Newspaper Page Text
Page 2 THE NEWS May 28,1985
LETTERS
Dear Editor:
The Atlanta Gay Pride Committee is in
need of many supporters to pull off this
very important event. Many people
would like to sit back and let others do
the job for them. But can a committee of
five do it? We are trying to pull it off for a
community that boasts over 200,000 les
bians and gays. Can it be that only five
people care? This event should be sup
ported by all for all of us. Only three
organizations have a representative and
they are ALFA, BWMT and the Georgia
State Gay Student Alliance, and that is
all. There are over 40 lesbian and gay
organizations in Atlanta. Where are you?
Some businesses have given money to
us this year; but it hasn't been even half of
them. There has been lots of talk of what
the Gay Pride Committee should do. But
asking the same people what we can
plan together for our community has the
words falling on deaf or apathetic ears. 1
have lived in this quarreling apathetic
community for 12 years. If we love the ci
ty and oSr lesbian/gay lifestyle, we must
nurture it. For those of you who have
told me that you don't believe in Gay
Pride, let me remind you that Gay Pride
is not marching down Peachtree Street
once a year. It is working within the com
munity for the betterment of all. It's be
ing a part of a movement that needs your
help. If we don't realize it, the conser
vative movement will push us out of the
mainstream. Pride isn't something you
march out, it is something you work out.
There are many joys in being a proud les
bian or gay person. But twice 1 have ex
perienced something almost none of you
have. The joy of seeing months of hard
work, phone calls, meetings, selling t-
shirts and buttons, develop into a
celebration of our lifestyle, and a yally
demanding our civil rights as in
dividuals. Don't let only five men and
women do if for all of us. It is worth the
sweat, time and effort. Be a part of Atlan
ta's Lesbian and Gay Rights History. Find
out what Stonewall...A New Attitude-
really means. Come join the Gay Pride
Committee every Tuesday at The AGC,
6312th St. at 7pm. Be there; Be Proud.
Gene Holloway
From The
E*D*I*T*0*R
With this issue of THE NEWS, I celebrate
two events: the six month anniversary of
the paper and my one year anniversary
as administrator of thfe/Atlanta Gay
Center. Six months might not seem like a
long time for a publication to have been
around but when we look at how far
we've come from the first issue until now,
it's very exciting. Our goals are about the
only aspect of the paper that has remain
ed unchanged. We are reporting the
events in the gay community and is a
forum for discussion of issues/that are of
concern to us as well as/presenting
positive lesbian/gay lifestyles. You might
have noticed that there is little editorial
continuity between stories/ which in
some papers might signal a lack of atten
tion by editors, writers, etc. Although we
would like to catch more typos and
grammatical errors, we have made a con
scious effort to not have a uniform
editorial style because we realize the gay
community is made up of myriad of opi
nions and ideas, all pi which should be
examined and heard. What is more ex
citing than our six months under our belt
is what we have planned for the future.
In the near future, we will be adding an
additional four pages with hopes Of ad
ding more by the end of the year. We are
about to add an op/ed page, a style page,
a business page and periodically a visual
arts section, as well as pieces on gay
science and law. V\fe also are restating our
commitment to covering the whole com
munity by beefing up our coverage of les
bians and minority groups. In addition,
the number of photographs should in
crease with the installation of our
darkroom. We still are seeking additional
writers, layout people and
photographers to help us make our
plans reality (and to keep the present
staff from having nervous breakdowns).
As I said earlier, this is also my one year
anniversary as administrator for the
Center. That, too, might not seem a long
time but from Center history, it is a pret
ty important occurence. And like the
paper, I think the Center has really been
advancing,at a good rate this year. And I
am very excited about what the Center
will be doing in the future. We have
made a real commitment to putting our
selves on secure financial footing and be
ing able to realize our many new plans
and expansions for present programs. I
would like to express my appro 'iation to
my volunteers and the community for its
support of THE NEWS and also the
Center. The paper is a good example ef
how when we work together with all the
personal agendas aside we can really
make a difference.
Jack Carrel
The News is published by
the Atlanta Gay Center, Inc.
for the people and organiza
tions that make up the les
bian/gay community. The
Atlanta Gay Center is incor
porated in the state of
Georgia, as a non-profit, tax
exempt, tax deductable cor-.
poration for the benefit of
the lesbian/gay community.
This newspaper reports the
events and activities of our
community and encourages
discussion of community
concerns such as personal
liberty- and postive les
bian/gay lifestyles.
Unsolicited contributions
are welcomed and en
couraged. Letters, manu-.
scripts, drawings and pho
tographs should be submit
ted to The News, 848
Peachtree St. NE, 3rd floor,
Atlanta, GA 30308. Unso
licited works will.not be
returned.
Opinions expressed by col
umnists, writers, photo
graphers, or by any rther ar
tistic expression, are those
of the writers and artists and
do not necessarily represent
the opinion of The News or
the Atlanta Gay Center and
neither claim responsibility
for them.
Publication of names,
photographs or likeness of
any person, persons, or
ganizations or businesses in
advertising or articles in The
News does not imply, and is
not to be construed as, any
indication of the sexual
orientation of such persons
or organizations.
The News cannot assume
responsibility for claims
made by advertisers. The
News reserves the right to
reject any advertisements or
unsolicited material for any
reason.
The News is a biweekly
publication. Subscriptions
are $18 per year or as part of
membership to the Atlanta
Gay Center.
The mailing list of The News
is confidential and will
under no circumstances will
it be sold or made available
to any person or organiza
tion.
The Newsis Copyright, 1985,
Atlanta Gay Center, Inc. Per
mission is hereby granted to
all other, avowedly gay or
lesbian publications which
affirm freedom for sexual
minorities to publish ex-'
cerpts from this newspaper
providedproper credit is
given to "The News, Atlanta
Gay Center." Others must
obtain permission in
writing.
Lavender Phoenix/Purple
Turkey Award
Again this week, we award "Pheeny
and "Urkey" to the same recipient. TTie
Lavender Phoenix goes to WAGA-TV for
its fast and courageous decision to
remove Anita Bryant from its PM Atlan
ta show after her first segment aired.
Their willingness to admit their error and
respond to their audience deserves,
thanks and praise. The Purple Turkey
goes to those same folks at WAGA for not
being more conscious when they hired
Ms. Bryant. They, wouldn't have put a
Louis Farikahn or J.B. Stoner in a similar
position. Their lack of sensitivity
deserves a laud "BOO-HISS."
Bye, Bye Anita
In a bizarre and gratifying turn of events
for the gay community, noted
homophobe and former orange juice
salesperson Anita Bryant was hired and
then fired as a correspondent of PM
Atlanta, WAGA-TV's early evening tele
magazine. The firing was announced by
press release Wednesday, May 18, only
two days after Ms. Bryant's debut on the
show. WAGA general manager Paul
Raymon noted that there was
"something of a groundswell of reaction"
against Bryant's presence on the show,
though Raymon did not specify the
source of the complaints. He said that
Channel 5 had a policy that "proscribes
using any controversial public figures as
talent on any entertainment programs"
and therefore Bryant's contract was ter
minated. Both he and Bryant had both
underestimated the extent to’which her
past activities Still created discomfort
among certain viewers. Bryant, who
made a reputation for herself in fighting
Dade County, Florida's gay rights' Or
dinance in 1979, was hired to report on
local up-and-coming talent. Her first seg
ment on the group Eclipse ran on May 7,
and her second, already taped, Was on
dancers at the Atlanta School of Ballet; it
will not be aired on PM Atlanta. Bryant
was quoted in the May 11 "Atlanta Con
stitution" as saying that she "enjoyed be
ing hired, and like anyone else, it was no
fun being fired." In a related and
predicable response from another per
son known to the gay community, Dick
Williams of the "Atlanta Journal" devoted
his Sunday editorial column to a defense
of Bryant in the face of her "persecution"
by the gay community. He accused
general manager Raymon of bowing "to
the pressure of a tiny minority of
homosexuals who refuse to allow Bryant
her right to earn a living, much less
speak out," and called upon the ACLU to
come to the aid of Bryant and her right to
earn a living at WAGA. He called for the
cancellation of PM Atlanta by saying
"Now it should die—a thousand tiny,
painful deaths," and referred to "this
redundant (sic) campaign known as
homosexual rights."
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