i i
■5 1 ! f
(MAHCK, cont, from p. 1)
The Carolina Gay Association is ten
tatively planning a dance and social in
Chapel Hill on the evening of June 26. The
site has not been finalized at publication
time, but people can vzatch for local
publicity or call the CGA contact number
(929-4997) nearer the date.
The An Loft, a gallery above the
Plaza Restaurant also at Five Points in
Durham, will be displaying works by les
bian and gay artists on June 27. The
gallery is located at 104 1/2 Morris Street
and will be open throughout the day. Peo
ple wishing to display their works are em
couraged to call Allan Troxler at 688-8167
(day phone) before June 15.
Planning for the gay pride activities
began shortly after the beatings at the Lit
tle River. At community meetings -- some
with an attendance of 70 people -- people
expressed interest in events “to take back
the River as gay space,” to raise funds to
aid the family of the murdered man. to
publicly declare our presence in the
Triangle Area, and to' celebrate gay pride.
Consideration was given to the fragile
ecology’ of the Little River area, and it was
decided not to hold a large public event
there.
In planning a dow’nrown event, march
planners had to satisfy City requirements
of a community .surv’ey by informing
businesspeople in the area about the
(LITTLE RIVER, cont. froi-n p. 1)
The two„attackers then went down
stream v.here Antonevich was sitting alone
on a rock in the middle of the shallow
river. They ordered him across the river,
and when he told them he was handicap-
pt^d they attacked him. in the past, An
tonevich had undergone heart surgery.
The two attackers, both residents of
Durham, have been arrested and charged
w’ith murder. Two women who were with
them at the time of the incident have been
charged with robbery. All four have been
released on bail.
In a hearing for the two men. Judge
Karen Kalloway found probable cause for
a charge of second degree murder. District
Attorney Dan Edwards, jr. has indicated
he will press for convictions on charges of
first degree murder. Jury selection will
likely begin in early July.
Community reaction to the incident
was swift and strong. Newpaper, radio
and television coverage of the incident was
comprehensive. 7'he Durham Morning
Herald called for “severe punishment" in a
lead editorial on April 16.
“The Act evokes revuLsion. It w’as
nau-seating, contemptible behavior --
beyond the pale of human decency," wrote
the Herald.
On the Friday following the incident,
125 protestors gathered for a noontime vigil
in front of the Durham County Judicial
Building. The vigil was called on 24-hours
notice through a telephone tree organized
by a wide range of community groups.
In a collectively-written leaflet for the
vigil, the Little River incident was put into
a national context, “Ac a time w’hen Con
gress is diverting the federal budget
towards weapons wildly, and crying out for
the simple-minded retribution of capital
punishment, hostility becomes almost
patriotic. But we say to Sunday's assailants
march. After the original survey had been
completed, planners were told they had to
obtain the signatures of the businesspeo
ple.
The City has also said organizers must
purchase insurance against property
damage. The question of risk category is
as yet undecided. Debbie Swanner, a
march organizer, said, “If we get put into a
high risk categor)’, we‘11 definitely contest it
legally.”
In meetings with Durham Mayor
Rodenhizer and other city officials, maich
organizers asked about the prt>cess for ob
taining a gay rights ordinance. Debbie
Swanner said, "Their reply wai. ‘This isn't
Chapel Hill.’" Organizers did not ask the
mayor to declare June 27 lesbian and gay
pride day.
"Our Day Out" is being t o-sponsored
by the Triangle Area Le.sbian FeTinisis.
I'riangle Area Gay Scienriscs, State Gay
Community. Duke Gay Alliance, the
Carolina Gay Association and other gay
and non-gay groups.
March planners are estimating that
“Our Day Out” will cost S500, and thev an*
soliciting contributions from indivjduais
and busine.sse.s. Checks should be drawn to
"Our South,” earmarked for the march,
and mailed to:
Our South
Post Office Box 1832
Durham, N.C. 27702
-- and to others who might be inspired to
similar acts -- that it is not acceptable to
kill people because they are gay. It is not
acceptab le to kill people at all.’'
The following Friday. April 24, 150
people gathered in Chapel Hill on the
University of North Carolina campus for a
CGA-sponsored rally, candlelight march
and vigil. Marchers listened to several les
bian and gay speakers, including Michael
Penny, one of the victims.
Penny said he pleaded with his
assailants, "Please don’t hit me anymore.
But these people did not seem to be con
scious that 1 was flesh, that I had family,
friends, feelings."
Marchers then began chants of “No
more gay bashing," and singing “We Shall
Not Be Moved," as they lit candles. After
njarchlng across campus, protestors circled
for a silent vigil which ended with spon
taneous singing by various individuals and
by the group.
Ongoing activities had been organized
by a group of represent itivc*s from gay and
non-gay organizations acro.ss the Triangle
Area. Court-watching and a telephone
tree covering the area have been instituted.
The court w’atcher; have kept in ckrsc
touch with the District Attorney but have
expressed reservations about the possibility
of a death sentence for the convicted.
Carl Wfittman said many of those at
the Durham vigil are opposed to the death
penalty. He said that many persons felt
that the attackers shovld be “taken off the
stret.
People wanting to stay in touch wuth
the network of people working on the Little
River incident may rail;
Chapel Hill - Jim at 942-1416
Durham - Bob or Dan at
688-3791
Raleigh -- Wayne at 828-3535
li