Agenda - 04-17-1990 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Orange County Commisioners Presentation April 17, 1990 TESTIMONY BEGAN IN SPRING, 1989. ON A PEACEFUL APRIL NIGHT, WE GATHERED AT BINKLEY BAPTIST CHURCH TO HEAR OF OBSCENE PHONE CALLS, NASTY NOTES LEFT ON DORMITORY DOORS, THREATS OF VIOLENCE, ACTS OF VIOLENCE, AND, MOST POIGNANT WAS THE TESTIMONY THAT CAME LAST. THIS WAS THE NIGHT WE DISCUSSED HOMOPHOBIA, AND THE LAST SPEAKER WAS SUZI PERRY, AIDS COORDINATOR AT UNC MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. THE NIGHTMARE SHE DESCRIBED WAS THAT OF BEING AN AIDS PATIENT AND BEING HOMELESS. MANY AIDS PATIENTS ARE COMPLETELY REJECTED BY THERE FAMILIES WHEN THEIR DISEASE IS DIAGNOSED, FOR THIS TOO IS OFTEN THE TIME THEY "COME OUT" TO THEIR PARENTS ABOUT THEIR HOMOSEXUALITY. I CANNOT IMAGINE NEEDING YOUR FAMILY MORE THAN AT THIS TERRIBLE MOMENT AND BEING PUSHED AWAY. AS IF THIS ISN'T BAD ENOUGH, IT IS COMPLETELY LEGAL TO REFUSE A PERSON HOUSING BASED ON HIS OR HER HAVING AIDS, OR JUST BEING HOMOSEXUAL. OUR NEXT SUBJECT WAS NO EASIER.... RACISM. AT THE ORANGE COUNTY LIBRARY, WE HEARD STORIES WE'VE BECOME ALTOGETHER TOO FAMILIAR WITH. STORIES OF APARTMENTS THAT WERE AVAILABLE ON THE PHONE, THAT WERE SUDDENLY RENTED JUST AS THE PERSON OF COLOR APPROACHED. STORIES OF KIDS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR ACADEMICALLY GIFTED PROGRAMS BECAUSE THEY ARE BLACK. AND A PARTICULARLY FRIGHTENING ACCOUNT FROM COMMISSIONER HALKIOTIS, PRINCIPAL OF ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL. HE TOLD US OF A STUDENT HE HAD A YEAR OR TWO AGO. THIS YOUNG MAN HAD LEFT TOWN SUDDENLY AND LEFT HIS WHITE SUPREMACY NOTEBOOK BEHIND IN HIS LOCKER. IT DESCRIBED BULLET TRAJECTORIES. IT CONTAINED UNCOUNTABLE, AND UNPRINTABLE, RACIST SLURS. IT CONTAINED HATRED. IT WAS EERIE TO TOUCH IT. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE