent rather obvious.
The Citizens for Traditional Family Values
will hold their rally from 6;00-9:00pm on Sun
day, April 26 in an as yet undetermined loca
tion in the Myrtle Beach area. The rally sounds
very similar to one held a week after the 1997
March and Festival in Greenville, SC.
“It’s nothing more than an event to promote
the solid, community-based values that have
held our community, our country and our so
ciety together since the beginning of time,” said
Conway resident and associate pastor at the
Grand Strand Baptist Church Steve Hubbard.
The rally is intended to send the message to
local lawmakers that there are still people here
appalled by the “onslaught of topless clubs, the
Memorial Day weekend motorcycle event, the
Gay Pride week and gambling establishments,”
according to rally organizers.
Hubbard said a “traditional family would
be one man and one wife and their children.”
Traditional family values, he said, would be the
values of that family structure.
The purpose of the rally, he said, is to set a
new course and direction for Myrtle Beach and
Horry County. And maybe, he said, they can
even help some practicing homosexuals over
come that lifestyle.
Hubbard said, “Living that lifestyle is mis-