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THE NEWS, page 6 News Notes Protests to confront GOP New Orleans convention in August as well as Democrats in Atlanta Although a lot has been heard in Atlanta about plans to make the influ ence of lesbian and gay voters felt at the Democratic National Convention in July, efforts are also proceeding in New Orleans to coordinate protest activities at the Republican National Convention in August. A local New Orleans group, GLITER (Gay and Lesbian Initiative To Educate Republicans), is planning to welcome out-of-town activists as well as mobilizing local residents, arrang ing housing, and securing legal serv ices. Visitors needing housing are urged to contact GLITER as soon as possible, and to arrive as early as pos sible during the weekend preceding the convention in order to take advan tage of the media presence for the opening of the convention. To contact GUTER, call (504) 945-7508. ACT NOW, the AIDS Coalition to Network, Organize and Win is urging AIDS activists to make plans to be in New Orleans August 15-18 for the GOP convention. The ACT NOW coalition includes local ACT UP groups, the AIDS Action Pledge, MASS ACT OUT, and Chicago for AIDS Rights. Direct action activities include "civil disobedience to disrupt the smooth anointment of George Bush as the Republican standard bearer." Roving squads of AIDS activists plan on con fronting the, delegates with guerilla theater as they tour New Orleans. "The fact that the Republicans are having a party when the Reagan/Bush administration is directly responsible for over 60,000 cases of AIDS, is ob scene," said John Fall of ACT UP/L.A. "We will be in New Orleans to make sure the AIDS epidemic is addressed by the Bush campaign. Those inter ested in taking part in the ACT UP protest in New Orleans should call (213) 668-2357. Other protest activities include a local coalition march on August 14 to protest administration policies. The march will begin at the notorious' "white supremacy monument" which commemorates the overthrow of the reconstruction-era state government by white vigilantes, and will end with a rally at Louis Armstrong Park. The Lesbian and Gay Freedom Ride 1988 will be in New Orleans for the GOP Convention, after having visited Atlanta for the Democratic Convention as well as other cities in the south to promote gay/lesbian visibility in the region. Freedom Ride participant Martin Hiraga will display an AIDS quilt from Bailey House, a New York AIDS hospice, in Jackson Square dur ing the Convention. For information about the Lesbian and Gay Freedom Rides, call (716) 442-3519. March On, a continuation of the March on Sacramento Committee which coordinated a May gay/lesbian march on the California state capitol, is planning to stage giant "Die-ins" dur ing both the Republican and Demo cratic Conventions. The protests will "bring the AIDS epidemic home to the delegates and America in a moving and solemn manner. For information on March On or the Die-In, contact (213) 281-7158. NGLTF seeking director of development The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, a national civil rights advocacy organization, is looking for a director of development who will be primarily responsible for maintaining a broad- based development program with special emphasis on major support and expansion of major donor programs. NGLTFhopes to fill the position in time for the individual selected to begin work on September 26. Applicants must demonstrate working knowledge of all elements of such a program, must have 3-5 years of progressively responsible develop ment-related experience, and demon strate supervisory skills. In addition to a salary in the high 20s, the position offers paid medical and dental benefits as well as a pension plan and three weeks vacation the first year. Applicants should send resumes and cover letter no later than August 5 to NGLTF, 1517 U Street, N.W., Wash ington, D. C. 20009, Attn: K.M. Web ster. Co-Sponsors Added to Lesbian/Gay Civil Rights Bill The number of U. S. Senators listed as co-sponsors for the federal lesbian and gay civil rights bill has increased to at least ten as Rhode Island Republican John Chaffee and Maryland Democrat Barbara Mikulski announced their support for the measure. "I believe that equal opportunity must be guaranteed for all Americans," said Chaffee in a statement as he signed onto the bill as a co-sponsor. 'To dis criminate against individuals because of race, sex, age or sexual orientation is to deny them their civil rights. Based on this conviction I am proud to give my strong support to S. 464." The bill would amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to forbid discrimination based on "affectional or sexual oriental tion" as the Act now outlaws discrimi nation based on race, color, religion, and other categories. The 1964 Civil Rights Act covers such areas of pos sible discrimination as employment, housing, public accommodations and federally-assisted programs. A House version of the bill, H.R. 709, with 73 co-sponsors, was introduced in January by Rep. Ted Weiss (D-N.Y.). Chaffee is the second Republican to declare his support for the bill, joining Sen. Lowell Weicker of Connecticut. Mikulski joins with seven fellow Democrats including California Sena tor Alan Cranston, original sponsor of the bill, and Senators Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, Paul Simon of Illinois, Edward Kennedy and John Kerry of Massachu setts, Daniel Moynihan of New York, and Brock Adams of Washington. National gay rights organizations attributed the increased support to their own lobbying and the efforts of constituents. Peri Jude Radecic, lobbyist for the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, said Rhode Island NGLTF members participated in a letter-writing cam paign to Senator Chaffee, following up on his efforts. "We started lobbying Senator Chaf fee back in December of 1987," said Radecic. "Our strategy was to build upon the work of activists during the March on Washington Lobby Days." "We now have 10 per cent of the U. S. Senate signed up for civil rights protection for 10 per cent of America— the millions of gay men and women who deserve to be treated with full equality," said Eric Rosenthal, political director of the Human Rights Cam paign Fund (HRCF). The HRCF noted that Chaffee's sponsorship is espe cially significant because he is chair man of the Senate Republican Confer ence. "We are reaching much harder to get more Republicans to co-sponsor the bill," said Rosenthal. "It's a terrific victory for gays every time another legislator signs up." Episcopalians call for AIDS services, anti-discrimination measures The House of Deputies of the Epis copal Church, which along with the House of Bishops makes up the church's General Convention govern ing body, has unanimously approved a resolution opposing discrimination against people with AIDS. In other action the Deputies, made up ofprip$t)»,-j and laypeople, provided $120,000 over three years for the National Episcopal AIDS Coalition, which has conducted efforts against the disease under the slogan "Our Church Has AIDS." Other resolutions being considered would require educational efforts in every Episcopal parish, endorse the Surgeon General's report on AIDS and publish a similar document under church aus pices, establish the second Sunday of October as a national day of prayer for all who are touched by the AIDS epi demic, establish a 12-member commis sion on AIDS which would include bishops, clergy, and laypeople, and direct the Washington office of the Church to support the establishment of cost-effective means of providing care for people-with AIDS, including hos pices and other alternative care facili ties. Atlanta Gay Center 63 12th St. Atlanta, GA 30309 876-5372 HOWARD S. COHEN JUDITH C. COHEN INTERNATIONAL RECORDS PEACHTREE CENTER 231 PEACHTREE STREET ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303 (404)584-5490 Patrick De Sercey, M.A. Transpersonal Psychotherapist Individual or Couple Therapy Meditation Instructions and Training For information: 237-4658