delegates interviewed in television complained that “Why should we
have an AIDS victim up there instead of someone with cancer?,” “I
feel sorry for her but not for the homosexuals and junkies,” and “I
wish she had left the sniff about homosexuals out of her speech.”

The Republican swing to the far right on social issues, including civil
rights, AIDS policy and abortion has been so dramatic that even the
national association of gay Republican clubs has refused to endorse
Bush’s re—election bid. In a clear attempt to shore up support from his
own party’s right wing and to attract socalled “Reagan Democrats”,
President Bush is using the theme of “Family Values.” While George
Bush has refrained from direct involvement in the attacks, the Re-
publican campaign is using surrogates like Vice President Quale,
Gringrich, Buchanan and others to inflame the issue. Many political
observers cite the use of prejudices around lesbian and gay issues as
this campaign’s version of the 1988 Willie Horton attack. Some poll-
sters and political professionals have expressed doubt that the emo-
tional issue will have the impact Republicans seem to be aiming for.
“We’d be more worried if there wasn’t a recession going on, but the
reality is that an autoworker doesn’t care about who someone sleeps
with if his or her first concern is making sure they still have a job next
year,” says one national Democratic strategist.

There are signs that the Republicans may be backing off the family
values theme after the negative reaction among much of the press and
public to the political queer-bashing that took place in Houston. Ru-
mors abound in political circles that the anti-gay message will be
downplayed in the general campaign, instead focussing it on targeted
audiences. For example, the Bush campaign has radio commercials in
development for airing on southern and country western stations
claiming that Bill Clinton’s election will force schools to hire gay
teachers. By concentrating the message on audiences thought to be
most hostile to civil rights, the campaign may sway them without the
criticism likely to come from sending the same message out to a na-
tional audience.

It remains to be seen how much impact lesbian and gay issues will have
on the fall campaign, but it is clear that we will be receiving more atten-
tion than we ever have in any national campaign in the past.V

September 1992
‘'33 L
V’

SUSAN MCKENZIE MS
ELLEN Krascnman CSW

MARJORIE ROBLIN CSW
announce
the joining of their practices
and the opening of
TEHE
WoMEN’s

THERAPY CENTER

A Feminist Therapy Practice

V

2 Church Street
Burlington, Vermont

860-7454

ax

Large selection, low prices
Available at
Video Exchange
21 Stowe St., Waterbury. VT
Phone: 244-7004
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 10-9, Sat. 10-5

Video Rental club Now Available
JzL'93

 

PO Box 220

~ (802) 888-4l00 Office
Hyde Park. Vermont 05655-0220

(802) 888-2977 Home

VALERIE WHITE

Humanist Minister
American Humanist Association

Namings - Weddings - Union Ceremonies - Memorial Services

 

 

Women ’s Dance

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