From: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 07 Aug 94 19:31:37 EDT

[The following is the text-only version of the NGLTF monthly Activist Alert
newsletter. Feel free to publish as a column, with attribution, or reprint as
you are able]

NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE POLICY INSTITUTE

ACTIVIST ALERT

AUGUST 1994

LEGISLATIVE ACTION NEEDED NOW!
 The gay, lesbian and bisexual community must take aggressive legislative
action before and during the upcoming August Congressional recess. Three
important legislative goals are: to advocate for health care reform , promote
the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), and demand that your
legislators stand up to Sen. Jesse Helms' campaign of political gay bashing.
Phone calls and district office visits are needed.
  Prior to the August recess, both the House and Senate are attempting to
vote on health care reform legislation. In assessing all  health care reform
plans, NGLTF encourages activists to use the following five criteria: 1)
Universal coverage, providing health care to all those residing in the U.S.;
2) Comprehensive benefits, offering a broad package of treatments; 3) No
restrictions for pre-existing conditions; 4) Non-discrimination language,
barring discrimination based on sexual orientation; 5) Permanence, ensuring
that coverage cannot and will not be taken away. NGLTF, in coalition with
other organizations, has worked to secure sexual orientation in the
non-discrimination language of the various reform bills in Congress. Both
majority bills currently include that language. We expect some legislators
may attempt to delete this provision. Constituents must urge their
legislators to retain this language. 
 ENDA, which would ban employment discrimination based on sexual orientation,
enjoys unprecedented support in both the Senate and House. A Senate hearing
on the measure was held July 29. Through the powerful testimony of two people
who suffered extreme discrimination on the job due to their sexual
orientation, the hearing established the existence of such discrimination and
the need for the legislation. The legislation is supported by the Leadership
Conference on Civil Rights, the civil rights coalition that has driven all
major pieces of civil rights legislation for African-Americans, women and
people with disabilities. Contact your legislators and urge them to
co-sponsor and support the legislation.
 A third issue to discuss with your Senators is the recent spate of anti-gay
amendments offered by Sen. Jesse Helms. He has attached these measures to a
number of appropriations bills for the NEA, Departments of Agriculture and
Education, and more amendments are expected before and after the August
recess. Helms' rhetoric and long-winded speeches have swayed a majority of
Senators to support several anti-gay amendments in the past few weeks.
Senators must be  persuaded to oppose the Helms' amendments and to stand up
to his recent hijacking of the Senate floor to pursue his anti-gay agenda.
 NGLTF has created a seven-page August Congressional Action Kit, with talking
points about health care reform and ENDA; a summary of recent Helms anti-gay
amendments; Senate voting records on Helms' amendments; and a "how-to"
section for contacting Capitol Hill by phone, by letter or in person. Call
NGLTF for  an Action Kit at (202) 332-6483 ext. 3327 or call your legislator
immediately through the Capitol Switchboard, (202) 224-3121.

HOMOPHOBIA STOPS HERE
 Lesbian activist Dee Mosbacher has produced a dramatic new videotape in
response to the video wars launched by the Radical Right. In conjunction with
Frances Reid, Mosbacher has produced the 24-minute video "Straight from the
Heart" to confront the lies and distortions of the "Agenda" videos churned
out by the Far Right. The video profiles parents who have come to a new
understanding of their gay and lesbian children and now courageously wish to
share their stories. 
 The producers will be distributing the video in states facing anti-gay
ballot measures or where such measures are threatened for future action. The
producers hope to target legislators, educators, church members and others.
 Mosbacher is the daughter of Robert Mosbacher, former Secretary of Commerce
in the Bush administration and chief fundraiser for Bush's 1992 re-election
campaign. Although an activist all her adult life,  Mosbacher strengthened
her commitment to fight the Radical Right after watching the gay bashing
rhetoric of the 1992 Republican National Convention.
 Individuals and organizations may obtain a copy of the video for $39.95 from
Woman Vision, 3145 Geary Boulevard, Box 421, San Francisco, CA 94118.
Activists are encouraged to arrange group educational viewings of the video
with your church or other community organizations.  

THE OLYMPICS ARE OUT OF COBB!
 We scored a victory late last month as the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic
Games (ACOG) decided to move the 1996 Olympic volleyball venue out of the
anti-gay Cobb County, Georgia. NGLTF had worked closely with the Olympics Out
of Cobb Coalition to urge ACOG to take action, and Activist Alert readers had
contacted ACOG as well. Now attention must turn to the cause of it all--the
anti-gay resolution passed last year by the Cobb County Commissioners.
 Encourage Cobb citizens to demand the repeal of anti-gay resolution that
lost them the Olympic games and has brought negative national media
attention. Send letters to the editor to the Marietta Daily Journal, 580
Fairground St., Marietta, GA 30060 or the Atlanta Constitution, 72 Marietta
St., NW, Atlanta, GA 30303-2804.

VISA CARD HOLDERS TAKE ACTION
 Pat Robertson has called on his supporters to contact Visa and protest that
company's corporate donation of money and services to the Gay Games. While
the gay/lesbian/bisexual community does not have the television resources of
the 700 Club or Christian Broadcast Network, activists have been posting
notices over computer networks, generating calls and letters. Visa operators
have acknowledged the increase in calls. Because Visa operators at the
company's 800-telephone number are currently being deluged with pro and con
calls,  the company has recommended submitting your opinion through written
correspondence. 
 If you are a Visa cardholder, make sure to contact the company and support
their corporate donation to the Gay Games. Write Visa International, P.O. Box
8999, San Francisco, CA 94128-8999; or call 800-336-3386. 

CRS MANDATE UPDATE
 NGLTF has been urging Congress for years to expand the mandate of the
Department of Justice's Community Relations Service (CRS) to include sexual
orientation and religion. The CRS mandate has received renewed attention due
to NGLTF advocacy, the highly publicized dispute involving Camp Sister Spirit
in Mississippi, and many letters from constituents. Keep those letters
coming. Congressional hearings will be held  this month to look into the
issue of adding sexual orientation and religion to the CRS mandate.
 Urge Congress to expand the CRS mandate. Send letters to Rep. Jack Brooks,
chair of the House Judiciary Committee; Rep. Hamilton Fish, ranking
Republican; Sen. Joseph Biden, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee; and
Sen. Orrin Hatch, ranking Republican. Send Representatives' mail to U.S.
House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and Senators' mail to U.S.
 Senate, Washington, DC 20510. 

 If you have an item you think should be included in ACTIVIST ALERT, please
mail or fax it to Robin Kane, Activist Alert editor, NGLTF Policy Institute,
2320 17th  St., NW, Washington, DC 20009; fax (202) 332-0207; e-mail
[email-masked]. All entries should be national in scope or should allow for
activists from around the country to respond.