Newspapers / Community Connections (Asheville, N.C.) / Dec. 1, 1993, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of Community Connections (Asheville, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Asheville Gay and Lesbian Information Line: 253-2971 A project of AeAtkevUle Gay andLettMon CommuHtty Council Gay and Lesbian Youth Hotline: 1-800-347-TElN Thun.-'Sun. 7 a«m. To report «iiti-gay/HIV+ discrimination/violence: Atkevitte-Buncombe Commimify Rdatiota Cmiacik 253-1656 / 252-4713 U.S. Department of Justice toll-free: 1-800-347-HATE Asheville, NC Serving the Southern Appalachian Gay !Lesbian Community Circulation 7,000 Vol.V, No.l2 December 1993 Nelson Wins Seat in Carrboro Protest Draws 75 in SC Approximately 75 protesters representing a broad coalition of individuals and groups protested outside Greenville, SC’s Memorial Auditorium on November 12, while Pat Robertson spoke inside to about 3000 listeners. The protest was sponsored and organized by Voters United for Equality(VUE), SC- NOW, and Greenville Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. Protesters included Christians, Jews, Unitarians, Wiccans, agnostics. Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, union members, African Americans, pro-choice advocates, public school defenders, etc. Over the weekend, Robertson pushed his right-wing political agenda in meetings with about two dozen African- American religious leaders, the Auditorium event, and a training school. Roger Bell of VUE said, "Robertson’s Christian Coalition has made many imoads in South Carolina. They seized control of the state Republican Party earlier this year. Some of their friendly state legislators have introduced a variety of anti-lesbigay bills in the General Assembly which we will have to fight these bills again next year. But having 75 protesters was really great! Two years ago, maybe six people would have shown up. The cause of human rights is a real struggle in SC, but we are making gains. This coalition of progressives is evidence of that." Openly gay candidate, Mike Nelson, won a seat on the Carrboro, NC Board of Aldermen on November 2. With the resignation of Joe Herzenberg, from the Chapel Hill town council, the 29 year old becomes the only openly gay elected official in the state. Focusing on crime and enviromnental issues during his campaign. Nelson placed 2nd in total votes. An incumbent, Jackie Gist, was top vote getter, with newcomer Hank Anderson capturing the last of 3 seats. Six people sought positions during the non-partisan election. This was Nelson’s second attempt at winning a seat on the Board of Aldermen. He lost by 32 votes in the 1989 election. Nelson, a travel agent and longtime gay activist, is a former executive director of Pride PAC and served as campaign manager for Joe Herzenberg the year he won. Heavily involved in the Democratic Party, Nelson is the Vice 1st Chair of the Orange County Democratic Party and serves on the State Democratic Party Executive Committee. Last year, he was a Clinton delegate for NC at the 1992 Democratic National Convention. "I am the only openly gay elected H official in North Carolina and don’t want] to be the only one," Nelson said in a telephone conversation. "I want to see an openly gay elected official in every major city in the state. The polling data in North Carolina has shown that the people of this state will vote for an openly gay candidate if he or she is qualified." Nelson went on to say that data shows that minorities almost never get elected their first attempt. It takes at least two attempts and sometimes three. Nelson said he wants to encourage gay men and lesbians to nm for office. "We as gay people haven’t given the public a chance to vote for us, because we haven’t run." Ban on Gays Ruled Unconstitutional In 1987, six weeks before graduation, honor student and battalion cotmnander Joseph Steffan was expelled from the US Naval Academy because he said "yes" when asked if he was homosexual. On November 16 a federal appeals court ordered the Navy to grant Steffan Ms degree and Ms commission as an officer, marking the first time an appeals court has ruled that the ban on gays and lesbians serving in the US military is unconstitutional. In handing down the ruling Judge Abner Mikfa said, "America’s hallmark is to judge people by what they do, not by who they are." The court said the military’s ban on gays was unconstitutional because it had "no rational basis." "It is fundamentally unjust," said the Court, "to abort Steffan’s most promising military career solely because of a truthful confession of a sexual preference different from that of the majority, a preference rmtaimshed by even a scintilla of misconduct." survey Resui 8 The court acknowledged that letting gays in might cause other servicemen to feel uncomfortable, but the military "cannot discrimmate.. .to avoid the effects of others’ prejudice." The Clinton admmistration has since abandoned the flat ban on gays in the military in favor of a policy called "Don’t ask, don’t tell," wMch is now before Congress. The court emphasized it was ruling only on the old policy, not the new one. but by deciding the government may not pumsh Steffan and other members of the military solely for telling, the court clearly cast grave doubt on the new policy, too. Steffan was kicked out of Annapolis and the military not for homosexual conduct, but merely for admitting that he was gay. The November 16 ruling may eventually force the military to completely reverse its ban on gays. The government is expected to rpp^.—ABC Nightly News, NBC Nightly News, 11/16/93 'ides & Slides Book Review s 10&11 11
Community Connections (Asheville, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Dec. 1, 1993, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75