The Herland Voice : v.14: no.2(1996)
- Title
- The Herland Voice : v.14: no.2(1996)
- Description
- The Herland Voice is the monthly publication of Herland Sister Resources, a womanist organization with a strong lesbian focus based in Oklahoma City.
- Publisher
- en_US Herland Sister Resources
- Date Issued
- 1996-02
- Rights
- All rights reserved by Herland Sister Resources. Contact UCO Archives & Special Collections for the permission policy on the use, reproduction or distribution of these materials.
- Is Part Of
- Herland Voice
- Creator
- Herland Sister Resources
- Date
- 2017-09-02T17:00:10Z
- Date Available
- 2017-09-02T17:00:10Z
- Subject
- Oklahoma
- Type
- application/pdf
- extracted text
-
'Ifie
HERLANDV ICE
February, 1996
A powerful voice for justice was stilled when Barbara C.
Jordan, 59, died of complications of leukemia on January 16,
1996. Jordan was the first woman and the first African-American
elected to Congress from Texas after Reconstruction. She gained
national notice as a member of the House Judiciary Committee
during the impeachment hearing of President Nixon in 1974. At
the time of her death, she held the Lyndon B. Johnson Centennial
Chair in National Policy at the University of Texas, Austin.
She began her career in politics in the Kennedy-Johnson
campaign. "They put me to work licking stamps and addressing
envelopes. One night we went out to a church to enlist Ne!!fo
0
voters and the woman who was supposed to speak didn't show up.
I volunteered to speak in her place and right after that, they took
me off licking and addressing." In 1966, she was elected to the
Texas State Senate becoming the first African-American Texas
state senator. Within 6 years, she was selected to the post of
Speaker pro tern of the Texas State House. After her election to
Congress in 1972, she served for three terms, leaving Congress in
1979 to teach at the University of Texas.
Professor Jordan was named Chair of the Commission
on Immigration Reform by President Clinton in December of
1993. The President also presented her with the Presidential
Medal of Freedom, the nation's most prestigious civilian award.
Other awards and honors include the Nelson Mandela Award for
Health and Human Rights, the 77th NAACP Spingarn Award, the
Eleanor Roosevelt Val -Kill Medal, and induction into the
African-American Hall of Fame and the National Women's Hall
of Fame.
In 1995, as Chairperson of the Commission on
Immigration Reform, she spoke in Congress against a proposal to
deny automatic citizenship to children born in the United States to
undocumented immigrant parents.
Barbara Jordan was born February 21, 1936 in Houston.
She attended the segregated public schools of Houston and
graduated from all-black Texas Southern University. She
completed law school at Boston University. Her father, a Baptist
minister, worked as a warehouse clerk to help her pay for college.
''We were poor, but so was everyone around us , so we didn't
notice it," said Jordan.
She is survived by her mother, Aryleene; two
sisters, Bennie Cresswell and Rose Mary McGowan, and a
brother-in-law, John McGowan, all of Houston.
"Many fear the future. Many are distrustful of their
leaders 011d believe that their voices are never heard. Many seek
only to satisfy their private work wants, to satisfy their private
interests. But this is the great danger America/aces. That we will
cease to be one nation and become instead a collection of interest
groups: city against suburb, region against region, individual
against individual. Each seeking to satisfy private wants.
If that happens, who then will speak for America? ...
What are those of us who are elected public officials supposed to
do? l'll tell you this: we as public servants must set an example
for the rest of the nation. It is hypocritical for the public official
to admonish and exhort the people to uphold the common good if
we are derelict in upholding the common good. More is required
of public officials than slogans and handshakes and press
releases. More is required. We must hold ourselves strictly
accountable. We must provide the people with a vision of the
future."
Barbara Jordan speaking at the 1976
Democratic Convention
"Reaffirm what ought to be. Get back to the truth; that's
old, but get back to it. Get back to what's honest; tell government
to do that . Affirm the civil liberties of the people of this country.
Do that."
Barbara Jordan speaking to graduates of
Howard University in 1974
ACADEMIC DYKES - The next
Academics (women in higher education and
friends) Potluck will be on February 10th at 6:30
p.m. For more information, call Gail at
521-8447.
CLEAN-UP DAY!! - Yard/building cleanup day for HSR planned for April. Watch for
details.
BERLAND SPRING RETREAT
May 17-19 at Roman Nose State Park.
The Voice for registration information.
DONNA D!!! - Performing at Herland,
Saturday, March 2 at 7 p.m. You don't want to
miss this!
*
Volume 14 Number 2
Herland Sister Resources
2312 NW 39, OKC, OK 73112
Sybil Ludington. as almost no one knows. is an unsung hero of the
American Revolutionary War. The Matron Saint of the Forgotten
Woman. she is an occasional contributor to these pages.
Dear St. Sybil,
Does it seem to you that we are rushing backwards at
warp speed to abandon the gains of the last thirty years? Have
you noticed, for example, that young women are having their
fathers "give them away" at weddings again, that they are not
keeping their own name when they get married, that they are
being called - and calling themselves - "girls" again? I just want
to throw up. And listen to this: The City Council here in
Oklahoma City nearly passed a Human Rights Ordinance that
would have exempted private clubs from coverage - shades of the
days when white women entered through the side door of men's
clubs to go to the dining room on Ladies Day, and of course black
women and men came in the back door to go to the kitchen. The
Council would have passed it that way, if they hadn't been too
mean to pass any ordinance at all. How mean are they? On
January 23 they abolished the Human Rights Commission
altogether.
But that's not my gripe du jour; fur is. I see a lot of fur
these days, even though just yesterday it seemed there was a
growing consensus that wearing fur is reprehensible. I hoped that
people, once enlightened, would remain so; but evidently I was
wrong. Now I fear that a lot of people kept their fur in the closet
during those years, when fur was the "hot" issue, not because of
an attack of conscience but to avoid an attack of spray paint.
My personal problem is that my basic shyness
intermingles with my impeccable manners and gets tangled up
with my moral cowardice; and consequently I never know what to
say to people wearing fur. Every once in a while I go out at night
and shoot up a furrier's windows with red paint pellets and feel a
little better for a while, but mostly I just do nothing and say
nothing, and hate myself for it. Can you help me figure out
something to say to these people? Thank you very much.
Passionately,
2 Wimpy 2 Live
I'll try, but you should know that your exquisite manners
were specifically designed to control your passion, so you'll have
to lighten up on one or the other.
Anyway, the next time you see someone wearing fur, try
sincerity - if it is someone you know and kind of like, just tell
them how disappointed you are; or maybe a little theatre: "My
· heavens, what a beautiful fake fur. It WHAT???? No!! Oh no.
Oh, my, I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone wore fur anymore .. .. ".
Look stricken and edge sadly away.
If you are feeling more confrontational, and why not,
you might try one of these:
Her/and Voice
Yours for skinning the OKC City
Council, not poor animals,
Sybil
In a effort to develop a campaign targeting substance use
as it relates to HIV prevention, Red Rock Outreach will host a
series of focus groups this month. The focus groups will be
broken down into four specific meetings based on ethnic
background, race and gender. All meetings will meet at 6:30 p.m.
at the Epworth United Methodist Church, 1901 N. Douglas on the
following dates:
Feb. 7 - Focus will be on the African-American
community.
Feb. 14 - Focus will be on the gay and bisexual male.
Feb 21- Focus will be on lesbians and bisexual women.
Feb 28- Focus will be on Native Americans
For additional information, please contact OUTREACH at
425-0399. "CL
Dear2,
2
rr On the street: "My, that's quite a coat...Will you bold
still just a moment while I fetch my spray paint?"
rr Likewise, in a restaurant: "My, that's quite a
coat... .uh Waiter, will you bring me a big bottle of ketchup
please?"
,,.. Anywhere: "My, that's quite a coat. Was it leg-hold
trapped or electrocuted, do you know?"
,,.. My, what a pretty coat. Preserving a family pet?"
,,.. "My God, Trigger! What have you done to
Trigger?!?"
rr "My God, Lassie! What have you done to
Lassie?!?!?"
rr My God, Huffy! What in God's name have you done
to my cat?!?!?"
and my personal favorite,
rr "My, tliat is quite a coat. Did you kill it yourself?"
February, 1996
Published by: Herland Sister Resources, Inc. 2312
N.W. 39th, Oklahoma City, OK 73112
Circulation: 1200
The Voice is offered as an open forum for community
discourse. Articles reflect the opinions of the author and
not necessarily those of Herland Sister Resources.
Unsolicited articles and letters to the editor are welcomed
and must be signed by the writer with full name and
address. Upon request, letters or articles may be printed
under a pseudonym or anonymously.
The Voice is
printed on recycled paper.
Cruising the Web
by Pat Reaves
This month's starting place for Web exploration is ISIS,
a World Wide Web site featuring the art and culture of women of
the African diaspora. [http://www.netdiva.com/isisplus.html]
(For Isis Lite, the text only version go to
http://www.netdiva.com/isis.html). Isis has many links to pages
about and for women of African descent. Sprinkled throughout
are wonderful quotes.
The links are divided into Our Story, pages about black
women; The Performing Arts, pages about the arts and black
women as performing artists; ''The Written Word," links to the
writing of black women and information about black women
authors; and Organizations, Institutions and Events. Following
the trails starting at ISIS, I found some other great sites about
black women and the history of African-Americans.
Don't miss "Prayer for the Natural Woman" at
http://www.netdiva.comlprayer.
The Library of Congress Exhibit, "Selections from the
African-American Mosaic: A Library of Congress Resource
Guide for the Study of Black History and Culture" at
http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/African .American/intro .html is a
high priority for anyone who'll be teaching about AfricanAmerican history or anyone who wants to increase her
knowledge. It is a sampler from the Library of Congress
publication, The African-American Mosaic: A library of
Congress Resource Guide for the Study of Black History and
Culture, a resource guide to the institution's African-American
collections. Covering the nearly 500 years of the black
experience in the Wes tern hemisphere, the Mosaic surveys the
full range size, and variety of the Library's collections, including
books, periodicals, prints, photographs, music, film, and recorded
sound.
BLK Homie Page(http://WWW.BLK.COMIBLKI) is the
homepage for BLK Publications. It provides news and
information about the black lesbian and gay community as well as
information about BLK publications.
Don't forget, send me the addresses for your favorite web
sites! You can email me at preaves@mail.icon.net. *
A BOOK REVIEW
by Jo L. Soske
If we have not been long awaiting Clare Coss's
anthology of lesbian poetry, The Arc of Love, we have been
remiss. The collection is a masterpiece as are many of its nearly
150 entries . The pages come to life with the real issues of lesbian
being: disability, lesbophobia, passion, lack of passion, racism,
physical abuse, addiction, breaking up, staying together, dieing,
living, and a plethora more.
In her brilliant introduction, Coss addresses the
possibilities and pitfalls wiique to lesbian relationships. She does
this with the insight of a therapist and the craft of a poet. She is
keenly aware of the challenges and obstacles we face as well as
the promise and inventiveness we possess. Knowing the dynamic
quests of our lives, she has creatively chosen poems and poets
which capture the essence (or non-essence) of these quests with
their tapestries of words. Her skill as a psychotherapist is
displayed in her arrangement of the poems. It is nearly
developmental.
Coss's anthology contains the powerful and beautiful
words of our foremothers and heroes as well as those of talented
poets on the h01izon. It blends the voices of the very young and
the very old as well as those belonging to women of African,
Asian, Native American, Hebrew, and European descent. The
works are a tribute to the creativity, genius, and love to be found
in the lesbian community.
Coss says that "The Arc of love is a journey ... " She is
correct, it is a journey into the diverse reality of our lives. It is a
journey that can be taken in accessible language, and one that
should not be niissed. No lesbian home should be without the Arc
of Love.
Have Herland order your copy.*
With February being Black History Month. It is a great time to see what HERLAND's LENDING LIBRARY has to
offer in autobiographies or biographies (west wall, short bookcase). Some books on noted women such as Angela Davis or
Audre Lorde are on the shelves, as well as others not as well known. Several volumes on Black Women in the non-fiction and
reference sections are also available. For this month, there will be a display of mate1ials related to Black History in the library.
For better access to the entire collection, new library shelves have been constrncted, and the categories of books have
been rearranged. The fiction category is now on the north wall, and the reference and non-fiction is on the east wall. Back issues
of periodicals are on the top shelves along both walls. If looking for a particular title, check the shelf signs or check the updated
card catalog (in process).
In order to be organized and conduct an inventory, there will be an extra effort in the next two months to get overdue
books returned. Fines will be waived because having t11e books back on the shelf is t11e goal. If you receive a renunder by phone
or mail, don't be surprised or offended.
Donations and suggestions are always welcome. For more information, call 521-9696 and leave a message for the
library clerk or visit with a volunteer on the weekend.*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~4~··7~-+:~;,
· 4~~~4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3 Her/and Voice
February, 1996
COUNSELING FOR LESBIANS
available Wednesday evenings.
M.E.D./M.H.R./C.A.D.C./L.P.C. at 321-0134 for an appointment.
For more information contact Jo L. Soske
HEAL YOUR LIFE - a support group for HIV positive and catastrophic illness will meet every Thursday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. at
Unity Church of Practical Christianity, 5603 N.W. 41st in OKC starting March 7. This group will offer alternative healing methods for
healing Body, Mind and Spirit. Please phone 789-2424 for more information.
8TH GULF COAST WOMYN'S FESTIVAL - April 4-7, 1996. Come and create this Lesbian-Feminist Festival: Sober land and
safespace at Camp Sister Spirit; Ovett, Mississippi. Brenda and Wanda Henson, Co-Producers. Please come and help us make our 1st
Land Payment which is due the week after the festival. Workshops, night stage, craftwomyn show , raffle, silent auction, good southern
food, and hospitality. Write: P.O. Box 12, Ovett, MS 39464.
LOVE IS IN THE AIR - 1996 17th Annual GLPCI & COLAGE Conference July 4th-7th (a conference for Lesbian, Bisexuali
Transgender and Gay parents, their Children, Friends and Family). Minnesota Families will be your host for the 17th Annual
Conference at the Regal Hotel in downtown Minneapolis. Inquiries should be addressed to: Minnesota Families GLPO 96, P.O. Box
11970, St. Paul, MN 55111-0970
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION - has named a new Director for it's Reproductive Freedom Project. Laura K. Rhodes,
LCSW, will head up the project for 1996. Ms. Rhodes is also a law student at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. ACLU-Oklahoma
Foundation Executive Director Joann Bell says Ms. Rhodes will be monitoring all newly introduced legislation and the Reproductive
Freedom Project will actively lobby to oppose any unconstitutional legislation dealing with the Choice issue. The ACLU Reproductive
Freedom Project was formed in 1994 and actively takes part in pro-choice activities in the state of Oklahoma. Ms . Rhodes will be the
media spokesperson for ACLU Oklahoma on all pro-choice issues. She may be reached at 405-525-3831.
REACH 3000 WOMEN FOR JUST $.17 EACH! Need to Know Press, the publishers of Women Oughta Know, would like to
introduce you to a new marketing opportunity, reaching thousands of women for just pennies a contact. Women Oughta Know Co-op
provides women-owned businesses an equal market opportunity through cooperative direct mail advertising. For only $500, your
organization can send a brochure, catalog, flyer, sample issue, or free sample/product give-away along with our monthly female fact
sheet, Women Oughta Know, to 3000 female consumers. WOK Co-op will be mailed bi-monthly with our first mailing in March, 1996.
For more information about Women Oughta K11ow and WOK Co-op, please call or fax us at 408-865-0472, or write for guidelines and
registration form to Need to Know Press. P.O. Box 1947, Cupertino, CA 95015.
·' ~
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l"lataSha RICE
(405) 447-5111
REBECCA R. COHN, Ph.D.
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
P.O. Box 5119
Norman, Okla. 73070
\' ---.~'"'~~\-~~\.S
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321-2148
::l .. . 81oap ...
Family Therapy
~~
4
Her/and Voice
February, 1996
.
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heR1t:Mie ptau
196! w. '1inbsey
"'110.man, Ok 73069
Music
Review
by Jill Gamer
I've heard a couple of women recently that I really like.
And while they're not exactly unknown, and are enjoying frequent
airtime on the radio, I'd like to share with you that these two
talented women who both have good albums worth hearing
Joan Osborne - Relish
It took me a few listens to really like this album, but it's
one of my favorites now. One of Us is being played on
commercial radio now ... A lot. It's a good song and quite catchy.
However, this album is full of great songs, from alternative rock
to pop to bluesy soul, and most don't fit neatly into radio
acceptable singles. I like this album a lot because Osborne's got a
lot of versatility and an interesting sound. Not every song sounds
the same and her voice ranges from deep and raspy to a higher,
extremely smooth sound, the kind of voice I marvel at. Osborne
contributed to the writing of every song but three. Her songs,
ranging from the rockin' Right Hand Man, to the funky Spider
Web and the silly Let's Just Get Naked, prove that Osborne's got
the talent to be more than a one hit wonder, and the songs are
complex enough that I'm not sick of them after three listens.
Alanis Morrisette - Jagged Little Pill
Although the radio station is currently playing two of her
s constantly and ruining them, this album is also worth checking
out. Alanis' music is an offbeat mixture of rock, pop, and
alternative rock, and she's a talented songwriter. This woman can
rock! Jagged Little Pill is a great mix of songs that explore many
of the seedier sides of human nature, but I also see a tough woman
in her songs making it through life on top. I love so many of the
lyrics on this album. Forgiven, my favorite song, seems to me to
be about the struggle to believe in Catholicism while at the same
time trying to break free of its confinement and rigid belief
system. "You know how us Catholic girls can be, We make up for
so much time a little too late, I never forgot it, confusing as it was,
No jun with no guilt feelings, The sinners, the saviors, the
loverless priests, I'll see you next Sunday." Many of Morrisette's
lyrics don't at ways paint a pretty picture; "It's a long way down,
On this roller coaster, The last chance streetcar, Went off the
track, And you're on it," and some are too sexually explicit for the
radio so they change the words. But, I like this woman and the
grittiness and bold sexuality that her songs convey. I just have to
remember to change the radio station when her songs come on
now. Her music's too fun to get sick of.
One other note: I noticed in the Gazette that the OCU
theater will be performing Tony Kushner's Tony-award-winning
AIDS epic Angels in America in March. Watch for it and don't
miss it if you didn't make it to any of the cities it played.~
UNDER THE GUISE • • .COULD
IT HAPPEN HERE? by j
Early in December of 1995 a revision of the Religious
Corporation Law passed tl1e Upper House of the Japanese Diet.
The revision gives the Japanese government
unprecedented rights to interfere with the activities of religious
organizations.
..
.
Sponsored by Japan's ruling coal1tion, The Liberal
Democratic Party (LDP), this legislation was initially presented
as a response to the public's outcries that the government take
some action to prevent incidents such as those allegedly
perpetrated by Amn Shimikyo (Supreme Truth) Group, which
was implicated in the sarin gas attacks on Japan's subway system
in March of last year.
This revision is reminiscent of controls levied by the
Japanese government prior to and during World War II which
sought to combine all religions under State Shinto and led to the
persecution of resistant groups.
. .
Protests from more than 20 Japanese-based religious
groups and a statement of protest signed by represe~tatives of
several religious and civil liberties groups from the Umted States
did little to dissuade passage of this legislation which federal
authority over religious corporations when they engage in
activities in more than one prefecture (similar to states),
expanding federal conu·ol and permitting governmental definition
of what constitutes religious activity.
\Ve, her in the United States have had our own
confrontations witl1 incidents which shocked our sensitivities and
seemed to have religious overtones and similar voices were raised
demanding expanded government intervention in religious
affairs. Fortunately, at this point, wisdom has prevailed over fear
ancl"suspicion, and no hasty courses of action have been taken.
However, with another Presidential election year upon us and
given some of the subliminal platform issues, the Japanese
legislation could be a wake-up call.
The reason for U1is statement is tied to the headline on
this article. What has recently surfaced in the Japanese press,
based on statements from various members of the LDP, is an
admission that the true purpose of this legislation is to allow the
Japanese government to control one particular religious group
(not implicated in any way with the nerve gas incidents). before
the 1996 elections.
While the religious group itself is not political, its
membership has given strong support to the New Frontier Party
and there are implications that another sect with ties to the LDP.
Although the LDP was formed in 1955, its predecessors ruled
Japan before World War 11, and as explained by Dennis B. Smith
in "Japan Since 1945: The Rise of an Economic Superpower":
The LDP was very much the creation of big business
which had forced the right-wing politicians to sink their
differences and use their energies to fight the socialists (pg 7?).
By now some of you out there are probably wondenng,
"OK? So what does this have to do with me, us?" To tell the truth,
I'm .not exactly sure. Have you ever read something that just
struck a chord and caused you to ponder? (continued next page)
5
Her/and Voice
February, 1996
UNDER THE GVISE ••• (cont'd.frompreviouspage)
Sometime ago I heard a speaker paraphrase a familiar
thought suggesting that at times it could be said we have no
government "... of the stupid people, by the stupid people, for the
stupid people".
Given some of the issues facing us today and the clin1ate,
politically, and socially (in all its aspects) ... often presented in a
manner calculated to incite or strike fear in our hearts and
minds ... cries of "WOLF! WOLF!" or "THE SKY IS
FALLING!" .. .followed by suggestions for solutions which may,
in a state of panic sound "right on", but on closer examination lack
any connection to a concept of basic humanity, sanity, and good
common sense when projected on the screen of the future, could
there not be reason to pause and think about what the real issues
might be, what really matters to each of us individually and
collectively and determine not to only be moved, in any direction
or purpose by provoking speeches and gestures alone?
It has been my experience that actions taken in a state of
contrived panic, for reasons real or imagined, by myself or others
often create regrets and a whole new set of problems which often
seem to take me further off course.
'nuff said.*
that time the parade began to move.
Presently, I spied two familiar figures, sitting on top of a
car at the intersection, waving and shouting wildly .. .it was our
own Margaret and Wanda.
The parade moved across downtown to the Civic Center
at which point many of the marchers retreated to the sidewalk to
watch
the
rest
of
the
parade
go
past... waving ... dancing ... singing ... cheering.
Finally, more familiar faces came into view as Simply
Equal and OGLPC moved in our direction. Helen and Tina came
and joined me on the sidewalk watching until the end of the
parade ... and the HORSES.
It was a very nioving occasion. I thought about how far
we have come .. .all of us. I thought about the Little Rock Nine and
little Ruby in New Orleans, about my first real encounter with
segregation back in 1960 in New Bern, North Carolina. Growing
up in Western Massachusetts, I had never really seen
discrimination or segregation in all of its ugliness.
Remembering the '60's, the Democratic Convention, the
freedom riders, tl1e Lhree slain civil rights activist...just college
kids ... the Mississippi contingent representing the Freedom
Democratic Party ... determined to change the old ways ... facing
down tl1e powers tliat held tl1em at bay for so long ... how tl1ey
HUNG IN ... heads and spirits high ... never losing sight of tl1e
DREAM ... not tl1en, not now.
I was glad I went. Wish more people had found tlie time
to come. Maybe ... NEXT TIME???
*
by jingles
Oklahoma City ... January 15... Just returned from the
Martin Luther King Day events in OKC on this cold and overcast
Monday.
Happily, the weather had absolutely no impact on the
events or participants .. .which were spirited, warm and sunny.
At first I didn't see anyone that I knew as I walked the
block and a half from where I parked to the Calvary Baptist
Church, on a street with throngs headed towards the parade route
to watch or march.
There was no way even one more person could get into
the overflowing church, so I joined the masses on the sidewalk,
still looking for a familiar face.
The first familiar face saw me before I saw her. ..Bemice,
a member of the OKC Human Rights Commission, who stood
with us, in the bone-chilling cold, on the steps of City Hall during
the vigil for Roxanne Ellis and Michelle Abdill on January 2. She
was trying to find where that sporty yellow car she would be
toting dignitaries in would be in the line-up. Neat lady, that
Bernice!
Soon after that, I ran into Anne Murry and Nathaniel
· from the Peace House. They were marching close to the front of
the parade behind Epworth United Methodist, Ray Jones and the
group from AT&T, and the Oklahoma Toxics Campaign.
Deciding I was in good company I fell in amongst them in my
HERL.AND SIBRT.
Next, I saw Fannie Bates handing out circulars on the
Northeast OKC Environmental Justice Project and it was about
6 Her/and Voice
February, 1996
Challenge to the Military's Ban on
Gays Argued Before Federal
Appeals Court in New York
NEW YORK - (reprinted in part) Moving closer to a
widely anticipated ruling by tl1e United States Supreme Court, a
constitutional challenge to tlie Clinton Administration's ban on
gays in tlie military was argued before a federal appeals court in
New York on Janumy 16.
The case, Able v. USA, is the first case to directly
challenge the law barring lesbians and gay men from openly
serving in the nlilitmy. Brought on behalf of six service members,
the lawsuit contends that the so-called "don't ask, don't tell"
legislation is discriminatory, based on prejudice, and in violation
of free speech and equal protection.
111e challenge is on appeal from a federal district court in
Brooklyn, wllich dealt a major blow to the military's new ban in
March. 111e lower court ruled that tlie law violated the First and
Fifth Amendments, aud was based solely on the fears and
prejudices of heterosexual troops.
Although a ruling in this case is not likely to be handed
down for several montl1s, the U.S. Supreme Court -- which has
never before examined tl1e issue -- is expected to take up the law
as early as next year. Another case in Virginia, Thomasson v.
Perry, is also making its way up tlrrough the courts, as is Phillips
v. Perry in Wasllington State.~'<
- - - Herland Sister Resources - - February 1996
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6:30 PM Acade-
83rd Birth Anniversary of Rosa
Parks, who
started the
Montgomery
bus boycott
11
mic Dykescall 521-8447
12
13
14
15
16
94th Birth Anniversary of Marian
Anderson, the
first woman of
color to sing
with the Metropolitian Opera
176th Birth Anniversary of
Susan B. Anthony, women's
rights crusader
18
19
20
21
4:30 PM.
Harland
Board
Meeting
25
22
First women's basketball game in Madison Square Garden,
1974
104111 Birth Anniversary of Edna St.
Vincent Millay,
American poet
26
27
Sonia Johnson's
60th Birthday.
She was excommunicated from
the Mormon
Church for her
support of the
ERA.
28
29
17
23
24
6:30 PM Newsletter mailing party
l
NonProfit Org.
U.S . Postage
PAID
2312 N.W. 39th Street
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
RETURN POST AGE GUARANTEED
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Permit No .861
-
'Ifie
HERLANDV ICE
February, 1996
A powerful voice for justice was stilled when Barbara C.
Jordan, 59, died of complications of leukemia on January 16,
1996. Jordan was the first woman and the first African-American
elected to Congress from Texas after Reconstruction. She gained
national notice as a member of the House Judiciary Committee
during the impeachment hearing of President Nixon in 1974. At
the time of her death, she held the Lyndon B. Johnson Centennial
Chair in National Policy at the University of Texas, Austin.
She began her career in politics in the Kennedy-Johnson
campaign. "They put me to work licking stamps and addressing
envelopes. One night we went out to a church to enlist Ne!!fo
0
voters and the woman who was supposed to speak didn't show up.
I volunteered to speak in her place and right after that, they took
me off licking and addressing." In 1966, she was elected to the
Texas State Senate becoming the first African-American Texas
state senator. Within 6 years, she was selected to the post of
Speaker pro tern of the Texas State House. After her election to
Congress in 1972, she served for three terms, leaving Congress in
1979 to teach at the University of Texas.
Professor Jordan was named Chair of the Commission
on Immigration Reform by President Clinton in December of
1993. The President also presented her with the Presidential
Medal of Freedom, the nation's most prestigious civilian award.
Other awards and honors include the Nelson Mandela Award for
Health and Human Rights, the 77th NAACP Spingarn Award, the
Eleanor Roosevelt Val -Kill Medal, and induction into the
African-American Hall of Fame and the National Women's Hall
of Fame.
In 1995, as Chairperson of the Commission on
Immigration Reform, she spoke in Congress against a proposal to
deny automatic citizenship to children born in the United States to
undocumented immigrant parents.
Barbara Jordan was born February 21, 1936 in Houston.
She attended the segregated public schools of Houston and
graduated from all-black Texas Southern University. She
completed law school at Boston University. Her father, a Baptist
minister, worked as a warehouse clerk to help her pay for college.
''We were poor, but so was everyone around us , so we didn't
notice it," said Jordan.
She is survived by her mother, Aryleene; two
sisters, Bennie Cresswell and Rose Mary McGowan, and a
brother-in-law, John McGowan, all of Houston.
"Many fear the future. Many are distrustful of their
leaders 011d believe that their voices are never heard. Many seek
only to satisfy their private work wants, to satisfy their private
interests. But this is the great danger America/aces. That we will
cease to be one nation and become instead a collection of interest
groups: city against suburb, region against region, individual
against individual. Each seeking to satisfy private wants.
If that happens, who then will speak for America? ...
What are those of us who are elected public officials supposed to
do? l'll tell you this: we as public servants must set an example
for the rest of the nation. It is hypocritical for the public official
to admonish and exhort the people to uphold the common good if
we are derelict in upholding the common good. More is required
of public officials than slogans and handshakes and press
releases. More is required. We must hold ourselves strictly
accountable. We must provide the people with a vision of the
future."
Barbara Jordan speaking at the 1976
Democratic Convention
"Reaffirm what ought to be. Get back to the truth; that's
old, but get back to it. Get back to what's honest; tell government
to do that . Affirm the civil liberties of the people of this country.
Do that."
Barbara Jordan speaking to graduates of
Howard University in 1974
ACADEMIC DYKES - The next
Academics (women in higher education and
friends) Potluck will be on February 10th at 6:30
p.m. For more information, call Gail at
521-8447.
CLEAN-UP DAY!! - Yard/building cleanup day for HSR planned for April. Watch for
details.
BERLAND SPRING RETREAT
May 17-19 at Roman Nose State Park.
The Voice for registration information.
DONNA D!!! - Performing at Herland,
Saturday, March 2 at 7 p.m. You don't want to
miss this!
*
Volume 14 Number 2
Herland Sister Resources
2312 NW 39, OKC, OK 73112
Sybil Ludington. as almost no one knows. is an unsung hero of the
American Revolutionary War. The Matron Saint of the Forgotten
Woman. she is an occasional contributor to these pages.
Dear St. Sybil,
Does it seem to you that we are rushing backwards at
warp speed to abandon the gains of the last thirty years? Have
you noticed, for example, that young women are having their
fathers "give them away" at weddings again, that they are not
keeping their own name when they get married, that they are
being called - and calling themselves - "girls" again? I just want
to throw up. And listen to this: The City Council here in
Oklahoma City nearly passed a Human Rights Ordinance that
would have exempted private clubs from coverage - shades of the
days when white women entered through the side door of men's
clubs to go to the dining room on Ladies Day, and of course black
women and men came in the back door to go to the kitchen. The
Council would have passed it that way, if they hadn't been too
mean to pass any ordinance at all. How mean are they? On
January 23 they abolished the Human Rights Commission
altogether.
But that's not my gripe du jour; fur is. I see a lot of fur
these days, even though just yesterday it seemed there was a
growing consensus that wearing fur is reprehensible. I hoped that
people, once enlightened, would remain so; but evidently I was
wrong. Now I fear that a lot of people kept their fur in the closet
during those years, when fur was the "hot" issue, not because of
an attack of conscience but to avoid an attack of spray paint.
My personal problem is that my basic shyness
intermingles with my impeccable manners and gets tangled up
with my moral cowardice; and consequently I never know what to
say to people wearing fur. Every once in a while I go out at night
and shoot up a furrier's windows with red paint pellets and feel a
little better for a while, but mostly I just do nothing and say
nothing, and hate myself for it. Can you help me figure out
something to say to these people? Thank you very much.
Passionately,
2 Wimpy 2 Live
I'll try, but you should know that your exquisite manners
were specifically designed to control your passion, so you'll have
to lighten up on one or the other.
Anyway, the next time you see someone wearing fur, try
sincerity - if it is someone you know and kind of like, just tell
them how disappointed you are; or maybe a little theatre: "My
· heavens, what a beautiful fake fur. It WHAT???? No!! Oh no.
Oh, my, I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone wore fur anymore .. .. ".
Look stricken and edge sadly away.
If you are feeling more confrontational, and why not,
you might try one of these:
Her/and Voice
Yours for skinning the OKC City
Council, not poor animals,
Sybil
In a effort to develop a campaign targeting substance use
as it relates to HIV prevention, Red Rock Outreach will host a
series of focus groups this month. The focus groups will be
broken down into four specific meetings based on ethnic
background, race and gender. All meetings will meet at 6:30 p.m.
at the Epworth United Methodist Church, 1901 N. Douglas on the
following dates:
Feb. 7 - Focus will be on the African-American
community.
Feb. 14 - Focus will be on the gay and bisexual male.
Feb 21- Focus will be on lesbians and bisexual women.
Feb 28- Focus will be on Native Americans
For additional information, please contact OUTREACH at
425-0399. "CL
Dear2,
2
rr On the street: "My, that's quite a coat...Will you bold
still just a moment while I fetch my spray paint?"
rr Likewise, in a restaurant: "My, that's quite a
coat... .uh Waiter, will you bring me a big bottle of ketchup
please?"
,,.. Anywhere: "My, that's quite a coat. Was it leg-hold
trapped or electrocuted, do you know?"
,,.. My, what a pretty coat. Preserving a family pet?"
,,.. "My God, Trigger! What have you done to
Trigger?!?"
rr "My God, Lassie! What have you done to
Lassie?!?!?"
rr My God, Huffy! What in God's name have you done
to my cat?!?!?"
and my personal favorite,
rr "My, tliat is quite a coat. Did you kill it yourself?"
February, 1996
Published by: Herland Sister Resources, Inc. 2312
N.W. 39th, Oklahoma City, OK 73112
Circulation: 1200
The Voice is offered as an open forum for community
discourse. Articles reflect the opinions of the author and
not necessarily those of Herland Sister Resources.
Unsolicited articles and letters to the editor are welcomed
and must be signed by the writer with full name and
address. Upon request, letters or articles may be printed
under a pseudonym or anonymously.
The Voice is
printed on recycled paper.
Cruising the Web
by Pat Reaves
This month's starting place for Web exploration is ISIS,
a World Wide Web site featuring the art and culture of women of
the African diaspora. [http://www.netdiva.com/isisplus.html]
(For Isis Lite, the text only version go to
http://www.netdiva.com/isis.html). Isis has many links to pages
about and for women of African descent. Sprinkled throughout
are wonderful quotes.
The links are divided into Our Story, pages about black
women; The Performing Arts, pages about the arts and black
women as performing artists; ''The Written Word," links to the
writing of black women and information about black women
authors; and Organizations, Institutions and Events. Following
the trails starting at ISIS, I found some other great sites about
black women and the history of African-Americans.
Don't miss "Prayer for the Natural Woman" at
http://www.netdiva.comlprayer.
The Library of Congress Exhibit, "Selections from the
African-American Mosaic: A Library of Congress Resource
Guide for the Study of Black History and Culture" at
http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/African .American/intro .html is a
high priority for anyone who'll be teaching about AfricanAmerican history or anyone who wants to increase her
knowledge. It is a sampler from the Library of Congress
publication, The African-American Mosaic: A library of
Congress Resource Guide for the Study of Black History and
Culture, a resource guide to the institution's African-American
collections. Covering the nearly 500 years of the black
experience in the Wes tern hemisphere, the Mosaic surveys the
full range size, and variety of the Library's collections, including
books, periodicals, prints, photographs, music, film, and recorded
sound.
BLK Homie Page(http://WWW.BLK.COMIBLKI) is the
homepage for BLK Publications. It provides news and
information about the black lesbian and gay community as well as
information about BLK publications.
Don't forget, send me the addresses for your favorite web
sites! You can email me at preaves@mail.icon.net. *
A BOOK REVIEW
by Jo L. Soske
If we have not been long awaiting Clare Coss's
anthology of lesbian poetry, The Arc of Love, we have been
remiss. The collection is a masterpiece as are many of its nearly
150 entries . The pages come to life with the real issues of lesbian
being: disability, lesbophobia, passion, lack of passion, racism,
physical abuse, addiction, breaking up, staying together, dieing,
living, and a plethora more.
In her brilliant introduction, Coss addresses the
possibilities and pitfalls wiique to lesbian relationships. She does
this with the insight of a therapist and the craft of a poet. She is
keenly aware of the challenges and obstacles we face as well as
the promise and inventiveness we possess. Knowing the dynamic
quests of our lives, she has creatively chosen poems and poets
which capture the essence (or non-essence) of these quests with
their tapestries of words. Her skill as a psychotherapist is
displayed in her arrangement of the poems. It is nearly
developmental.
Coss's anthology contains the powerful and beautiful
words of our foremothers and heroes as well as those of talented
poets on the h01izon. It blends the voices of the very young and
the very old as well as those belonging to women of African,
Asian, Native American, Hebrew, and European descent. The
works are a tribute to the creativity, genius, and love to be found
in the lesbian community.
Coss says that "The Arc of love is a journey ... " She is
correct, it is a journey into the diverse reality of our lives. It is a
journey that can be taken in accessible language, and one that
should not be niissed. No lesbian home should be without the Arc
of Love.
Have Herland order your copy.*
With February being Black History Month. It is a great time to see what HERLAND's LENDING LIBRARY has to
offer in autobiographies or biographies (west wall, short bookcase). Some books on noted women such as Angela Davis or
Audre Lorde are on the shelves, as well as others not as well known. Several volumes on Black Women in the non-fiction and
reference sections are also available. For this month, there will be a display of mate1ials related to Black History in the library.
For better access to the entire collection, new library shelves have been constrncted, and the categories of books have
been rearranged. The fiction category is now on the north wall, and the reference and non-fiction is on the east wall. Back issues
of periodicals are on the top shelves along both walls. If looking for a particular title, check the shelf signs or check the updated
card catalog (in process).
In order to be organized and conduct an inventory, there will be an extra effort in the next two months to get overdue
books returned. Fines will be waived because having t11e books back on the shelf is t11e goal. If you receive a renunder by phone
or mail, don't be surprised or offended.
Donations and suggestions are always welcome. For more information, call 521-9696 and leave a message for the
library clerk or visit with a volunteer on the weekend.*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~4~··7~-+:~;,
· 4~~~4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3 Her/and Voice
February, 1996
COUNSELING FOR LESBIANS
available Wednesday evenings.
M.E.D./M.H.R./C.A.D.C./L.P.C. at 321-0134 for an appointment.
For more information contact Jo L. Soske
HEAL YOUR LIFE - a support group for HIV positive and catastrophic illness will meet every Thursday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. at
Unity Church of Practical Christianity, 5603 N.W. 41st in OKC starting March 7. This group will offer alternative healing methods for
healing Body, Mind and Spirit. Please phone 789-2424 for more information.
8TH GULF COAST WOMYN'S FESTIVAL - April 4-7, 1996. Come and create this Lesbian-Feminist Festival: Sober land and
safespace at Camp Sister Spirit; Ovett, Mississippi. Brenda and Wanda Henson, Co-Producers. Please come and help us make our 1st
Land Payment which is due the week after the festival. Workshops, night stage, craftwomyn show , raffle, silent auction, good southern
food, and hospitality. Write: P.O. Box 12, Ovett, MS 39464.
LOVE IS IN THE AIR - 1996 17th Annual GLPCI & COLAGE Conference July 4th-7th (a conference for Lesbian, Bisexuali
Transgender and Gay parents, their Children, Friends and Family). Minnesota Families will be your host for the 17th Annual
Conference at the Regal Hotel in downtown Minneapolis. Inquiries should be addressed to: Minnesota Families GLPO 96, P.O. Box
11970, St. Paul, MN 55111-0970
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION - has named a new Director for it's Reproductive Freedom Project. Laura K. Rhodes,
LCSW, will head up the project for 1996. Ms. Rhodes is also a law student at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. ACLU-Oklahoma
Foundation Executive Director Joann Bell says Ms. Rhodes will be monitoring all newly introduced legislation and the Reproductive
Freedom Project will actively lobby to oppose any unconstitutional legislation dealing with the Choice issue. The ACLU Reproductive
Freedom Project was formed in 1994 and actively takes part in pro-choice activities in the state of Oklahoma. Ms . Rhodes will be the
media spokesperson for ACLU Oklahoma on all pro-choice issues. She may be reached at 405-525-3831.
REACH 3000 WOMEN FOR JUST $.17 EACH! Need to Know Press, the publishers of Women Oughta Know, would like to
introduce you to a new marketing opportunity, reaching thousands of women for just pennies a contact. Women Oughta Know Co-op
provides women-owned businesses an equal market opportunity through cooperative direct mail advertising. For only $500, your
organization can send a brochure, catalog, flyer, sample issue, or free sample/product give-away along with our monthly female fact
sheet, Women Oughta Know, to 3000 female consumers. WOK Co-op will be mailed bi-monthly with our first mailing in March, 1996.
For more information about Women Oughta K11ow and WOK Co-op, please call or fax us at 408-865-0472, or write for guidelines and
registration form to Need to Know Press. P.O. Box 1947, Cupertino, CA 95015.
·' ~
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to THE VOICE
.
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bth1leen Rankin
l"lataSha RICE
(405) 447-5111
REBECCA R. COHN, Ph.D.
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
P.O. Box 5119
Norman, Okla. 73070
\' ---.~'"'~~\-~~\.S
•
321-2148
::l .. . 81oap ...
Family Therapy
~~
4
Her/and Voice
February, 1996
.
i
heR1t:Mie ptau
196! w. '1inbsey
"'110.man, Ok 73069
Music
Review
by Jill Gamer
I've heard a couple of women recently that I really like.
And while they're not exactly unknown, and are enjoying frequent
airtime on the radio, I'd like to share with you that these two
talented women who both have good albums worth hearing
Joan Osborne - Relish
It took me a few listens to really like this album, but it's
one of my favorites now. One of Us is being played on
commercial radio now ... A lot. It's a good song and quite catchy.
However, this album is full of great songs, from alternative rock
to pop to bluesy soul, and most don't fit neatly into radio
acceptable singles. I like this album a lot because Osborne's got a
lot of versatility and an interesting sound. Not every song sounds
the same and her voice ranges from deep and raspy to a higher,
extremely smooth sound, the kind of voice I marvel at. Osborne
contributed to the writing of every song but three. Her songs,
ranging from the rockin' Right Hand Man, to the funky Spider
Web and the silly Let's Just Get Naked, prove that Osborne's got
the talent to be more than a one hit wonder, and the songs are
complex enough that I'm not sick of them after three listens.
Alanis Morrisette - Jagged Little Pill
Although the radio station is currently playing two of her
s constantly and ruining them, this album is also worth checking
out. Alanis' music is an offbeat mixture of rock, pop, and
alternative rock, and she's a talented songwriter. This woman can
rock! Jagged Little Pill is a great mix of songs that explore many
of the seedier sides of human nature, but I also see a tough woman
in her songs making it through life on top. I love so many of the
lyrics on this album. Forgiven, my favorite song, seems to me to
be about the struggle to believe in Catholicism while at the same
time trying to break free of its confinement and rigid belief
system. "You know how us Catholic girls can be, We make up for
so much time a little too late, I never forgot it, confusing as it was,
No jun with no guilt feelings, The sinners, the saviors, the
loverless priests, I'll see you next Sunday." Many of Morrisette's
lyrics don't at ways paint a pretty picture; "It's a long way down,
On this roller coaster, The last chance streetcar, Went off the
track, And you're on it," and some are too sexually explicit for the
radio so they change the words. But, I like this woman and the
grittiness and bold sexuality that her songs convey. I just have to
remember to change the radio station when her songs come on
now. Her music's too fun to get sick of.
One other note: I noticed in the Gazette that the OCU
theater will be performing Tony Kushner's Tony-award-winning
AIDS epic Angels in America in March. Watch for it and don't
miss it if you didn't make it to any of the cities it played.~
UNDER THE GUISE • • .COULD
IT HAPPEN HERE? by j
Early in December of 1995 a revision of the Religious
Corporation Law passed tl1e Upper House of the Japanese Diet.
The revision gives the Japanese government
unprecedented rights to interfere with the activities of religious
organizations.
..
.
Sponsored by Japan's ruling coal1tion, The Liberal
Democratic Party (LDP), this legislation was initially presented
as a response to the public's outcries that the government take
some action to prevent incidents such as those allegedly
perpetrated by Amn Shimikyo (Supreme Truth) Group, which
was implicated in the sarin gas attacks on Japan's subway system
in March of last year.
This revision is reminiscent of controls levied by the
Japanese government prior to and during World War II which
sought to combine all religions under State Shinto and led to the
persecution of resistant groups.
. .
Protests from more than 20 Japanese-based religious
groups and a statement of protest signed by represe~tatives of
several religious and civil liberties groups from the Umted States
did little to dissuade passage of this legislation which federal
authority over religious corporations when they engage in
activities in more than one prefecture (similar to states),
expanding federal conu·ol and permitting governmental definition
of what constitutes religious activity.
\Ve, her in the United States have had our own
confrontations witl1 incidents which shocked our sensitivities and
seemed to have religious overtones and similar voices were raised
demanding expanded government intervention in religious
affairs. Fortunately, at this point, wisdom has prevailed over fear
ancl"suspicion, and no hasty courses of action have been taken.
However, with another Presidential election year upon us and
given some of the subliminal platform issues, the Japanese
legislation could be a wake-up call.
The reason for U1is statement is tied to the headline on
this article. What has recently surfaced in the Japanese press,
based on statements from various members of the LDP, is an
admission that the true purpose of this legislation is to allow the
Japanese government to control one particular religious group
(not implicated in any way with the nerve gas incidents). before
the 1996 elections.
While the religious group itself is not political, its
membership has given strong support to the New Frontier Party
and there are implications that another sect with ties to the LDP.
Although the LDP was formed in 1955, its predecessors ruled
Japan before World War 11, and as explained by Dennis B. Smith
in "Japan Since 1945: The Rise of an Economic Superpower":
The LDP was very much the creation of big business
which had forced the right-wing politicians to sink their
differences and use their energies to fight the socialists (pg 7?).
By now some of you out there are probably wondenng,
"OK? So what does this have to do with me, us?" To tell the truth,
I'm .not exactly sure. Have you ever read something that just
struck a chord and caused you to ponder? (continued next page)
5
Her/and Voice
February, 1996
UNDER THE GVISE ••• (cont'd.frompreviouspage)
Sometime ago I heard a speaker paraphrase a familiar
thought suggesting that at times it could be said we have no
government "... of the stupid people, by the stupid people, for the
stupid people".
Given some of the issues facing us today and the clin1ate,
politically, and socially (in all its aspects) ... often presented in a
manner calculated to incite or strike fear in our hearts and
minds ... cries of "WOLF! WOLF!" or "THE SKY IS
FALLING!" .. .followed by suggestions for solutions which may,
in a state of panic sound "right on", but on closer examination lack
any connection to a concept of basic humanity, sanity, and good
common sense when projected on the screen of the future, could
there not be reason to pause and think about what the real issues
might be, what really matters to each of us individually and
collectively and determine not to only be moved, in any direction
or purpose by provoking speeches and gestures alone?
It has been my experience that actions taken in a state of
contrived panic, for reasons real or imagined, by myself or others
often create regrets and a whole new set of problems which often
seem to take me further off course.
'nuff said.*
that time the parade began to move.
Presently, I spied two familiar figures, sitting on top of a
car at the intersection, waving and shouting wildly .. .it was our
own Margaret and Wanda.
The parade moved across downtown to the Civic Center
at which point many of the marchers retreated to the sidewalk to
watch
the
rest
of
the
parade
go
past... waving ... dancing ... singing ... cheering.
Finally, more familiar faces came into view as Simply
Equal and OGLPC moved in our direction. Helen and Tina came
and joined me on the sidewalk watching until the end of the
parade ... and the HORSES.
It was a very nioving occasion. I thought about how far
we have come .. .all of us. I thought about the Little Rock Nine and
little Ruby in New Orleans, about my first real encounter with
segregation back in 1960 in New Bern, North Carolina. Growing
up in Western Massachusetts, I had never really seen
discrimination or segregation in all of its ugliness.
Remembering the '60's, the Democratic Convention, the
freedom riders, tl1e Lhree slain civil rights activist...just college
kids ... the Mississippi contingent representing the Freedom
Democratic Party ... determined to change the old ways ... facing
down tl1e powers tliat held tl1em at bay for so long ... how tl1ey
HUNG IN ... heads and spirits high ... never losing sight of tl1e
DREAM ... not tl1en, not now.
I was glad I went. Wish more people had found tlie time
to come. Maybe ... NEXT TIME???
*
by jingles
Oklahoma City ... January 15... Just returned from the
Martin Luther King Day events in OKC on this cold and overcast
Monday.
Happily, the weather had absolutely no impact on the
events or participants .. .which were spirited, warm and sunny.
At first I didn't see anyone that I knew as I walked the
block and a half from where I parked to the Calvary Baptist
Church, on a street with throngs headed towards the parade route
to watch or march.
There was no way even one more person could get into
the overflowing church, so I joined the masses on the sidewalk,
still looking for a familiar face.
The first familiar face saw me before I saw her. ..Bemice,
a member of the OKC Human Rights Commission, who stood
with us, in the bone-chilling cold, on the steps of City Hall during
the vigil for Roxanne Ellis and Michelle Abdill on January 2. She
was trying to find where that sporty yellow car she would be
toting dignitaries in would be in the line-up. Neat lady, that
Bernice!
Soon after that, I ran into Anne Murry and Nathaniel
· from the Peace House. They were marching close to the front of
the parade behind Epworth United Methodist, Ray Jones and the
group from AT&T, and the Oklahoma Toxics Campaign.
Deciding I was in good company I fell in amongst them in my
HERL.AND SIBRT.
Next, I saw Fannie Bates handing out circulars on the
Northeast OKC Environmental Justice Project and it was about
6 Her/and Voice
February, 1996
Challenge to the Military's Ban on
Gays Argued Before Federal
Appeals Court in New York
NEW YORK - (reprinted in part) Moving closer to a
widely anticipated ruling by tl1e United States Supreme Court, a
constitutional challenge to tlie Clinton Administration's ban on
gays in tlie military was argued before a federal appeals court in
New York on Janumy 16.
The case, Able v. USA, is the first case to directly
challenge the law barring lesbians and gay men from openly
serving in the nlilitmy. Brought on behalf of six service members,
the lawsuit contends that the so-called "don't ask, don't tell"
legislation is discriminatory, based on prejudice, and in violation
of free speech and equal protection.
111e challenge is on appeal from a federal district court in
Brooklyn, wllich dealt a major blow to the military's new ban in
March. 111e lower court ruled that tlie law violated the First and
Fifth Amendments, aud was based solely on the fears and
prejudices of heterosexual troops.
Although a ruling in this case is not likely to be handed
down for several montl1s, the U.S. Supreme Court -- which has
never before examined tl1e issue -- is expected to take up the law
as early as next year. Another case in Virginia, Thomasson v.
Perry, is also making its way up tlrrough the courts, as is Phillips
v. Perry in Wasllington State.~'<
- - - Herland Sister Resources - - February 1996
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6:30 PM Acade-
83rd Birth Anniversary of Rosa
Parks, who
started the
Montgomery
bus boycott
11
mic Dykescall 521-8447
12
13
14
15
16
94th Birth Anniversary of Marian
Anderson, the
first woman of
color to sing
with the Metropolitian Opera
176th Birth Anniversary of
Susan B. Anthony, women's
rights crusader
18
19
20
21
4:30 PM.
Harland
Board
Meeting
25
22
First women's basketball game in Madison Square Garden,
1974
104111 Birth Anniversary of Edna St.
Vincent Millay,
American poet
26
27
Sonia Johnson's
60th Birthday.
She was excommunicated from
the Mormon
Church for her
support of the
ERA.
28
29
17
23
24
6:30 PM Newsletter mailing party
l
NonProfit Org.
U.S . Postage
PAID
2312 N.W. 39th Street
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
RETURN POST AGE GUARANTEED
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Permit No .861
-
'Ifie
HERLANDV ICE
February, 1996
A powerful voice for justice was stilled when Barbara C.
Jordan, 59, died of complications of leukemia on January 16,
1996. Jordan was the first woman and the first African-American
elected to Congress from Texas after Reconstruction. She gained
national notice as a member of the House Judiciary Committee
during the impeachment hearing of President Nixon in 1974. At
the time of her death, she held the Lyndon B. Johnson Centennial
Chair in National Policy at the University of Texas, Austin.
She began her career in politics in the Kennedy-Johnson
campaign. "They put me to work licking stamps and addressing
envelopes. One night we went out to a church to enlist Ne!!fo
0
voters and the woman who was supposed to speak didn't show up.
I volunteered to speak in her place and right after that, they took
me off licking and addressing." In 1966, she was elected to the
Texas State Senate becoming the first African-American Texas
state senator. Within 6 years, she was selected to the post of
Speaker pro tern of the Texas State House. After her election to
Congress in 1972, she served for three terms, leaving Congress in
1979 to teach at the University of Texas.
Professor Jordan was named Chair of the Commission
on Immigration Reform by President Clinton in December of
1993. The President also presented her with the Presidential
Medal of Freedom, the nation's most prestigious civilian award.
Other awards and honors include the Nelson Mandela Award for
Health and Human Rights, the 77th NAACP Spingarn Award, the
Eleanor Roosevelt Val -Kill Medal, and induction into the
African-American Hall of Fame and the National Women's Hall
of Fame.
In 1995, as Chairperson of the Commission on
Immigration Reform, she spoke in Congress against a proposal to
deny automatic citizenship to children born in the United States to
undocumented immigrant parents.
Barbara Jordan was born February 21, 1936 in Houston.
She attended the segregated public schools of Houston and
graduated from all-black Texas Southern University. She
completed law school at Boston University. Her father, a Baptist
minister, worked as a warehouse clerk to help her pay for college.
''We were poor, but so was everyone around us , so we didn't
notice it," said Jordan.
She is survived by her mother, Aryleene; two
sisters, Bennie Cresswell and Rose Mary McGowan, and a
brother-in-law, John McGowan, all of Houston.
"Many fear the future. Many are distrustful of their
leaders 011d believe that their voices are never heard. Many seek
only to satisfy their private work wants, to satisfy their private
interests. But this is the great danger America/aces. That we will
cease to be one nation and become instead a collection of interest
groups: city against suburb, region against region, individual
against individual. Each seeking to satisfy private wants.
If that happens, who then will speak for America? ...
What are those of us who are elected public officials supposed to
do? l'll tell you this: we as public servants must set an example
for the rest of the nation. It is hypocritical for the public official
to admonish and exhort the people to uphold the common good if
we are derelict in upholding the common good. More is required
of public officials than slogans and handshakes and press
releases. More is required. We must hold ourselves strictly
accountable. We must provide the people with a vision of the
future."
Barbara Jordan speaking at the 1976
Democratic Convention
"Reaffirm what ought to be. Get back to the truth; that's
old, but get back to it. Get back to what's honest; tell government
to do that . Affirm the civil liberties of the people of this country.
Do that."
Barbara Jordan speaking to graduates of
Howard University in 1974
ACADEMIC DYKES - The next
Academics (women in higher education and
friends) Potluck will be on February 10th at 6:30
p.m. For more information, call Gail at
521-8447.
CLEAN-UP DAY!! - Yard/building cleanup day for HSR planned for April. Watch for
details.
BERLAND SPRING RETREAT
May 17-19 at Roman Nose State Park.
The Voice for registration information.
DONNA D!!! - Performing at Herland,
Saturday, March 2 at 7 p.m. You don't want to
miss this!
*
Volume 14 Number 2
Herland Sister Resources
2312 NW 39, OKC, OK 73112
Sybil Ludington. as almost no one knows. is an unsung hero of the
American Revolutionary War. The Matron Saint of the Forgotten
Woman. she is an occasional contributor to these pages.
Dear St. Sybil,
Does it seem to you that we are rushing backwards at
warp speed to abandon the gains of the last thirty years? Have
you noticed, for example, that young women are having their
fathers "give them away" at weddings again, that they are not
keeping their own name when they get married, that they are
being called - and calling themselves - "girls" again? I just want
to throw up. And listen to this: The City Council here in
Oklahoma City nearly passed a Human Rights Ordinance that
would have exempted private clubs from coverage - shades of the
days when white women entered through the side door of men's
clubs to go to the dining room on Ladies Day, and of course black
women and men came in the back door to go to the kitchen. The
Council would have passed it that way, if they hadn't been too
mean to pass any ordinance at all. How mean are they? On
January 23 they abolished the Human Rights Commission
altogether.
But that's not my gripe du jour; fur is. I see a lot of fur
these days, even though just yesterday it seemed there was a
growing consensus that wearing fur is reprehensible. I hoped that
people, once enlightened, would remain so; but evidently I was
wrong. Now I fear that a lot of people kept their fur in the closet
during those years, when fur was the "hot" issue, not because of
an attack of conscience but to avoid an attack of spray paint.
My personal problem is that my basic shyness
intermingles with my impeccable manners and gets tangled up
with my moral cowardice; and consequently I never know what to
say to people wearing fur. Every once in a while I go out at night
and shoot up a furrier's windows with red paint pellets and feel a
little better for a while, but mostly I just do nothing and say
nothing, and hate myself for it. Can you help me figure out
something to say to these people? Thank you very much.
Passionately,
2 Wimpy 2 Live
I'll try, but you should know that your exquisite manners
were specifically designed to control your passion, so you'll have
to lighten up on one or the other.
Anyway, the next time you see someone wearing fur, try
sincerity - if it is someone you know and kind of like, just tell
them how disappointed you are; or maybe a little theatre: "My
· heavens, what a beautiful fake fur. It WHAT???? No!! Oh no.
Oh, my, I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone wore fur anymore .. .. ".
Look stricken and edge sadly away.
If you are feeling more confrontational, and why not,
you might try one of these:
Her/and Voice
Yours for skinning the OKC City
Council, not poor animals,
Sybil
In a effort to develop a campaign targeting substance use
as it relates to HIV prevention, Red Rock Outreach will host a
series of focus groups this month. The focus groups will be
broken down into four specific meetings based on ethnic
background, race and gender. All meetings will meet at 6:30 p.m.
at the Epworth United Methodist Church, 1901 N. Douglas on the
following dates:
Feb. 7 - Focus will be on the African-American
community.
Feb. 14 - Focus will be on the gay and bisexual male.
Feb 21- Focus will be on lesbians and bisexual women.
Feb 28- Focus will be on Native Americans
For additional information, please contact OUTREACH at
425-0399. "CL
Dear2,
2
rr On the street: "My, that's quite a coat...Will you bold
still just a moment while I fetch my spray paint?"
rr Likewise, in a restaurant: "My, that's quite a
coat... .uh Waiter, will you bring me a big bottle of ketchup
please?"
,,.. Anywhere: "My, that's quite a coat. Was it leg-hold
trapped or electrocuted, do you know?"
,,.. My, what a pretty coat. Preserving a family pet?"
,,.. "My God, Trigger! What have you done to
Trigger?!?"
rr "My God, Lassie! What have you done to
Lassie?!?!?"
rr My God, Huffy! What in God's name have you done
to my cat?!?!?"
and my personal favorite,
rr "My, tliat is quite a coat. Did you kill it yourself?"
February, 1996
Published by: Herland Sister Resources, Inc. 2312
N.W. 39th, Oklahoma City, OK 73112
Circulation: 1200
The Voice is offered as an open forum for community
discourse. Articles reflect the opinions of the author and
not necessarily those of Herland Sister Resources.
Unsolicited articles and letters to the editor are welcomed
and must be signed by the writer with full name and
address. Upon request, letters or articles may be printed
under a pseudonym or anonymously.
The Voice is
printed on recycled paper.
Cruising the Web
by Pat Reaves
This month's starting place for Web exploration is ISIS,
a World Wide Web site featuring the art and culture of women of
the African diaspora. [http://www.netdiva.com/isisplus.html]
(For Isis Lite, the text only version go to
http://www.netdiva.com/isis.html). Isis has many links to pages
about and for women of African descent. Sprinkled throughout
are wonderful quotes.
The links are divided into Our Story, pages about black
women; The Performing Arts, pages about the arts and black
women as performing artists; ''The Written Word," links to the
writing of black women and information about black women
authors; and Organizations, Institutions and Events. Following
the trails starting at ISIS, I found some other great sites about
black women and the history of African-Americans.
Don't miss "Prayer for the Natural Woman" at
http://www.netdiva.comlprayer.
The Library of Congress Exhibit, "Selections from the
African-American Mosaic: A Library of Congress Resource
Guide for the Study of Black History and Culture" at
http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/African .American/intro .html is a
high priority for anyone who'll be teaching about AfricanAmerican history or anyone who wants to increase her
knowledge. It is a sampler from the Library of Congress
publication, The African-American Mosaic: A library of
Congress Resource Guide for the Study of Black History and
Culture, a resource guide to the institution's African-American
collections. Covering the nearly 500 years of the black
experience in the Wes tern hemisphere, the Mosaic surveys the
full range size, and variety of the Library's collections, including
books, periodicals, prints, photographs, music, film, and recorded
sound.
BLK Homie Page(http://WWW.BLK.COMIBLKI) is the
homepage for BLK Publications. It provides news and
information about the black lesbian and gay community as well as
information about BLK publications.
Don't forget, send me the addresses for your favorite web
sites! You can email me at preaves@mail.icon.net. *
A BOOK REVIEW
by Jo L. Soske
If we have not been long awaiting Clare Coss's
anthology of lesbian poetry, The Arc of Love, we have been
remiss. The collection is a masterpiece as are many of its nearly
150 entries . The pages come to life with the real issues of lesbian
being: disability, lesbophobia, passion, lack of passion, racism,
physical abuse, addiction, breaking up, staying together, dieing,
living, and a plethora more.
In her brilliant introduction, Coss addresses the
possibilities and pitfalls wiique to lesbian relationships. She does
this with the insight of a therapist and the craft of a poet. She is
keenly aware of the challenges and obstacles we face as well as
the promise and inventiveness we possess. Knowing the dynamic
quests of our lives, she has creatively chosen poems and poets
which capture the essence (or non-essence) of these quests with
their tapestries of words. Her skill as a psychotherapist is
displayed in her arrangement of the poems. It is nearly
developmental.
Coss's anthology contains the powerful and beautiful
words of our foremothers and heroes as well as those of talented
poets on the h01izon. It blends the voices of the very young and
the very old as well as those belonging to women of African,
Asian, Native American, Hebrew, and European descent. The
works are a tribute to the creativity, genius, and love to be found
in the lesbian community.
Coss says that "The Arc of love is a journey ... " She is
correct, it is a journey into the diverse reality of our lives. It is a
journey that can be taken in accessible language, and one that
should not be niissed. No lesbian home should be without the Arc
of Love.
Have Herland order your copy.*
With February being Black History Month. It is a great time to see what HERLAND's LENDING LIBRARY has to
offer in autobiographies or biographies (west wall, short bookcase). Some books on noted women such as Angela Davis or
Audre Lorde are on the shelves, as well as others not as well known. Several volumes on Black Women in the non-fiction and
reference sections are also available. For this month, there will be a display of mate1ials related to Black History in the library.
For better access to the entire collection, new library shelves have been constrncted, and the categories of books have
been rearranged. The fiction category is now on the north wall, and the reference and non-fiction is on the east wall. Back issues
of periodicals are on the top shelves along both walls. If looking for a particular title, check the shelf signs or check the updated
card catalog (in process).
In order to be organized and conduct an inventory, there will be an extra effort in the next two months to get overdue
books returned. Fines will be waived because having t11e books back on the shelf is t11e goal. If you receive a renunder by phone
or mail, don't be surprised or offended.
Donations and suggestions are always welcome. For more information, call 521-9696 and leave a message for the
library clerk or visit with a volunteer on the weekend.*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~4~··7~-+:~;,
· 4~~~4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3 Her/and Voice
February, 1996
COUNSELING FOR LESBIANS
available Wednesday evenings.
M.E.D./M.H.R./C.A.D.C./L.P.C. at 321-0134 for an appointment.
For more information contact Jo L. Soske
HEAL YOUR LIFE - a support group for HIV positive and catastrophic illness will meet every Thursday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. at
Unity Church of Practical Christianity, 5603 N.W. 41st in OKC starting March 7. This group will offer alternative healing methods for
healing Body, Mind and Spirit. Please phone 789-2424 for more information.
8TH GULF COAST WOMYN'S FESTIVAL - April 4-7, 1996. Come and create this Lesbian-Feminist Festival: Sober land and
safespace at Camp Sister Spirit; Ovett, Mississippi. Brenda and Wanda Henson, Co-Producers. Please come and help us make our 1st
Land Payment which is due the week after the festival. Workshops, night stage, craftwomyn show , raffle, silent auction, good southern
food, and hospitality. Write: P.O. Box 12, Ovett, MS 39464.
LOVE IS IN THE AIR - 1996 17th Annual GLPCI & COLAGE Conference July 4th-7th (a conference for Lesbian, Bisexuali
Transgender and Gay parents, their Children, Friends and Family). Minnesota Families will be your host for the 17th Annual
Conference at the Regal Hotel in downtown Minneapolis. Inquiries should be addressed to: Minnesota Families GLPO 96, P.O. Box
11970, St. Paul, MN 55111-0970
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION - has named a new Director for it's Reproductive Freedom Project. Laura K. Rhodes,
LCSW, will head up the project for 1996. Ms. Rhodes is also a law student at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. ACLU-Oklahoma
Foundation Executive Director Joann Bell says Ms. Rhodes will be monitoring all newly introduced legislation and the Reproductive
Freedom Project will actively lobby to oppose any unconstitutional legislation dealing with the Choice issue. The ACLU Reproductive
Freedom Project was formed in 1994 and actively takes part in pro-choice activities in the state of Oklahoma. Ms . Rhodes will be the
media spokesperson for ACLU Oklahoma on all pro-choice issues. She may be reached at 405-525-3831.
REACH 3000 WOMEN FOR JUST $.17 EACH! Need to Know Press, the publishers of Women Oughta Know, would like to
introduce you to a new marketing opportunity, reaching thousands of women for just pennies a contact. Women Oughta Know Co-op
provides women-owned businesses an equal market opportunity through cooperative direct mail advertising. For only $500, your
organization can send a brochure, catalog, flyer, sample issue, or free sample/product give-away along with our monthly female fact
sheet, Women Oughta Know, to 3000 female consumers. WOK Co-op will be mailed bi-monthly with our first mailing in March, 1996.
For more information about Women Oughta K11ow and WOK Co-op, please call or fax us at 408-865-0472, or write for guidelines and
registration form to Need to Know Press. P.O. Box 1947, Cupertino, CA 95015.
·' ~
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to THE VOICE
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bth1leen Rankin
l"lataSha RICE
(405) 447-5111
REBECCA R. COHN, Ph.D.
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
P.O. Box 5119
Norman, Okla. 73070
\' ---.~'"'~~\-~~\.S
•
321-2148
::l .. . 81oap ...
Family Therapy
~~
4
Her/and Voice
February, 1996
.
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heR1t:Mie ptau
196! w. '1inbsey
"'110.man, Ok 73069
Music
Review
by Jill Gamer
I've heard a couple of women recently that I really like.
And while they're not exactly unknown, and are enjoying frequent
airtime on the radio, I'd like to share with you that these two
talented women who both have good albums worth hearing
Joan Osborne - Relish
It took me a few listens to really like this album, but it's
one of my favorites now. One of Us is being played on
commercial radio now ... A lot. It's a good song and quite catchy.
However, this album is full of great songs, from alternative rock
to pop to bluesy soul, and most don't fit neatly into radio
acceptable singles. I like this album a lot because Osborne's got a
lot of versatility and an interesting sound. Not every song sounds
the same and her voice ranges from deep and raspy to a higher,
extremely smooth sound, the kind of voice I marvel at. Osborne
contributed to the writing of every song but three. Her songs,
ranging from the rockin' Right Hand Man, to the funky Spider
Web and the silly Let's Just Get Naked, prove that Osborne's got
the talent to be more than a one hit wonder, and the songs are
complex enough that I'm not sick of them after three listens.
Alanis Morrisette - Jagged Little Pill
Although the radio station is currently playing two of her
s constantly and ruining them, this album is also worth checking
out. Alanis' music is an offbeat mixture of rock, pop, and
alternative rock, and she's a talented songwriter. This woman can
rock! Jagged Little Pill is a great mix of songs that explore many
of the seedier sides of human nature, but I also see a tough woman
in her songs making it through life on top. I love so many of the
lyrics on this album. Forgiven, my favorite song, seems to me to
be about the struggle to believe in Catholicism while at the same
time trying to break free of its confinement and rigid belief
system. "You know how us Catholic girls can be, We make up for
so much time a little too late, I never forgot it, confusing as it was,
No jun with no guilt feelings, The sinners, the saviors, the
loverless priests, I'll see you next Sunday." Many of Morrisette's
lyrics don't at ways paint a pretty picture; "It's a long way down,
On this roller coaster, The last chance streetcar, Went off the
track, And you're on it," and some are too sexually explicit for the
radio so they change the words. But, I like this woman and the
grittiness and bold sexuality that her songs convey. I just have to
remember to change the radio station when her songs come on
now. Her music's too fun to get sick of.
One other note: I noticed in the Gazette that the OCU
theater will be performing Tony Kushner's Tony-award-winning
AIDS epic Angels in America in March. Watch for it and don't
miss it if you didn't make it to any of the cities it played.~
UNDER THE GUISE • • .COULD
IT HAPPEN HERE? by j
Early in December of 1995 a revision of the Religious
Corporation Law passed tl1e Upper House of the Japanese Diet.
The revision gives the Japanese government
unprecedented rights to interfere with the activities of religious
organizations.
..
.
Sponsored by Japan's ruling coal1tion, The Liberal
Democratic Party (LDP), this legislation was initially presented
as a response to the public's outcries that the government take
some action to prevent incidents such as those allegedly
perpetrated by Amn Shimikyo (Supreme Truth) Group, which
was implicated in the sarin gas attacks on Japan's subway system
in March of last year.
This revision is reminiscent of controls levied by the
Japanese government prior to and during World War II which
sought to combine all religions under State Shinto and led to the
persecution of resistant groups.
. .
Protests from more than 20 Japanese-based religious
groups and a statement of protest signed by represe~tatives of
several religious and civil liberties groups from the Umted States
did little to dissuade passage of this legislation which federal
authority over religious corporations when they engage in
activities in more than one prefecture (similar to states),
expanding federal conu·ol and permitting governmental definition
of what constitutes religious activity.
\Ve, her in the United States have had our own
confrontations witl1 incidents which shocked our sensitivities and
seemed to have religious overtones and similar voices were raised
demanding expanded government intervention in religious
affairs. Fortunately, at this point, wisdom has prevailed over fear
ancl"suspicion, and no hasty courses of action have been taken.
However, with another Presidential election year upon us and
given some of the subliminal platform issues, the Japanese
legislation could be a wake-up call.
The reason for U1is statement is tied to the headline on
this article. What has recently surfaced in the Japanese press,
based on statements from various members of the LDP, is an
admission that the true purpose of this legislation is to allow the
Japanese government to control one particular religious group
(not implicated in any way with the nerve gas incidents). before
the 1996 elections.
While the religious group itself is not political, its
membership has given strong support to the New Frontier Party
and there are implications that another sect with ties to the LDP.
Although the LDP was formed in 1955, its predecessors ruled
Japan before World War 11, and as explained by Dennis B. Smith
in "Japan Since 1945: The Rise of an Economic Superpower":
The LDP was very much the creation of big business
which had forced the right-wing politicians to sink their
differences and use their energies to fight the socialists (pg 7?).
By now some of you out there are probably wondenng,
"OK? So what does this have to do with me, us?" To tell the truth,
I'm .not exactly sure. Have you ever read something that just
struck a chord and caused you to ponder? (continued next page)
5
Her/and Voice
February, 1996
UNDER THE GVISE ••• (cont'd.frompreviouspage)
Sometime ago I heard a speaker paraphrase a familiar
thought suggesting that at times it could be said we have no
government "... of the stupid people, by the stupid people, for the
stupid people".
Given some of the issues facing us today and the clin1ate,
politically, and socially (in all its aspects) ... often presented in a
manner calculated to incite or strike fear in our hearts and
minds ... cries of "WOLF! WOLF!" or "THE SKY IS
FALLING!" .. .followed by suggestions for solutions which may,
in a state of panic sound "right on", but on closer examination lack
any connection to a concept of basic humanity, sanity, and good
common sense when projected on the screen of the future, could
there not be reason to pause and think about what the real issues
might be, what really matters to each of us individually and
collectively and determine not to only be moved, in any direction
or purpose by provoking speeches and gestures alone?
It has been my experience that actions taken in a state of
contrived panic, for reasons real or imagined, by myself or others
often create regrets and a whole new set of problems which often
seem to take me further off course.
'nuff said.*
that time the parade began to move.
Presently, I spied two familiar figures, sitting on top of a
car at the intersection, waving and shouting wildly .. .it was our
own Margaret and Wanda.
The parade moved across downtown to the Civic Center
at which point many of the marchers retreated to the sidewalk to
watch
the
rest
of
the
parade
go
past... waving ... dancing ... singing ... cheering.
Finally, more familiar faces came into view as Simply
Equal and OGLPC moved in our direction. Helen and Tina came
and joined me on the sidewalk watching until the end of the
parade ... and the HORSES.
It was a very nioving occasion. I thought about how far
we have come .. .all of us. I thought about the Little Rock Nine and
little Ruby in New Orleans, about my first real encounter with
segregation back in 1960 in New Bern, North Carolina. Growing
up in Western Massachusetts, I had never really seen
discrimination or segregation in all of its ugliness.
Remembering the '60's, the Democratic Convention, the
freedom riders, tl1e Lhree slain civil rights activist...just college
kids ... the Mississippi contingent representing the Freedom
Democratic Party ... determined to change the old ways ... facing
down tl1e powers tliat held tl1em at bay for so long ... how tl1ey
HUNG IN ... heads and spirits high ... never losing sight of tl1e
DREAM ... not tl1en, not now.
I was glad I went. Wish more people had found tlie time
to come. Maybe ... NEXT TIME???
*
by jingles
Oklahoma City ... January 15... Just returned from the
Martin Luther King Day events in OKC on this cold and overcast
Monday.
Happily, the weather had absolutely no impact on the
events or participants .. .which were spirited, warm and sunny.
At first I didn't see anyone that I knew as I walked the
block and a half from where I parked to the Calvary Baptist
Church, on a street with throngs headed towards the parade route
to watch or march.
There was no way even one more person could get into
the overflowing church, so I joined the masses on the sidewalk,
still looking for a familiar face.
The first familiar face saw me before I saw her. ..Bemice,
a member of the OKC Human Rights Commission, who stood
with us, in the bone-chilling cold, on the steps of City Hall during
the vigil for Roxanne Ellis and Michelle Abdill on January 2. She
was trying to find where that sporty yellow car she would be
toting dignitaries in would be in the line-up. Neat lady, that
Bernice!
Soon after that, I ran into Anne Murry and Nathaniel
· from the Peace House. They were marching close to the front of
the parade behind Epworth United Methodist, Ray Jones and the
group from AT&T, and the Oklahoma Toxics Campaign.
Deciding I was in good company I fell in amongst them in my
HERL.AND SIBRT.
Next, I saw Fannie Bates handing out circulars on the
Northeast OKC Environmental Justice Project and it was about
6 Her/and Voice
February, 1996
Challenge to the Military's Ban on
Gays Argued Before Federal
Appeals Court in New York
NEW YORK - (reprinted in part) Moving closer to a
widely anticipated ruling by tl1e United States Supreme Court, a
constitutional challenge to tlie Clinton Administration's ban on
gays in tlie military was argued before a federal appeals court in
New York on Janumy 16.
The case, Able v. USA, is the first case to directly
challenge the law barring lesbians and gay men from openly
serving in the nlilitmy. Brought on behalf of six service members,
the lawsuit contends that the so-called "don't ask, don't tell"
legislation is discriminatory, based on prejudice, and in violation
of free speech and equal protection.
111e challenge is on appeal from a federal district court in
Brooklyn, wllich dealt a major blow to the military's new ban in
March. 111e lower court ruled that tlie law violated the First and
Fifth Amendments, aud was based solely on the fears and
prejudices of heterosexual troops.
Although a ruling in this case is not likely to be handed
down for several montl1s, the U.S. Supreme Court -- which has
never before examined tl1e issue -- is expected to take up the law
as early as next year. Another case in Virginia, Thomasson v.
Perry, is also making its way up tlrrough the courts, as is Phillips
v. Perry in Wasllington State.~'<
- - - Herland Sister Resources - - February 1996
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6
7
6:30 PM Acade-
83rd Birth Anniversary of Rosa
Parks, who
started the
Montgomery
bus boycott
11
mic Dykescall 521-8447
12
13
14
15
16
94th Birth Anniversary of Marian
Anderson, the
first woman of
color to sing
with the Metropolitian Opera
176th Birth Anniversary of
Susan B. Anthony, women's
rights crusader
18
19
20
21
4:30 PM.
Harland
Board
Meeting
25
22
First women's basketball game in Madison Square Garden,
1974
104111 Birth Anniversary of Edna St.
Vincent Millay,
American poet
26
27
Sonia Johnson's
60th Birthday.
She was excommunicated from
the Mormon
Church for her
support of the
ERA.
28
29
17
23
24
6:30 PM Newsletter mailing party
l
NonProfit Org.
U.S . Postage
PAID
2312 N.W. 39th Street
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
RETURN POST AGE GUARANTEED
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Permit No .861
- Temporal Coverage
- 1990-1999
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