Date: Sat, 19 Feb 94 15:31:02 EST
Subject: UNC-C GLB Group Battles SGA
From: anon@queernet.org (Anonymous Sender)

Note:  This article was reprinted WITHOUT permission from The Univestiy
Times.  The University Times is a Student Media Publication of the University
Of Norht Carolina at Charlotte.  It is funded by Student Fees.

SORRY IT IS SO LONG...BUT IS IMPORTANT!

In the Thusday February 17, 1994 edition the following appeared

"LEGISLATOR LEADS SGA AGAINST SAFOE
John Hudson:"(Homosexuality) is a controllable activity....SAFOE shouldn't be
funded by my money."

By Amy Ledbetter
Times News Editor

A gay, lesbian and bisexual group lost its primary charter by secret ballot
vote at the Feb. ( meeting of the UNC Charlotte Student Body Government
Legislative Assembly (SGA).  The Student Alliance for Orientational Equality
(SAFOE) had its primary charter revoked by a vote of 14-9, with four
abstentions.  A primary charter allows an
organization to receive funds from student fees, through SGA.
However, the vote was not legal.  The legislators did not suspend the
constitutional bylaws of SGA, specifically Article 5, Section 1.
According to Willie Jenkins chair of internal affairs for SGA, the bylaws
must be suspended to legally vote by secret ballot.  The vote passed because
the motion went unchallenged by members of SGA.
"Any legislator can move to rescind the vote made last week to revoke SAFOE's
charter," says Jenkins.

"I have read a great deal of case law on this issue, and have drawn the
conclusion, as supported by the University Administration, that the action
taken by the Legislature was illegal," says Richard Hudson, Student Body
President.  "I have agreed to withhold my
veto for now, because I have been assured by members of the Legislature that
the issue will be addressed again on Wednesday [Feb. 16}."

At the Feb. 9 meeting John Hudson, senior class president, moved that SAFOE
not be rechartered.  He offered three reasons for his actions:  SAFOE has a
political agenda, SAFOE endorses activities which are considered felonies by
N.C. State Law, and the
organization is in violation of the spirit of Student Chartering Act.
The primary reason, and the only reason that was voted on was that SAFOE is
in "violation of Article 3, Section 3, paragraph 5 of the Student Chartering
Act," which states that "No fraternal, religious, or political organizations
are eligible for primary charters."

Last semester, SAFOE requested money to attend a conference entitled
"Creating Change," sponsored by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Policy Institute (NGLTF/PI).

John Hudson believes that because SAFOE attended this conference, they
"clearly have a political agenda," due to review of the conference program,
which included such topics as "fight the far right and organizing health
care."

The Senior Class President adds that "a significant portion of the conference
had direct political emphasis to it, dealing directly with cutting-edge
political issues, promoting the homosexual position on those issues."

Randy Furr, current president of SAFOE, says the group did attend the
conference in November 1993.  He also says that SAFOE does not advocate
anything, regardless of what topics may have been addresses at the
conference.

"I want to emphatically state that we are not affiliated with any
organization.  We are not politically motivated.  We have no political
agenda."

In 1991, the National Gay Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), reorganized and
separated its 501 (c) (3) and (c) (4) operations, according to and article
entitled "Organizing For Power:  1986-Today."
The conference sponsor, NGLTF/PI, is recognized by the federal government as
a class 501 (c) (3) charter, thereby being a nonprofit organization that
cannot use its funds or any funds generated for any type of political action.
 The policy institute is "to house its
educational and organizing programs."

Although the two organization are now separate and have different chatters,
John Hudson feels that it is difficult to separate the two.
"Ones the left leg and ones the right leg of the same duck," he says.

Kevin Childers, a member of SGA and a gay student at UNCC, feels that "John
Hudson attempted to blur the line between the National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute."

To further argue his point that SAFOE has a political agenda, John Hudson
says the organization also requested $1750 to bring Los Angeles gay activist
David Mixner to campus.

"He is as outspoken a political activist as there is in the homosexual
community," says John Hudson.  "That shows that while they are claiming not
to be political, they're still bringing in political speakers."
Furr says SAFOE has not used any money provided by the SGA to bring speakers
to campus.

"If they (SGA) think that what we do is political activity, I think the
people in NAACP[National Association of Colored People] and BSU [Black
Student Union] ought to be running for cover, because I think they're next,"
says Furr.  "I think this [vote], in general, raises a dangerous precedent
for the rest of the campus, in that we [SAFOE]
were attached on political grounds.  Any national conference that a group
goes to, chances are that is [the conference] will somehow be politically
affiliated."

John Hudson feels that "many members of [student] legislature" feel that
there's "a big difference between "the black community on campus and the
homosexual community on campus."
He says" you don't choose to be black, you are born black.  There is a
significant amount of evidence that at least brings into question, if not
directly contradicts, that [homosexuals are not born gay]. It[homosexuality]
is a controllable activity."

John Hudson's second concern was that SAFOE endorses activities that are
considered felonies by N.C. State Law, specifically Statute 14-177, (Crimes
against nature).

"Granted, I haven't witnessed it, and granted, the group's not coming out to
say it; the reality is that the group [SAFOE} would not exist if it wasn't
for that illegal activity...that is the core of what homosexuality is about,"
says John Hudson.

In the Healy v. James Supreme Court case, argued Mar. 28, 1972, and decided
June 26,

1972, it was the opinion of the court that "the critical line for First
Admendment

purposes must be between advocacy, which is entitled to full protection, and
action, which is not.  Petitioners may, if they so choose preach the
propriety of amending or even doing away with any or all campus regulations.
They may not, however undertake
to flout these rules."

Furr says that SAFOE has taken no stand on crimes against nature.
"Nowhere in our constitution does it state that...," says Furr.  "One of the
basics in that case says advocacy is not action.  Advocacy is protected under
the First Amendment of the United States Constitution."

The third point of concern is what John Hudson feels is to be important to
many students at UNCC.  It states that SAFOE violates the spirit of Article
3, Section 3, paragraph 5, of the Student Chartering Act.

"They [SAFOE] present what we feel is a clear moral position...a lot of
student believe that there are moral limits to what is acceptable in
individual relationships," says John Hudson.  "The moral behavior that this
organization advocates is incompatible with the Word of God.

While they [SAFOE] certainly have a right to present their positions or
beliefs, that should remain in a secondary charter status."
If SAFOE chooses to apply for a secondary charter status, they will not be
able to receive funds from the University.

"The whole argument is not whether the organization has a right to be on
campus or not," says John Hudson.  "It's whether they should be funded by
student fees as a primary charter."
Furr says he feels the question that should be addressed is whether SAFOE met
the requirements to be rechartered.  "We did {meet the requirements], and any
other argument is mute, especially the religious argument," says Furr.

"We must continue efforts to diversify our work force which requires a
supportive work environment for all," says Chancellor James Woodward, in the
Spring 1994 issue of the Multicultural Council Newsletter.  "Simple stated,
the campus environment must not
encourage individuals to leave valuable parts of themselves outside the
campus confines in order to fit some criteria of acceptability.  Rather, the
campus and all of its parts must address the barriers which prevent people
form making their fullest contribution."


John Hudson says he believes that some cultures are better than others.  "For
us to say that all cultures are equal is kind of a bogus statement," says
John Hudson.  "One of the problems I have with the multiculturalism is that
is says you need to accept everybody's
values on face value.  We're fooling ourselves.  Where do we draw the line?"

************
Ledbetter, Amy, The University Times,  UNCC Student Media, Feb. 17, 1994.
************
The University Times may be contacted at 704-547-2324
John Hudson SGA President may be contacted through SGA offices at
704-547-4607. John Hudson does not read his mail.
Any questions regarding SAFOE or support should contact Randy Furr at
704-354-6428.