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Southern Voice/March 28, 1991
NEWS
Activists' Seige ot Cracker Barrel Continues
Company remains silent despite sit-ins and demonstrations at four sites;
NYC pension fund trustees join the fray and mail gram campaign cranks up
by Patrick Garvey and Gary Kaupman
Douglasville—Customers were walking away from the
Cracker Barrel restaurant here on Sunday afternoon, March 17,
when they learned there would be at least a 45 minute wait for
a table. About 50 protesters, organized by Queer Nation
Atlanta staged a legal sit-in during the restaurant's busiest
hours. The protesters occupied their tables for at least two
hours ordering nothing but a beverage. They handed slips of
paper explaining their protest along with $5 tips to waitpersons
as their orders were taken.
"We realize that you are not the source of the discriminatory
employment policy..." the note read, "...we want to assure
that YOU are not the next victim of renegade prejudice by
Cracker Barrel..." Protesters reported that the waitstaff was
generally polite and sympathetic throughout the action.
The protest's purpose was to hit the Lebanon, Tennessee
based restaurant chain—which has already fired at least 11
employees because they were gay—where it hurts the most: in
their revenues.
QN spokesperson Lynn Cothren said that protests will con
tinue until Cracker Barrel rehires all lesbian and gay employ
ees along with backpay; includes sexual orientation on its anti
discrimination policy; and makes a public apology with restitu
tion to the gay and lesbian community.
Cheryl Summerville, who was fired from the Douglasville
Cracker Barrel in mid-February because she is a lesbian, also
took part in the protest. She explained that she was contacted
by the restaurant's General Manager, Maurice Watson, and
Associate Manager, Mike Carter, after her name appeared in
print in several major newspapers, including the New York
Times, Los Angeles Times and Wall Street Journal. During an
hour and a half-long meeting, Ms. Summerville was offered
her job back along with back pay.
"I told them that wouldn't be good enough," she explained,
"because they haven't included sexual orientation on their anti
discrimination policy. I also told them I wanted a public apolo
gy to the gay and lesbian community." The managers called
her two days later, and told her she would not be hired back.
Family members and close friends of Ms. Summerville
were also present at the protest to offer their condemnation of
the restaurant's policy of discriminating against lesbians and
gays. Ms. Summerville's brother-in-law, Lane Biggs, said "I'm
here to support Cheryl. I have three children, and if any of
them turn out to be gay, we want to make sure this doesn't hap
pen to them."
One customer, noticing a large table of protesters drinking
coffee next to her, stated that she agreed with them. "Gay and
lesbian people have the same rights as anybody else," she said.
At two o'clock all the protesters stood up, clasped hands and
joined in a chorus of "We Shall Overcome," as they walked out
of the restaurant in a group. Although a few insults were heard,
many customers applauded the protesters' dramatic exit from
the restaurant.
Cracker Barrel District Manager Jody Waller refused to
answer any questions from the press. Saying that he "doesn't
want to give any comment or get into any interview situation,"
the sullen manager asked that all questions be directed to the
company's CEO, Dan Evins, in Lebanon, Term. Evins, howev
er has repeatedly refused to respond to requests for comment
from the press.
Evins has also refused to speak to representatives of Queer
Nation Atlanta, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
(NGLTF) or the Tennessee Gay and Lesbian Alliance, the three
main activist organizations pressing Cracker Barrel to change
its policies.
Queer Nation Atlanta staged another protest at the Lithonia
Cracker Barrel on Saturday March 23 as this issue went to
type. About 40 protesters staged a picket and sit-in lasting 2.5
hours. In Nashville, T-GALA has also staged two protests; in
Charlotte, N.C., First Tuesday has also staged at least one
protest.
Cracker Barrel has, however, responded to a letter writ
ten by Elizabeth Holtzman (Comptroller of the City of New
York) and Carol O'Claireacain (the city's Commissioner of
Finance). Both are are trustees of five of New York City's
retirement and pension funds. Those funds own 80,803 shares
of Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores stock.
On March 12, Holtzman and O'Claireacain sent a letter to
Evins expressing confusion with "the attitude of your company
on this score [the firing of gay employees]" and concern about
the value of the company's stock and earning potential in light
of boycotts and pickets resulting from the policy.
"We would therefore appreciate receiving from you a clear
statement of the company's policy relating to the role of sexual
preference in employment. We would also like to be advised
what remedial steps, if any, have been taken by the company
respecting the employees dismissed because of their sexual
preference," the letter concludes.
Evin's reply reached Holtzman's office on Friday, March 22.
But, because the Comptroller was out of town, a copy was not
available. A source who has seen Evins' reply suggested that it
contained little, if any, new information on the company's
employment policies.
Karen Dunigan
Cracker Barrel District Manager Jody Waller tries
to convince Larry Pelligrini to turn off his video
camera during the sit-in. Pelligrini's tape was later
aired on several local TV stations and Cable News
Network. Joe Criscuola looks on. Waller told a
Queer Nation member "We’re getting people sup
porting us [because they dislike gays and lesbians]."
Additional pressure from the pension and retirement
funds which own significant blocks of Cracker Barrel stock is
a distinct possibility according to NGLTF’s Ivy Young.
Young also reports that she, NGLTF lobbyist Peri Jude
Radecic, and Greg Fisher (NGLTF and T-GALA board mem
ber) met with the staff of Sen. Albert Gore (D-TN) on Friday
March 22. Gore is among a group of Democrats whose names
are frequently mentioned as potential Democratic presidential
candidates in '92. Shortly before the 1988 Democratic
Convention, DeKalb County activists were successful in elect
ing several openly gay delegates pledged to Gore.
"Among the things we pointed out," said Young "are the
economic impact that boycotts and demonstrations could have
on jobs and employment in his home state."
Gore's staffers told Young they would have a position paper
ready for the Senator ready in "about a week."
A Mailgram Hotline has been established by Queer
Nation, NGLTF and T-GALA for those who wish to make their
displeasure known to Cracker Barrel.
The three groups are utging gay men, lesbians and their
supporters to call 1-800-325-6000, Hotline ID # 9823 to send a
prepared message to CEO Dan Evins. The cost of the telegram
is $7 and it can be charged to the caller's phone, MasterCard,
VISA, or American Express.
NYC Mayor Sides
with Gays in St.
Patrick's Dispute
Dinkins supports his city’s lesbian
and gay community, despite insults,
taunts and beer shower
by Patrick Garvey
New York—New York's Mayor David
Dinkins has proved himself worthy of the sup
port of the Big Apple's lesbian and gay com
munity. After a week of furious negotiations
with parade organizers—who had refused to
allow a local Lesbian and Gay Irish
Association to march in the annual parade—
Dinkins was able to negotiate a compromise.
The lesbian/gay contingent marched, without
their banners, as the guests of Division 7 of
the Ancient Order of Hibernians. And
Dinkins, rather than leading the parade as is
customary, marched with the gay/lesbian con
tingent.
During the march, Mayor Dinkins learned
about some of the homophobia which exists in
his city, and around the country. According to
the New York Times, he was booed for miles,
hurled with insults and taunts, sprayed with
beer and had cans thrown at him as he accom
panied the gay contingent down Fifth Avenue.
"How can pteople have so much hate stored
up?” he asked a reporter. "I don't ask them to
like me or like gays or lesbians. You don't
have to like them. But you should treat them
civilly, treat them fairly...it's just sad that
there are so many bigots around."
Mayor Dinkins likened what he saw at the
parade to his experience marching for civil
rights in Birmingham, Alabama. "There was
far, far too much negative comment," he
added.
However, at the outdoor celebration in
Greenwich Village after Saturday's abuse-
marred parade, Mayor Dinkins was greeted
with gratitude and jubilation for his willing
ness to suppxjrt the lesbian and gay communi
ty
Engulfed in cheers and surrounded by
beaming faces, Mr. Dinkins danced the Irish
jig, and many observers even reported the nor
mally undemonstrative Mayor to appear misty
eyed—touched by a demonstration of affec
tion for him.
Many in the crowd of revellers shook the
Mayor's hand, patted him on the shoulders
and embraced him while a lilting accordion
played "We Shall Overcome."
"Thank you so much," said Brendan Fay,
one of the kilt-clad dancers. "I'm so proud of
you. It was the best St. Patrick's Day I ever
had."
"All I did was what I was supposed to do,"
Mr. Dinkins replied.
Mayor Dinkins is also finding support in
the political arena. "This is a galvanizing
moment," Thomas B. Stoddard, of the gay
rights organization Lambda Legal Defense,
told the Times. "It demonstrates once and for
all that lesbians and gay men are full partners
in the development and life of the city."
Some political analysts are impressed with
Mr. Dinkins growing willingness to take
unequivocal stands on causes that are impor
tant to him, even if others don't like it. "He's
(Mayor Dinkins) finding that not addressing
some issues is not how he wants to be
Mayor," explained Basil A. Patterson in a NY
Times news analysis. "He's beat involved in
these issues and he knows they're controver
sial. But he knows there's a right position that
he wants to take. I think you'll see far more of
that."
HIV Tests for Arrestees
OK'd by Legislature
Atlanta—Persons arrested for crimes which
could transmit HIV will soon be subject to
testing for the virus. In the final days of its '91
session the Georgia legislature passed H.B.
554 which would permit the victim (or
guardian of the victim) of "a sexual offense"
or "other crime which involves significant
exposure" to HIV to request a test of the p>er-
son accused of the crime.
The "sexual offenses" included under the
law include rap>e, sodomy, incest, molestation
and solicitation for sodomy. The bill describes
"significant exposure" as "contact of the vic
tim's ruptured or broken skin or mucous mem
branes with the blood or bodily fluids of the
pterson arrested." Tears, saliva and porspiration
are excluded except in quantities determined
to be dangerous by the Centers for Disease
Control. The CDC has consistently said that
HIV cannot be transmitted through those flu
ids.
If the arrested individual refuses to be test
ed, a suporior court judge may order the test
ing provided "probable cause can be shown."
Georgia AIDS Coalition lobbyist Jeff
Corrigan said that he was not pleased with the
bill, but felt that inclusion of the provision for
the court order and the use of C.D.C. defini
tions provided substantial safeguards against
widespread abuse of the law.
On a more positive note, the bill prohibits
judges from considering the HIV status of a
person convicted of a sex crime when sen
tencing the individual.
H.B. 690 which would have made made
AIDS a repiortable, traceable venereal disease
died in subcommittee. H.B. 741, which would
have mandated that school administrators be
notified of the HIV+ status of any of their stu
dents, will be held over until next session.
Escaping the budget crunch, state funding
for AID Atlanta remains the same as last year.
Substantial last minute confusion over the
$800,000 appropriation was caused by the fact
that it represents only three quarters of the
expired private and federal demonstration
grant funding that it was meant to replace.
Rep. Jim Martin (D-Fulton), who chairs
the appropriations subcommittee that handled
the funds, said that he felt confident that the
additional quarter's funding would be made
available if requested federal funds did not
make up the shortfall.
The Maynard and
Michael Report
Action taken by Mayor Maynard Jackson
on gay/lesbian or AIDS issues in the past two
weeks: None.
Action taken by Fulton County
Commission Chairman on gay/lesbian or
AIDS issues in the past two weeks: None.