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NEWS IN BRIEF
ADAPT Takes On the DOT
Protesters blocked the entrances of the U.S.
Department of Transportation building March 14
and 15 demanding an end to federal public transit
policies which allow discrimination against people
with disabilities. Americans, Disabled, for
Accessible Public Transit (ADAPT) organized the
protest, demanding that DOT require wheelchair
lifts on all new public transit buses purchased with
federal funds.
Several of the protesters were able to gain access
to the lobby of the DOT building. Others blocked
entrances to the building and effectively disrupted
employee operations. Participant Mark Johnson
stated that DOT employees were forced to climb
fire escapes to gain entrance to the building.
Demonstrators spent the night at the agency
blocking its front entrances. Half of the protesters
moved into the street in the morning to chain
themselves to DOT shuttle busses and block a
METRObus.
D.C. police arrested twenty-four demonstrators
and charged them with a fine of incommoding.
Transportation Secretary, James H. Burnley said
in a statement that the existing department
regulations "allow the transit systems to select the
kind of transit services which are most responsive to
the needs of the riders in their communities."
ADAPT organized the action to coincide with
the legislative conference of the American Public
Transit Association. APTA has consistently fought
disabled people's access to public transportation.
APTA filed a law suit against Rule 504 (a federal
rule from 1971) and got a ruling in favor of local
option. The local option rule states that local transit
systems would only have to spend 3.5% of their
federal mass transit funds to provide services for
disabled people. In addition, they were no longer
required to use the service criteria identified in 504.
District Court Judge Marvin Katz ruled on a suit
filed by ADAPT, that the 3.5% figure was arbitrary
and capricious and that local transit systems should
utilize the six service criteria specified in 504. DOT
filed an appeal on the ruling March 4,1988.
ADAPT has planned another national
demonstration on May 14-19 in Si Louis to
coincide with APTA's Eastern Education
conference. - Leigh VanderEls
Karen Thompson, Photo by Irene Young
Kowalski to be Tested
Duluth, AflV-Judge Robert Campbell ordered Feb.
5 that Sharon Kowalski, a lesbian severely injured
in a 1983 auto accident, be formally tested for
competency. Kowalski will be tested for the first
time since the court granted her father unlimited
guardianship three years ago. The court required at
that time that Mr. Kowalski have his daughter tested
at least annually. Gary Pagliacetti, Kowalski's
court-appointed attorney, will consult with Duluth-
area physicians to select a site for the testing.
Campbell also supported the request that no
attorneys except Pagliacetti be allowed to contact
the evaluators until their report is issued. The
request was made by attorneys for Karen
Thompson, Kowalski's lover who has been fighting
to visit and care for Kowalski since her parents
banned all contact between them in 1985.
Thompson states that at the time she last saw
Kowalski, she was able to communicate via hand
signals and an electric typewriter. Kowalski asked
at their last visit that Thompson taker her home.
Currently, Kowalski is in a nursing home in
Hibbing, Minnesota which has no rehabilitation
facilities.
Pagliacetti has visited Kowalski four times and
told the court he believes she understands what
others say to her, and can communicate effectively
when she desires. He said Kowalski has more
potential than she is allowed to use or explore.
Lesbian and gay legal advocates will watch
Campbell's rulings as they may have implications
for other lesbians or gay men whose partners are
disabled.
According to Gay Community News in Boston,
W. 57th St., the CBS nighttime news program, is
filming in preparation for a segment on the case to
be aired in the fall. GCN also reports that Rev.
Jesse Jackson has released a statement in support of
Karen Thompson.
FOCUS Atlanta
Atlanta-Focus ‘88, an exposition of lesbian and
gay organizations and businesses will be held on
April 8th at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 1911
Cliff Valley Way, NE. The event is being
sponsored by MAGLO (Metropolitan Atlanta Gay
and Lesbian Organizations), and the purpose is to
inform our community about the vast number of
political, social and recreational organizations
available for our participation.
Jeffrey Laymon, one of the event coordinators,
reports that spokespersons will be on hand that
evening to provide information on upcoming events
such as the Southeastern Conference for Lesbians
and Gay Men, the Names Project Atlanta, Gay and
Lesbian Pride Week Activities and the Democratic
National Convention and Voter Registration Drives.
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and light
snacks will be available for purchase. The fun
begins at 7:00 p.m. and lasts until 10:00. Start your
evening out at Focus '88 and discover the wealth of
opportunity for involvement in the Lesbian/Gay
Community of Atlanta.
Quick Response Phone
Network Formed
Atlanta - Local gay activist R. Jones announced
the formation of the Quick Response Phone
Network at the Election Central party hosted by
LEGAL (Legislate Equality for Gays and Lesbians)
on March 8, Super Tuesday. The enthusiastic
crowd quickly joined in line as the list circulated
throughout the election night event
As political activism in Georgia continues to
grow, Jones expects the Network to play a vital role
in protecting the rights of lesbians and gay men.
Referring to the group's circular, he stressed that the
Network will reflect the concerns of all gays and
lesbians, not just those issues deemed important by
the organizers.
"The Network is intended for use where speed is
important and will not replace other means of
reaching masses of people where time permits. The
Network is not to be used for fundraising or for
general announcements," according to Jones.
The Network is designed to disseminate news
throughout each cell of 147 callers within two
hours.
The Quick Response Phone Network is designed
to be a circular, rather than pyramidal structure,
with any member able to activate the system. An
additional safety factor built into the Network will
ensure that everyone on the list is called at least
twice, thus eliminating any deadlocks that might be
precipitated by inactive or unavailable members.
While still in the formative stages, Jones urges
interested people to sign up. He may be reached at
233-9583 during evening hours.
Couples, Inc. to Honor Gay
& Lesbian Families
Los Angeles-In recognition of the love and
commitment represented by lesbian and gay
families, Couples, Inc. has designated May 8,1988
as Parents Day. That Sunday, which Is also
traditional Mother's Day this year, will be marked
by celebrations in several cities. According to
Carey Junkin, Executive Director of Couples, Inc.,
"We plan to honor Gay Fathers and Lesbian
Mothers for the love and care they give their
children. Just as Couples, Inc. did with The
Wedding at the National March on Washington, we
plan to show the non-gay and gay communities that
our families are based on love. Same-sex couples
and gay families everywhere are organizing for this
celebration."
Many of the same-sex couples that participated in
The Wedding had their children present After The
Wedding, Couples, Inc. broadened its emphasis to
include all family issues. "Same-sex couples make
up are large and mostly quiet segment of the lesbian
and gay community. While many of these couples
are raising children, there are also large numbers of
lesbian and gay parents without partners. These
families deserve the same rights and privileges as
heterosexual families," noted Walter Wheeler, the
president of Couples, Inc.
Couples, Inc. is inviting other organizations, gay
and lesbian families, same-sex couples and
individuals to organize family celebrations in their
local communities. While the form of the
celebration will certainly vary, plans already call for
large famimly breakfasts with honored guests and
speakers on family issues. These events are also to
be fund-raisers for Couples, Inc. and local
organizations working for family rights. According
to Carol Mortimer, Vice President - East for
Couples, Inc., "The celebration of Parents Day to
honor Gay Fathers and Lesbian Mothers will
further emphasize our organization's slogan, 'Love
makes a family. Nothing else, nothing less!"'
In California, the group has endorsed the March
on Sacramento to "Bring the Message Home" (May
7). Therefore, the Parents Day celebration for
California will be a family breakfast in Sacramento
honoring Lesbian Mothers and Gay Fathers. Same-
sex couples, other gay and lesbian families and their
supporters are all invited to attend.
Organizations that want to co-sponsor local
events, and individuals and families that want to
help organize or participate should contact Couples,
Inc. as soon as possible. Couples, Inc. can be
reached by mail atP.O. Box 13323, Los Angeles,
CA 90013-0323, in the east at 109 Myrtle Avenue,
Merchantville, NJ or in the south at P.O. Box
77266, Atlanta, GA 30057. To save time call (213)
550-7549 or (609) 663-3460.
Local Activists Elected to
Board of Couples, Inc.
Atlanta - Two local gay activists, Christina Cash
and Mark du Pont,were recently elected to the
Board of Directors of Couples, Inc., The National
Organization for Family Diversity.
Cash is the editor of Southern Voice, a
publication of SAME (Southeastern Arts, Media
and Education Project, Inc.). She has been actively
working for gay rights for the past year and a half,
du Pont is employed by BellSouth Corporation at
its headquarters in Midtown. He has served on
several Gay Pride Committees both in Birmingham,
Alabama and Atlanta, and has been politically
active since the 1979 March on Washington.
The Los Angeles-based organization has as its
goals to seek public acknowlodgement of the
existence of on-going, committed same-sex
relationships; to invite families, friends, employers,
co-workers, neighbors & society to recognize the
value of same-sex relationships and to respect the
importance of the love and commitment
represented by them; to emphasize that same-sex
couples belong to every segment of society; and to
recognize the thoughtful heterosexuals who are
attempting to redefine their families and the
meaning of "wedding".
Couples, Inc. conceived the idea of, and
produced, THE WEDDING-one of the events of
the National March on Washington. Over 2,000
same-sex couples publicly declared their
commitment for each other in front of the national
press, and the world.
Couples interested in this organization should
contact Mark du Pont at (404) 634-3061 or write to
Couples, Inc., Post Office Box 77266, Atlanta,
Georgia 30357-7266.
Israel Legalizes Homosexuality
Jerusalem-Homosexual relations between adult
men are now legal in the state of Israel.
The Israeli parliament, the Knesset, revised its
laws dealing with sexuality and, as a result,
abolished legislation banning homosexuality.
The move came despite Jewish religious law
which adheres to a strict interpretation of the Bible
in opposition to homosexuality. Women's relations
with other women were not mentioned in the
legislation, a common oversight in legislative and
other matters.
L.A. Activists Battle
Opponents of Lesbian/Gay
Youth Program
Los Angeles- Leaders of the lesbian and gay
community are gearing up for another battle with
Republican and fundamental activists; the issue, this
time, revolves around a pilot outreach program for
L&G youth in the Los Angeles Unified school
district, Project 10. The program has existed
peacefully for its first year at Fairfax High School,
and has come against organized opposition only
since its announced intention to expand
districtwide.
Led by Assemblyperson Marian LaFollette (R-
Northridge), the California State Republican
Assembly Caucus voted unanimously to oppose
funding for all special projects of the school district
LaFollette said she had received numerous
complaints about the program from parents and
students after Virginia Uribe, who heads Project 10,
spoke to students and faculty as San Fernando High
School.
Lesbian and gay activists familiar with Project
10 trace the wave of negative feelings to a group of
radical fundamentalists operating under the banner
of the TVC (Traditional Values Coalition). Led by
the Reverend Lou Sheldon, a long-time opponent of
the lesbian and gay civil rights movement, the TVC
held a press conference February 11,1988, to
condemn the program.
"(Project 10) advocates, promotes and
encourages homosexuality as a viable alternative
lifestyle," said Sheldon.
Referring to the action by the Republican
Assemblyperson Caucus, Frank Ricchiazzi said
"(that) shows the stupidity of the leadership in the
Republican Assembly Caucus....Hopefully after the
November elections we will have intelligent
leaders." Ricchiazzi currently serves on the State
Republican Party Executive Committee.
'There are a large number of people in the
Republican Party who will not agree with them,"
said Ricchiazzi. He added that he did not believe
that funds would actually be withheld from the
school district