Date: Thu, 2 Feb 1995 17:17:46 -0600 (CST)
From: Kevyn Jacobs <kevyn@ksu.edu>
Subject: LAWRENCE DEBATES RIGHTS LAW


FROM THE NEWS-TELEGRAPH
FRONT PAGE
JAN 27-FEB 9 1995
REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION
=========================


LAWRENCE KS DEBATES RIGHTS LAW

By Jon D. Barnett

LAWRENCE KS-In so many ways it was a familiar scene to those
covering Lesbian and Gay rights battles in the News-Telegraph
region. The five-member city commission held a study session to
consider a request from citizens to amend the city's human rights
law to include the words "sexual orientation."

At the end of their January 18 study session, the Lawrence city
commission decided to ask city staff to research thirty-some
questions that undecided commissioners had about the consequences
of on it. Proponents had expected the commission to appoint a
citizens task force to study the proposal. Everyone expected the
commission to delay voting for or against the measure until after
city elections in April.

By proponents count, there are only two sure "yes" votes. Three
are needed for passage.

Proponents presented testimony from individuals and task forces
that documented the existence of discrimination against Gay and
Lesbian citizens. Opponents used their time reading from material
provided by national the Reverend Don Wilder's American Family
Association and the Family Research Institute, which is headed by
anti-Gay researcher Paul Cameron. Cameron has been expelled from
the American Psychological Association for misrepresenting data
in his "research."

"If you add sexual orientation to this ordinance you are playing
into their agenda," said Reverend Leo Barbee, Jr., the only
person representing the opponents.

Barbee also attributed cited "statistics" about Gay men to a
Centers for Disease Control report, when in fact they were from
Paul Cameron's research. In a published editorial, he wrongly
attributed the same numbers to the Department of Health and Human
Services.

According to Barbee, the amendment would provide homosexuals with
"special rights," make the city susceptible to multi-million
dollar lawsuits and promote sexual perversions, such as
necromancy.

Barbee also accused Lesbian and Gay rights supporters of
"building power centers" and "cozy relationships" with city
officials, and of having "an updated Gay agenda."

Three proponents of the amendment testified. Lynn Green, co-chair
of Simply Equal and immediate past president of the Lawrence
chapter of National Organization for Women played a tape
recording of a citizen who had experienced anti-Gay
discrimination first hand. Dennis Saleebey, director of the PhD
Program of the School of Social Welfare at the University of
Kansas, explained the differences between sexual orientation and
sexual behavior to the commission. He also presented testimony
from several task forces that had examined the question of
anti-Gay and Lesbian discrimination, including one at KU.

"We have collected a variety of information that supports our
contention that Lawrence residents have friends, neighbors and
family members who suffer from discrimination based on real or
perceived sexual orientation," said Ben Zimmerman, Simply Equal's
other co-chair. "Lawrence -likes to think of itself as a
tolerant, accepting and supportive community. It's time to make
those words real."

Zimmerman believes that Lawrence is witnessing a new approach by
the theocratic right in opposing local and state
anti-discrimination for Gays and Lesbians. Instead of arguing
their case on religious grounds, opponents are relying more on
propaganda--the anti-Gay video Gay Rights Special Rights has been
distributed in area churches and to city commission members-- and
on "experts," such as Paul Cameron.

Another tactic that was evident at the Lawrence city commission
hearing was to recruit an African American, Barbee, to "front"
for the opposition.

"Part of their new argument is that only minorities have
special rights," said Zimmerman. "And Gays, Lesbian and bisexuals
aren't deserving minorities."

Mayor Jolene Andersen, sitting across the table from Barbee,
looked directly at him during his testimony. Afterwards, she said
it saddened her to see some ministers "being duped."

Referring to the video Gay Rights, Special Rights, Andersen said,
"The film reminded me of films we were forced to watch in high
school that portrayed the civil rights movement as special
rights...I don't see any difference here. It's the same song,
second verse. When I hear this in Lawrence I become enraged...The
other side doesn't argue that discrimination against Gays and
Lesbians doesn't exist, but that it's 0K."

Andersen said she hadn't planned to speak to the issue at the
study session until she heard Barbee's testimony. "I'm ready to
vote today, but it may be in the best interest of the community
to wait," she said.

When civil rights leader Julian Bond visited Lawrence during the
recent Martin Luther King birthday celebration, he told Andersen
that Lawrence needed to pass the amendment. Andersen told
the News-Telegraph, "Julian Bond gave me charge, and when you get
a charge from someone like him you don't ignore it."