vil and Constitutional Rights of the House of Representatives Ju diciary Committee. Hopefully, Rep. Don Edwards of California, chairperson of the subcommittee. will hold hearings this year on the bill. Ohio Rep. Louis Stokes from Cleveland (Dist. 21) has co-sponsored the bill, along with 35 other Representatives from other states. It is, therefore, imperative that Ohioans from other districts write to their Congresspersons urging them to co-sponsor H.R. 2995 (A letter commending Rep. Stokes' support would also be valuable). The Washington address for United States Representatives is: House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 (202) 224-3121

Dist. Name

Applegate, Douglas Ashbrook, John M. Ashley, Thomas Ludlow Brown, Clarence J.

Devine, Samuel L.

Gradison, Willis 0. Jr.

Guyer, Tennyson Harsha, William H.

Kindness, Thomas N.

Carney, Charles J.

Latta, Deibert L.

Luken, Thomas A.

Dakar, Mary Rose

Pease, Donald J.

Regula, Ralph S.

Seiberling. John F.

Stanton, J. William

21 Stokes, Louis

Vanik, Charles A.

Miller, Clarence E. Motti, Ronald M.

Khalen, Charles W. Jr. Wylie, Chalmers P.

UNITED STATES SENATORS Washington address: Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-3121

Glenn, John H. (0) Metzenbaum, Howard (D) A GAY WITHOUT RIGHTS IS LIKE

A DAY WITHOUT SUNSHINE

Entertainer Anita Bryant may find herself losing the gratis religious backing she has counted on for her opposition to gay rights legislation in Dade

County, Florida. An official of the National Council of Churches has criticized her for promoting wyths and stereotypes" of hono seruals as malevalent child molesters and for misrepresenting the Bible's stand on homosexuality. Mrs. Bryant, however, maintains the law will "legitimize homosexuals and their recruitment of our children."

The controversy began in Janwary, when Dade County, (which includes Miami and Coral Gables) assed an ordinance banning discrimination in housing, jobs. public accomodations based on ffectional or sexual prefer-

Bryant stayed quiet ntil she and her daughter narsty escaped a three-car colision four days before the gasze at the 11 felt God really hud is hand an us," unt sad. Cad's hand presun indicted that homosexual. at the hattom of all this t

she immediately launched her campaign against the newly pas. sed law.

Her group, Save Our Children, Inc., collected 64,000 signatures on petitions calling for a repeal of the ordinance or a special election on the issue, but the crusade was not an easy one for either side. Mrs. Bryant lost a role in a network TV special sponsored by Singer Sewing Machines (although she has now been reconsidered for the part). The Florida Citrus Commission, which declared support for its foremost TV representative, found itself the brunt of bad publicity and impromptu boycotts nationwide. The First Federal Savings and Loan in Miani, whose commercials are done by Mrs. Bryant, lost an esti nated one million gay dollars in the wake of the controversy. On the other hand, Manuel Gomez, a Miani gay activist born in Cuba, found his car firebombed. A week earlier his friend, Ovidio Ramos, despondent over the growing op position, committed suicide. People active on both sides of the issue report numerous

threats.

In response to Bryant's peti tion, a referendum was scheduled for June 7. A circuitcourt judge, in response to an injunction, ruled the ordinance constitutional, and the referendum will occur as scheduled. The cost of holding such a vote (estimated ($400,000.00) has annoyed local citizens, including members of Save Our Children, Inc.; thus, the gay community is holding fund raising benefits and seeking financial support nationwide for this legislation. Support for the ordinance has come from many fronts. Mothers Alliance of Miami Americans. (A), a non-gay group, has canvassed and demonstrated, enphasizing the basic human rights protected by the law. Further support has come from educators, businesses, individuals, and the Dade County Coalition for the Humanistic Rights of Gays, which is leading these efforts. A spontaneous boycott across America of Fida citrus products was stenned only by the protests of Miami gay activists, who maintained the impact of such pres sure was less on Mrs. Bryant's employers than on migrant farn workers.

In spite of such support, observers see a definite threat to the ordinance at the polls. Save Our Children, Inc., by exploiting false fears and mar. shalling anti-ERA support, has endangered the survival of the Dade County law. Beyong this lurks the increasing danger of a general backlash from conser vative and fundamentalist reli gious groups. Gay people, as alLays, must continue their strug gle for full and equal rights. Mrs. Bryant; "Before I yield to thas insidious attack on God and this laws, I will lead such a crusade to stop it as this country has not seen before."

or further information Ne Times, April 15, 197, pp. 21-43

Addresses

Edward Taylor Executive Director, Florida Citrus Commission 1115 E. Memorial Blvd. Lakeland, Fla. 13801 (305) 444-4412

Donald P.Kircher President,

Singer Sewing Machine Co. 30 Rockefeller Plaza N.Y. N.Y. (212) 581-4800

Save Our Children, Inc. P.O. Box 40-2745 Miami, Fla. 33140 (305) 531-1759

Financial contributions and sup port

Dade Country for the Humanistic Hights of Gays P.O. Box 414 Miami, Fla. 33133 also,

5390 Biscayne Blvd. Miami Fla. 33137 (305) 751-4297

EXCUSES, EXCUSES...

After a euphoric drive home from Bowling Grenn, Oberlin's newletter tean smashed headlong into the realization that Yes, we really did commit ourselves to writing, editing, printing, and mailing a monthly newsletter. Ne talked ourselves hoarse to any. one who would listen about OGRE, but when it came to actually working on the newsletter we al ways managed to run up against some sort of obstacle. The Gay Union's charter had to be anended to include our membership in the state coalition, and funds were sought from the Student Finance Committee (they were most cooperative). After a long and miserable search for a functioning typewriter we won't trouble you with that tale of woe our budget allocations for next semester loomed ominous. It seems that the Powers That Be were making a concerted effort to (financially) screw over every political and/or minority organization on campus. The Gay Union found itself happily allied with the Black, Latino, and Asian groups, women's and men's liberation, and progressive pol itical organizations. We all love a chance to air our concerns to a receptive and intelligent audience (we screamed bloody murder!). We had an additional run-in with the Stu dent Senate, mainly because the Gay Union was allocated a bigger budget than they were after all, we represent several hundred students while the Student Senate misrepresents thousandsand a couple of senators called us "inmoral"...oh, did that cause a stink. It's very grati fying to discover that the can.

NGTF

pus Gay group has come through all of this with increased res pect and support while our 11lustrious Leaders' credibility has slipped even lower than be fore.

At any rate, we find ourselves still working on the first news. letter after three months. When it comes down to it, our school work must get done we're hopeless acadenes, as you can tell from our turgid prose and our quest for that mythical typewriter with a Functioning "H" key has drained us of much energy and enthusiasm. Our fut ture newsletters will be slight ly less elaborate and, hopefully, much more punctual.

Edsel, Christopher

HELP OUR FEEBLE ADDRESS LIST -making sure we have your cor rect address (and phone number) -sending addresses of gay groups or individuals who have not received this newsletter -sending addresses of other groups (e.g. ACLU chapters, libraries, women's groups) that would like copies.

-and making sure we know if mailings should be sent under plain cover.

OGRC's representative-at-large 15:

Mark Kopacz

2446 Shore Blvd., . Columbus, OH 43227

(614) 864-6296 If you are not affiliated with a gay organization, you should keep in contact with him.

Dignity/Cleveland is compiling a cookbook of "favorite reci ipes. We would like contribu tions to come from as many diverse sources as possible. Please send your favorite reci ipes to:

Dignity/Cleveland

Attn: Cookbook Committee P.O. Box 18479

Cleveland Hts, OH 44118 If you would like your name listed as a contributor, please indicate your desire when your send your recipe. We would like your name, address, and phone number for reference purposes only. All names, addresses, and phone numbers will be kept confidential

Special thanks to MITT (for information from their Feb., 1977 Action Report and their Mar 1977 It's Time), to Ziggy Ayers and Andy McKim (for the logo). to the Ohio Public Interest le search Group (for the use of their typewriter), to Marilyn and COL. Ralph, Tish, ay, Irce and everyone else shn 1 ang OGRC a reality

National Gay Task Force, Rm. 506, 80 Filth Ave., New York, NY 10011, Tel: (212) 741-1010

Yes would to on NGTF Encses my count

$15 Basic Member

$25 Contrbung Member 150 Sustaning Mente

ndersand

$100 Supporting Member 1500 Lime Member $1000 Spe

GTI newslener ITS TIME my members

Please myname and mating confidential

525 Household Menter

53 med income