Out in the Mountains, March 1989: Kwannza: To Begin

Vic Basile to Leave HRCF

January 19… Victor J. Basile today announced his resignation as executive director of the Human Rights Campaign Fund (HRCF) after six years of lobbying, fundraising, strategizing and organizing for the nation's gay and lesbian community.

Basile, named HRCF's executive director in 1983, helped transform the gay rights group into the largest and most powerful lesbian and gay political action committee (PAC) and lobbying force in the U.S.

Last spring, the Federal Elections Commission ranked the HRCF the ninth largest independent PAC in the U.S. and the 24 largest PAC overall (out of more than 4000). HCRF gave more than (400,000 in political contributions to some 111 candidates for federal office during the last election cycle.

"Serving HRCF and the lesbian and gay community has been one of the most exhilarating and fulfilling experiences in my life," said Basile. "But now the time is right to move on."

HCRF co-chairs Rosen and Forester will form a search committee to select Basile's successor. Basile will be an active participant in the choice of his successor and will remain as executive director until a replacement is announced.

Lambda Lets Its Fingers Do the Walking

January 20, 198? Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund announced today that the New York City Human Rights Commission has made a preliminary determination that NYNEX Yellow Pages violated city law by refusing to create a Yellow Pages heading for gay and lesbian groups.

In May 1988, Lambda filed a sexual orientation discrimination complaint against NYNEX on behalf of three New York-based gay groups, alleging that NYNEX's refusal to include a gay and lesbian heading in the Yellow Pages violated New York City law. The complaining groups are Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center, and Heritage of Pride.

Just days after the Commission announced their intention to proceed to a public hearing, NYNEX announced an agreement to restructure its New York and New England directories to allow for a sub-heading for lesbian and gay organizations. The sub-headings would come under a general "Social and Human Services" heading and would include other sub-headings for women's, disability and children's groups, among others.

Curtain Closes on Reagan AIDS Era

January 23, 1989… Former President Ronald Reagan has packed his bags and retired to California, ending a long, controversial era of White House response to the AIDS epidemic described by activists as a national "legacy of shame."

From 1982 and 1983, in which Reagan requested zero AIDS dollars, through the 1990 budget, Reagan requested substantially less than his own federal health agencies asked for and what Congress finally appropriated. The only exception was fiscal year 1989, when the budgets matched. However, the 1990 final Reagan AIDS budget is some $400 million less than requested by agencies.

Vic Basile of HRCF and other activists are more optimistic about President George Bush. They point to Bush's endorsement of the President's HIV Commission report and his call for AIDS anti-discrimination protections as positive signs of a more sensitive White House AIDS response.

Vermonters Absent on Federal L&G Civil Rights Bill

January 25, 1989… The Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights Bill was reintroduced in the US Senate today by Senator Alan Cranston (D-CA) and into the US House of Representatives yesterday by Congressman Ted Weiss (D-NY/17) and Henry Waxman (D-CA/24).

Sixty-three Representatives signed up as original cosponsors of the bill, officially called the Civil Rights Amendments Act of 1989 (HR 655). Eight Senators have signed on to the companion bill. Gay rights lobbyists from the Human Rights Campaign Fund (HCRF) are confident more will sign on in the upcoming months of the 101st Congress. Vermont has no co-sponsors at this time.

Senators can be reached at the US Senate, Washington, DC 20510. Call both at (202)224-3121. Individuals may also send an HRCF mailgram to members of Congress by calling the "Action Hotline" at 1-800-325-6000, operator 9188. The const is $4.50, billed to your home telephone.

Kennedy Holds Hearings on Federal AIDS Response

February 7, 1989… The US Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee today held the first in a series of hearings on the federal government's response to AIDS, including government agency plans for implementing drug development, health care and education provisions passed as part of last year's comprehensive AIDS legislation.

The Committee hearings, chaired by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA), featured testimony from key government officials of agencies responsible for enacting federal AIDS law. Last October, Congress passed the Health Programs Extension Act of 1988, which included the nation's first battle plan for fighting AIDS. The bill calls for accelerated research, expanded education and prevention, and more humane and cost-effective care for people with AIDS.

Besides Senator Kennedy, other committee members participating in the hearing were Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT); Claiborne Pell (D-RI); Christopher Dodd (D-CT); Barbara Mikulski (D-MD); Brock Adams (D-WA); James Jeffords (R-VT); and David Durenberger (R-MN).

"Whoops," Says Judge, "I didn't Mean It."

A Dallas judge was forced by public outcry to apologize for homophobic remarks he made during a murder sentencing in December. Elected officials, civil rights leaders, newspaper editorials, and law enforcement groups condemned the actions of Judge Jack Hampton in connection with the sentencing of a man convicted for the brutal murder of two gay men.

Hampton sentenced the man to 30 years in prison instead of the full life sentence sought by the prosecution because the murderer's victims were gay. At the sentencing hearing on December 15, Hampton said, "I don't much care for queers cruising the streets picking up teenage boys… I put prostitutes and gays at about the same level, and I'd be hard put to give somebody life for killing a prostitute.

The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct scheduled a hearing on January 13 to investigate Hampton's behavior in the case.

Gay Man Elected President of S.F. Board of Supervisors

On January 9, Harry G. Britt became the first openly gay man to serve as President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. In January 1979, he succeeded the late Harvey Milk who was slain along with Mayor George Moscone by former Supervisor Dan White. Britt was a close political associate and friend of Supervisor Milk.

President Britt was sworn into office by the Honorable Mary C. Morgan, a lesbian municipal court judge for the City and County of San Francisco.

In recent years, Britt has emerged as one of the strongest progressive voices in San Francisco politics. While effectively advocating the rights of gay people, he also has been a strong proponent of the rights and welfare of working people, seniors, women, minorities, and the disabled.

Kowalski, Thompson Allowed to Meet

On February 2, Karen Thompson made her first visit to Sharon Kowalski in more than three years, a visit that extended over a three-day period. In just that short span, Kowalski showed cognitive improvement from contact with her life partner, Thompson, who has been denied visitation by Kowalski's father since 1985.

After a four-year legal battle to get rehabilitative care for Kowalski, Thompson was able to convince the court to test her for competency last September. As a result, St. Louis County (MN) District Court Judge Robert V. Campbell issued an order on December 28, 1988, that Kowalski be transferred to Miller-Dawn Medical Center in Duluth for a period of rehabilitative care. The court order also stated that Sharon was to be allowed to visit with whomever she specifically and reliably requested to visit.

Thompson said that before her arrival, Dr. Dorothy Rappel, a psychologist working with Kowalski, had asked Kowalski why she thought Thompson had not visited her in so long. Kowalski's response was, "Too far?" She said that Dr. Rappel took the time to explain to Kowalski that Thompson had not been allowed to visit. She added that Kowalski "got tears in her eyes" when she saw Thompson for the first time, and that when visiting hours ended that evening, "Sharon wouldn't let go of my hand. She spelled right out on her alphabet board, 'I love you.'"

Thompson is optimistic that Kowalski will continue to receive the rehabilitative care she needs and eventually be able to move into an independent living situation. Donald Kowalski remains Sharon's guardian with all related powers, however, except those altered by the court.

For more info contact Caroline Foty, (310)2510-0139.