Date: Mon, 6 Feb 1995 00:14:50 -0800 (PST)
From: Richard Isaac <rmisaac@eskimo.com>

The following is a press release, issued 5 February 1995, and sent to the 
gay press nationwide:

       *  Richard Isaac  
    __*_*___
    \*   * /    Seattle			QN/Seattle: 1990-1995
    *\    * 
   ***\**/**    rmisaac
       \/   @eskimo.com

***************************************************************************
On February 5, 1995, Queer Nation/Seattle, one of the strongest and 
longest enduring Queer Nation tribes in the nation, officially disbanded 
and dispersed its assets, after four years of activism.

QN/Seattle, established in August 1990, was the seventh of dozens of 
Queer Nation tribes in the U.S. and abroad.  Unlike many other tribes, we 
survived our internal schisms and remained committed to our activism on 
issues of queer visibility, homophobia and anti-queer violence, while 
continuing our self-education on issues of racism, sexism and other forms 
of oppression.  We outlived most, if not all, other QN tribes, having 
suspended our operations in May 1994.  However, those of us most active 
in recent years have remained friends and activists.  

Many of us have moved on to other important positions in the community, 
including at the Lesbian Resource Center, Q Patrol (queer street patrol), 
the Privacy Fund (lobbying group), Bigot Busters, the Queer Information 
Project, SEAMEC (candidate rating group), and Hands Off Washington, and 
to other activist and business endeavors.

Our greatest on-going contributions to the community are Q Patrol and 
Bigot Busters, both of which originated in Queer Nation/Seattle but are 
now independent.  Our grateful thanks go to the many dedicated (unpaid) 
volunteers in both organizations who endure great stress on the 
frontlines, turning their principles into action and performing a great 
service to all of us by defending our community from physical and 
political violence.  Both these groups represent the quintessence of 
Queer Nation/Seattle's dedication to direct action in defense of our 
community and our lives.  Incidentally, Q Patrol marks four years of 
operations this winter; Bigot Busters, which was instrumental in 
defeating I-608/I-610 in 1994, is busy preparing for the second political 
onslaught in as many years.

Among other accomplishments of QN/Seattle (out of nearly 120 actions and 
forums):

* sending 17 people to the NGLTF Creating Change conference for activists 
in Los Angeles (11/92);

* sending 25 people to the March on Washington (4/93);

* sending 10 people to Salt Lake City to join a protest of the National 
Mormon Conference being held there (4/91);

* a day-long teach-in and evening cabaret at Willamette University in 
Salem, OR (2/92);

* three demonstrations against Oregon's Measure 9 in one day (in Salem, 
Portland, and at OCA Headquarters) (10/92);

* raising over $1000 for the No on Nine campaign (1992);

* Valentine's Day actions at local public and Catholic schools (2/91, 2/93);

* five National Coming Out Day marches;

* numerous "nights out" at local straight locales (10/90-2/94) and 
"SHOP"s at shopping malls (11/90-12/92);

* educational forums on bisexuality, queer prisoners, feminism, S/M and 
fetishes, AIDS, anti-queer violence, transgender issues, PFLAG, and 
classism (1-91-7/93);

* self-defense classes for low-income queers;

* numerous contributions to Lambert House (queer youth center);

* participation in Pride Marches in Spokane and Olympia, WA (1992);

* formation of women's, youth and transgender caucuses;

* walking 60 miles to Olympia in support of House Bill 1443, the 
gay/lesbian civil rights bill (3/93);

* countering the Christian Coalition in Yakima, WA (6/93);

* turning out 500 people to demonstrate against Lon Mabon at KCTS Channel 
9 (2/93);

* organizing the first Dyke Rave with the Women's Action Coalition (5/93);

* protesting homophobia in Hollywood (3/92);

* bringing Queer Scout Cookies to the world (including S&M&Ms and 
Transgender Snaps)!

In keeping with our vision statement, we bequeath the following to our 
community (total: $1292.00):

* Woman 2 Woman Empowerment Forum (Lesbian Resource Center): 	$350.00
* Bigot Busters: 						$244.00
* Q-TIP (queer youth group): 					$204.00
* GayMAP (Gay Men's AIDS Prevention): 				$204.00
* "Subversive Sex and Queer Porn" program at the NW Intl. 
	Lesbian/Gay Film Festival: 				$200.00
* Clinic Defense Project (abortion clinic defense): 		$ 70.00

Our grateful thanks go to the many in our community who supported or 
participated in Queer Nation/Seattle.  We urge all of you to continue to 
be involved in the fight for equality.

Q U E E R  N A T I O N / S E A T T L E
*************************************************************************