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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