[Dallas Times Herald article clippings: New Right opposition tests the clout of gays; Gays gain stronger voice, but their clout is being tested] Part: 3 of 4
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22-A Sunday, October 7,1984, DALLAS TIMES HERALD s 4321
Gays gain stronger voice,
but their clout is being testedGAY - From Page One
Doggett has endorsed rules
aimed at ending discrimination
against homosexuals, as has presi-
dential candidate Walter Mondale.
Gramm opposes such rules and
has strongly attacked Doggett for
seeking the support of gay voters.
President Reagan also opposes
anti-discrimination rules for
homosexuals.
What is most interesting to po-
litical analysts in the Senate race
is what impact the infusion of
strong anti-gay comments from
Gramm will have.
They say the tactic may help
Gramm in rural Texas - as did
anti-gay rights remarks by Dog-
gett's primary opponent Rep.
Kent Hance - but could hurt him
in urban areas.
"I would say that this is per-
haps the first year that there have
been people willing to take a
stand and be identified on the op-
posite side of what has been a
very active political force," said
Roderick Steakley, a Dallas attor-
ney who last year helped organize
Alert Citizens of Texas, an organi-
zation strongly opposed to gay
rights.
Steakley, an attorney who re-
cently was denied by the Fifth
Circuit Court of Appeals in an at-
tempt to reverse a 1982 court rul-
ing overturning the state sodomy
law, said he would press with
more appeals.
National strategists for Reagan
and Mondale disagree sharply
over the impact of gays rights is-
sues at the ballot box.
Sandra Gillis, Democratic candi-
date Walter Mondale's special liai-
son to gay and lesbian communi-
ties, said the gay vote represents
the nation's seventh largest voting
bloc. "It is a well organized and
very active constituency," she
said. And for this election, it exists
in many of those regions that will
be crucial.
"In Texas, it could make the
difference in several areas."
However, Reagan-Bush cam-
paign spokesman John Buckley,
who said the Republican camp
never considered appointing a gay
liaison, said gay rights is "not a
very big issue" and "is really not
making a difference anywhere."
In Texas, the gay rights issue
was heightened by an extensive
Gramm radio advertising cam-
paign publicizing that a San An-
tonio gay rights organization held
a male strip show to raise money
for Doggett's campaign.
After the ads appeared, Doggett
returned $600 in contributions -
including $354 raised in the strip
show oteognto.M
ing he hadnuL eciuised ifreneit
end "such a fund-raiser 'has no
place in Texas politics."
Meanwhile, political analysts
say they're watching with
wonder.
"It's surprising that Gramm,
who is generally much better
funded, would take up this issue
because it's certainly a volatile, di-
visive issue," said Dick Murray, a
University of Houston political sci-
entist. "And it doesn't have much
proof of success with its ability to
draw attention.
"There's going to be a very co-Lloyd Doggett
"I don't believe in hate or
fear against any group,
- whether I agree with them or
don't agree with them. I do
not favor affirmative action
for gays. I do feel that some-
one should not be denied
employment ... based on
what they do in their person-
al life."hesive gay vote against him.
Whether he can pick up more
votes from normally Democratic
voters remains to be seen."
Gay leaders feel they're being
tested to produce their vote.
The Dallas Gay Political Caucus
this year mailed questionnaires to
150 local and statewide political
candidates, asking them to state
their position on gay right issues.
Thirty-five candidates - 33 of
them Democrats - returned the
questionnaires. The organization
offered 12 endorsements, all
which were accepted.
"It used to be that if we could
get two people to even talk to us,
we'd be doing well," Dallas Gay
Alliance president Bill Nelson
said.
Nelson claimed Dallas gays can
generate campaign support "you
couldn't buy for less than
$100,000," pointing to "get out the
vote" efforts that generated 87.4
percent vote for Doggett in 10 tar-
get voter precincts during his run-
off election with Hance.
In Dallas County, Doggett won
with 69 percent of the vote.
In Houston, an aide to Mayor
Kathy Whitmire, Clintine Cashin,
noted, "The important thing is
that it is no longer considered the
kiss of death to have the gay en-
dorsement. I don't think you'll
find a situation whcre any candi
date for mayor will deny them
again.'
State representative Bill Ce-
verha, an outspoken opponent of
gay rights who introduced last
minute legislation last year in an
attempt to reinstate the sodomy
law - his bill never got out of
committee - said the strength of
the gay rights issue and gay voter
is "greatly exaggerated.',
Ceverha said he expected addi-
tional legislation would be submit-
ted to try to devise a law restric-
tive to homosexual conduct.
However, he didn't say whether
1 !N,~Phil Gramm
"The issue is not lifestyle.
This is a free country. The is-
sue is affirmative action for
homosexuals. The issue also
is my opponent's willingness
to make special promises to
special interest groups and
then try to mislead the gen-
eral public about what kinds
of commitments he's made."he would sponsor the legislation.
"I happen to be one of the most
outspoken people in this area,"
Ceverha said. "And I didn't even
have an opponent this time. They
(gays) talk about their great num-
bers. But a lot of it is dispropor-
tate to the coverage they receive
in the media."
Tom Coleman, an attorney and
president of the pro-gay rights
Texas Human Rights Foundation,
said the gay vote can swing a cru-
cial race, but it will be a long time
before a gay candidate can receive
wide support.
"We have not reached the point
where the consensus is over-
whelming for equal rights for
gays and lesbians," he said, noting
there are no openly gay elected
officials in Texas. "Until you
reach that consensus, it will be
very difficult for an openly gay
person to run on a state level or a
greater local level."
It is this issue that will face
Houston voters in January when
the vote on whether to ban dis-
crimination against homosexuals
in city employment. The City
Council in June voted to ban such
discrimination, but a petition drive
forced a referendum on the issue.
A private group, Citizens for
Public Awareness, raised 60,000
signatures to place the measure on
the ballot. The group's resolution,
said legislation sanctioning the ho-
mosexual lifestyle "would ... lead
to the breakdown of the tradition-
al family unit and subsequently to
the destruction of our nation."
The Houston resolution could
have long-term political impact in
a city where politicians are known
to court the strong Montrose-area
gay vote.
"If they should lose this refer-
endum, it will be a tremendous
setback for the gay community,"
Cashin said. "If they will lose this
election, it will cause people to re-
think as to whether or not they'll
solicit their support."
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[Dallas Times Herald article clippings: New Right opposition tests the clout of gays; Gays gain stronger voice, but their clout is being tested], clipping, October 7, 1984; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc947897/m1/3/?q=%221984%22: accessed July 9, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.