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NOW THE SHOE IS ON THE OTHER FOOT
Straiqhts Taste Harassment, etc.
Gays have been concerned for years
with the abuse of police power and the
invasion of privacy by representatives of
various levels of government.
Our concern reached a peak June 22
during the Texas Gay Conference as Fort
Worth police officers blatantly made a
show of recording license numbers in an
obvious attempt to frighten and intimidate participants in the Conference. Hooray for our side - no one was frightened
or intimidated. Not one person left the
Conference site. Rather we were angry!
We yelled loud and a few people heard
us. . . but, after all, we were just a bunch
of fags.
Now the shoe is on the other foot as
non-gays are discovering just how menacing our officers can be.
Item One: Entire Dallas vice squad fired
or transferred in nude photo scandal.
Officers forced women arrested on prostitution charges to pose bare-breasted for
picture-taking sessions.
Item Two: A Fort Worth nurse was
frightened and shaken by four police officers who burst into her apartment, unidentified and without warrant, but with
drawn gun. It took her half an hour to
calm the four down and convince them
that she knew nothing ofthe man they
were allegedly looking for. After first denying any knowledge of the affair, the
Fort Worth Police Department eventually
issued a half-hearted apology.
Item Three: A 24-year-old man was so
badly beaten by police during a fruitless
"no-knock" drug raid on his apartment
that he had to be rushed to a hospital in
poor condition and his spleen surgically
removed. Two Fort Worth officers were
fired and their supervisor was reprimanded and transferred. The explanation given
for the officers' actions was that they had
"overreacted" - although no drugs were
found, the young man did not resist and
he was not even arrested. Officers left
him without even an offer to help him get
needed medical treatment.
Item Four: A decoy prostitute in Dallas
was responsible for the arrests of more
than 40 men before one of them had the
guts to challenge the arrest in court. He
argued he hadn't even had enough money
to "buy a woman" and was just kidding
around. He also charged the female officer with entrapment. Although the judge
found him guilty as charged, it is interesting to note lhat a woman who has been
propositioned more than 40 times "in the
line of duty" has never (she testified)
never been propositioned on her own
time. And they expect us to believe these
men weren't enticed, encouraged and entrapped. Yeah, just like unsuspecting
Gays haven't been entrapped all these
years by the enticement of vice officers.
Item Five: Federal judge orders the closing of the Gatesville State Schools for
Boys citing numerous incidents of brutality and humiliation perpetuated on the
inmates by prison guards and officials.
Item Six: Causing the greatest uproar
was the disclosure that the Department
of Public Safety - now dubbed the "Department of Public Surveillance - had
routinely engaged in spying on individuals
and groups who dared vary in their politics, life style or attitudes from that
dictated as "right" by the in powers. Victims of the spying have included political
candidates, churches, racial groups, environmentalists, peace groups and others.
The DPS issued an apology, the governor
ordered an investigation, citizens were
outraged - but somehow we get the
feeling that attitudes of those types who
head organizations such as the DPS have
not really changed.
Well, let the non-gays for once discover
how it feels - police brutality, big brother spying, police entrapment.
Perhaps now they will be more willing
to work with us to protect our freedoms
and our privacy.
DIGNITY CHAPTER FORMED
FOR GAY CATHOLICS
DIGNITY, a national organization for
Gay Catholics, has established a chapter
for the Metroplex area.
The local group meets on the second
and fourth Fridays of each month. Further information may be obtained by
calling metro number 469-6669.
DIGNITY: STATEMENT OF
POSITION AND PURPOSE
We believe that gay Catholics are members of Christ's mystical body, numbered
among the people of God. We have an
inherent dignity because God created us,
Christ died for us, and the Holy Spirit
sanctified us in Baptism, making us His
Temple, and the channel through which
the love of God might become visible.
Because of this, it is our right, our privilege, and our duty to live the sacramental
life of the Church, so thai we maight become more powerful instrument to God's
love working among all people.
We believe that gays can express their
sexuality in a manner that is consonant
with Christ's teaching. We believe that all
sexuality should be exercised in an ethically responsible and unselfish way.
As members of DIGNITY we wish to promote the cause of the gay community.
To do this, we must accept our responsibility to the Church, to society, and to
the individual gay Catholic.
To the Church - to work for the development of its sexual theology and for the
acceptance of gays as full and equal members of the one Christ.
To Society - to work for justice and social acceptance through education and legal reform.
To Individual Gays - to reinforce their
self-acceptance and their sense of dignity,
and to aid them in becoming a more active member of the Church and society.
DIGNITY is organized to unity all gay
Catholics, to develop leadership and to
be an instrument through which the gay
Catholic may be heard by the Church and
society.
There are four areas of concern:
Spiritual Development. We shall strive to
achieve Christian maturity through all the
means at our disposal, especially the Mass,
the sacraments, personal prayer and active
love of neighbor.
Education. We wish to inform ourselves
in all matters of faith as well as in all that
concerns the gay community so that we
may develop the maturity of oudook
needed to live fulfilling lives in which sexuality and spirituality are integrated, and
to prepare us for service in the gay community.
Social Involvement. As Catholics and as
members of society, we shall become involved in those actions that bring the love
of Christ to others and provide the basis
of social reform.
Toward individuals... We wish to lead a
life of service to others, hoping to render
visible the love of Christ and contributing
our share to building a community of
love.
With gay groups... We wish to work
with other homophile groups for the
cause of justice to the gay community
and for the promotion of a sense of solidarity.
With religious and secular groups ... We
wish to work with them, that they may
better understand gays and recognize present injustices.
Social Events. Activities of a social and
recreational nature will be provided to
promote an atmosphere where friendships
can develop and mature, and where the
gay's sense of acceptance and dignity may
be strengthened.
(T!te national office of DIGNITY is at
755 Boylston Street, Room 514, Boston,
Massachusetts, 02116.)
WELBY PROTEST
(Continued from Page One)
al national organizations are also considering action to stop the ABC network
program. John Spiegal, president ofthe
American Psychiatric Association, has
asked his board of directors for permission to work "with vigor" on stopping
the program. Spiegal, when shown the
script, immediately agreed with New
York gay leaders that it would seriously
damage the gay civil rights movement.
The APA "gay is not sick" ruling included
a strong stand on gay civil rights.
Albert Shanker, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said his organization is "mulling over" the possibility of action against ABC. The AFT,
according to Bruce Voeller of the National Gay Task Force, is very concerned
about the effect the program may have
on all single male teachers, regardless of
their sexual orientation.
Anyone wishing to work actively on the
"Welby" protest is urged to contact
AURA at (817) 838-2095 or write P.O.
Box 7318, Fort Worth, TX 76111, or contact your local gay organization.
Concerned people are urged to call or
write: Mike Shapiro, General Manager.
WFAA-TV, Communications Center, Dallas, TX 75202 and protest the upcoming
airing of the show. Also, letters are urgently needed to all advertisers and ad
agencies that have bought time on the
"Welby" show.
IMMUNITY
ME
Allen Kviti. Editor
Staff: Arlo, Jay Alexander, Jay Allen,
Ken Cyr, Sue Harris, Spiggot, and Kay
Wilson
Special Consultant, Wayne Ribble
Community News is published by AURA
(Awareness, Unity & Research Association), not for profit but as a service to
the Gay Community.
SUBSCRIPTION RATE is $3 per year,
mailed in plain envelope.
X
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 7367
Fort Worth, TX 76111
Correspondents and staff writers are
needed, as well as artists, typists and
other workers, if CN is to thrive and be
able to effectively serve the Gay Community
LETTERS to the Editor of Community News should be signed.
However, name will be withheld
upon request. All letters are sub-
feet to editing to meet space requirements and to remove possibly libelous statements.
Publican on of the name of any
person, business or group in
Community News should not
be construed as any indication
of the sexual preference of that
person, business or group, or of
their employees or members.
Congratulations to the
TEXAS
GAY TASK FORCE
from
AL's SHOP
4163 East Rosedale
(817) 534-1951
Wavne Ribble. manager
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