Subject: NGLTF Activist Alert 8/95
From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 1995 13:36:51 -0400

NATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN TASK FORCE

ACTIVIST ALERT -- AUGUST 1995

Contact: Karen Bullock-Jordan, (202) 332-6483, ext 3206; [email-masked]
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MEDICAID AT RISK!
 Congress will hear a Medicaid bill in mid-September or early October that
would imperil the lives of our nation's poorest people. Medicaid provides
basic health and long term care coverage for over 33 million low-income
Americans including 40% of  HIV-positive adults and 90% of HIV-positive
children.  The bill would cut $182 billion from projected Medicaid spending
over the next seven years.   This would be accomplished by limiting the rate
at which federal payments to states could grow and converting Medicaid from
an entitlement to a block grant.  Under a block grant, states would receive
lump sums of money, within the established growth cap, and have considerable
discretion over the use of funds.  Low-income individuals would no longer be
legally entitled to medical assistance and states would no longer receive
matching funds for all persons served.
  The White House and Congress have heard very little from constituents about
current plans for Medicaid that would lead to waiting lists for life saving
health care, decreased state revenue, and lowered standards for care.  These
cuts do not occur in a vacuum, but in an environment of dehumanization and
vilification of welfare recipients who are commonly stereotyped as lazy,
irresponsible, fraudulent, and as bad parents.  The g/l/b/t community can not
stand by as the health of our nation's poorest, both within and outside our
community, is sacrificed to support tax cuts for our nation's richest. 
 We must act to preserve Medicaid for low-income Americans.

ACTION:   
 Call, write or visit your senators and representative and tell them to
protect Medicaid as an entitlement and to resist unrealistic funding caps.
 Many Congress Members will be in  their home districts during the second
half of August to meet with constituents.  Call now to schedule a local
appointment.    To reach the Capitol Switchboard call 202-224-3121 or write
US House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and US Senate, Washington,
DC 20510.

  Call or write President Clinton and let him know that you expect him to
fight for the health of our poorest citizens.  Call 202-456-1414 or write,
President Clinton, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W., Washington, DC  20500.

THE PROMISE KEEPERS ARE COMING TO YOUR TOWN!
 Founded by former Colorado University's head football coach, Bill
McCartney--a noted active supporter of Colorado's anti-gay Amendment
2--Promise Keepers is an evangelical men's organization whose stated purpose
is to unite men to become  "Godly influences in their world".   Promise
Keepers exploits the very real need that some men have to be connected to
family and community by fostering anti-woman and anti-gay sentiment.  This
summer and fall,  the Promise Keepers is on a stadium tour, with most venues
sold out.  They will be at  the Thunderdome in Tampa, St. Petersburg, FL on
August 4 and 5; at the Oakland Colliseum in Oakland, CA on September 29 and
30; and at the Texas Stadium in Dallas, TX on October 27 and 28.

ACTION:     
 Be ready to expose the gap between Promise Keepers' rhetoric and reality
when they  come to your  town.   Write op-eds, hold a press conference,
 stage a community rally for unity.   Contact Karen Bullock-Jordan in the
NGLTF Field Department at extension 3206 for Promise Keeper background
information packets.

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK
 Efforts are underway by Right Wing leaders, including House Speaker Newt
Gingrich, Traditional Values head Lou Sheldon, and Representative Charles
Canady (R-FL) to weaken the wall separating church and state to allow for
school sponsored prayer and other forms of government-sponsored religious
expression.  These measures would perform radical surgery on the First
Amendment which has never been amended in over 200 years,  coercing religious
expression and disparaging the rights of religious minorities.  Hearings by
the Constitution Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee to quash
religious freedom are anticipated for this September.  This effort by the
Religious Right is clearly consistent with its goal of undermining individual
rights, particularly for minorities, including gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender people.

ACTION: 
 Solicit your clergy members and other people of faith to sign the Statement
in Support of Religious Liberty. This petition campaign is being sponsored by
the Coalition to Preserve Religious Liberty.  For a copy of the statement and
for more information call the Coalition at (202) 544-4226.

TO TEACH OR NOT TO TEACH HOMOPHOBIA
 California is preparing NOW to accept new health textbooks for use in the
state's public schools, grades K-12.  These decisions should be made
according to guidelines detailed in the Health Framework for California
Public Schools.  For the first time ever, this Framework requires that
instruction regarding sexual orientation "should affirm the dignity of all
individuals."  It is still unlikely that the state policy makers will follow
the Framework's mandate.  California could continue to purchase textbooks
that censor or distort lesbian, gay and bisexual lives.
 The new health textbooks adopted in California will probably be in use for 5
to 10 years.  Because California purchases a major share of all textbooks
published, the books used in this state often determine what books are
available for use by all other states.  As Activist Alert goes to press,
public hearings are being held by the California Curriculum Development
Commission.  The Commission will then recommend specific textbooks to the
State Board of Education for adoption.  In September, the State Board of
Education will cast a final vote based on the Commission's recommendations.

ACTION: 
 Demand that textbooks used in our public schools include fair and factual
information about lesbian, gay and bisexual subjects.   Remind the Board
members to vote for facts, not fears.  Write to: Marion McDowell, President
and All Members, State Board of  Education, 721 Capitol Mall, PO. Box 944272,
Sacramento, CA 94244-2720.  For more information contact GLAAD/Project 21,
Suite 200, 1360 Mission St., San Francisco,  CA 94103, tel. 415-861-4893, fax
415-861-4893, e-mail [email-masked].

YOUR CHANCE TO CREATE CHANGE!
 The early bird registration deadline for the Creating Change conference is
approaching fast.  After September 1,  rates for the conference and the
institutes go up. This year's conference will be in Detroit, MI.  Plenary
speakers include Urvashi Vaid, Rev. Elias Farajaje-Jones, Harry Britt and
Wisconsin State Representative Tammy Baldwin.
 Got a workshop idea for the conference?  Workshop proposals are still being
reviewed and considered for inclusion in the 1995 program.

ACTION:  
 If you already have a brochure, send in your registration before September
1st in order to receive the early bird registration rate.  If  you need to
receive a brochure call (202) 332-6483 ext. 3229.  Send workshop proposals by
August 15th to Sue Hyde, Director of  Creating Change, NGLTF, 1151
Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge MA 02138
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The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is a leading national civil rights
organization that has supported grassroots organizing since 1973.