July 15, 2005

Residents pack library meeting to support gay papers

by Kaizaad Kotwal

Upper Arlington, Ohio--Decency standards in the Gay People’s Chronicle and Outlook Weekly were questioned and attacked by a group of Upper Arlington residents at a public forum held in the Columbus suburb’s public library on July 7.

Led by resident Mark Bloom and Upper Arlington city council member Tim Rankin, the small opposition group wants the gay newspapers taken out of the three Upper Arlington libraries, where many free publications are available to be picked up.

The hearing drew approximately 150 people to the main library’s 100-seat Friends Theater. It was organized by the library’s board of trustees and conducted by Operations Committee board members John Magill and Dan K. Boda.

The pair were set to report their findings back to the entire board the following Tuesday, July 12.

The panel heard from 44 individuals, who had to submit a request slip to address them. One more person’s comments were read into the record by Magill. About two-thirds spoke in favor of allowing the papers to be distributed in their current location in the entrance lobby.

Ann Hall, a resident of Upper Arlington, said that the rhetoric used by Bloom and Rankin was “manipulative and unfair.”

“In addition,” she argued, “they are defining morality narrowly as being solely monogamous and heterosexual.”

Hall echoed a commonly heard sentiment, that the objections were not about protecting children, but were rather part of an anti-gay agenda on the part of Bloom, Rankin and their few supporters.

Angie Wellman, executive director of Kaleidoscope, a GLBT youth agency in Columbus, spoke about how publications like the Gay People’s Chronicle were important to young people struggling with their sexuality. She pointed out that it was “wrong to assume that all our kids are straight.” Wellman also emphasized the notion that “a public library must be accessible and open to all.”

Sharon Weiss, an educator, argued that if indeed children did pick up these publications and ask questions, then parents should use these “as great teaching moments.”

Sherri Myers, coordinator of Stonewall Columbus’ Speakout straight ally group, echoed the educational value of the publications. She spoke also as a parent of two children aged 5 and 8.

“As a straight person and as an ally I am here to say that we need to do the right thing” and keep these publications openly available to everyone.

Sally Blue, director of development with the Columbus AIDS Task Force, spoke in favor of the importance of these publications to Upper Arlington residents who are gay and also those who are living with HIV and AIDS. Blue is also a past library board member.

Several speakers took issue with Bloom’s statement to a newspaper that his children help him throw out stacks of the papers, saying he was teaching them to steal. Others countered Bloom’s loud claim of patriotism.

“I am a patriot,” said Nicholas Wiedersatz. “I would like to serve in the military but I am not allowed to because I am gay.”

Wiedersatz spoke of his grandparents’ roots in Nordheim, Germany.

“My own grandfather could have sent me to the concentration camps in Nazi Germany because I am gay,” he argued.

Bloom compared the Gay People’s Chronicle and Outlook to pornographic publications like Hustler and Playboy, something several speakers denounced as a false comparison.

He said they were too sexually explicit to be offered in the lobby.

Other speakers pointed out that The Other Paper and Alive, free papers found in the same location, feature lurid ads for heterosexual strip clubs and chat lines.

Bloom and Rankin claimed that their objections are not homophobic. However, Bloom earlier told the Upper Arlington News he “enjoy(s) provocative photography of attractive women” in the non-gay papers. He also told WCMH Channel 4 for their 11 pm news that the gay papers are “legitimizing a lifestyle” that he is against.

Magill and Boda had to warn the audience several times during the two-hour-long hearing not to applaud or boo after each speaker.

At one point before the break, Boda said that he and Magill would “like to give . . . the audience the freedom of speech, but we also have the right not to listen.”

The two trustees said that they would report to the entire four-member board and that a decision and policy would be forthcoming at a future date.

On July 11, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio sent a letter to the board of trustees advising them that the issue is a matter of free speech, and urging them to leave the papers where they are.

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