Newspapers / Q-notes (Charlotte, N.C.) / Aug. 17, 2002, edition 1 / Page 6
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K k + m A M T I G A Pufc> and Eatery 'S 601 S. Cedar St- behind the stadittm 704-347-1 841 check out our calendar at Mon-ThifS . M 11amintfl2«n www.hartigans.com jaiSun S|)mina2». cK LigKt $2 Tuesday! AU 13c>tt\ed B©( ers Half off of Appetizers from 4 to 7! (dine-in only with purchase of beverage) D7\Y m.e (?pen at ar Q-NOTES • AUGUST 17 . 2002 Black Caucus supports ENDA All 38 members of the CBC have now co-sponsored ENDA by Michael Cole HRC WorkNet On July 22, Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) became the 194th co-sponsor of the Employment Non- Discrimination Act (ENDA). He also became the last of 38 Congressional Black Caucus members to co-sponsor the legislation. The CBC has been one of the strongest bases of support for CLBT rights in the US Congress, often providing support in an otherwise difficult South. In states such as Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee, CBC members are the only co-sponsors of ENDA. The CBC scored a 94 percent on HRCs congressional scorecard for the 106th Congress, which rated members of Congress on actions they took on CLBT-related issues. The only African-American representative who has failed to support CLBT issues is Rep. JC Watts (R-OK) who earned a 0 percent on HRC’s most recent congressional scorecard. Watts is not a member of the CBC and is planning to retire this fall. Additionally, during redistricting, Georgia created another majority black district, which most likely will add another GLBT-supportive member to the ranks of the CBC. HRC supports all CBC members and has participated in the CBC’s fall conferences and gala dinners over the last several years. ENDA also has the full support of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Like the CBC, the CHC is a strong ally in supporting HRC initiatives, with an 89 percent overall voting record in HRC’s congressional scorecard for the i06th Congress. info: www.htc.org/issues/federaljeg/enda/index.asp Big Brothers and Sisters blasted Focus on the Family, the Colorado-based, Christian group founded by Dr. James Dobson, is doing its level best to stir up trouble over a gay-affirming rule implemented by Big Brothers-Big Sisters of America, the youth-mentoring group headquartered in Philadelphia. Big Brother’s new guidelines instruct its almost 500 chapters that applicants who wish to be adult mentors cannot be excluded on the basis of race, religion, disability and other factors including sexual orientation. Though this has been the national board’s position for over 25 years, it has not been enforced, and a handful of local chapters had barred gays and lesbians as mentors. James Dobson issued an alert on his syndicated radio broadcast calling the new mandate “reckless and irresponsible” — big words from the man behind the malignant and child-toxic rhetoric of “Love Won Out” and Exodus, the organization’s virulent, ex gay movement that targets both adults and youth. Dobson has instructed his followers to contact Big Brother to protest which has resulted in the office being forced to field “thousands of objections in the last 10 days” according to Focus official William Maier. Big Brothers reports things slightly differently. Spokeswoman Noreen Shanfelter said the national office had gotten only about 150 calls and 40 emails during the same period. And although she said that she did not know how many calls its chapter offices may have received, there has been one chapter, which she would not identify, that intends to “disaffiliate” because of the new rule. Maier says that Focus objects to gay mentors because the 210,000 single-parent children in the Big Brothers program “are in desperate need of same-sex role models. How can a gay man teach a boy about being a husband and father?” Mack Koonce, Big Brothers’ executive vice president and CEO, said July 22 that his group “doesn’t have the broad goal of teaching heterosexual, marital relationships. We look at do the kids stay in school, do they keep their grades up, do they improve peer and family relationships. That’s what we think the big issues are.” Shanfelter said people who apply'to be mentors are asked about their sexual orientation during the screening process. Parents in the home-based program get that information about a mentor as part of the matching process, she said, “and we honor their preferences.” Parents of the 70,000 youngsters in Big Brothers’ school-based program, in which mentors make lunchtime visits, do not have , that option, though parents sign blanket release forms and the school visits, she said, arc in “controlled, supervised settings.” Helping you with,.. accepting yourself • moving you forward conquering fears • breaking old patterns anxiety • breaking up • safe sex learning to love • illness/death family matters • couples skills 9ndividuals — Couples " . iZelationship Seminars'- "Being gay and in an 12-year relationship helps me to understand the unique needs of Ed.S. LGBT individuals and couples." Counselor pgg „gp 6Q-minute session. 144-9470 - ~ - ibruce@aol.com Evening appointments available. i.
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