COMMUNITY VOICE

NEW YORK GAA

Dear readers:

The New York Gay Activist Alliance needs your assistance. For every action we take, there are at least ten others we could take. Gay people are still being murdered, blackmailed and threatened with loss of livelihood, among other things. Response, however, takes manpower, time and money. We are still too few in number, and too much of our time is spent trying to relieve constant money problems.

Furthermore, those of you who remember the Firehouse will understand that GAA's function, in addition to political and media action, was always to provide a warm alternative environment for liberated gay people. Our current location, for many reasons, does not fulfill that function. GAA needs its own home, where we can build our family and provide the human support our oppressed

HELP WICHITA

Sisters and Brothers,

The Wichita, Kansas City Commission on September 27,

1977 gave final approval to an

Ordinance banning discrimination in the areas of employment, housing and public accommodations on the basis of one's sexual and/or affectional preference and marital status. This ordinance was proposed and guided into law by the Homophile Alliance of Sedgwick Courty. The alliance is a political organization composed of lesbians and gay men in the Wichita community. Purposes of the alliance include passage of Wichita's Gay Rights Law, support of our Congressman Dan Glickman for the Koch Bill, increasing the awareness of the general public to alternatives to traditional life styles, and taking responsible political actions as deemed necessary to guarantee free exercise of civil rights without regard to affectional or sexual preference and marital status.

At this time a group in Wichita calling itself the Concerned

brothers and sisters need.

For these reasons, we are appealing to you for your dollars and your energy. Don't forget, every time you feel free to be affectionate with your lover on the street, or frequent a bar that is not raided every Friday, or come out at your job, etc., this was not always possible. The gay liberation movement, and in particular the Gay Activist Alliance, fought for and won these and other freedoms for you. Now we ask you, not as a reward, but so that we and you can continue the struggle for full freedom, to support us in an hour of need.

Remember, oppression is not dead. It is alive and sick in Florida and many other places. Freedom, as always, has a price.

Gay Activist Alliance P.O. Box 2 Village Station New York, New York 10014

Citizens for Community Standards has started a petition drive to obtain 9,815 signatures

HIGH GEAR/JANUARY 1978

C.O.L. NEWSLETTER

As you recall, the November newsletter 'announced that the first C.O.L. meeting of the month on November 7th would be devoted to discussing the status and community support of C.O.L. and to deciding its future as an organization. Hopefully, each person who had a vested interest in the outcome saw the announcement and was not excluded from the discussion / decision-making process because they were not aware that this important meeting was taking place ...

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and Diane will continue to answer their phone and refer callers to helpful places hopefully. After the first of the year, Central Ohio Gay Coalition, an organization of politically minded gay men and lesbians, will begin publication

Dear C.O.L. members and Columbus women's community friends, and that it would be unfortunate if it were lost totally through complete disintegration of its structure. It was decided that C.O.L.'s rudimentary structure of the post office box, bank account, outreach phone number and mailing list would be main-of tained temporarily and that C.O.L. would be allowed to "float" for the next few months. It was felt that in that time other members of the women's community who might be interested in either revitalizing C.O.L. or nurturing a new organization from the rudimentary structure of C.O.L. would have an opportunity to do so, and that in this way they would be saved all the hassle of beginning all over again. If YOU are such an indidivual ... call 291-9114. (Area Code 614).

Ten C.O.L. members/supporters met on November 7th and discussed as fully and fairly as possible the benefits, detriments and various potential ramifications of either maintaining C.O.L. or of disbanding the organization. It was conIcluded that while there was not sufficient interest to justify holding meetings and planning projects as an organization, that C.O.L. still represented a valuable resource for the

to have a referendum on the orGAY COWARDS

dinance. They are working hard in Baptist Churches and the local Catholic Bishop has spoken out in support of their petition drive.

Our support comes from Commissioners who voted in favor, the Religious Caucus for Human Rights, the Jewish Community, Black Ministers, professional groups, University and Women's Rights Groups. We feel we have a good chance for success and Wichita is Determined. We already have the organization for a massive campaign. We are going to need funds. For additional information contact: HASC, P.O. Box 2573, Wichita, Kansas 67201 or call (316) 6811547. Donations should be sent to the "Wichita is Determined Fund", P.O. Box 2573, Wichita, Kansas 67201.

PLEASE, SUPPORT US IN OUR DETERMINATION.

Homophile Alliance of Sedgwick County

Dear Editors:

A gay coward is unfair. Some gay cowards being unjust and harboring a gay ego of ignorance, no reading and a stance that they call "fun" think they too can indulge in racism. Ed Rawlings spoke out about this in his article on racism in the May, 1977, issue of High Gear Quote: "It is very distur: bing to patronize a bar serving gays, an oppressed group, turn right around and become the oppressors themselves."

It is easier to be a coward and not become involved in consideration for blacks who are inherited from their progenitors gay. Those gays that have the word "nigger" are racists and blind to their own faults. To change this selfishness should come before seminars, the

All of the good things that C.O.L. was, will NOT be lost. The Columbus Women's Music Union has agreed to take charge of the Columbus Women's Community Calendar, Connie Claybaker will be looking after the correspondence and Marilyn

NGTF and any other gay organizations that are at work in which color of skin has priority enough to show decent consideration and kindness to our black brothers, etc.

When a lone black man or woman sits through a seminar and not a single white goes over to that person and fully welcomes him as an equal, there is no communication whatsoever. A step backward does not help the cause. The false sophistication of some gays considering their life-style superior to blacks, are all stuffed shirts in straight(unrecognizable). I hope that I ticle about racism wherein Ed have put some sense in this arRawlings hit the nail dead center about racism. I am proud of.

him.

Harold Sylvester Hinckley, Ohio

a gay community newspaper. This will assume the place of C.O.L.'s newsletter and will be mailed to those who are members of C.O.L. We hope that Columbus women who wish to be involved in the gay-lesbian. liberation movement in Columbus, will at least consider becoming involved in C.O.G.C.

Last but not least we hope that all who donated to C.O.L. will continue to feel it was a worthwhile gesture and meaningful to the liberation struggle going on in Columbus, as it surely was. Your financial support of the past two years has allowed C.O.L. to function and to have the impact on the Columbus community that it HAS HAD. Thank you all.

Marilyn and Del Central Ohio Lesbians

OFFERS HELP Gentlemen,

My lover and I are realtors in the Columbus area, and we both enjoy obtaining your newspaper. We especially appreciate the professionalism which your newspaper displays. The articles are quite informative and well done. I realize you probably need more co-operation from the gay community in order to continue your endeavors. Maybe sometime we can be of help in the Columbus area.

We hope you have a successful 1978 and be assured that your fine work is well received and deeply appreciated.

Sincerely, Roger Gloze Gary L. Klung Columbus, Ohio

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