B E HlLLS,%?' jar’ ing an appearance before the Holly- wood Radio and Television Society, Gore praised the television industry for producing “Ellen,” featuring a les- bian as the lead character. Many shows have contributed to society, he said, citing “Oscar and the Grouch” for teaching children valu- able lessons and “Archie Bunker” for forcing Americans to confront racial and ethnic prejudices. “And, when the character Ellen came out, millions ofAmericans were forced to look at sexual orientation in a more open light,” Gore said. ' Was/7/'/7gto/7 r/jg/Its SEATTLE, WA — Voters in Washington state are getting the chance this fall to add their state to the list of those that protect gay rights. An initiative is on Washington's ballot this year asking voters whether discrimination based on sexual orien- tation should be outlawed. Backers of the proposal were careful in drafting the ballot language this year to fend off past criticism that the measure would give special rights to gays and lesbians. So, unlike previous initiatives, the Washington proposal would ban workplace discrimination, but would not require any kind of preferential treatment, quotas or partner benefits. The measure would not prohibit any of those things, but it does not spe- cifically require them, either. Vermont is one of 11 states that currently protect gay rights. The oth- ers are California, Connecticut, Ha- waii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Maine, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, New Hampshire and the District of Columbia. Gay ambassador WASHINGTON — President Clinton has tapped a wealthy Demo- cratic contributor from San Francisco to be ambassador to Luxembourg. James Hormel would be the first openly gay U.S. ambassador if he is confirmed by the Senate. Hormel has previously won confirmation from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, chaired by con- servative Republican Sen. Jesse Helms of North Carolina. He was ap- proved as an alternate delegate to the United Nations. Hormel also sits on the board of the Human Rights Cam- paign, which is praising his nomina- tion. “We don’t see this as an effort to bring gays into high levels of the administration, but as an effort by the president to bring highly talented in- dividuals into the administration,” said David Smith, campaign spokesman. "The fact that Mr. Hormel is gay is not relevant to whether he can perform the duties of ambassador or not." Hormel is an heir to the Hormel Meat Co. fortune Lesbian reporter WASHINGTON — A newspa- per in Washington state can prevent its reporters from political activism, in- cluding working for gay rights. The U.S. Supreme Court al- lowed a Washington Supreme Court .22 as "1 7 an r si- education reporter to an editing tion. ' The state court said that news- papers enjoy a free-press exemption from a state employment discrimina- tion law that says employers may not punish a worker for his or her off-duty political activities. The newspaper argued that such activities by its editorial staff threatened its credibility as an objec- tive source of news. NeIson’s work included gay - and lesbian civil rights, abortion rights and the Freedom Socialist Party. - Catholics and gays NEW YORK — Family love should come before church doctrine That's the pronouncement of the Na- tional Conference of Catholic Bish- ops. American bishops are counsel- ing parents of gay children to put love and support for their sons and daugh- ters ahead of church teaching that condemns homosexual activity. The bishops have concluded that sexual orientation is not freely chosen and parents must not reject their children in a society already full of rejection and discrimination. “All in all, it is essential to re- call one basic truth. God loves every person as a unique individual," the pastoral letter says. “Sexual identity helps to define the unique person we are. God does not love someone any less simply because he or she is ho- mosexuaI." The bishops did not back off on their condemnation of homosexual sex, however. They said gays and les- bians could be accepted in the church and could hold leadership positions only if they were chaste. Out//zgi Goethe BERLIN — It looks like yet an- other literary giant may have been gay. Curbside M k, described as an phy,” concludes ,n ethe, - - I "ature, German historian and journal- ist Karl Hugo Pruys has written a new biography of the author most famous for his “Faust” drama. In f‘The Tiger’s Carresses,” which appeared in Eu- rope last month and will debut in En- glish next year, Pruys says he has found documentation that led him to the conclusion that Goethe was far from the ladies’ man that he was gen- erally thought to be. . Pruys studied 2,500 letters to, from and about Goethe, a poet, nov- elist and playwright. Goethe married late in life, fathered one child and died at age 82 in 1832. For example, a letter written by Dr. Johann Georg Zimmerman, in which he describeshis young friend: “T 0 me, Goethe's caresses are like the caresses of a tiger. One always feels under his hugs the dagger in the pocket." A/D5 Volunteers CHICAGO — Volunteers are or- ganizing to take bold steps in research toward an AIDS vaccine. They say they are willing to risk their lives by being injected with a vaccine carry- ing a live, weakened strain of HIV. The International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care says it has 50 volunteers waiting to take part in the project. And dozens more have called offering to participate. The volunteers are doctors, nurses or health policy activists from around the world. Human injections are not expected for at least two years, but participants say they will go ahead with their work regardless of whether they get government ap- proval. Researchers sayAlDS vaccine work has been slow because it re- quires safety measures and rigorous animal testing before humans can be injected. There has been promising research with primates, but some sci- entists are still skeptical about-the wisdom of injecting humans. OUT IN THE MouNTAINs — NOVEMBER 1997 — 9 al services - BETH ROBINSON LANGROCK SPERRY & WOOL ATTORNEYS AT LAW 15 SOUTH PLEASANT STREET MIDDLEBURY, VERMONT 05753 Buriington Office: 275 Cottage Street Burtlngton, Vennont 05402 802-864-0217 Area Code: 802 Telephone: 388-6356 FAXIO: 388-6149 BLACKWOOD AND Eileen M. Blackwaod KRAYNAK P.C. Pamela Kraynak ATTORNEYS AT LAW - Employmentlaw Ed f l3l Main Street ° UCCI ion law ‘ ., - Wills. Relationship Contracts PO" BOX 8/5 - Commercial 8: Residential Real Estate BUWIQTOO» W 05402 ' Small Business (802) 863-2517 SUSAN M. MURRAY LANGROCK SPERRY 82. WOOL ATTORNEYS AT LAW is SOUTH PLEASANT STREET MIDDLEBURY. VERMONT 05753 Bunuuoron Orriczi 275 COLLEGE STREET Bununavou, VERMONT 05402 802-884-0237 Ann Coos: 802 TELEPHONE: 388-6356 Hon: PHONE: 377-3165 FAX v: 388-6149 Tax 69 Accounting Services A A\AJnAv\ Browns Trace Building P.0. Box 910 Richmond, VI.’ 05477 802-434-6466‘ A 802-434-6465 Izxx jti. Julie M. Miller (Serif/fer‘! 1’/lb/iCACCO¢mI/(Ill E\lElL»w— I'M SUCH A N£tI=~NeLiNe A GODDAMN MOVIE IN FRONT OF HIM LIKE A cARRar.' MM BE I ouem To 60 OUT RIGHT Now AND PICK SOMEONE UPTOO,STOP SITTING ALONE HERE Feeurxle SORRY FOR MY- sELF....I—iAv€ SOME EXLITEMENT AND I-'uN FOILA CHANGE...-‘,,’~ MAN,l‘J‘UST LOVETHIS I"\OvIE...MrIY8€ I'LL. NRITE AN €55/xy ON 11' /N MY NEXT ZINE. IF ONLY I NERESEXIER-THEN I NOULDNITNEED ANY PROPSTD ENTICE HIM INTO MvRoor'\........ 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