From: RAKNGLTF@aol.com 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 rakngltf@aol.com. All entries should be national in scope or should allow for activists from around the country to respond.