Newspaper Page Text
1 SOUTHERN
The Names
\ tnirr
Project Quilt
Comes to Atlanta
See Schedule & Map in
Vv/Lv/i^
Our Special Insert
Vol. 1, No. 7 Taking Pride in Our Culture
May 26,1988
News in Brief - He's heeerre
Pat Swindall mouths off agaii
this time he says he doesn't
want your vote. On other
fronts, Eastern Bloc gays and
lesbians come out of the
closet, add poofster to the list
of insults, and AMTRAK
recognizes gay/lesbian
relationships. Page 2.
Lesbian and Gay Pride
Week '88 - Organizers this
year are planning a fun-filled
week capped off with a
"Celebration of Life" march
that ends up in Piedmont Pari
Come join the party! Page 11.
Democrat Ben Jones is
questioned on AIDS and
lesbian/gay civil rights issues
Not perfect, he is "willing to
listen and be educated." Be an
informed voter. Page 6.
Higher Ground: Voices of
AIDS premieres May 29th at
the Georgia World Congress
Center in conjunction with the
NAMES Project Quilt. Based
on interviews with more than
40 PWAs, PWARCs amd
others directly afected by the
crisis, Higher Ground reflects
the current shift to the more
positive aspects of living with
AIDS. Page 7.
Health and Healing, a new
feature, kicks off with an
article by Atlanta
psychotherapist Franklin
Abbott. This Grief details
Abbott's concept of living life
in a healing manner. Page 13.
Keep Refrigerated, or at least
chilled. Martia Proba reads
your stars, Charles Haver
reads your past, and Alison
Bechdel reads your beads.
Local PWA's and PWARCs and others rehearse for the May 29th
premiere of Rebecca Ranson's new play Higher Ground: Voices of AIDS, to
be shown in conjunction with The Names Project Quilt at the Georgia
World Congress Center. See story on page Uhotos by Rhonda Mensen
WGST's Tammy Lloyd Angers
"Names Project" Supporters
Tammy Lloyd, the controversial host of a call-in
radio show on WGST, angered supporters and
organizers of the ’’NAMES Project" visit to Atlanta
with her criticism about the timing of the exhibit
The "NAMES Project," a huge quilt honoring people
who have died from AIDS, is scheduled for display in
Atlanta over Memorial Day Weekend, as part of a
20-city U.S. tour that follows its first showing at the
March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
Ms. Lloyd charged on a recent show that it is
inappropriate to honor AIDS victims on Memorial
Day, a day which was set aside to pay homage to the
country's war dead. She says AIDS groups are trying
to confuse the issue by honoring those who have died
from the disease on the day we're supposed to
remember, according to her, only those who fell
fighting for their country.
"Names Project" Volunteer Coordinator for
Atlanta, Richard Davis, heard Ms. Lloyd's remarks
and was angered by them. Davis says it was obvious
that she had not taken the time to learn the facts about
the Project He explained that the timing of the
exhibit’s stop in Atlanta has nothing to do with the
fact that it is Memorial Day. Atlanta will be the tenth
city on the tour and, notes Davis, the quilt stopped in
different cities at different times. For example, it
visited another city on Mother's Day, and there was
no particular meaning behind that, either.
Southern Voice contacted Ms. Lloyd to confirm
her position. The talk-show host reiterated her views
and stridently refused to listen to the explanation
offered by Mr. Davis to Southern Voice. When asked
whether she knew the reason for having the quilt in
Atlanta on Memorial Day, she admitted she didn't
and, eventually, asked for the previously shunned
explanation.
Still, Lloyd fired back, saying "It's hard to believe
it's an accident," citing another event honoring AIDS
victims which was staged on the same holiday a year
ago, as proof of her point In her view, nothing at all
should happen on Memorial Day, except events
dealing exclusively with those who died in wars
fighting for their country.
This is not the first time Tammy Lloyd has raised
the ire of community members. On a February 11th
show on gays in the military, she made jokes about
gays in the service and made remarks that, many
agreed, could only be deemed homophobic. This
time, however, she claims to support fund-raising
efforts for people with AIDS, and says she does not
object to honoring the dead as long as it's not done on
this day. "Maybe there could be an AIDS day," she
suggests.
The "Tammy Lloyd Show" began on WGST after
host Ed Tyll was fired, following complaints made
by representatives of several minorities in the city to
the station's management, charging Tyll's statements
espoused bigotry and racism. The brand of radio
journalism practiced by Till, Lloyd and others has
been dubbed "shock radio." It tries to flare up
passions and tempers to create intensity and, in some
people's opinion, more exciting programs. In this
case, Ms. Lloyd's remarks, which were admittedly
made with the purpose of bringing audience
response, did not generate any calls.
With or without Tammy Uoyd's blessing, the
"NAMES Project" will be in Atlanta on May 29th
and 30th, at the World Congress Center. Everyone is
invited to visit the exhibit
-F.G.
Kennedy Bill Passes
The U.S. Senate voted 87 - 4 on April 28th in
favor of the Kennedy bill which gives Congress
control over how the administration spends its AIDS
dollars. The AIDS Research and Information Act
(SB 1220) will cut through red tape and force
accountability from agencies like the CDC (Centers
for Disease Control) and NIH (National Institutes of
Health). It also mandates a national advertising
program; hires more government scientists and
funnels up to $ 100 million for home and
community-based care for people with AIDS
(PWAs).
But lobbyists and lesbian and gay activists are
angered that Senator Jesse Helms (R-NQ succeeded
in extending his October ban against federal funding
for education materials that "promote
homosexuality." The October ammendment dies
with the current fiscal year on Sept 30th.The new
amendment makes the restriction permanent.
There is hope, however, that a counter
amendment proposed by Kennedy will dilute the
most harmful effects of Helms' victory. The counter
amendment states that no section of the bill shall be
interpreted as restricting distribution of educational
materials to those at risk for AIDS.
Activists are also pleased that twenty- two
senators voted against Helms. Only two voted
against the amendment in October, less than a week
after the much underplayed National March on
Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
In reaction to an anti-gay propoosal from
Oklahoma's Don Nickles (R), Kennedy's counter
amendment also says that government materials
should stress the health benefits of monogamous
relationships, abstinence outside of such
relationships and the avoidance of I.V. drug use. But
it does not mention marriage or sexual orientation.
In arguing against the counter-amendment Helms
said that it would only encourage gay men to "shack
up, but one at a time." Bill co-sponsor Orrin Hatch
(R-Utah) replied, "That would be a good thing to
do."
Most activists say that the passage of Kennedy's
counter-amendment by a vote of 62 to 29 stopped
Helms from introducing any more right-wing
amendments to the bill. The 29 senators voting
against Kennedy were mostly Republicans, but 10
senators did not vote. Activists say that some
senators simply lost nerve beacause Helms had
threatened to use against them a federally-funded
film made by the Gay Men's Health Crisis in New
York, with brief moments of explicit gay sex.
Continued on Page 3
Sen. Edward Kennedy
Photo by Dennis DeSilva