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Carolinas' Most Comprehensive Gay & Lesbian Newspaper The Latest Q^POLL Results Will the beating death of Matthew Shepard have a lasting affect on the human rights movement for gays and lesbians? Yes Not Sure No 46% 10’'“ 43’'“ Vote at www.q-notes.com Published Every Two Weeks On Recycled Paper « Volume 13, Number 15 » November 28, 1998 • FREE Support for gay equality increases ADAP gets $8 million in NC budget by Kitn I. Mills Special to Q-Notes WASHINGTON, DC—^Tolerance for gay and lesbian Americans has sharply increased in the last three years and most folks support anti- discrimination laws protecting gay people, ac cording to a Human Rights Campaign (HRC) poll conducted by top Democratic and Repub lican pollsters. The findings, released at a No vember 18 press confer ence, reiterate the trend seen in this year’s elec tions in which voters sup ported moderates over far-right conservatives in races across the country. “American voters re jected the mean-spirited, anti-gay positions that have been expressed throughout this election season and registered their dissatisfaction at the polls. In most cases where the voters had a choice, they picked the moder ate, pro-gay candidate,” said HRC executive di rector Elizabeth Birch. “This should be a clear message to the Repub lican leadership — extreme right candidates no longer make good candidates, and more and more. Republicans are seeking liberation from Christian Coalition hold on the GOP.” “This poll is consistent with the election results and the voter’s desire for solutions in stead of scapegoats. Ninety percent of HRC- endorsed candidates won their races, compared to only 46 percent of candidates backed by Gary Bauer’s ultra-conservative Campaign for Work ing Families. I think this discrepancy says it all about America’s increased tolerance for gay Americans,” said HRC political director Winnie Stachelberg. The bipartisan poll, conducted for HRC by the Democratic polling firm Lake, Snell, Perry and Associates (Celinda Lake), 5nd Republi can pollsters American Viewpoint, (Linda DiVall), showed that support for gay and les bian equality was bipartisan and widespread. Among the findings: A majority of voters (54 percent - 32 per cent) say that civil rights laws for gays and les bians are intended to secure “equal rights” in stead of “special rights.” This number is up from 1995 when the ratio was 41 percent - 38 per cent. Elizabeth Birch: “Where voters had a choice, they picked the moderate, pro-gay candidate." Americans widely believe (64 percent - 13 percent) that US society is more tolerant now than it was a decade ago and over a majority believe that increased tol erance is desirable. Majorities of Ameri cans (58 percent - 25 per cent) support the Em ployment Non-Discrimi nation Act (ENDA) and the Hate Crimes Preven tion Act (56 percent - 23 percent) and strong sup port extends across all demographic and parti san subgroups. Majorities of Ameri cans support certain rights and benefits for gay • and lesbian partners, in cluding hospital visita- tion rights (71 percent - 24 percent), inheritance rights (67 percent - 27 percent) and health care benefits (61 percent - 29 percent). “This increase in tolerance has mistakenly led people to believe that gay people are already covered by anti-discrimination legislation. Our poll reveals that only 14 percent of people real ize that it is still legal to fire gay people in 40 states because of their sexual orientation. Clearly, peoples’ attitudes are way ahead of the politicians’ and we need to work to clarify this misconception,” said HRC communications director David M. Smith. The poll surveyed 800 adults in the US who indicated they planned to vote or had voted in the general election for Congress. The survey was conducted November 1-3. The sample was drawn using random dial methodology. It was distributed geographically based on the ex pected distribution of 1998 general election votes. The data were weighted by age, educa tion and gender to reflect the 1998 electorate. The margin of error is +/- 3.5 percent. ▼ Shepard court proceedings begin by Dan Van Mourik Q-Notes Staff LARAMIE, WY—Russell Henderson, 21, one of two men accused in the beating death of University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard, waived his right to a preliminary hear ing. His arraignment date on charges of first- degree murder, kidnapping and aggravated bat tery has not been set. The preliminary hearing for Aaron McKinney, 22, facing the same charges as Henderson, remained scheduled for Novem ber 19, after the Q-Notes issue deadline. At the request of McKinney’s defense, Al bany County Judge Robert A. Castor signed an order allowing Fremont County Judge Rob ert B. Denhardt to preside over Mcfyifmey’s hearing, a court spokeswoman said. One of McKinney’s attorneys, Dion Custis, said that he and co-counsel Jason Tangeman asked Cas tor to step aside. “There were some reports early on in the media that had involved the judge and so we thought it best to get a new judge,” Custis said. “I won’t elaborate more.... just talked to him and he just got a new judge for us.” MeIGnney is the only one of the four sus pects who had not waived his right to a pre liminary hearing. Meanwhile, a judge ruled to keep television cameras out of the courtroom during proceed- ings for the two women charged as accessories after the fact. In addition, media seating dur ing any trial for the women could be limited to three. Media representatives had requested court room space for four cameras and up to 50 re porters during proceedings for Kristen Price, 18, and Chastity Pasley, 20. However, District Court Judge Jeffrey Donnell ruled that video and audio cameras, laptop computers, cell phones and tape recorders would not be al lowed. During jury selection for a trial of Price or Pasley, one member of the Wyoming Press Association and one representative each from the print and radio media would be allowed. Space for 24 media representatives would be reserved during all other proceedings — except those “substantially occupied by trial partici pants,” in which case space would be limited to three at the court’s discretion. The media will not be allowed to listen to conferences between attorneys, attorneys and their clients, and attorneys and the judge. Arraignment dates for the two women are scheduled for December 9. T by Dan Van Mourik Q-Notes Staff RALEIGH, NC—^After several months of leaving the NC AIDS population in doubt about the future of the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), the NC General Assembly included an additional $8 million for the pro gram in its $12.6 billion spending plan. That is a huge increase over the $750,000 currently allocated to ADAP each year. ADAP distributes life-extending drugs to low income HIV and AIDS patients. It is known as the HIV Medications Program in North Carolina. David Jones, former co-chair of the HIV Medications Program Advisory Committee, said the increase still falls short. “It is not what we need to folly fond the program, but it is a major and rather dramatic increase in what the state has been providing,” Jones said. Steve Sherman, AIDS policy/adviSbry coor dinator in the NC Department of Health and Human Services, said the funding increase will allow new patients to enroll in the program and existing enrollees to continue to receive their medications. The $8 million is half of what Governor Jim Hunt had requested in his budget. The $16.1 million request was based on a recommenda tion from the state’s AIDS Advisory Council. The increase will be combined with the $750,000 in recurring funds and $4.5 million in federal funds, but it is only a one-year, one time appropriation. Negotiations for an increase to the recurring funds or another one-time al location will have to start all over again for the next budget cycle. The new money means the state can add between 600 and 1000 new patients to the pro gram. However, the most recent estimates show there are a possible 2000 to 2400 qualified en rollees. 1050 patients are currently authorized for ADAP and their authorization will be ex tended through March 31, 1999. The increase came with the provision that die Department of Health and Human Services must implement a cost-containment plan by January 1, 1999. The legislature said the plan should include “cost-saving strategies [used] in other states, including but not limited to re strictive formularies, prescription limitations, insurance continuity and insurance purchasing programs, and biannual or quarterly reautho rizations.” After the plan is in place, the de partment must report to the General Assembly by June 30, 1999 on what it has done and whether any additional legislation is needed. It is, therefore, unclear exactly how ADAP will be structured in NC until the cost-con tainment plan is finalized. ▼ Gay vote key in Democrat victories by Doug Case Special to Q-Notes WASHINGTON, DC—Democratic Na tional Committee (DNC) Chairs Steve Grossman and Governor Roy Romer applauded high gay and lesbian voter turnout as a signifi cant factor for Democratic victories in the elec tions. They cited strong outreach efforts by the Democratic Party and individual candidates who support issues of concern to gays and les bians as a key to success for Democrats. According to Voter News Service (VNS) data, in major races for Democrats around the country, gay men and lesbians made up as much as 5 percent of the vote, with Democratic can didates earning as much as three-quarters of the gay vote in some contests. Accorfong to VNS, of voting gays and lesbians, 77 percent sup ported Representative Charles Schumer for New York Senate, 73 percent supported Gray Davis for governor of California, and 68 per cent supported Senator Barbara Boxer’s re-elec tion. All three candidates are Democrats. “These results reminded us of what we al ready knew,” said DNC National Chair Steve Grossman. “Gay men and lesbians are a very powerful voting bloc and grassroots organizing force. When Democratic candidates are actively involved in .the struggles of their constituents and committed to the Democratic platform of equality and non-discrimination for gays and lesbians, community members lend their sup port and their votes.” Democrats have worked increasingly in re cent years to support issues of concern to gays and lesbians and to engage them on the cam paign trail. This year more than ever before, candidates specifically reached out to gay and lesbian voters through speaking appearances, campaign literature, print media and phone and mail programs. “The Democratic Party and the vast num ber of Democratic candidates seek inclusion of gays and lesbians in the electoral process. This is very clear in the relationships shared between candidates and the gay and lesbian community and in their significant turnout and support for Democrats,” said DNC General Chair, Gov. Romer. “It is important to remember that the num ber of gay and lesbian voters is probably even greater than VNS reports. These numbers rep resent a self-selected category of voters. In other words, it only measures the number of people willing to discuss their sexuality on a survey at a public polling place,” said Mark Spengler, DNC Director of Gay and Lesbian Outreach. Democratic candidates and the Democratic Party have a long history of supporting employ ment non-discrimination for gays and lesbians, hate crimes legislation and advances in HIV and AIDS treatment and prevention. Last summer, when extremist House Republicans attempted to repeal President Clinton’s Executive Order banning discrimination based on sexual orien tation in the federal civilian workforce, 91 per cent of Congressional Democrats voted against the repeal. ▼ r la December 1, 1998 UtUvt iAt Aifv, H'i nat
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