From: MediAction@aol.com Date: Tue, 10 Jun 1997 11:37:35 -0400 (EDT) Subject: "MEDIAlert!/BRIEFS" - 06.6.97 [PART "B" ONLY] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- INDEX: "MEDIAlert!" - 05.23.97 [Part "B" - MEDIA/BRIEFS] -ITEM 3: "Decency Decision" [Citizens Internet Empowerment Coalition; Communications Decency Act; Free Speech Vigil]. -ITEM 4: "Anti-American Advertising" [American Airlines; USA Today: Washington Times; Allen American; Plano Star-Courier; Dallas Morning News; Forth Worth Star Telegram]. -ITEM 5: "On Record" [Weezer; Pink Triangle; Pinkerton]. -ITEM 6: "International Stinker" [The Perfume of Agony; Procter & Gamble; El Tiempo; Llego]. -ITEM 7: "Lucky Seven" [CESA 7; Hate, Homophobia & Schools; Sexual Orientation - Reading Between the Lines; Changing Focus - Women, Children & AIDS]. -ITEM 8: "E-Media/Briefs" [Nice Jewish Girls]. -ITEM 9: "And The Winner Is" [Time-Warner Community Service Award; People; Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project]. -ITEM 10: "Web Watch" [Media Synergy; Letters; Lambda Amateur Radio Club; Cannabis Club Online; Exodus; Christian Legal Society; National Association of Evangelicals; Independent Women's Forum; Liberty Counsel]. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- M E D I A l e r t ! __________________________ M E D I A / B R I E F S May 24-June 6 Al Kielwasser [3] *** DECENCY DECISION . . . . The Citizens Internet Empowerment Coalition (CIEC) is mobilizing in anticipation of an imminent Supreme Court ruling on the "Communications Decency Act," a law which seriously threatens constitutionally-protected freedoms. According to CIEC, a decision is expected soon and could come "at any time." In response, the coalition has launched a "Free Speech Vigil" campaign to "help spread the news about the case and provide an opportunity for Internet users to join the fight." C o n t a c t : Jonah Seiger, Communications Director, Center for Democracy and Technology/CIEC, tel. 202-637-9800, e-mail jseiger@cdt.org, web-site http://www.ciec.org/. [4] *** ANTI-AMERICAN ADVERTISING . . . . Self-identified "pro-family" groups have launched a national ad campaign condemning American Airline's "pro-homosexual" practices. The groups purchased space for a full page "open letter" to American's CEO, Robert Crandall, which ran in the June 4 issues of the "Washington Times," "Louisville Leader," "Allen American," and "Star-Courier" newspapers. Specifically, the ad attacks "American's support of homosexuality through discount fares for homosexual partners, sponsorship of 'gay pride' events and all-night 'circuit parties,' designation as official carrier of a gay school teachers group, and donations to partisan homosexual activist groups." The complaint is signed by representatives of the Family Research Council, Coral Ridge Ministries, Focus on the Family, American Family Association, and Concerned Women for America. Significantly, several major newspapers refused to carry the bigoted, false and defamatory ad. "USA Today," the "Dallas Morning News," and the "Forth Worth Star Telegram" would not sell ad space for the homophobic "open letter." Each of these newspapers has been accused of censorship by the anti-American groups. In a collective statement, they declared: "The national press has long been biased toward the homosexual activist movement, but now we are witnessing outright suppression of dissent." The homophobic cohort further called upon all three papers to "reexamine their indefensible rejection of a reasonable, soundly researched and documented advertisement." C o n t a c t : "Allen American," 705 N. Greenville, P.O. Box 727, Allen, TX 75002, tel. 972-727-3552, fax 972-727-8215; "Plano Star-Courier," Plano, TX, e-mail plnostar@hhcn.com; "Washington Times," 3600 New York Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002, fax 202-832-2982, e-mail natletr@mcimail.com, web-site http://www.WashTimes.com. "Dallas Morning News," Box 655237, Dallas, TX 75265, e-mail dmneditor@aol.com, web-site http://www.dallasnews.com; "Forth Worth Star Telegram," P. O. Box 1870, Fort Worth, TX 76101, fax 817-390-7831, e-mail harral@onramp.net, web-site http://startext.com; "USA Today," 1000 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22229, tel. 703-276-3400, fax 703-247-3108, e-mail editor@usatoday.com, web-site http://www.usatoday.com. American Airlines, P.O. Box 619616, Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, TX 75261, tel. 817-963-1234, fax 817-967-1184, web-site http://www.americanair.com/email/aamail.htm. [5] *** ON RECORD . . . . In a recent review of new singles, "Billboard" magazine took note of Weezer's "Pink Triangle." "In a sea of sound-alikes, you can still pluck out its distinctive blend of power-pop instrumentation, wickedly infectious hooks, and quirky lyrics," says "Billboard." "This track from 'Pinkerton' sounds like a rock radio smash waiting to happen -- and the lesbian-themed words seem well-timed, since June is Gay and Lesbian Pride Month." C o n t a c t : "Billboard," 1515 Broadway, New York, NY 10036, e-mail info@billboard-online.com, web-site http://www.billboard-online.com. [6] *** INTERNATIONAL STINKER . . . . Procter & Gamble has reportedly pulled advertising from a Colombian soap opera, "The Perfume of Agony," simply because the series featured lesbian kissing scenes. According to a report in Bogota's "El Tiempo" (May 15), Inextra de Colombia -- a subsidiary of Procter & Gamble -- "has decided to take their advertising off the program... because of the scenes of lesbianism that have begun to be seen." As reported by the paper, Procter & Gamble is the same multinational company "that took their advertising off of the American Comedy 'Ellen' on account of a scene of lesbianism very similar to that of 'The Perfume of Agony.'" The Associated Press (June 9) reports a more-critical reaction to the kissing scene from some U.S. activists, however. According to AP: "Martin Ornelas, executive director of Llego, a Washington, DC.-based Latin gay and lesbian organization, said he considered the Colombian soap scene offensive." ''I would say the scene is more about sensationalism and mockery," Ornelas maintains. "Showing a lesbian guerrilla who is angry against the world [and forces herself on her captive] is the most extreme stereotype possible," he said. However, Ornelas also encouraged a boycott of Procter & Gamble. "The pulling of sponsorship from the Colombian soap only added insult to the injury done to Latin homosexuals by the show's stereotypical portrayal of lesbians," he pointed out. C o n t a c t : Procter & Gamble, P.O. Box 599, Cincinnati, OH 45201, tel. 800-435-9254 or 513-983-1100, fax 513-945-9155; "El Tiempo," web-site http://www.eltiempo.com; Associated Press, 50 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020; Llego, P.O. Box 44483, Washington, DC 20026. [7] *** LUCKY SEVEN . . . . Cooperative Educational Service Agency No. 7 -- "CESA 7" -- is the distributor of several award-winning videos on sexual orientation and AIDS education, which are available for purchase or rental by schools and other community groups. Current titles include: - "Hate, Homophobia and Schools" (which centers around "a forum of gay and non-gay youth and adults discussing what it's like to grow up gay in this society"). - "Sexual Orientation: Reading Between the Lines" (a program for and about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender teens, intended "to help build respect between individuals of divergent sexual orientation"). - "Changing Focus: Women, Children and AIDS" (which examines "the unique problems of women with AIDS, many of whom also have to care for children"). C o n t a c t : NEWIST/CESA 7, IS 1040, University of Wisconsin, Green bay, WI 54311, tel. 414-465-2599 or 800-633-7445, fax 414-465-2576, e-mail newist@uwgb.edu, web site http://uwgb.edu/~newist. [8] *** E - MEDIA/BRIEFS . . . . Nice Jewish Girls -- the discussion list "for self-identified Jewish lesbians and bisexual women" -- has moved to a new domain (shamash.org). "Our list is a wide-ranging, unmoderated, and tolerant discussion of issues of interest to Jewish lesbian and bisexual women," says manager Joanne Cohen. "At last count, we were about 100 members, from the U.S., Canada, and Israel." C o n t a c t : To subscribe to Nice Jewish Girls, e-mail listproc@shamash.org (with the message "subscribe nicejg your name"); for more information, e-mail Joanne Cohen (jcohen@yorku.ca). [9] *** AND THE WINNER IS . . . . Time-Warner's 16th annual "Andrew Heiskell Community Service Award" program (June 5) honored nine employees for their "exceptional contributions to public service, equal opportunity and human rights, in their workplaces and communities." Included amongst this year's winners was Bob Bronzo, production financial manager for "People," who volunteers for the Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project in New York. C o n t a c t : Time-Warner, Inc., 75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10019, tel. 212-484-8000, fax 212-275-3970, web-site http://www.timewarner.com. [10] W E B W A T C H _____________________ *** HAPPY DAYS . . . . Media Synergy has added a "Happy Pride Day '97" page to their website, offering "free greetings as a way of expressing pride online." Users of the company's "@loha" software are invited to send "animated, orchestrated and sound-filled electronic pride postcards to friends, family and loved ones" [www.mediasyn.com/gaypride.htm]. Cybersurfers can download a free trial version of "@loha" at the company's web site [www.mediasyn.com]; alternatively, they send Pride Day cards from InterPride [www.interpride.org]. *** OUT POSTS . . . . "Letters," an online magazine "which gathers and shares interesting correspondence of all kinds," will feature a section of gay-themed missives in the June issue. To coincide with Pride Month, editor Chris Ott plans to publish coming-out letters written or received by contributors [http://www.sipu.com/letters]. *** OVER AND OUT . . . . The Lambda Amateur Radio Club (LARC) has launched a newly revised homepage, featuring "comprehensive information on the club, its history, goals, and future plans and activities." LARC is an association of "gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered radio, electronics and computer enthusiasts and their friends," says vice-president Jim Kelly. "The club works publicly and visibly for the benefit of all amateurs by promoting fairness, acceptance, and good will in ham radio especially on behalf of members of the sexual minority community" [http://www.netaxs.com/~skeptic/larc]. *** JOINT EFFORT . . . . For interested web browsers, the Cannabis Club Online offers a promising mix of: "Science! Art! Politics! Naked Men!" [http://www.lacbc.org/]. SICKENING SITE . . . . "There is help for the homosexual!" So claim the quacks of Exodus, an organization dedicated to "curing" homosexuality. Highly recommended by the "Religious Right," Exodus can now be accessed online [www.exodus.base.org]. *** MORE EVIL SITES . . . . Jessica Weiss of A More Perfect Union Coalition (e-mail jnw04@gnofn.org) has compiled a list of opposition web sites, maintained by groups who have filed briefs opposing the Hawaii same-sex marriage effort. "Infiltrate these groups," Weiss encourages net surfers, "and learn what evil lurks in their cold bloodless hearts and delusional psychopathic heterosupremacist theocratic fascist brains." Included on her hit list: The Christian Legal Society [www.clsnet.com/quartmen.html], National Association of Evangelicals [nae.goshen.net/intro.html], Independent Women's Forum [www.iwf.org], and Liberty Counsel [www.lc.org/]. [end "Part B"] -------------------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT MEDIALERTS Distributed as a community press service since 1992, "MEDIAlert!" [TM] is a bi-weekly, advocacy oriented column of media criticism, primarily focused on lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender issues. Recipients may print, publish or post this material, in whole or part, under this or any title, without prior permission. When appropriate, attribution can be made to "Al Kielwasser" and/or "MEDIAlert!" File copies of publications using all or part of any "MEDIAlert!" are always appreciated. Next "MEDIAlert!" = June 20, 1997. Contact: A. P. Kielwasser, MEDIAction, 163 Park Street, San Francisco, CA 94110-5835, voice-mail/fax 415-826-5203, e-mail mediaction@aol.com. -------------------------------------------------------------------- AUTHOR NOTES Al Kielwasser is the editor of "Gay People, Sex and the Media" (New York: Haworth Press). His media criticism and research have appeared widely, in both mainstream and academic publications (including the "Journal of American Culture," "Journal of Homosexuality," "Journal of Popular Culture," and "Critical Studies in Mass Communication"); he was twice elected Chair of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation/San Francisco Bay Area.