rrizzo@bbncca.ARPA (Ron Rizzo) (10/27/84)
The following is a blatant attempt to influence how you vote on November 6th. It's addressed to all voters who think they may vote for Reagan, but especially to closet Republicans, [Ll]ibertarians, and gay people. (The views expressed herein are my own, & not those of my employer.) PART THREE Reaganite fagbaiting is extremely ironic: the GOP probably has many more gay (tho' closeted) staffers at higher rank & in more influential positions than the Democratic Party (including possibly one of the New Right's top leaders). Remember ex-Representative Bauman of Maryland, who was staunchly New Right, & cosponsored the Family Protection Act? He lost office after being arrested for sex with a male minor. (He says now he's a gay liberationist.) Nationally syndicated gay congressional correspondent Larry Bush provided a detailed look at this incredible hypocrisy in his Village Voice article "The Gay GOP" (6/26/84, pp. 19-22): Reagan's opposition to the Briggs Initiative created an "afterglow" among GOP gays that carried into 1981 when the White House sent out "feelers" to "some gays...asking for issues he might use to speak against prejudice" (p. 20). Also, Reagan has been quoted more than once as being "opposed to discrimination in any form"; his aides thought his appointment of Justice O'Connor settled any doubts about his fairness toward minorities (19,20). There WERE interesting developments across the country in the GOP: ex-LA sheriff Ed Davis, a brutal homophobe when he headed the LAPD, was "one of a handful of Republican legislators who voted for a California gay civil rights bill" (20). Openly gay men have run (& 2 of 3 won) for GOP & public positions in Iowa, D.C., & Louisiana. "Gay Republican clubs are spring- ing up across the country as fast or faster than gay Democratic clubs" (20). Yet to the growing despair of GOP gays, nothing has resulted: Reagan still courts the homophobic right; he & his appointees publically oppose legisla- tion that would make life at least a little easier for gay Americans (never- mind civil rights legislation) by fatuously invoking "family values"; & the White House & its health bureaucrats have consistently displayed murderous indifference toward, & even resentment of, the AIDS crisis (including Sec- retary Heckler, who's had a much better press than she deserves). I will provide examples & quotes for all the above in future postings. When Larry Bush wrote his article, GOP gays were pushing to demand that Reagan separate himself from New Right homophobia, planning some sort of statement at the Convention. I've heard nothing nor seen signs in the Reagan/Bush campaign that anything was accomplished. CONTINUED: MORE DIRT SOON Cheers, Ron Rizzo "Why, dahling! The Left is what's left over, the Right is what's wrong, & the Middle-Of-The-Road is no place for a lady." -- Electra Collage, Miss Ballot-box of 1947 Washington, AC/DC
David Smallberg <das@ucla-cs.ARPA> <das> (11/01/84)
... > ex-LA >sheriff Ed Davis, a brutal homophobe when he headed the LAPD, was "one of >a handful of Republican legislators who voted for a California gay civil >rights bill". Ed Davis was Chief of Police of the City of Los Angeles, not sheriff of L.A. County. His stand on gay rights was a real surprise when I first read about it in the paper. [Background: As police chief, Davis was famous for shoot-from-the-hip remarks like "Gallows should be set up at airports and skyjackers tried and executed there." Obviously he wasn't serious, but like Reagan's joke, it said a lot about his attitude. He was and still is a right-winger. The LAPD under him went out of its way to harrass gays, as I recall from news accounts of the time.] State Senator Davis supported the recent bill (vetoed by Governor Deukmejian, a fellow Republican) to prohibit employment discrimination based on affectional preference, because "it's the right thing to do". His reelection campaign is amazing. From what I've read, many gays support him, as do most Republicans (so, given his district, he'll win easily). His Democratic opponent is trying to pick up homophobic Republican support by denouncing Davis's support of "fags and queers". Those are his words, so needless to say, the Democratic party has disowned him. He has continued in the same vein, though. [At least in the San Fernando Valley, it seems that opponents of shoo-ins are frequently crackpots -- I suppose it's because few reasonable people would waste the money to win the primary, even for name recognition for the future.]
urban@spp2.UUCP (11/01/84)
Ed Davis was also known for a remarkable quote in which he said that he wouldn't hire homosexuals as policemen because they might spread diseases on the squad car radio microphones.
bam@sdchema.UUCP (Bret Marquis) (11/08/84)
Wasn't it also police Chief Ed Davis while discussing the controversial choke hold (that killed a kid on PCP they were trying to restrain) who said: "The choke hold shouldn't be used on Blacks, just normal people." I guess its 'normal' to be Gay in L.A. - just not Black. Bret Marquis (sdcsvax, ihnp4)!bang!bam -- Bang World Communication Center - San Diego.