Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 09:42:27 -0700 From: Eros Publishing Subject: Press Release Combined Pride Update Dateline 5/12/98 On Friday, May 8, representatives of the Freedom Day Committee and Pacific Northwest Pride met to negotiate an agreement of how they could best work together to put on Pride in Seattle 1998, as agreed upon by representatives of both groups the previous week. This meeting was mediated by Randy Hensen of Tacky Tourists, and Jim Munoz of the Mayor's Office. Both groups, in the previous week, agreed to simple terms - no lawyers, no press, three representatives of each group with the power to make decisions on behalf of their group. Representing Pacific NorthWest Pride at the compromise meeting were Scott Lay (Executive Director, PNWP), Susan Tyler-Freer (Secretary, PNWP), and Jeff Newcomber (Treasurer, PNWP). Representing Freedom Day Committee were Jack Lemmon (FDC Co-Chair), Sue Docekal (FDC Rally Chair), TJ (FDC Member), and Kate Tossey (FDC Secretary)....as well as Martin Sjolie, FDC attorney. FDC representatives stated they did not have authority to commit for their group. At the request of Facilitator Randy Hensen, Sjolie left as his presence, as FDC's attorney, was in violation of the terms of the meeting. It was then stated that FDC had invited several others to come and sit in and observe, followed by what the response would be to that - Lay, of PNWP, replied it would be followed by PNWP's departure. Two out of three accounts of the meeting agree the first hour was spent primarily defining positions, the FDC representatives trying to bring the back to membership in FDC or a substantially identical simulcra, and the PNWP representatives being really clear that they were, and intended to remain, an utterly separate organization from FDC. A total of four proposals were present. The Community Leaders Proposal, the PNWP Proposal, a Proposal from Jim Munoz, and finally the FDC Proposal. The initial meeting was planned to discuss the Community Leader proposal. Still, the meeting proceeded, and came to a conclusion. What that conclusion was varies greatly depending on who you talk to... Summarized: FDC: PNWP was utterly inflexible, insisted on their way or no way, was utterly uninterested in negotiation. They refuse to work with FDC. PNWP: FDC arrived in violation of the terms of the meeting, presented a counter proposal, failed to under stand that if PNWP wanted to work within FDC, they'd still be members of FDC. Meeting was productive if nothing else in that FDC Rep's seemed to understand that by end of meeting and to accept there would be a continuing presence of another group in town. Facilitator: After a first hour of posturing, agreement was reached that FDC would get 5 hours of Stage Time at the Rally, that PNWP would handle vendors in the park and the organization of the Parade, FDC to vote on said proposal Sunday, May 10. Saturday, May 9th, an FDC volunteer(s) begins canvassing Capitol Hill business owners and passerby soliciting signatures on a petition requesting FDC be declared sole organizer of the '98 Pride Event, continuing on Sunday May 10th. Sunday, May 10th. The Freedom Day Committee rejects the terms agreed to May 8 and further attempts at compromise, with members deriding it as allowing Pacific NorthWest Pride to ride on the laurels of the FDC by having FDC go first in the Parade, selfish, ego-laden, and unnecessary since Pacific NorthWest Pride was "just two or three people, anyway." Mention was made of how to best influence various City Council Members in FDC's favor. FDC chose to continue to plan on putting on the event as the sole organizers. -30- Pacific NorthWest Pride 1122 East Pike Street, Suite 678, Seattle,Washington 98122 Phone: 206-346-0339 Meeting Weekly, 6pm at Four Angels Cafe pnwp@hotmail.com Freedom Day Committee 1122 E Pike Suite 969 Seattle WA 98122 (206)292-1035. Meeting Weekly at Seattle Central Community College, Portable B-108 6pm, Sundays fdcseattle@aol.com http://www.wolfenet.com/~aubrey/aubrey.htm