Newspaper Page Text
VIEWPOINTS
Pride Week '88
a Success
Congratulations to the Atlanta Lesbian and Gay Pride Committee (ALGPC)
and the Metropolitan Atlanta Council of Gay and Lesbian Organizations
(MACGLO) for doing a great job organizing Lesbian and Gay Pride Week '88.
They have decisively shown that the diverse elements within Atlanta’s lesbian
and gay community can work together for the enjoyment of all.
Of particular importance, we believe, was the inclusion of events in
this year's schedule that allowed people who arc not out of the closet to
meaningfully participate. The family night dinners, sporting events in the park,
evenings at the theater, movies and in front of our TV sets allowed all Atlanta
lesbians and gay men to join in the "Celebration of Life."
The fact that 1,500 rather than 50,000 people marched down Peachtree
Street is of little consequence. Those who were there will be quick to tell you
that the sense of community and comradcrie experienced on that hot Sunday
will ensure many more than 1,500 people next year.
To those of you who did not join us this year, we extend our warmest
invitation to join in the fun next year. It will be one of the most empowering
experiences of your life! Better yet, join in the planning of next year's pride
week. The ALGPC and all of the member MACGLO organizations would
welcome your input and help.
DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Manuel Maloof, who
originally refused to sign the Lesbian and Gay Pride Week '88 proclamation,
did sign a post-dated proclamation that made the week of June 18-26 "Human
Rights Week" in DeKalb County. That he was able to use the words lesbian
and gay within the proclamation shows good progress on the part of an astute
politician. With a year to work on him, perhaps our leaders will be able to
convince him that no further harm will come to him if he puts the words
lesbian and gay in bold letters at the bottom of the proclamation.
Lesbian and Gay Pride Week '88 was a success because of the
individuals involved. In these post-March on Washington years, the Atlanta
lesbian and gay community will continue to grow and prosper thanks in no
small part to the beach-head established by this year's Pride Week participants
and volunteers. We at Southern Voice look forward to beginning work on next
year's festivities as soon as possible.
SOUTHERN
VOICE
Managing Editor
Christina Cash
Assistant Managing Editor Advertising/Classifieds
Chris Duncan Joe Vindich
STAFF
Sharon Blalock, Mark duPont, John Frame, Jr.,Terry Francis, F.G.Andrea Getty,
Dave Hayward, John Kappers, Rhonda Mensen, Jeanine Quintana, David Strawn
David Tucker, Leigh VanderEls
General Policy
Southern Voice is published by SAME (Southeastern Arts, Media and Education Project,
Inc.) which is a non-profit corporation with offices at 1083 Austin Ave., Atlanta, GA 30307.
All material in Southern Voice is protected by federal copyright law and may not be
reproduced without the written consent of the Managing Editor.
The views of Southern Voice are expressed only in the editorial columns or in the editor’s
notes: Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the
opinion of Southern Voice or the publisher.
The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, cartoonists, and writers published
herein is neither inferred nor implied. The appearance of names or pictorial representations
does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that person or persons.
Advertising is subject to the approval of Southern Voice and the publisher. Although
Southern Voice appreciates its advertisers, we cannot accept responsibility for claims made.
Services and products are not tested and appearance of advertising does not imply, nor does it
constitute, endorsement by Southern Voice. Advertising rates and conditions are available
upon request.
Southern Voice welcomes unsolicited material, including letters to the editor, but reserves
the right to edit or reject any material submitted. All rights revert to authors upon publication.
Unsolicited manuscripts not accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope cannot be
returned. Address all correspondence to: Southern Voice, P.O. Box 54719, Atlanta, GA
30308. (404) 827-9678.
r s
- + -
LllIej
Guest Editorial
Might Does Not Make Right
If it seems that the spectrum of issues surrounding gay and lesbian
people and our lives as part of America's increasingly pluralistic society are
urgent topics of popular debate, continuing litigation, judicial review,
administrative study and legislative action. Perhaps it is because in the nineteen
years since Stonewall a generation that grew up saying (with our right hands
over our hearts) "liberty and justice for all," has come to believe those words
and therefore to demand that those words be made real in our lives. The
discrimination, violence and fear we have endured is no longer acceptable in
light of what we now know of ourselves and what we have been taught about
our system of government.
An unsigned editorial entitled "Banning gays from military", in the
June 19, 1988 issue of The Atlanta Journal/Constitution completely typifies
our struggle to correct misconceptions and malevolent mythologies that result
in policies of discrimination and systems of socialization that teach hate and
self-loathing. A few words of rebuttal to that editorial and comment on the
issue seem appropriate to this issue of Southern Voice which carries an article
on page 1 regarding the late Sgt. Leonard Matlovich.
"If Georgians can outlaw sodomy on moral grounds, surely the military
can ban homosexuals on the grounds of maintaining order and discipline." That
is the opinion of The Atlanta Journal/Constitution. The distinction that
"sodomy" is behavior and "homosexuals" are people does not seem to apply in
their system of logic. As the military has become more sensitive to the rights of
women, and more have joined, has the sexual attraction between men and
women disrupted the maintenance of order and discipline? Regulations
forbidding sexual behavior between military personnel while they are engaged
in the performance of their duties or at military installations such as barracks
and military quarters are the appropriate means of controlling that behavior. An
all out ban of a class or group of people is inappropriate and discriminatory.
Furthermore, it is bad management. The exclusion of gay people denies the
military the benefit of many individuals whose service would benefit the nation.
"In keeping with the Supreme Court precedent in Hardwick v. Bowers,
the 9th Circuit should reverse its wrong-headed opinion." Never mind that The
Atlanta Journal!Constitution denounced that decision in an unsigned editorial
in July of 1985, never mind that the precedent is a very weak one (5-4), never
mind that the majority opinion basically says, "we won't deal with this." And
never mind that the dissent of Justice Harry Blackmun cites any number of
precedents and Constitutional provisions that should have entitled Michael
Hardwick to relief before America's highest court. In fact, Justice Blackmun's
conclusion that the Court, in the case of Bowers v. Hardwick, had betrayed the
very values for which it stands is the message that underlies the struggle of gay
and lesbian people for liberty and justice.
We continue to struggle against misconceptions and logic that is
skewed by lies perpetrated in the name of morality. A morality that must
maintain itself through lies is no morality at all. Furthermore, given that order
and discipline require commitment, the exclusion of committed individuals
because of something as basic and as personal as their sexual orientation is
ultimately detrimental to the entire system in that it erodes the integrity of the
system and reduces the resources to support, maintain and operate the system.
-Johnny D. Walsh
Southern Voice extends a warm southern welcome to
the lesbian and gay delegates and activists attending
the Democratic National Convention.
Gay Rights, Ya'll!
Page 4